Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-16
cINcAIne up FOR DEATH.
A curlou. rmpui.e that soldiers Feel in
Isnn Franciaco ExamIuer.


There we're two mon lowering heavy
cask of wine into cellar the other. day.
and one Of them asked his comrnde TO
stand by n moment The man stood by,
and the first speaker took az extra hltch
in the belt that heIc up his oyerails.
That's queer" said Perry Ingram,
who was passing ut the time. !" | saw Ten
men do that IN the face of certain death.
and OF the other $50 who wors with IA
gness cine In every ten did the same.
tuow did. ANYHOW. Can't tell why, be-
cause never thought the matter over.
hui I'll swear that II over getinto another
tx ike that again I'll do the same thing
over.
at was during the Basu'u war OF 1897.
/ was a trooper there at the time, and was
one of the 800 and odd that composed the
Kimberly Horse. II there ever was a set
OF not-caro-a continental scalawags IN
Oueen Victorias Uniform il was that same
cang of rough riders. We fought all right.
OF course, but that was all we were good
for. Honestly. think half the troop was
made up of ex-convlcts, and the balance
of that class of adYenturers who had pio-
neered the road to the South African dia-
mOnd fields.
I've were in fort on Thlotse Heights;
the Basutus. about 5000 strong. were
amusing themselves potting at us from tho
0fUtT Slut VI tuo IlbA1O AA'Nhf ehR W.
dav they took it into their heads TO SEMI
about 200 warriors across the stream,
over fords above and below us, to do up.
"As it happened that morning about 21g
| of us were detailed to escort couple or
SIX FOUNDERS up the hill to the fort from
| below, and on our return trip The basutus
| got between US and the eneampnent.
We threw out IN open tle while they
rode down on us--they were well mounted,
I md had orders TO
! hold fire until they we're about 100 yards
away.
well, when they came within the given
| distance we fired, but instead OF soaring
| them by killing of hundred or so the
| beppars still came on. Dismounting from
| their horses they seized their assegais--
| the bill was black with them-and they
rushed on us like the hound Of hell;
Its all up now. BOYS thought L. for
when those chaps take il into their heads
| To 90 the whole hog and charge they do It..
while | was thrusting another cart
! ridge INTO my rife felt bit queer about
| the throat. and somehow L cant tell now.
| IL seemed as though my stomach was
| emptV. Now, | know what 10 IS to be
scared, but ! was not frightened then.
| There was no time to get frightened. 1t
was Just stand and fight till you dropped
! dead full of spear-holes.
/ W
! loosen my revolver IN its case. and then,
! from some involuntary instinct that can
! not explain. ] drew IN my belt couple OF
| inches around my waist. As l did so
| looked around at the fellows nearest me.
Every one of them was cinching up Just
the same "a myself.
| Just for a moment everything on our
side was silence. aud the Basutus were not
seventy wards away. Then we all began
blazing away again and yelling, as men do
in cattle. -,
1.-The fire frightened the blacks. They
came within fifty yards of us, then turned
tail and fled. Ne kept blazing away at
| the beggars az long as they were in range
| and then suddenly ceased.
The STRAIN was gone, the peril OF death
over. On a moment before It had seemed
os though our little band was to be utter
IL wiped of the earth. 1t was sutfocat-
ING day, SO LAID down my gun TO wipe
the sweat and powder from my forehead,
Then | set about loosenng my belt. As
did so turned to the ten fellows nearest
me. Every one of them were dong the
| same.
queer. isn't it. that fellow wants tc
cinch himself up in the face OF certain
| death ~