The National tribune., 1902-06-19
BEHIND THE GUNS.
Incident Of the Boer War Related by q
=ts-.
Correspondent.
JAMES BARNES IN THE OUTLOOK.

valley at the unanSwer1ng forts that
crowned the tops Of the kopjes that rose
to the southwark Of the town. The shells
had good long four miles to travel before
they struck and burst in and about the
earthen entertainments. On a line of little
hills, much nearer, a Boer 1J-pOunder and
Il pompom, whose location could not be
discovered among the rocks, suddenly
broke out in reply, sending shells at in-
teryals in among the wagons and horses
of the transport column that had been
crowded too close up to the firing line.
There was a constant shipping ard pop
ping of riiicfire along the front. stretch
ing away to the left and Colts battery
was hammeriug Ike a earpet-beater from
ghe side of the nearby slope. But the ~
guns confined their attention to the de
serted forts. above which. rising high in
the air, hung the clouds of dust anu lyd
ditc fumes.
The transport wagons had been hur-
.icdly TUNED back across the spiu:t some
four or five niles away. out of the range
# the Boer 1J-pounder and the punipotn.
ind | was standing with little group ot
nnl0okers directly behind the naval guns,
Watching through my glasses the effect Of
The heavy shcil-tire. and wondering. with
the Others, why there was no reply from
the fo;ts themselves, for great stories had
been told of their strength and armament.
Commander Dc Hoysey, II. y. thi,;.
wiry Eftle. man, NJ nerves ana 'inewS.
vas walking to ard fro back of the guns.
He had his fighting grim on, and would
now ana then turn lack and laugh rs
hell fell fair on the ramparts of the near
st folt on Klaprcr Kop.
DE HorScys having Il great time this
lftcrnGOn, remarked an officer to me. and
hen he added. in much the same tone
that one would usc in congratulate ny an
,ther on Il we!l-nnde stroke Mt billiards.
- al hot s.,,.'- 4 l.,
At that very minute p0mp0m shell
tiom the hidden Nicicrs- Maxim struck in
lose TO the trail of the nearest four
,o.nt-seycn," as the lig guns We're called
De fiorscy gave quick jump ard then
ut dGwn. The grin was hardly off his
ace 81; he tu.ncd to where we stood bu,
ie s!asrcd his leg by the knee and FUN
'icd then about his foot. 4 1-poundai
he'll had exploited on the hard ground
md burst into mary fragments. Poor De
ioisey was struck Just at the ankle-joiut
making an ugly wound. Protesting tha,
t was nothing and that he could 'st:B
iobhle round he was sent back to the
ear i'll Il correspondent cart that had
ct gone back with the transport He WIS
till protesting and GRIMM: as they drove
i'm away. Afterwards it was found that
'ap ard decorator of the shell had
Wedrcd themselves into the angle-bonc
4 s. PLACE was taken by n young Leuten-
ut. ana the cannGnading went on.
This WAS one Of the few fights in which
can remember really seeing the Beers
t work. for now and thea figures coull
&c observed through the glass, lodging
iefc and there in changing pos. ton anon.
he rocks On the hill but little over mile
way. The biz guns had disdaincd them
nitIn!ng their attention. as | have sad
20 the deserted! foits and leaving them to
ic handled ty the Colt battery and the
ncn with rifles on the slope.
1t was certainly n very plucliy thing 70
10. and Il most aadIcious thing, taking
nto account the odds against them. bur
: number of burghc:s had worked in. M
zen by the English. 20 a BIT of broken.
ocky gioGgd not LEO yards directly IN
tort of the naval guGS. They opened M
;rddenly with lifi"-iirc, and two men scrv-
NJ at the gun en- the right Were hit. bu.
most of tho first voilcy passed overhead
Now. it happened there WAS a big
natural excavation directly in The rear ot
the guns. and | believe | can claim tn,
honor of being the first man in it. The
time that it took the rest Of the watch
ng group 10 join me wasn't worth thu
mention" Somehow the sensation re
minded me Of the game Of ''Eyc-spy
when the fellow who is it is abort Il,
al! ''Coop. As soon as we were all on
scGnced-and we well filed the little hol.
I looked to see who were uy comnan-
ions. They werc two members of ia,
staff. the Press Ccps0r. IN Officer whore
''"iS he'ef coHni HFthrhiiae, brt who
'hnt"'t yer! iaige "iIlsa cigarettes. and
10 re VI General OF artillery.
,n';:t say mat ne was the last to reach thc
'loiiI -piaee ana 'hit ne merely croHchct
nm me rest OF MS Ike Brcr Rabbit.
i5 ~, low ana Sai'i nH!hn
ne mandy men Mt the big guns were
Workihs IKE neaNcfs now changing tEi'
ri@ntS ana cieNaiians-at last turning
.h@if attention 10 ihlngs near at hand. The
bullets Were coming IN iniermittentty.
scattering bichs OF lead and nickel il
n'h"h@ thc rocks admired the men al
INC E.lhS. VINO were StlcsiHg to their work
ana Efl no hoie TO ger into, ard | re
loiced That corTeSpondents first duty
was merely to take care Of himself.
All at once, Just before they had sue
cceded in training the first big gun on the
6it of broken ground. we heard 4 peculiar
whlrrng sound. We all booked back, and
there, directly behind the guns, exposed
Ill the open, was the American cinemato-
;raph man standing beside his tripod.
grinding away. his face showing only q
concentrated interest IN the working OF
ms machine. Suddenly he turned and
Dared over MS shoulder: Hurry up,
Silly! bring M them hlms.'
l loved that man on the instant, and
now, as | write, | wish | could remember
his name, for he was no small figure in
the campaign. | half rose to look for
Billy and there he came. hugging
something to his breast and m:.k king him
self small as possible lodging from