Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

9 1ST ARGYLLSHIRE HIGHLANDERS. 277was very slow, continued halts havingto be made 1879.to allow the great number of waggons to keeptogether, which was no easy matter to arrange,in consequence of the heavystate of the trackafter the recent rains. The waggons numbered122, and occupied nearly two miles in length whenon the move.In the afternoon an entrenched laager wasformed on the banks of the Inyoni Eiver.A South African laager consists of an enclosureformed by waggons placed closely together; atsome distance outside them the shelter trench isdug ;the defenders occupy the space between thetrench and the waggons, and the area enclosed bythe waggonscontains the cattle.The next morning the troops stood to theirarms an hour before daybreak. This plan wasadopted throughout the campaign, as the ideawas that the hour justbefore daybreak was theone at which the Zulus generally attacked. Themarch was resumed in the same order as theprevious day, and by the afternoon the banks ofthe Amatikulu River were reached, and anotherentrenched laager was formed.On Monday, the31st, the river was crossed; this was a very longand wet operation, as the river was high, reaching