The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-03

limit of the hill, Lieutenant Digby-
 Jones was in the gun emplacement Witf
 Major Miller Wallintt and one or two
 men, The enemy had been driven back yet maintained q searching fire, and having received strong endorsements were preparing for another advance
 Suddenly three of four great dark
 shadows were cast over the parapet, 1T
 which there were no loopholes Vor
 Wyk, leader of the Harrismith comman-
 do; Field Cornet De Villiers and another
 brave Boer were making their last des-
 perate charge, Major Miller Walnut
 shot hie man and fell himself from 2
 bullet aimed at the back of his head. A
 corporal of the Sappers slew De Villiers
 whose bandolier was almost filled with
 explosive bullets. Lieutenant Digby-
 Jones, running out of the emplacement
 shot the Commandant Won Wyh be-
 fore he himself ended a short and heroic
 career with Mauser bullett through
 the throat. His young and brave com
 rade, Lieutenant Dennis, R. E., fell soon
 afterward while going to the aid of the
 wounded.
 The hard fought fight was nearly over Our men were again on the eummit of
 the hill, and the Hotchkiss gun of the | Natal Naval Volunteers was no longer
 in jeopardy, But there remained a
 small and gallant band of Boers who either would not or could not retire. 1 They were hidden among some rocks about thirty yards from the brow of the hill. Their fire was deadly in it's search ing accuracy One man alone is credit ed with having shot no fewer than five officers. Colonel Hamilton asked CC lonel Park whether anything could be done to remove them. "A charge" suggested the commander of the Devons., The or der was given, and the three companies went forward with a cheer across the open shot swept ground. Lieutenant Field led his company first, then came Captain Lafone and upon his hee's Lieutenant Masterson. The enemy did ] not wait to receive the cold steel, but threw themselves over the hill in head long flight, trusting to speed and the flooding sheet of rain. Lieutenant Mas terson having to return with a message, tumbled into sungar with ten wounds upon his body. Captain Lafone and Lieutenant Field fell victims to a cross fire while the Boers were in flight.
 The battle was over. For sixteen hours it had ragged, and the very heav- ems had been shaken with the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry. Ladysmith had not fallen. The enemy had been repulsed on every side, and the tale of their dead--east, weet, south and north--was heavy beyond anything that they had suffered in Natal. Night | drew a sable cloak over the slain, and we waited anxiously till dawn to count the dead and to rescue the wounded. CHRISTMAS AT WATERING.
 The first detailed description of the desperate sortie made from Mafeking December 26 comes from the Reuter- correspondent in that hard pressed lit- tie town, who prefaoes his account with the doings of Christmae Day:
 The Christmas of 1899 in Mafeking has been indeed an eventful one Sum day we observed as a truce, and it was not only truce but real day of pleas ure. A Christmas dinner which might have vied with many in the Old Coun- try was served, and we drank in cham pagne the toast of Peace on earth to men in good will in beleaguered Mafe- king" For the afternoon of Sunday Christmas tree had been promised for the children by Lady Sarah Wilson and committee, and the poor little things, brought up for the day from the dark trenches and bomb proofs of the wo- mems laager, enjoyed themselves with careless dieregard of the danger which they did not understand Christmas Eve was celebrated in the English Church by choral evensong with Christmas carols. Candles gleamed upon the altar. which was, decorated with flowers and evergreens. The con- gregation, despite the great hole in the sanctuary behind the dossel and other damage done by the enemys shells, caught something of the spirit of Christmas as they joined in the old hymns and sang the carols which the English associate with snow, holly and with mistletoe
 The Roman Catholics had arranged to follow the old custom of ceebrat ting mass at midnight It was close on that hour when wended my way toward the convent. The whoe town was enveloped in Stygian darkness, and l could only find my road by the aid of flashes of sheet lightning reflected from an on- coming storm. The convent has suffer- ed severely from the shell fire of the enemy. As I passed through the ruin ed portico and shattered pillars I en- tered the great great empty building, pierced in half dozen places by the shells of the enemy. Through these holes the wind sighed mournfuly. At the far end of the room sit great tapers gleamed through the darkness. The windows had been covered with the wells of the nuns, lest the enemy sec ing the light should be tempted to open fire. Around the altar the black robed figures of the kneeling sisters contrasted strangely with the white silken vest ments of the priest. Behind the nuns was a motley group, mostly of men. Many of us were booted and spurred, and if one had looked into the passage outside the chapel he might have found the rifles and bandoliers of the wor- shippers, ready for use at any moment. The mass began with the "Adeste Fi- deles," and the grand old Christmas hymn echoed through the ruined con- vent At the chapel door group of Cape policemen was gathered, wonder ing and not quite understanding what it all meant. Vivid flashes of lightning illuminated the room, piercing the veil on the roof, and gusts of wind, rushing