Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-23

then galloping. AS he did so,
dozen shots rang out in rapid Sue
cession; fire and smoke burst out OF
the grass not six yards from the two
men, and at the same moment both of
them were on the ground, horses and
all. In the same instant Judson
caught sight of the natives crouching
in the grass and fred his lug-charged
barrels, telling two of them. This
alone prevented volley being fred
on Honey and Coward, the latter OF
whom was thrown by his horse-who
was frightened at the sudden dis
charge-right in front of the enemy.
Two horses were killed outright;
Pollett was badly shaken and Niebuhr
severely wounded, his hand having
been shattered by slugs. Brown,
Hendrlks, Coward and Honey then
opened hot fire on the. enemy to en-
gage their attention, while, with great
difficulty, Judscn got the wounded
man to his horse behind him, Pollett
clambering up behind Hendriks.
Then they fred o volley into the
rebels at forty yards, and again started
off at a gallop, Niebuhr's wounded
and useless arm hanging Imply over
Judson's shoulder, and saturating the
front of the latter's tunic with blood.
Before they had galloped 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 after
volley into the enemy, the Martins at
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 gentler can
ter, emptying their rifles as they.rode,
and keeping up running fight. On
approaching thick clumps of grass
which swarmed with concealed na-
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 o
position on one of the kopies, where
they would be able to hold their own,
at least while the ammunition lasted.
Judson decided, and so 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 laager 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 rcumstances-could be but o
preliminary to certain death.
Just as they were heading for the
telegraph office, they heard great
shout of mingled triumph and despair,
and looking round they beheld, stand
ing up and waving to them from with
in an improvised laager on 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 laager by
masses of the enemy. Through these
blood-thirsty savages the relief force
now shot a pathway for themselves
and whilst under hail of lead, but
still firing volley after volley, they
came up the slope at gallop, and in
minute rescuers and rescued were
united
Thus Dan Judson's patrol had had
to fight their way in under a contin-
uous, heavy, close-range fire from
dense cover, for distance of eight
miles. But the besieged had also q
terrible experience to relate.
When on the Thursday it was de-
cided that all the Mazee people should
proceed to Salisbury, a party of the
men, as before related, started on
ahead, taking with them fourteen ma
tive carriers and cart drawn by two
donEeys to carry their provisions.
About II q. M. they left the rough
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
segais 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 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 laager.
And then occurred strange thing,
which for heroism is not to be excelled
in the annals of war. \ message had
to be wired to Salisbury for relief, but
who in the face of certain death would
volunteer to take it?