THE LATEST FROM MAFEKING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 62, 14 March 1900, Page 2

THE LATEST FROM MAFEKING.

: ! A BOER ATTACK. MAFEKING, January 17.—The . Boers have moved the big guns two f miles northwards, their old position : being untenable through our sharpt shooting and artillery practice. The i gun is now east of the town four - thousand yards. Firing occasionally takes place, but •is very erratic; sometimes hours - elapse between shots, then several ; shots quickly follow in succession, : and quietness again prevails. ; Our convalescent ward was fired in•to and smashed up yesterday. AU the i patients were providentially unin- : jured, but we were forced to remove • them and provide other quarters dur- ; ing a heavy downpour of rain. ; To-day an English boy named • Brown, nine years old, was killed by ; a piece of a shell, which struck him in : the spine while he was at the woi men's and children's laager. On Friday last, when the Boers had the siege gun in its old position, they i concentrated their fire on our west-. :■ crn outposts, sixty-three rounds being- fired during the forenoon, in- . eluding twenty rounds from 94- ---• pounders, roughly two tons of metal. i Our only casually was a flesh wound • sutained by a signaller. One or two hundred Boers advanced on the fort at the south-west os if to attack our extreme outpost. Our seven-pounder fired three rounds of shrapnel in the midst of the enemy, which sent them flying away. The number of their killed is unknown. Another body approached under shelter of the trees, crawling on their bellies. Natives were with them. Volleys were fired from our trenches, and Hie enemy ran like mad, never stopping till they were out of range. Another party of Boers, who were riding on the north side with the apparent intention of joining the attack, were evidently scared, as they stopped and consulted and returned to their laager. On Sunday next the Agricultural Show of cattle, horses and produce will take place. The classes include animals born during the siege. Rations are limited to lib per man per day. Whisky and soda is selling at 2/. There is not enough champagne left to toast the Colonel. A native spy was caught Friday night, and pleaded guilty to coming to Mafeking to find out for the Boers where our Volunteers were located, doubtless with the view of the enemy shelling them.