Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-12-31

before tney DaO gallOpeO many
hundred yards, . large party of the
enemy was seen running parallel with
them along the mountain side to cut
them off. Judson at once halted his
detachment and poured volley ate,
volley into the enemy, the Martins 81
800 yards range doing good execution
among the natives and forcing them
to retire.
Once more the party started for.
ward, but this time at q gentler can.
ter, emptying their rifles as they rode,
and keeping up running fight. On
approaching thick clumps of grass
which swarmed with concealed ma.
tives, they dislodged them by firing
volleys into them as they advanced,
and then rushed past the dangerous
spots at flying gallop.
Judson gave orders that, in the
event of any more getting wounded,
and the survivors being unable to
carry them, they were to stick to-
gether and endeavor to secure q
position on one of the kopjes, where
they would be able to hold their own,
at least while the ammunition lasted.
Judson decided, and 80 informed
his comrades, that if they were unable
to discover their friends alive, they
were to fight their way to the tele-
graph office and inform the Salisbury
authorities of their plight. They
would then lager up as best they
could, the fact of their having no food
and but little ammunition left forcing
all to realize that such proceeding
though the only one possible under
the circumstances-could be but .
preliminary to certain death.
Just as they were heading for the
telegraph office, they heard a great
shout of mingled triumph and despair,
aud looking round they beheld, stand
ing up and waving to them from with.
in an improvised lager on q small
kopje near the Alice Mine, the men
and women they had fought their
way so calamity to rescue. But for
that shout the patrol might have rid
den past, so hidden was the lager by
masses of the enemy. Through these
blood-thirsty savages the relief force
now shot pathway for themselves
and whilst under hail of lead, but
still firing volley after volley, they
came up the slope at a gallop, and in
a minute rescuers and rescued were
united.
Thus Dan Judson's patrol had bad
to fight their way in under contin-
nous. heavy, close-range fire from
dense cover, for distance of eight
miles. But the besieged had also a
terrible experience to relate.
When on the Thursday it was de-
cided that all the Mazee people should
proceed to Salisbury, party of the
men, as before related, started on
ahead, taking with them fourteen ma
tive carriers and cart drawn by two
donkeys to carry their provisions.
About 1 a. M. they left the ro1gh
lager of logs and boulders which had
been constructed the previous day,
but had not gone above three miles
when their carriers led them into am.
bush. Cass and Dickinson were
done to death on the grass with as.
sesais and knobkerries, whereupon
the rest turned the cart round and
jumped in, but had not proceeded far
when Fault. who was driving, was
shot through the stomach BY a native
concealed in the grass not four yards
from him. Almost at the same mo-
ment one donkey was killed and the
other wounded, and the men, aban-
doning the cart, then ran for their
lives.
They met the wagonette containing
the three ladies and turned it back.
Finally, shooting for all they were
worth at fifty or sixty natives who
chased them and fred as they ran,
they regained the shelter of the lager.
And then occurred strange thing,
which for heroism is not to be excelled
in the annals of war. A message had
to be wired to Salisbury for relief, but
who in the face of certain death would
volunteer to take it?
Then Blakiston, who was tele'
graph clerk, but not an operator,
volunteered to take the message il
Routledge, who was an operator,
would accompany him to transmit it.
The two men knew it was certain
death, too-and yet they went.
Blakiston was wounded in the foot
before he reached the telegraph office,
but sent his message-and his good.
bye. The people from the lager
caught sight of them on their return,
when they were some TOO yards dis.
tant. They saw Blakiston fall on the
road, man and horse, riddled with
bullets. Routledge ran for cover into
the bush, but was never seen again.
After the arrival of the relief, the
enemy for q time practically ceased fir.
ing, though the watchers knew they
remained concealed in their vicinity.
For the promised reward Of $500, q
singularly plucky Cape boy named
Hendritz was induced to ride to Sails
bury with dispatch asking for re.
enforcement of forty men and one
Maxim gun.
On the Gwebi Flats he met Inspec.
tor Nesbit of the police, with patrol
consisting of Troopers Ogilvie, Har.
bord, McGregor, Byron, Edmonds,
Arnot, A. Nesbit, Berry, Van Staaden,
Zimmerman. McGeer and Jacobs
thirteen men in all.
The inspector elected to proceed o.
once to the Mazoe, without waiting
for further reinforcements, and partly
on account of the darkness, and part
ly owing to the enemy making sure Of
them on the return journey, they
reached the Mazoe without fighting.
The party now numbered thirty
men and three women; and after tn,
new arrivals had fed and rested theil
horses, all hands set about preparing
for their departure.
Judson had the two sides, and to al
extent the back of the wagonett'
armored with sheet-iron, which-a
was observed at the time-ftted 8,
well, that it seemed to have beer