The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-11-23
MAFEKING IS SAVED
Beers Get a Drubbing From
Baden.Powell's Men.
TWO EXCITING ENGAGEMENTS
Brltish Rushed the Trenches. suvpraev
Ing the Beseigers-Bombard-
ment Of the Town.

London, Nov. IA dispatch 10 the
Daily Mail from Mafekine, sent by
way Of Magala Pye, because the run
ners sent southwsrd were unable TO
traverse the Boer lines, gives an inter-
esting account Of the fighting during
the last week In October. Tho corre-
spondent says:
After the failure 10 rush the town,
General Cronje had recourse to the tao.
tics employed during the siege OF Pot
chefstroom, in 1881, making an sd.
vance to the town by succession OF
trenches In echelon Such move had
been anticipated by us for some time,
and for that reason there had been
sent out parties to worry the Beers in.
cessantly by night attacks. These tao.
tics the enemy disliked, but he con.
tented himself with . daily she'll fire,
which exposed him to little personal
risk.
Then Colonel Baden Powell played
his trump card by sending out Captain
Fitzclarence's party to worry the occu.
pants OF the trenches. The little force
stole out silently in the darkness. No
shot was fred, and the men, with fixed
bayonets, creeping rather than walk
ing along, approached the chief Boer
position near the rscecourse. Then,
as they closed in, there was a shrill
screech. It was Fitzclarence's whistle,
and the signal for onslaught. A ring.
ing cheer, which the listeners back In
camp caught up, was the only reply a.
the party dashed into the trenches.
There was short struggle, the attack
ing forces catching and bayoneting
Beers under the tarpaulins where they
crouched, crying for mercy. At least
80 bayonets got to work, and the havoc
they wrought was terrible.
"For Just moment there was no
systematic return fire, but then Q per.
feet hail storm of bullets poured in
from the trenches to the rear. Again
Fitzclarence's whistle sounded. II
meant Cease firing and scatter home.
ward The British forces scattered,
creeping back under the furious fire In
the darkness to the appointed rendez-
vous, where the roll was called.
Colonel Baden Powell met and con.
graduated Captain Fitsclarence and his
men upon their splendid work, saying
that 1t was . heavy price to pay, but
that the Beers had to be stopped max.
ing rife trenches within range Of the
town. The members of the party are
now the envy and pride Of the garrison.
Even the Boer commander Botha,
expressed admiration for the attack,
and added that 70 would take Mafeking
before long, for he meant to do ono
thing or the other quickly.
1.-THE shelling continued all Sunday
at intervals. About 4 O'Clock In the
afternoon General Cronje sent in flag
of truce, giving Mafeking last chance
to surrender at the eleventh hour.
While the flag was receiving attention,
the heavy bombardment continued"
The dispatch then desrcibes General
Cronje's great attack of Monday, the
details of which have already been OBJ
tained from Baden Powell's official dis
patch.
"The end came" says the corre-
spondent, latter five hours fighting.
The enemy retired. being heavily beaten
for all time, 80 far ~ Mafeking is con.
cerned. II was the hottest day OF the
siege, and the firing was terrific. the
Beers evidently recognising that the
only way into Mafeking, II any, is by
. kopje, which was calamity defended
by Colonel Wslford's men. The gar.
rison is jubilant, while the Beers have
been hurled back in disorder ON their
laager, and will have to content them.
selves with long-range bombardmeni
until they are strongly reinforced"