A TERRIBLE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11642, 27 January 1900, Page 2

A TERRIBLE TEST OF FRIENDSHIP.

PERILS OF SCOUTING IN SOUTH

AFRICA.

A SAD STORY BY COLONEL BADEN-

POWELL.

Colonel Baden-Powell, who tells the following dreadful story, is now in command at Mafeking. He was sent out to Mafeking in hot hasto at the beginning of the war, with instructions to gather what irregular troops could be obtained, and then to do the best he could. Wo had been out on a two days' reconnaissance, George Garbett and I, and were making' the .best of our way to rejoin, the Yovl Salisbury-column, which we calculate:! to Bnd at the Upper Drift of the little Inyati ltiver. But our horses were pretty well done, and we were not able to make the progress we had hoped. Evening was already drawing on when we found ourselves still some 12 or 15 miles from our point. And on that open, rolling veldt, with nothing but the slight track to guide one, we had agreed that the safest way was not to try and push ahead in the dark; so, twilight being but a short entr'acte here in Africa, George and I were already beginning to look out for a suitable spot to make our bivouac for the night. Suddenly he exclaimed, " Heavens! there they are." I saw nothing; but he liad eyes like a hawk, and I always trusted him to see. things.; while I received his reports with an invariable calmness, which, I flattered myself, pounterbalanced'his usual'impetuous, eager baste. So on this occasion X merely remarked, "It's rather a ease for 'hurrah' than heavens,' I think.'.'

"'You idiot,!" he replied. " It's not the column that 1 see; it's a lot of niggers, lmng them ! Bight in our path, too, waiting for ua/ Hero, we had belter get out of this."

Ami, as wo wheeled our horses sharply round, several Matabele heads popped up among the grass and boulders of the rough ground over which we were then travelling —much nearer to us than the first that he hac] eesii. We could even recognise the nature of their head-dresses, of which there were two or three varieties, aud then we gleaned that several regiments lay close by. And so wo cantered off with the idea of making a wide detour to work round their flank, and to regain our road, if possible, beyond them.

But in the meantime we meant to ascertain all wo could about their strength and probable intentions.

There is something of delight in the shock of surprise in coining suddenly upon an enemy. It, is in its way not unlike a plunge into cold water, and its invigorating after-effects. For a moment the heart tightens, aud then from a tired, draggling creature, you are suddenly transformed into a man endowed with a fresh Sow of life and keenness. And, in acting men against; mqu, there is an excitement which Iranacoiids' anything one feels when contending with a mere wild animal—for against you you lia-vo allied all the cruelty and cunning of the bqast coupled with the human intelligence and an aptitude for fighting as great, if »ofc gieater, than your own.

So it was with George mid me; put on our mettle our fatigues wore forgotten, and we proceeded with all alacrity to investigate more nearly tho.encmy's dispositions. But in doing so we very soon saw enough to make us consult our own present safety. At one point, indeed, wo very nearly rail into a parly of them who had crept rapidly down the donga with the intention'of cutting us off but just in timo we viewed them, aud as we wheeled about and galloped off we were saluted by a shower of assegais; 'luokily for us we .were just beyond their range, but the ringing grate and clatter as they fell among the atones had a very ugly sound, more so even than the bang-, ing of the'few rifle shots whose bullets whistled high and harmless overhead. And dodging in and out among tho stones we eantored off, laughing at our escapade while still the same dropping shots were.firod in salute. I was riding partly in advance, when suddenly I hoard a crash behind me, find, turning, saw poor George's horse pitch heavily forward on to its head, half rolling over on to its rider. Tho final parting shot had struck it. Through the twilight I- could see tlie agony in poor t'eorire'a face and oyes, and as {lie horse in its convulsion-rolled "back off'him, ho tried to raise himself upon his hands, but dropped doivn flp.fc, insensible.

1 turned bacio to him, t.'.id from tho saddle, and, Hinging the reins over old Toulon's head, in a moment 1 was on my knees beside him. He w»s evidently in a bad plight; his horse dead, shot through tho neck as it had turned to pass an ant heap,. and George himself injured to an extent which I only discovered when, on passing my arm between.his legs to rnisa him on my shoulders, I found him bleeding from a crushed and broken thigh. As I ajrpioclicd my horse with my burden, the old brute tossed up his head, and, not liking my appearance, began for the first time in his life to walk anxiously away from me. lor a moment it looked is if he would break into a trot, and then into a wild, senseless cantor, and my lwaxt sank within me; but luckily tho draggling, reins caught under- his feet, and perked him1 back to reason and obodienco. Shouldering my poor friend on to tho pommel of tho toddle.'-so- that he lay face down ucroas tho wallets, I lnounled, end beaded Toulon away into tho friendly darkness which was now gathering over tlio veldt. In spite of the horror of'the situation, I could not help for the moment comparing it all to the fun known, as tho " Zeroba race " at gymkhana sports. ' '

A few shots wove ■ fired as wo cantered labOuringly away, and within a xninuto I could hear the bloodthirsty, " Ohuggu " cry of the Maiabele as tioy want to work on tho dead liorso with their stabbing assegais. This, like (i carcase thrown to wolves,moat luckily delayed them, and gavo me just tho start I wanted, imd not many minutes later we were well beyond pursuit.