Percy, who had been employing his swivels with great effect, at length shouted out to Lionel to go and get some more powder. “I’ve nearly come to the end of mine,” he said.
Lionel hurried off, but just as Percy fired his last shot he came back with the alarming intelligence that the magazine was empty.
“Our father and Crawford, and some of the men, have a few rounds; but I have none, nor has Rupert.”
“Then we must use the stones. Fortunately I thought of them,” cried Percy, undaunted. “I only hope that the Zulus won’t suspect that our ammunition is exhausted.”
No sooner did the besiegers again venture under the walls, than the showers of stones which clattered down on their heads made them once more beat a rapid retreat; but those who threw them had to expose themselves far more than before, and many were wounded by the assegais of the savages, who kept hurling them from a distance which the stones could not reach.
Captain Broderick had escaped unhurt. He was seen everywhere firing his rifle as long as he had a round left, encouraging his men, and finally taking to stone-throwing.
But the Zulus were not long in discovering the want of ammunition among the garrison; and now, confident of success, the main body, which had hitherto been kept in reserve, rushed up to the attack, carrying ladders for crossing the ditch and mounting the walls. Still Captain Broderick encouraged his men to hold out.
“We will drive them back, my boys, notwithstanding,” he shouted. He sent Lionel with Biddy and two men to bring up a further supply of the stones. “And tell your mother and sisters, on no account to leave the house,” he added. “Let them keep up their courage; for depend on it we shall succeed in driving back the savages.”
Although he said this, he could not help feeling how desperate was their situation. On every side the Zulus appeared, their numbers greatly increased since the last attack. They had in all probability been waiting for reinforcements. They now thickly thronged round the walls, and his fear was that they might even find their way to the rear of the fort. Already nearly half the garrison had been wounded, two of whom he had seen fall to the ground, while others, weakened by loss of blood, had scarcely strength to hurl the stones down on the heads of their assailants. At length for the first time he began to despair of successfully defending the fort. As a last resource he resolved to summon the whole of the garrison, and to retire into the house, which he hoped to be able to defend with fixed bayonets and the assegais thrown into the fort. Still, as yet, not a Zulu had got inside, but at any moment they might make their way over the stockade.
Just then loud shouts were heard on the left, followed by a rattling fire of musketry, and the Zulus, who had nearly gained the stockade, dropped down, almost together, some falling into the water, others scrambling back by the way they had come. The shouts increased.