BETWEEN TWO FIRES.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9619, 23 April 1900, Page 2

BETWEEN TWO FIRES.

Sergeant G. Atkinson, of the Protectorate Regiment now with Colone. Baden-Powell at Mafeking, writes: — "I have just escaped from the ja.ws oi death by as close a sha,ve as one could possibly have-. Four of us wen out watering our horses —always a risky venture, for Boer snipers keep on tihe 1 look-out for us. On this day however, the danger came from oui own sharp-shooters: They mistool: us for Boors, and poured such ai terrifio hail of fire into us that gilled of) the horse's and made us fall flat or our stomachs. We wormed our wars along the ground to, a small rockj rise surrounded by bushes, and herr two of us ventured to rise. The Boers, on the other side saw us and fired, so we dropped down again. When' the Boers fired, our own, evidently puzzled, left off, but' we dare not get up again, for bullets whizzled over and around us for an hour, and actually chipped off rock, on my face. Wa were so close to the Boers that wo could hear their shouts and laughter, but they dare not come towards us for fear of our sharpshooters. Trust a Boer for 1 coming into the open. Eventually, under cove) of dusk, we crept back to the British lines, fortunately more alarmed than hurt.'