The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-05-10
cINcAINe up foR TRoueLs.

Curious Impulse That Soldiers Feel In
Moments of Danger.
There We're two men lowering heavy
oask Of wine into cellar the other day,
and one Of them asked his comrade to
stand by a,moment. The man stood by
and the first speaker took an extra hitch
In tho belt of his oyerails.
That's queer" said Perry Ingram,
who was passing at the time. II saw 10
men do that in the face OF certain death,
and Of the other $50 who were with us
/ guess nine in every 10 did the same. ]
know | did anyhow. Can't tell why,
because / nsver thought the matter over,
bat I'll swear that II ever get into an
other fix like that again I'll do the same
thing over.
at was during the Basutu war Of 1880.
was trooper there, and was one Of the
500 and odd that composed the Kimberley
Horse. If there ever was o set Of not
care-a-continental scalawags In Queen
Victorias uniform, it was that same
gang of rough riders.
I'VE fought all right, of course, but
that all we were good for. Honestly, /
think half the troop was made up Of ex-
convicts and the balance Of that class of
adventures who had pioneered the road
to the South African diamond fields.
I'VE were In fort on Thlotse heights.
The Basutus, about 5000 strong, were
amusing themselves plotting at us from
the other side of the Thiotse river, and
one day they took 1t into their heads to
send 1900 warriors across the stream,
over fords above and below us. to do us
up.
'sAs it happened that morning about
$50 of US were detailed to escort couple
Of 8-pounders up the hill to the fort from
below, and ON our return trip the Basu-
tus got between as and the encampment.
I'VE threw out In open file while they
rode down ON us--they were we'll mount
ed, were those Basutus--and we had or
ders to hold fire until they were about
100 yards away.
"Well, when they came within tho
given distance we fred, but instead of
soaring them by killing off q hundred or
so the beggars still came ON. Dismount-
ing from their horses. they seized their
assegais. The hill was black with them,
and they rushed on us like the hounds Of
hell.
"'It's all up now, boys, thought !. for
when those chaps take 1t into their heads
to go the whole hog and charge they
do it.
while l was thrusting another car
fridge into my rife felt q bit queer
4noGk tnaHfrcIt, anu no1nenow, ( can't
tell how, It seemed as though my stom-
ach was empty.
Now, know what 1t Is to be scared,
but was not frightened then. There
was no time to get frightened. Il was
Just stand and fght till you dropped
dead full Of spear holes.
II laid down my rifle for second to
loosen my revolver In Its case, and then
from some involuntary instinct that !
cannot explain drew in my belt cou-
pie Of inches around my waist, As / did
80 ! looked at the fellows nearest nae.
Every one Of them was cinching mp just
the same as myself.
"Just for moment everything on our
side was silence, and the Basutus were
not 10 yards away. Then we all began
blazing away again and yelling as men
10 In battle. f
"The IRE frightened the blacks. They
canle within 10 yards Of as, then turned
tail and fed. We kept blazing away at
the beggars as long ~ they were in
range. and then suddenly ceased.