The Relief of
Bungstarter Station
Part Two
Continued from Part One

Suddenly there is the crack of musketry from the far shore. Badly aimed balls slam into the sides of the launches, and careen off the boilers. Maj. Kurtzman and the crewmen all go prone in the bottom of the boat, but the lesson comes too late for the nurse, who is the only victim of the initial volley (I guess we don't get to find out how that rule works). A second volley is completely ineffectual.

The native musketmen, with only one volley of ammunition still available, hold their fire.

Upon reaching the station, the Scots form a loose circle around the civilians, and the march to the river begins. As they pass a small peninsula of jungle just before the head of the trail, the drums stop

Meanwhile, the Highlanders fretfully make their way across the veldt to the rhythm of the distant drums backed by the muffled sound of musketry at the boats. They pass the deserted Ouazulu village.and march toward Bungstarter. No native has yet been seen, and the tension is almost palpable as they approach the station.The hunters and bearers prepare to depart as soon as the troops reach the building.

From the depths of the undergrowth comes the cry: "OOKABALLAKONGAAAAAAAA!"

A unit of spear-armed warriors rushes from the jungle at the thinly spread Scots. If they can close, their numerical superiority will overwhelm the line of Highlanders. The surprised troopers - those that are on the side of the attack - get off one ragged volley - all misses.

But to the dismay of King Wotmiwori, observing from the safety of the foliage, the whistling bullets terrify his spearmen, who drop back and go to ground. The highlanders form a close-order line, bolstered by the heavy rifles of the hunters, and fire into the tall grass, causing only one casualty, but that one is the leader of the warband.

The natives rise again and surge forward, but, leaderless, they lose heart once more and dive into the veldt grasses.

The Scots hold their fire momentarily, then as the Ookaballakonga rise from cover for a third attempt, a well-aimed volley cuts them to ribbons. Only a handful survive.

But three of the highlanders' five volleys of ammunition have been spent in the affair.

GO ON to Part Three of
The Relief of Bungstarter Station

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