People's voice., 1900-10-18
SOUTH AFRICAN SCOUTS.
4 Famous Body of British Troopers
Usually Known M .'The
Night Cats"

,7e.t,. Night Cats"
's-H
In hilly country like South Africa,
when fighting an ever-moving well
mounted foe like the Beers, the only
possible way for an advancing general
70 gain accurate information Of the
sasmy's movements is by fairly food
ng the country with cavalry scouts.
mis- wss the method adopted By the
Germans in the war with France. The
terrible Uhlan scouts, In 1870, spread
Terror throughout the country. In
,mall parties Of perhaps half dozen
men, the Uhlans would dash into the
1illages and towns. seize the msire
md order him 70 instantly prepare
Tor the regiment following, and to
give al information required, on pain
ot death to himself and destruction to
bis village. The Uhlsus became the
most dreaded men IL France. The
moral effect upon thr enemy when
hosts Of cavalry are continually wor-
rying them and spying on them Is
very great-far in excess, indeed, Of
the actual execution they effect.
II is, of course, in;measurably more
difficult TO discover the whereabouts
Of an irregular, guerrilla Ed mobile
army like the Beers. hiding in rock
covered hills. than it would be in a
case Of q better trained army in a
more open country. An enemy who
Invariably takes up strong positions,
who does not remain when defeated
TO be cut to pieces, but disappears
like magic on wiry ponies from his
slow-moving foes, must be over
matched by cavalry II he is to be
whipped-bodies Of regular or irreg-
ular horsemen who sweep over the
country before and behind him, at
tsckins here, threatening there, and
then away to play general havoc else.
where, and 30 keep up a perpetual
state OF unrest.
For this work no type Of men are
better suited than the British yeo-
manry. or the British rough-ridine
oolonists-Australiens, New Zealand
ers, Canadians, Natal men, Cape mer
and others who have volunteered from
al parts OF the world, and who have
been formed into irregular cavalry
suah As the Imperial ysomanry, th.
South African, light horse, Baden
Powell's horse, Maj. Rimington's I'm
perial corps of guides-there are q
odd different irregular forces fighting
under the British flag.
These magnificent rough riders ar,
al well mounted, good shots and keer
Of sight. They ride light; and. al
they Scour the country before theil
heavy army, not beast or human
being, not suspicious rock or dan
gerous mountain pass, escapes thei
attention.. Many of the South African
colonial scouts know the country lkl
the palms of their hands; their in
stinct tells them where to look TO
the enemy, and how to take him una
wares. These men will GO out TO
weeks at time on scouting expedi
tions, and VIII think nothing of dc
ing 60 or 50 miles in "a hours. The
can sleep, as can all good scouts, a
any moment, awaking at any time de
sired; but they will not be caugh
mapping.
Maj. Rimingtnn's corps of guide
may be taken as typical Of what
body of scouts should be for work i
such q country as South Africa. Ma
Rimington calls his men ''Catch-'em
alive-o's,' while they have come to b
known generally as The Night Cats,
because Of their night marches an
the cetlike stealth of their move
ments. Every man in Rimington'
guides is obliged to speak Boer o
Kaffir and may know both dialects.
One Of the qualifications is tina
every man shall be thoroughly az
quainted with some part of the cour
try. The men are armed with cal
bines and pistols, officers and me
wearing the same dust-colored un
form, almost indistinguishable eve
: at short distances. A picturesqu,
jaunty touch is given TO the otherwif
sober uniform by the little strip {
fur that is bound around the slouc
hats.
} Scouting is the most importar
duty that can fall to individual me
IN time of war. The scout-referrin
TO the picked man who is sent OF
alone, perhaps for miles, in advanC
OF a reconnoitering party-carries h
life in his hands. BE is alone again,
the enemy, acting on his own respol
sibility, with no officers nor comradt
, to hearten or order. He has II
, greatest chance of distinguishin
! himself; at the same time, it woul
often be easy for him TO turn ava
! from danger, and no one would |
any the wiser. He must be stron
brave man to carry through his wor
successfully, and he must be as wal
D.. and cunning as a weasel.
: On the individual scouts clevernei
5 may depend the safety of the army
Pearson's Magazine.
Plenty of Work In New Zealnnd.
New Zsalanders have achieved whs
workingmen in other lands are clan
o,tfg for. Among the fuhctions Of Ii