Zulu Dawn Page #2

---

26.With the SIKALI in the foreground, PTE. WILLIAMS is seen in

the background,

still running, his rifle above his head.

27.The same NCO seen previously addresses the BASUTOS:

NCO:

Company.... 'Shun!

(The BASUTOS comply).

Move yourselves.

28.SIKALI are seen cantering as if a pre-ordained manoeuvre is

about to commence.

29.DURNFORD and S.M. KAMBULA are surveying their troops.

S.M. KAMBULA

Shall I give the order Sir?

COL. DURNFORD

Alright, Sergeant

30.S.M. KAMBULA rides offscreen.

31. The SIKALI gather together. S.M. KAMBULA's voice is heard

above the throng:

S.M. KAMBULA

Sikali Horse Forward!

32.The SIKALI ride full pelt, charging at the BASUTOS.

The troop continues almost into the first line of the BASUTOS,

which consists of

their European NCO's.

The European NCO's of the BASUTOS stare at the SIKALI troop as

they wheel

and once again come galloping at them.

33.COL. PULLEINE, LT. MELVILL & LT. COGHILL are seen outside

the Officer's

Mess amused at the commotion.

34.CLOSE UP. COL. DURNFORD laughing.

35.The NCO's edge away, unsure, prepared to take to their heels.

The BASUTO infantry watch, admiring, clapping.

6

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.

RAW salutes and leads VEREKER off left, as DURNFORD watches

their

departure.

41.INT. OFFICERS' MESS TENT. DAY

8

CLOSE UP. A scorpion is being removed from a specimen jar with

a pair of

tweezers. It is lifted out of shot to be examined under a

magnifying glass revealing

LIEUTENANTS COGHILL & MELVILL seated at an impressive green

baize table.

There are African servants, white-jacketed. SERGEANT MURPHY, a

short, broad

humorous, coarse-faced man, supervises the servants.

CHELMSFORD sits alone at a corner table reading his newspaper.

Other Officers are seated around the main table drinking claret

and smoking the

obligatory cigars. COLONEL PULLEINE is writing a letter whilst

LT. HARFORD

sits with his tins around him classifying his specimens.

As SOT. MURPHY refills their glasses COGHILL & MELVILL gossip

covertly in

half whispers so that their voices don't carry to the table of

their commander.

MELVILL:

Lighting COGHILL' 5 cigar:

Our good Colonel Dumford scored quite a coup with the Sikali

Horse.

COGHILL:

Um. There are rumours that my Lord Chelmsford intends to make

Durnford Second in Command.

MELVILL:

Well that's typical of Her Majesty's army. Appoint an engineer

to do a

soldier's work.

PULLEINE:

He continues writing without looking up:

Now, now Mr. Melvill, less of your spleen.

COGHILL & MELVILL smile at one another before their attention

is drawn to

LT. RAW and VEREKER entering the Mess.

RAW:

Addressing the Mess:

Stranger in the Mess. Gentlemen. (To CHELMSFORD) My LorJ

The officers and Vereker survey each other.

RAW:

To VEREKER:
Announce yourself

VEREKER spots CHELMSFORD in the corner.

VEREKER:

Good day Frederick.

9

CHELMSFORD:

Good day William. (Folding his newspaper, he stands to shake

hands).

Pleased you could join us.

The OFFICERS turn, a bit startled, to look at this newcomer who

is somehow on

first-name terms with the Lord General.

VEREKER:

It was either that, or join the Zulu.

CHELMSFORD:

(Removing his glasses).

Join the Zulu? Oh yes, you're right in the thick of it aren't

you? Talked to

your father before we sailed.. he said you 'd taken to farming

near Zulu land.

Sent his regards.. Should I meet up with you.

VEREKER (Wryly)

That was nice of the old boy.

CHELMSFORD:

I think you 'd better call out who you are.

VEREKER turns to address the Mess. CHELMSFORD sits.

VEREKER:

William Vereker.

Sergeant Murphy.

RAW:

MURPHY:

Sir?

RAW:

Bring drinks for the stranger. Allow me to introduce the Mess:

Colonel Pulleine. Messers. Melvill, Coghill...

With the exception of PULLEINE & MAJOR RUSSELL the Officers

stand as

they are introduced.

COGHILL:

Morning.

During the introductions, SOT. MURPHY selects a large, silver,

chalice-like

receptacle from a trophy table in another corner. He takes it

to the head of the

table.

RAW:

Jackson, Milne, Major Russel4 Stevenson,.

I0

STEVENSON:

How do you do?

RAW:

Haiford. . and Haiford's best frienJ

HARFORD raises a glass jar containing one of his prized

specimens in

acknowledgement.

Meanwhile MURPHY has collected a bottle of claret from a tray

brought by

another black servant. He pours the contents into the trophy.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes