The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-11-26
AN OCCUPATION DAY.
HOW 1T is CELEBRATED IN MA
SHONALAND, SOUTH AFRICA.
A BIG FIELD DAY OF SPORTS.
A Graphic Pen Picture of the Events of a
South African Holiday as Told by Our
Special correspondent Race
and Winning a Victoria Cross.


been executed dying like a king, to
his credit be it said-and many Of the
troops recently engaged were back en-
camped in town, so that occupation
day as celebrated last Saturday was a
particularly lively holiday for Umtah.
| enjoyed an early morning canter into
town on Tommie," one of our COM
pany steeds, shopped in a leisurely,
feminine manner, until luncl time and
BY 2 o'clock was on hand for the sports
which we're to be the event, or rather
events of the day.
On a moderately level piece Of veldt
on the outskirts Of the town Il rough
mile track had been laid out AID oppo-
site the finishing post Qiterally post
post with the bark on) here, although
| had reckoned myself in punetual
good time [ found most of the good
townspeople, soldiers and outlying min
ers and all the niggers and picinins for
miles around gathered and watching
with breathless interest an impromptu
first number on the program, viz: a
most vicious dog fight. The heat Of
I the African sun, the dust and the Wig
orous exercise soon perceptibly dimin-
ished the ardOur of the canine gladia-
tors and we cultivated and refined
mortals proceeded to milder forms Of
amusement The ladies revelled in the
luxury of a grand stand Of OK wagons
! furnished with camp stools, while we
post-Adamites sat our horses, stood or
lounged about.
/ I'he first two or three events were
horse races; wildly interesting, in which
soldiers and civilians struggled for SUI
premacy and in the majority of which
Tommy Atkins | believe distin-
guished himself Then came tent peg
ging, which was really excellent sport,
easily downed the toga. n mule race
followed, in which figured a large and
varied assortment of entries and which
naturally proved a most laughable
farce. Some time previous to this
event, Meekle, one of Mashonalaud's
solid men Of business and Of flesh,
came to me with request to ride his
! gray mule Bessie" which he had
entered and thought could win with a
! lighter man up than her owner could
ever claim to be. | agreed, of course,
and sure enough, Bessie won in q
canter. leaving behind her a strung out
field of Tapping ears and Wig
orous heels, of struggling mule
mem and very obstinate steeds
Bessie, it seems, was the only brute in
the aggregation who understood the
spur, and although she advanced
strong arguments in favor of a straight
away dash across the veldt, managed
to stick to the track, with the result
that We won handsomely amid the
boisterous plaudiUs Of the congrega-
ton, particularly of the colored breth-
rem. The man to finish second was an
Oxford NJ. A., followed in order by a
Johannesburg Jew, lieutenant Of
scouts, Cape Dutchman and other
gentlemen of more or less distinction.
Even an Englishman, it would seem,
finds it difficult in Africa always TO be
exclusive.
Following the mule entertainment
came the VIC. race" as it was
called, the most novel event as we'll as
the most difficult feat Of accomplish
ment Of the day Soldiers only were
entered, who were supposed to make a
dash under fire, rescue fallen comrade
and return to their lines, the winner
thus earning a fictitious Victoria cross,
the most coveted decoration for which
the British warrior fights, bleeds and
conquers.o At the post thick, bushy
hedge was placed across the track,
about thirty or forty PAGES behind
which file of soldiers we're ranged,
who kept up a continuous and lively
fusilade with blank cartridges from the
moment the word was given until the
last man had finished or been counted
out of the race The starters, seven in
number, were placed 100 yards up the
track and at the word galloped at full
speed toward the firing line, jumped
the hedge, dismounted, shouldered a
dummy comrade and mounting again,
re- crossed tue obstruction and raced
back to the starting point. All this
rather is what they tried to do, for
when the "cease firing" was ordered,
only three out of the seven had fin
lished, the remainder being scattered
about the veldt wildly struggling with
or vainly chasing frightened troop
horses. A tug of war, a picinin race
and hundred yard dash completed the
program and we trooped back to the
almost deserted town, dusty, thirsty
and tired, but well pleased with our
selves and each other in having fitting
lly observed so glorious holiday as