Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1902-05-24
rha noarsi in Ratrle.


A branch of warfare to which the
Beers attach almost supreme import
ance, and rightly so,~ is scouting. AT
this their rowing habits and mode OF
life make them particularly ADEPT, al
though during the present war some
of tie most valuable work in this d.
rect on has been performed by UitIanc-
ers. Two crops of scouts, one compos-
ed Of Frenchmen under Captain LIE
GalIien, and the other of Italians I'M
der command of Captain Ricch1ard.t
both recruited in Johannesburg during
the earlier months of the war, render
ed services of incalculablc value to the
Boer cause. OF an essentially cautious
nature, the Beers never think or NOV
ing ID any new direction until the
country has been thoroughly recon
noitered by scouting parties and "a
enemy has been located; and it is to
this TACT that their marvellous mobility
is largely due. Having ascertained the
position of their opponents and calcu'
lated the numbers likely to be engaged
at any given point, the scouts report 10
the general of the forces to which they
are attached, and the burghers are
then shifted from one position to an
other so as to be ready for all emer-
gencies. Thus it is that during the
present campaign the Beers have al
most invariably been just where they
could do the most effective work, and
| in about the right numbers to do it.
Another method of guarding against
surprise is that of ''crow nests" Choos-
| ing as elevated position as possible II
| the neighborhood of their trenches OF
lager, the Beers erect cover Oh Ioose
| bushes, made to appear so natural that
! -. 6fofo =
mistaken for growing shrubbery bush
with which the country is to great
| extent covered. Planted on the top OF
a kopie, the Beers, with their teIe-
scopes and field glasses, are able to
keep a lookout over miles Of the sur
rounding country whilst themselves
perfectly hidden.
Having decided upon the positions
they intend to occupy and defend the
burghers proceed to dig trenches or
| erect low stone walls, or "Schanzes,
as they are called, of loose stones piled
up some three feet high; or, II the
! ground is suitable, they do both. IL
ANYTHING, the latter affold the more
| effective protection of the two, since
not only do these schanzes give almost
perfect shelter from rifle ire, bu'
| through the interStlces between the
| stones the men are apie 10 WdLcn 4OI
the approaching enemy. On the smallF
est mark being presented, they e1taer
use the interstices as loopholes, or else
pop up, aim, fire and are down again IN
an almost incredibly short space OF
| time. In this manner they can pick on
the advancing soldiers while remain
ing in almost perfect security them
| selves. This method Of fighting Ell
plains to q great extent the extraordin-
ary disproportion in the casualties OF
Beers and British respectively in most
of the important engagements fought
during the present war. These schan-
yes are frequently several miles II
length, and are something's built II
duplicate. or even triplicate; thus en-
aiding the Beers on being driven back
from the first, to retire and continue to
fighc behind the second and .1e third
The admirable construction of their
trenches has been testified to on more
than one occasion by the British gen
erals, notably by Sir kedvers Butler N
his dispatches on the oDeratioaes n
NataS-The Forum.