The true northerner., 1900-03-21

We'd done four years ON the Pacific
and were homeward bound, with
Pleasure at the helm. wheQ we were
brought up at ST. Helena by the news
of Isandhlwana. Old Dicky Bradshaw
brought us back here on hisVown. and
three weeks later we were Landed and
working our way up 10 Eshowe.
There's been some talk latGy about
first class fighting men, We've tackled
several sorts of them In our time. but
for sheer pluck the Zulu was second
to none, In my opinion. Some OF them
would actually throw themselves on
our bayonets so that others could get
through. If that isn't the real thing.
l should like to know what Is. But
they don't smell nice In a scuffie.
I'VE used 10 try few navy lodges
on them when we were In lager We
pretended TO abandon gun once and
when they gathered round. looking
down the muzzle, let her go with
long lanyard. The tricks didn't al
ways come Off. though. Our Gunnery
Jack planned grand coup once-he's
a captain now, lucky beggar."
"How was IT you never got showed
up over II, old manY' said the major.
"Do you get showed up In the army
for doing your bit without shoutingY
said Casemate. my guv'nor won't let
me go up. If he knows a Johnny who
could give me a shove. he'll ask him as
a favor not 10 do Ii. because 1t might
smell unfair But I'm satisfied. A
man that likes his mates is better off
In a wardroom than perked up In a
captains cabin, alone with his nobili-
ty. / don't want the money. | like
my job, and when I'm tired of Ii I'll
go ashore and catch butterflies.
However. to get back TO Gunnery
Jacks coup We used TO be worried
good deal by night attacks. The
beggars used to try TO rush us on dark
nights, and even single fellows sneak
ed their way into the camp sometimes.
"Jack laid out some mines at one
place we pitched at to welcome them
with. One middle watch the word was
passed that they were coming, and we
all turned out TO receive them.
"There was some loose scrub n little
distance off which had led Jack to ex-
pect attack from that side and to lay
the mines there accordingly. We could
see dark forms moving about in the
scrub and edging toward us. though
rather slowly, and after a rather tire
some wait Jack at length shouted.
'Heave her" and touched the key.
"The whole earth seemed to rise up
In Of hnn chA ~
earth and stones fell all around. A
thing that rather surprised Jack was
the hind leg Of a mule which came
flying through the air and bowled him
over like a rabbit. He said 1t was the
first time he had ever been kicked by
leg with no mule on 1t.
"In the morning we found the re-
mains Of no less than six of the camp
mules scattered about. They had got
out somehow through a soft place in
the laager and nibbled their way round
to the scrub. Jack didn't do any more
mining"
THAT reminds me-" said the major,
"of the mining battalion at Chatham.
They blew up bridge they'd crossed
llShSh ny dhu Souiuh SCI pdch
again"
But what about Moses charm"
said the correspondent. Where does
that come in?'
THAT was another affair."" said Case
mate more gravely. I'D almost for
gotten. We used to get single niggers
in at night, as / said in spite of the
a,
black man far in the dark, you know.
One night | woke and saw big fellow
trying to unhood my gun from the tent
pole. He was n gigantic chap, and,
standing between me and the tent
door, he loomed like a house. / felt
cautiously for my revolver, but he ell
ther saw me or heard me- for his arm
went up, and just for a moment his
assagai stood across the light like
window bar, and then it came straight
at me-"
"But the good old charm checked it
in midair," said the major.
"Not quite In midair," said the lieu
tenant. IL felt bang that thought
had STAYED my chest in, and then he
was vi ihe' we sCuineu d plt, pul
got hold of the revolver and let him
have a Mark III just as our fellows
ran in. The spear had hit the baccy
pouch in my breast pocket-of course
l was lying down all rigged-and IL
was brought up against the stopper.
It's pretty hard but he made a bit of
mark on ii. you see. The matters got
the assagai at home now with the point
turned up like bent pin"
"The drawback to your charm is
that II only acts when it's in the line of
fire." said the major. 'Still II was n
let off. old man. and l congratulate
you and ourselves. too, that you're
here to spin the yarn"
"And so say all Of us" sang the 9th