Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-07-12

A Test Of Friendship :
; By COL. R. s. BADEN-PowELL, (
the Hero of Mafeking.
\

ana i, anu were ll1c UcSI VI Ou1
way to rejoin the Fort Salisbury col
umn, which we calculated to find at
the Upper Drift of the hyatt river. But
our horses were pretty we'll done and
we were not able to make the progress
we had hoped.
Evening was already drawing on
when we found ourselves still some II
or Is miles from our point. And on
that open, rolling veldt, with nothing
but the slight track to guide one, we
had agreed that the safest way was not
to try and push ahead in the dark; so,
twilight being but a short entr' acte
here in Africa, George and 1 were al
ready beginning to look for a suitable
spot to make our biyouac for the night
Suddenly he exclaimed: "Heavens!
there they are"
l saw nothing, but he had eyes like
a hawk, and / always trusted him to see
things; while l received his reports
with an invariable ca.mness, which, |
flattered myself, counter balanced his
usual impetuous, eager haste.
So on this occasion l merely re-
rah' than heavens I think"
"You idiot" he replied. cts not
the column that l see; it's lot of mig
gees, hang them! Right in our path.
too, waiting for us. Here, we had bet
ter get out of this"
And as we wheeled our horses sharp
lyround several Matabele heads popped
tho arG hn1S-lIarc of
the rough ground over which we were
then traveling-much nearer to us
than the first that he had seen. We
could even recognize the nature of
their head dresses. of which there We're
two or three varieties. and hence we
CLEANED that several regiments lay
close by.
And so we cantered off with the idea
of making wide detour to work round
their flank and to regain our road, if
possible, beyond them.
But in the meantime we meant to as
certain all we could about their
strength and probable intentions.
There is something of delight in the
shock of surprise in coming suddenly
upon an enemy. 1t is in its way not
unlike plunge into cold water and its
invigorating after effects. For a mo-
ment the heart tightens. and then from
tired. dragging creature you are
suddenly transformed into man en-
dowed with fresh flow of life and
keenness. And. in acting men against
men. there is an excitement such as
transcends anything one feels. when
contending with mere wild animal
for against you you have allied all the
cruelty and cunning of the beast,
coupled with the human intelligence
and an aptitude for fighting as great if
not greater than your own.
So it was with George and me- Put
on our mettle our fatigues were for
gotten, and we proceeded with all alac-
rity to investigate more nearly the
enemy's dispositions. But in doing so
we soon saw enough to make us con-
suit orr own present safety. At one
point. indeed. we nearly ran into par
ty of them who had crept rapidly down
donga with the intention of cut ting
us off: but just in time we viewed them
and as we wheeled about and galloped
Off we We're saluted by shower Of as
segais. Luckily for us we We're just be-
yond their range, but the ringing CRATE
and clatter as they fell among the
stones had an ugly sound. more so even
than the banging of the few rifle shots
whose bullets whistied high and harm
less overhead. And lodging in and out
among the stones we cantered off
laughing at our escapade while still the
same dropping shots were fired as in
salute.
was riding slightly in advance when
suddenly l heard a crash behind me-
and turning saw poor Georges horse
pitch heavily forward on its head. half
rolling over on its rider. The final part
ing shot had struck it. Through the
twilight l could see the agony in poor
Georges face and eyes. and as the
horse in its convulson rolled back off
him he tried to raise himself upon his
hands. but dropped down fat. insensi-
BILE.
| turned back to him, slid from the
saddle. and finging t he rens over old
Toulon's head. in a moment l was on
my knees beside him. He was evident
ly in bad plight; his horse dead. shot
through the neck as it had turned to
pass an ant heap. and poor George
himself injured to an extent which l
only discovered when. on passing nv
arm between his legs to raise him on
to my shoulders. I found him bleeding
from crushed and broken thigh.
AS ! approached my horse with nv
burden the old brute tossed up his
head. and. not liking my appearance.
began for the first time in his life to
work anNiously away from me. For
moment it looked as if he would break
into trot and then into wild. sense
less canter. and my heart sank within
me: but luckily the dragging reins
caught under his feet and jerked him
back to reason and obedience. Shout
dering my poor friend on to the POM
mel Of the saddle so that he Law face
down across the wallets. mounted and
headed away into the friendly dark
ness which was now gathering over the
veldt. In spite of the horror of tho