The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-04-13
WAITING FOR
A Big BATTLE
Continued from pase onc)

(Contlnued from page one,)
range OF low, strong kopies. North OF
the Modder, upon other hills he has
detachments watching us, and guns
In emplacement upon table topped
hills. His right rests upon large,
flat hill; his center and left among
nests VI oonical kcptes, where he can
hide his men and conceal his cannon
Yesterday watched the Beers at work
for hours, Nearly every morning there
are outpost affairs between our cav
airy and them, To-day few guns
We're fired by either side, and the
cracking OF musketry went ON for
hours. The ranges were long and, con-
sequeutly, little damage resulted,
Some ten days ago smart thing
was done by subaltern In Roberts
Horse that deserves more than passing
record A body OF Beers has,cning TO
Cronje's relief were met and turned
back by Frenchs energetic cavalry
The enemy In their flight passed by
several low kopieS where Roberts
Horse had pickets One of these 'slat-
ed them from 600 yard range,
young officer, nearer 1000 than 800
yards from the Beers, seeing there was
no chance OF the enemy coming his
way. took II upon himself TO ride out
with thin squadron to within 500
yards of the rctreatlng Beers There
he disncunted his men and began mr.
ing rapidly into the enemy, cmpying
halt a hundred sad Hes The Bucrs
halted. resumed the fire, picked up
most NJ their wounded and put them
into wagons but the officer stood his
ground. and the enemy trckked. lcay-
ing him victor, or such soldiers are
good leaders made,
There are SAID to De symptoms OF
horse sickness about, but ] take IL 50
far. hunger is It's wors; form and that,
with oyerwork. has dotted the yeldt
with carcasses " animals, poisoned
the air Of camps and brought hither
such ominous swarms ot vultures. l
fear the amicabe society for the pre-
veution OF cruelty 10 animals would
despair Of us aud itself We're It's rep.
resentatlves here; they would have so
much that is impossible to at
tempt TO put right. II is suggestive OF
more than healthy appetite to see
horses wildly browsing upon African
heather and scrub. or plunging FOR
the straw castings Of old bottles and
hamper stuffing"
As an example Of the deadllness Of
rifle 1re from behind Entertainments
a, short ranges, Standard correspon-
dent writing from Osfontein. March T.
OF the seige Of General CronIe says.
Colonel Hannay made an extraoril-
nary charge with mounted Infantry
riding his men at gallop right up to
the Boer trenches. but all were dis.
abled or killed before they got within
so yards. Colonel Hannay was himself
killed"
During the Paardeburg battle. the
same correspondent relates, party of
kitchener's Horse rode up 10 an Os-
fonteln farm house a man IN khaki
told the cGyalrymen that British troops
with guns occupied the kopjes nearby.
The men on saddled." the corresp m
dent says, 'and were resting when
suddenly the cry arose that the Beers
We're on them. The house was sur
rounded by the enemy. who fred into
the horses stampeding them. Lieu.en-
ant Watermeyer who had run for his
horse, was In the act Of mounting when
a Boer came around the corner Of the
house and fired point blank at him.
The bullet struck his arm and grazed
, along his left shoulder. He let fall
the reins. raised his rifle and shot
the Boer dead His horse having bolt
ed. he crossed the farm yard and gain
ed the garden and thence leaplng the
wall escaped across the plain. Forty
three officers and men were killed.
wounded and taken prisoners by the
enemy"
II. +. Provost Battersby thus moral.
ICES in the Morning Post on Art and
War. Who has the temerIty still
to speak Of them together which not
even by their contrasts can be com
pared? Beneath me, behind red
brown ant hill, figure in khaki is ly-
ing with his cheek against his rife, his
eye along the sights. There is lump
OF iron stone 900 yards in front Of him
on the lower slope Of a kopje and under
II man whom he is trying to kill. He
knows nothing Of the man but that
he wears grey felt hat and has a
pretty style Of shooting for the ant
hill has been struck three times. The
man knows probably even less Of him.
They move in ordinary circumstances
/ 1000 miles apart; have not an interest
nor even a quarrel In common One
! lives in Chelsea, the other in the veldt.
Each has, perhaps, his share Of the
( virtues, makes a good woman happy
and does his duty by the state. With
less space between them and no supply
of cartridges, they might be the best
friends. Now each desires only the