The Portland daily press., 1881-01-04
War Pictures.
Archibald Forbes Descriptions of Plev
na and Isandula.

Boston Heralds Report of Mr.. Forbes Lecture.l
As an example of the eloquent terms in des-
crlption into which Mr.. Forbes often and nat
urally falls, the concluding remarks regarding
the campaign which contained the battle of
Plevna as leading feature are given in the
exact words of the speaker.
"Plevna lay down yonder in its snug valley
among the foliage, calm and serene, like a
sleeping babe amid pack of raging wolves,
the sunlight glinting on the'spires of its church
towers. Behind us the Russian cannon belch-
ing fire and iron. Close to us the General
with set face and terribly eager eyes, the work
ing of his lips and fingers belying his forced
compcsure. And at our feet hell itself, raging
in all its lurid splendor, all is fell horror.
4 chaos of noises came back to us on the light
summer wind-the crackle of the musketry
lire, the ping OF bullets, the crash of explod-
ing shells, loud shouts of men bent on death
or victory, shrieks and yells of anguish, aye,
even groans, so near are we. Look at that
swift rush; see the upheaval of flashing bayo-
nets; listen to the roar of triumph, sharpened
by the clash of steel against steel. There is an
answering hurrah from the gunners above us,
Tor the Russian infantry have carried at the
bayonet's point the first Turkish position.
But they get no farther. See the stubborn gal
liant fellows there standing leaderless-for
nearly all the officers are down-sternly wait
'ng death for want of leaders either to cheer
them forward or march them back! A cray-
ing that is almost irresistible comes over one
to abandon inaction and to do something
something, no matter what-in this acme,
this climax OF concentrated strife. The mad
excitement of the battle surges up in the
brain like strong drink. You sitting quietly
here, can have no idea how hard it is, in such
convulsion of emotion, to bide at rest and
trious accuracy-how difficult to compose CO.
herently when the brain is on fire and the
pulses are bounding as if they would burst.
After describingIthe visit to the battle-ground
where the massacre of Isaudula occurred, and
the subsequent battle of Ulundi, in which the
British were victorious and how, after the lat
ter battle, Lord Chelmsford announced (for
some reason) that he should not despatch
courier until next day, then Mr.. Forbes show.
ed how he saw in this decision his opportunity,
and how he started at once for Landmarks
Drift, 100 miles away, the nearest telegraph
station. He reached it after some of the most
exciting incidents Of his life. The closing pas
sage was as follows, using again Mr.. Forbes
exact language:
Il could see the dark figures of Zulus
against the blaze of the fires in the destroyed
kraals to the right and left of my track, and
their shouts came to me on the still night air.
AT length Ihopelessly lost my way, and there
was no resource but to halt till the moon
should rise and show me my whereabouts The
longest 20 minutes ever spent in my life was
"hAAS osteiiS my tiOluUllIS HOISt III II lllIl6
open glade of the bush, my hand ON the butt
OF my revolver, waiting for the moons rays to
flash down into the hollow. At length they
came, discerned the right direction, and in
half an hour more l was inside of the reserve
camp of Etonganeni and telling the news to a
circle of eager listners. The great danger was
past. 1t was remote chance that I should
meet with molestation during the rest of my
ride The exertion was prolonged and ardu-
ous, but the recompense was adequate. l had
the good fortune to be thanked for the tidinps
had borne to the General COMMANDMENT
Chief and the Governor of South Africa.
and It was something for correspondent to be
proud OF that it was his narrative of the COM
bat and of the victory, wired to the colonial Of
ficial, and by that functionary wired to his Of
hcial superiors at home, which her maiesty's
minister read to the House of Commons, as
the only intelligence they had received up to
date,