The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-08


bsyouels strsnuorsly the while. This
was the first trench and AZ ths light
grew hotter some little memory Of their
ariisr boasts soired the Bosrs to take
stand. They fought; they foush1wsll.
Commandment Botha told Lieut. Mon
orisff, who had charge Of the flag party
that arranged for an arm.stics this morn
| ing. that he thought at lesst . thousand
| men had been moved against his position.
"After the fiisi fury had been expend-
ed, our men charged at the bayonet POINT
right acrcss the line of trenches. II was
| In this charge that the Beers loss most
heavily. As soon IS the squadron reached
the extsmity Of the Bosr position they re-
treated Independently. sheir movement
covered by tbs fiankinR fire Of the Cape
police. which added still further 10 the
perplexities Of the enemy. The CALLING
IRE Of the Cape police disturbed them for
some time longer than IVES req uired In
the actual retirement Of the force.
"The Beers had been completely un-
nerved By the or slauRht Of the protector
ate men and q feature Of the hours which
elarsed between the final withdrawal Of
our foros from the scene Of conflict and
the advent Of dawn, was the heavy firing
Of the enemy, who sin continued dis
, charging ussls IS volleys into space.
The loss to Us In the encounter had
been SIX killed, ten wounded and two OF
our men taken prisoners but the gravity
of the lofs which the enemy sustained can
be most surely measured BY the facs that
until late hour this afternoon they
could not find the spirit to resume the
pom bardment. It is said In camp here
that some 200 Roeis will have reason 10
rememb Der the charge
THE CAVE DwELLERS.
The doines OF she siege at Ladysmith
have been fully described BY recent let
teIs. II the Beers continue TO so closely
hem In and continuously lombard
Whites, the bssisgsd promIs, to become
full fiedged cave-dwsllers for according 10
ths Daily News CORR spondent at Lady
smith, the prevalent tendency there is to
burrow. "Some people, writes this az
thority, "having spent much time and pa
tient labor in making burrows for them
selves. lind life there % intolsrably mo-
notonous that they prefer to take the
chances above ground. Others pass
whole days with wives and families or In
solitary misery where there is not light
enough to read or work, scarcely show
ing . head outside from sunris, to sun
Get. They may be seen trooping away
from fragile tin rooted houses half IN
hour before aybrsak. carrying children
In their arms or cat or monkey or mon.
goose or cage Of pct birds, and they
Come back similarly laden when the night
gets too dim for gunners to 90 on shoot
Ing. There would be touch Of humor In
all this II 10 were not 20 deeply pathetic
In its close association with possible
tragedies. One never knows where or ct
what hour stray shell or splintss Will
fall and Il 10 pitiful some times to hear
who may hsrsslf b. fathsrlsss or mother
less tomorrow.
1--WE think - little as possible Of such
things, putting them from NJ with the
light comment that they happen daily
elsewhere than In besisssd towns and
make the best We can Of q melancholy
/
situation"
The Imperial Light horse have amused
Themselves ut Lady smith By constructing
tunnels TO the river bank, connecting
dark caves In which whole regiments
might b. hidden. In these caves the men
lind relief from the burning sun.
The Standard correspondent at Lady
smith describing the repulse Of an attack
o. Ladysmith on the Prince Of walss's
birthday says: "At noon, when the enc
my had fallen back on their lasssr roy
al salute OF 81 guns was fired by the naval
brigade. Captain Lambton Was resolved
that the saiuts should bs effective. The
shot silencsd the Isumbulwani gun for
the day, while another fell into Joubsrs's
oamy, and-aocording to coolie who es-
capped In the confusion-killed 20 men.
It must be many years since the national
anthem was sung to the accompaniment
Of shrapnel and "a pound steel shsils
shrieking through the air."
THE FIGHT AT AODDER RIVER.
OF the hard fight at Modder river. the
Globe correspondent says: ION the plain
we're numerous white crosses. which We
subm quently discovered, were marked
ranges set out BY the Beers previously.
Ths lighting line Of both sides extended
quite six miles aud thsrs was an inoss-
SAINT fusiiads and oannonade for twelve
solo hours. The Beers were never seen
By Ms; none OF the officers and men to
whom / have spoken since saw Boer.
II is certainly marvellous how theJ al
ways manage to hide themselves.
1.-The heat yesterday was tsrrlf"; M
wind. q hot. blazing sun all day. We
were sli done. and literally parchsd; our
only refresh msnt during the twelve hours
was water heated by the sun In our water
bottles"
OF the same battls, the Daily News or
respondent writes: 'The historian who
writes truthful story Of the battle OF
Modder river will have strange story to
tell, II all one hears Ia gospel. Stories Of
| onidea who reported Modder river