| Show SURROUNDED BY MATABELES Captain Brands Command Does Desperate Fighting HEATHENS WELL ARMED IS MUCH BETTER CONDITION THAN WAS EXPECTED Rebellion in Matabclcland Appears to Be Spreading in Spite of the Vigorous Efforts That Have Been Made to Suppress It The Dervishes Der-vishes Under Osimvn Dignua BULUWAYO April 12 Details have been received here of the encounter with the Matabeles of Captain Brand as the result of which he suffered a reverse and was compelled to ask for assistance from Buluwayo The Matabeles surrounded and attacked Captain Brands column consisting of 130 men which had been sent to relieve Gwanda twentyeight miles south of hereon here-on the Tuli road Captain Brand formed a lager for the purpose of offering a better defense against the attack Some desperate fighting ensued The enemy were found to be well armed with Martini ni rifles and they directed a strong and well aimed fire against Captain Brands Maxim gun with such good effect that it became disabled Captain Brands ammunition am-munition also ran short and the fierce attack of the Matabeles continuing the situation of his force began to grow desperate des-perate They were finally obliged to fight their way through the beleaguring enemys line They succeeded in cutting their way out with a loss of five troopers killed and sixteen wounded I is estimated that 10 of the Matabeles were killed In response to Captain Brands mes sage calling for assistance a relief force of 250 men with artillery were dispatched as quickly as possible This force met Captain Brands column returning The rebellion in Matabeleland seems to be spreading in spite of the vigorous efforts that have been made to suppress i The enemys forces come and go within short distances of Buluwayo and the anxiety here is most keen and there are many fears expressed of an attack by the enemy en-emy in force Confidence is felt that Bu luwayo will be able to offer a successful defense The coming of the relief force from Mafeking will however be greeted as a welcome assistance In the possible case of an attack LONDON April 13The Times has a dispatch from Buluwayo which says 1500 Matabeles attacked Captain Brand who lost thirty horses an the fight Dervishei Under Digna SUAKIM April 12The Dervish forces under command of Osman Digna continue con-tinue to hover in the neighborhood of tnue Suakim watching their opportunity to do watching mischief Minor skirmishes between the Dervishes and friendly Arabs on the plain before Suakim are continually occurring and several men have been killed I seea has been learned here that the practice of the Dervishes is to behead whatever they may make prisoners Osman Digna with 200 cavalry and 400 infantry has attacked the position held bv a sheik who is friendly to the Brit with fourteen ish but he was repulsed killed This victory of the friendly sheik secures the safety of the plain before S r is now stated that Osman Digna has a force numbering 0 troops I is well numberng known that large numbers of the Arabs who have been accounted as friendly to the British are deserting to the enemy |
