DONALD MACDONALD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 213, 7 September 1900, Page 5

DONALD MACDONALD.

The interest felt in Mr Donald Macdonald, the Australian war correspondent and lecturer, was plainly, shown by the crowded attendance at i the Opera House last evening at the opening lecture. The subject was "Scenes and Sensations of Battle," with special references to the lecturer's experiences during the siege of Ladysniith. One speaks of Mr Mac* donald as a lecturer, but "raconteur" would probably describe him better;; for he adopts a conversational tone, and talks rather than lectures to his audience. He quickly placed himself in sympathy with his hearers, and held their undivided attention throughout the lecture. Without any pretensions to ornate effect, his descriptions of the battlefield were vigorous and picturesque, and at times of thrilling interest; and the darker pictures Avere pleasantly lightened with humorous sketches/of which his excellent powers of mimicry enabled the lecturer; to make the best advantage. Commencing without any formal introduction, Mr Macdonald spoke of the gallantry of the Dublin Fusiliers at Talana Hill, and the plucky act of young Robinson, of the Guides, who rode out through a deadly rifle-fire and - cut the Boer wire entanglements. A' picturesque description of the Gordon Highlanders followed, and one almost heard the "swing, swing" of the Highlanders as they marched into action. "When the Gordons get going, it is hard to stop that swing," added the lecturer. He went on to describe his first experience of fighting, which was at Eeitfontein. His first impression of the battle was onft of absolute confusion. Our men seemed to be hit* ting at shadows, only in this ease the shadows were always hitting.back. It was not till the battle was all over that one began to see design in all that firmg1 and moving- about. The night attack on Lombard's Kop by the Natal Volunteers was vividly pictured. In! this fight the Boers fired bicycle ballbearings out of smooth-bore guns, and the lecturer raised a laugh by referring to a Britisher who got a charge of these missiles in his leg as "the only man in the British Empire who goea about on ball-bearings." Intensely interesting was the story* of the fight at Caesar's camp on January 6th, as told by Mr Macdonald. The account of the Devon's' charge was dramatic in its intensity, 'and throughout there was no straining for effect, no artificially in the narrative. In the description of the Devons preparing for> the charge behind the crest of the hill, one could almost picture for oneself the quick moistening of dry lips; the strained, tense lines on the faces ot the men; the dry catch in the officer'^ voice as he gave the order to fix bayonets; the "trickle of steel"- that, ran along the line as the order was carried out; and the look of relief on the men's faces as they got the order to charge and swung over the crest of the hill. "Then they charged across the summit, and in five minutes there* . was not a Dutchman left alive upon that hill." The audience found relief from the tension of the last few minutes in rounds of applause as the lecturer added: "When you have seen a charge like that, you have seen something that will make you proud p« your country as long as you live." _ Naturally the Avar picture had its sombre tones, and Mr Macdonald's sympathetic description of the scene on the hilltop after the fight brought; home to his audience the stern-reali-ties of Avar. And, to use/his own words, "You could not help thinking that humanity and civilisation wera not much after all, if they could not show a better sight than that hilltop. He spoke of the splendid service rendered by the army chaplains: "The hardest and* noblest work of all ■ is done AVhen the battle is over, by tho chaplains." The devotion displayed, by Dr. Hornabrook, .the South Austra^lian, in attending to the Abounded un-. der fire was faithfully pictured, and the audience Avere able to appreciate*. Mr Macdonald's description of the doctor as "the bravest man I saw in South. , A_"fric3«" ~ ' \ • v The story of the night attack on. Surprise Hill, where the "Tommies >: cJiinbed up the wash-out in the face*■. of acannon pointing down at them,wasw full of thrilling interest. /'You hava>. heard about the smallness of the^Boery losses," said the lecturer. w "Well, we/, had no statistics, but,when: the; men f lined up for inspection after -that night attack, Aye counted - 96-.bloody, covered bayonets." ' ' • ; r, :: ■ j£During the lecture a .number ..off photographs Avere thrown on the>;v, screen, illustrating some of the scenes^ described in the lecture. . These # too ; . > were full of interest, when explained , f in Mr Macdonald's running, icommen^; tary; and excited frequent rounds ofibr applause. ' . "• . The subject of to-night's lecWjvill? be "The Story of the Siege." Mr Mac-|' donald's season closes on Mondayjf" evening. ■ . ■ ■-■■ „*■•"■•' » i •■'"