The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-16

state was but IL years old he had
knocked over an antelope at 1000
yards.
Every time the Boer shoots he shoots
TO kill and il is not often that he
is disappointed. When he fights. NJ
fights from behind some friendly rock
There is nothing TO disclose his where
abouts but the tantaliZingly intermit-
tent flashes OF smoke. To attack him
with heavy artillery is a very difficult
task. first because II is no easy thing 10
get big guns into the Transvaal owing
10 the broken and rocky nature OF the
country where roads are all but un-
known. and also because the veldt
burgher has a habit of picking OF a
gunner when he dares to show himsef
beside his gun. This is precisely what
ne did at Majuba Hill. and again re-
peated during the engagements OF the
Jameson raid. AT Krugersdorp, Jane
sons men. with all their Maxims and
carloads of.ammunition. could do Moth
ing against the handful OF Beers who
harassed them from flank and rear.
The machine guns rainod their leaden
hail but il did nothing but splash on
rock and stone Behind each stone, OF
course was an astute Boer smoking a.
pipe. When the least sign of move
ment made itself manifest about the
machine gun. a long, lean rifle barrel
showed from behind a rock, there was 4
puff OF smoke and the rife barrel once
more disappeared 1t was maddening
TO the English. They were absolutely
afraid TO show themselves FOR every
man who showed head or hand was
sure the next moment TO he a tarlst fog
the enemys long distance rifle prac-
| tice.
IL became "a matter OF lodging from
kopje TO kopje and not even waiting TO
pick up the wounded. The puffs of
smoke from behind rocks continued un-
| ill Jameson and his men reached the
/ now historic Nlackfontein farmhouse.
] Here the Englishmen continued 10 drop
/ like bowled over ninepins. But they
| could do nothing. Some OF them. il is
/ said burst into tears Of impotent rage
! at their very helplessness. The heroic
surgeon of the little division finally
! gave his last piece OF lint for use as a
white nag and IL was run up. The
! Boer fire ceased and Beers seemed TO
/ spring up from all over the country. as
/ If by magic. The survivors of the ia
i vading party were surrounded. though
they were still holding their arms In
their hands FOR they half expected to
/ be massacrod Go a man. Instead they
/ were given brandy and milk and meat
and marched of 20 Krugersdorp, whore
they were treated with the creates.
J kindness. But IL was the end Of the
Jameson raid. and an inglorious end at
/ that we were nothing but pirates. -
one OF their officers has since confessed.
"and we richly deserved hanging. every
one of us"
There Is a prevalent idea that the
Beers are not strategists. and that their
methods OF warfare are simply the
primitive ways of the ordinary guerrilla.
This Is a mistake Cronje. who led one
division of the Boer force I'm the cap-
turo OF the Jameson buccaneers. Is one
OF the kcenest stratcgists who over
commanded a company lie success
fully led his little band of men against
superior force which had with 20 ~
pieces OF artillery eight of which Wer,
Maxim guns This enemy also had am
munition by the wagon loaS trained
ravalry horses and experienced officers
The Boers under Cronie. on the othe,
hand were Wo, fully short of aumuui-
tiOu aud were mounted on green farIs