Zulu Dawn Page #3

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The troop skilfully turns their horses, as if on a penny,

inches from the BASUTO

NCO's then ride away, whooping, in high spirits.

LORD CHELMSFORD & COL. CREALOCK, having watched this exhibition,

ride forward to meet COL. DURNFORD.

CHELMSFORD:

Splendid horsemanship Who are they?

DURNFORD:

Sikali Horse, My Lord. Christians alL I know each one by name.

CHELMSFORD:

They come well recommended do they?

DURNFORD:

My Lord, they rode for me at Bushman '5 Pass.

CHELMSFORD:

Oh... indeed. Crealock, we should see that Colonel Dumford has

an

Officer for his hard riders. Perhaps a subaltern from the

Twenty Fourth.

DURNFORD:

I thought it might be more effective to find someone who speaks

Zulu.

CHELMSFORD & CREALOCK exchange glances.

CREALOCK:

Yes. I see you've issued each of them with a Martini Henry

Carbine.

Our quota for Native contingencies: one rifle to ten men and

only five

rounds per rifle.

CHELMSFORD:

But will they make good use of them?

DURNEORD:

They're as good marksmen as horsemen.

CHELMSFORD:

There's no doubting their horsemanship Colonel Durnford.

CHELMSFORD & DURNFORD salute.

DURNFORD:

Mr. Crealock.

CREALOCK nods.

DURNFORD exits offscreen.

7

CHELMSFORD:

We must think how to make best use of Colonel Durnford's African

knowledge.

36.Through the smoke of the field kitchens enters the

Honourable WILLIAM

VEREKER, aristocratically aloof on a fine stallion, his servant

following on an

equally fine horse. He rides purposely towards COL. DURNFORD as

if he has

been seeking him.

VEREKER:

Colonel Durnford... William Vereker. I hear you 've been seeking

Officers?

DURNFORD:

Good ones, yes, Mr Vereker. Gentlemen who can ride and shoot

DURNFORD waits for a reaction. VEREKER, cool, looks into

DURNFORD's

face and takes out his rifle.

Cantering some distance away, VEREKER turns, spurs his horse

vigorously and,

on reaching DURNFORD, throws his rifle up into the aim. He

fires one-handed

at the half carcass of a cow being hung up near the field

kitchens without veering

his galloping horse. The half carcass judders under the impact

of the heavy

bullet.

37.PTE. WILLIAMS has been jogging wretchedly on. On hearing the

bullet he throws

himself to the ground believing he has been shot. Two of the

kitchen hands help

him to his feet.

38.CLOSE UP of SOT. WILLIAMS.

SGT. WILLIAMS

Shouting across the field:

Private Williams. You've stopped.

39.PTE. WILLIAMS regains his composure and, once more lifting

his rifle above his

head, continues to jog. SGT. WILLIAMS looks on with smug

satisfaction.

40.As VEREKER approaches, DURNFORD commands the attention of

LT. RAW:

DURNFORD:

Mr. Raw. Take Mr. Vereker to the Store and see he '5 issued the

necessary equipment And then show him to the Mess and explain

to him

how an Officer is expected to behave.

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