The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-07-19
TIE DRUMS OF THE
FORE AND AFT.
BY RUDYARD KIPLING.


anass-detached itself from the main
ibody and rolled over the ground at hor-
lid speed. It was composed of perhaps
500 men, who would shout and ire and
Rash if the r.ssh of their so comrades
who were determined 10 die carried
home. The so were Ghazis, half mad
dened with drugs and wholly mad with
religious fanaticism. When they rushed
the British fire ceased, and in the lull
The order was given to close ranks and
meet them with the bayonet-~
ANY one who knew the business could
have told the Fore and Aft that the only
way of dealing with Ghazi rush is by
Tolieys at long ranges, because man
who means to die, who desires to die,
who viii gain heaven By dying, must,
IN nine cases outof ten, kill man who
hasa lingering prejudice in favor OF life
m he can close with the latter. Where
they should have closed and gone for
ward, the Fore and Aft opened out and
skirmished, and where they should have
opened out and fred. they closed and
waited :.
Aman dragged from his blankets half
awake and unfed is never IN a pleasant
rame of mind. Nor does his happiness
increase when he watches the whites Of
The eyes Of 800 six foot fends upon
whose boards the foam is lying, upon
whose tongues is roar of wrath, and
n whose hands are three foot knives
The Fore and Aft heard the Gurkha
bugles bringing that regiment forward
at the double, while the neighing OF
the highland pipes came from the left
They strove to stay where they were,
slough the bayonets wavered down the
line like the oars of ragged boat
Then they felt body to body the amaz-
ing physical strength of their foes. A
shrek of pair ended the rush. ana the
knives fell amid scenes not to be told.
The men dubbed together and smote
blindly-as often as not at their own
fellows. Their front crumpled like pa
per, and the so Ghazis passed on, their
hackers, now drunk with success, fight
ing as madly as they.
Then the rear ranks were hidden to
close up, and the subalterns dashed into
the stew-alone, for the rear rank had
heard the clamor in front, the yells
and the howls Of p:in, and had seen the
dark, stale blood that makes afraid
They were not going to stay. 1t was
the rushing Of the camps over again
Let their officers go to hell if they
chose They would get away from the
knives.
esCome on!' shrieked the subalterns,
and their men, cursing them, drew
back, each closing into his neighbor and
wheeling round
& Charters and Devlin, subalterns of
fhe last company, faced their death
alone in the belief that their men would
follow.
you've killed me, you cowardsr
sebbed Devlin and dropped, cut from
the shoulder strap to the center of the
chest. and a fresh detachment Of his
men retreating, always retreating,
frampled him underfoot as they made
for the pass whence they had emerged.
kissed her in the kitchen and kissed her in
the hail.
Child'un. child I'm, follow me!
Oh, eolly. said the cook, is he gwine to kiss US
an2
Halla-halla-halla halieluiah!
The Gurkhas were pouring through
the left gorge and over the. heights at the
double to the invitation Of their regi-
mental euickstep. The black rocks were
crowned with dark green spiders as the
bugles gave tongue jubilantly:
In the morning-in the morning by the bright
light!
When Gabriel blows his trumpet in the morn
ing!
The Gurkha rear companies tripped
and blundered over loose stones. The
front files halted for moment to take
stock of the valley and to settle stray
boot laces Then happy little sigh of
contentment soughed down the ranks,
and it was as, though the land smiled,
for behold there below was the enemy,
and it was to meet them that the Cur
khas had doubled so hastily. There was
much enemy There would be amuse-
ment. The little men hitched their ku-
his well to ha1d and gaped expectant-
~ at their officers as terriers grin ere
the stone is cast for them TO fetch. The
Gurkhas' ground sloped downward to
the valley, and they enjoyed fair view
Of the proceedings They sat upon the
powders to watch. for their officers
were not going to waste their wind in
assisting to repulse a Ghazi rush more
than half mile away. Let the white
men look to their own front.
eli, yi!" said the subadar major,
who was sweating profusely. Dam
fools ycnder, stand close order! This is
no time for close order; it's the time
for volleys- Ugh,''
Horrifed, amused and indignant, the
Gurkhas beheld the retirement-let US
be gentle-of the Fore and Aft with a
running chorus Of oaths and conamenta-
res
.'They run! The white men run!
Colonel Sahib. NAV we also do little