UNVERSED IN WARFARE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 19 June 1911, Page 5

UNVERSED IN WARFARE.

Tenoranco i s not bliss on the battleneld. \V ligii tho Soutli African v.ur began, tlic Boers, brave fighters though they were, lost many an advantage through almost childish simPi ti''ii U 1!G ai vvar. Mr Howard L. HilJogas, in his “Boors in War,” gives an incident of this trait. W hile lighting at Magersfontein, a number of youthful Boers, in this their first battle, allowed a hundred Highlanders to approach within a short distance of the trench wherein the Boors were concealed. They then sprang out, calling “Hands up!” Tim Highlanders, completely surprised, threw down their arms and advanced, holding their hands above their heads. One of the young Boors approached them, scratched his head in perplexity, and said to his friends, “What shall we do with them.?” After a consultation, they allowed the Highlandeis to return to their column. W hen the young Boers arrived at the Boor laager, laden with the captured rifles, their general asked them why they did not bring their prisoners. The youths looked at each other, and one of them sheepishly icplied; “Wo did not know they were wanted.” It was not the lads, however, who always made the mistakes. One old Boer, on viewing for the first time a company of Highlanders in the distance, refused to fire, insisting that it was a herd of ostriches, and ho persuaded all the burgers pi the trenches near him that they were ostriches, and nothing hut ostriches.