The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-04-26


esty itself. During the Matabele cam
paign, as chief Of the staff and the In
telligence department Colonel Baden
Powell was responsible for most of
the military maps of the little known |
and difficult country occupied by the
enemy. On one occasion, after some |
days and nights Of accommodating |
sometimes alone and sometimes ac-
conpanied by an orderly, he had a
rough map prepared Of that part of
the Matoppo hills selected for the next
operations. He sent for the local lith-
ographer and asked him if he could
Autograph a few for the use Of the
troops. The task was accepted and
the suggestion made that from Baden
Powelps rough plan finished sketch
could be executed by a local artist, an
adept in such work The colonel smil-
ingly replied: Thanks. III just line it
off myself roughly if you will supply
me with the transfer paper" When the
sketch was ready, the photographer
looked very small indeed, for the tai
ented colonel had sketched it in as
only an adept could do it.
AS has been elsewhere remarked,
Colonel Baden Powell's Kaffir name is
"Tmpeesi," which has been rather in
correctly taken to mean HE who
scouts in the night" The literal mean
Ing of this native word Is hyena, or
wolf 1t is also applied to those who
are in the habit Of taking solitary
walks after dark. Baden-Powell, In the
execution of his duties, leaves very lit
tie to chance or to information brought
In by others. Like a true commander,
in matters of Importance he verifies
all intelligence by personal observa-
ton. When operating in an unknown
or enemy's country, what number OF
disasters have occurred through either
false or incorrect data! In this wise
almost all our recent defeats and re-
pulses have occurred. 1t is, highly i'm
probable that, under Colonel Baden
Powelps command, such reverses
would have been met with. He may
be defeated by superior strength or by
cleverer strategy, but by surprise or
by tactics he would be a difficult one
to catch.
1t has been said in South African
circles, from information derived from
Boer sources, that the Beers have NO
intention to take Mafeking. The rea-
son given is that Baden Powell locked
up in Mafeking Is worth little army
to the Beers, for should he escape and
be employed against them with the
main columns their superiority in the
veldt will disappear. They say that he
!. is the first rooi-baatje they have met
, who can fight in their fashion and give
them points at 1t. In the Matabelt
campaign he had many AfrikandeIs II
the forces under him, and to a MAI
they admired his "slimness" and nerve
AS concluding example of his re
J source and readiness of stratagem, onl.
recently at Mafeking he found tn
, Beers very FESTIVE owing to his period
ical sallies and unexpected attacks
The least movement discerned in tn
, direction Of the defenses was con
strued by the Beers into sally II
force. To profit by this nervousness
, and cause the Beers to waste their am
munition and expose the position o
: rope running on a pulley affixed to
: post some distance out toward the enc
, my's position. On this rope he fas
r tened lanterns and in the dead of nigh
] started the rope on the move. To tn
7 watchful foe 1t looked for all the worl
: as If the enemy was stealthily ar
j preaching, as the lights appeared to b
0 moving in their direction. A fierce fl
t sillade from all points followed, Anne
y in the direction Of the expected attacl
a and was continued intermittent
y throughout the night. One can we
:, imagine the resourceful Baden-Powe
n chuckling in quiet glee with his frien
y Lord Edward Cecil at the Beers fra
( tic alarm, for we have chuckled over
l. much at home.
Always wide awake, with an ire
II constitution contained in rather a slig
e frame, Baden-Powell has by pluck, I
lie source, tact and determination Ike
Il the foe at bay though occupying
r spot which by no aid Of the imagin
u ton could be deemed moderately cap
II BILE of defense. Mafeking lies in t
Il open veldt, in the midst of a popul
u ton mainly consisting Of natives
u doubtful loyalty and Beers Of undoul
+ ed enmity. Yet by the splendid effol
"a Of this comparatively young but real
E. brilliant officer, at the head Of mix
n force Of colonists, the town brave
or holds out, has accounted for a cons
III cradle number Of the enemy and W
ai probably continue its glorious defen
a. until downright starvation or sheer {
10 haustion shall perform what lar
10 army Of Beers under willy gene
could not effect
i'd
ed Il think DeWitt's Little Early Risers are
H. best pills in the world !" saws W. e. Lake Hal
:, Creek, Va. They remove all Instructions of
Ill.