The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-07-31

ANOe -'s
to a space of few hundred square
feet, where nothing but the most
marvellous organization and discipline
could avert death on deck or aloft.
To the landsman, who understood
nothing of the difficulty in rapidly
shifting these great masts and yards,
or in reefng and furling thousands
of square feet of stiff canvas-per-
haps wet or half-frozen-the rapidity
with which it was done was perhaps
the chief wonder.
Ropes, running like lightning
through blocks that were instantly
too hot from friction to be touched.
had to be checked to within a few
inches, requiring the utmost cool
ness and presence of mind; while the
officer in command had to superin.
tend what to the uninitiated looked
like tangled mass of cordage, but
which was in reality no more in con.
fusion than the threads in loom
In an instant this officer might see
something going wrong; to delay
single second meant terrible ca
tastrophe. Every one, allow and
aloft, was relying on his judgment.
'Belay!" Ease away"
The order came in an instant. The
boatswain's mates repeated it in a
particular call which this ife-and-
death necessity soon taught every
one to understand; the shrill whistles
rising above the din of tramping feet
and running ropes, or the thunder.
Gus crash of the great sails in the
wind. Death had been averted-or
not. If not, you looked up and saw
some unfortunate man turning head
over heels in the air. Your heart
stood still. Would he catch hold of
fall? Or would he come battering
on the deck? 1t was a mere toss-up.
If he was killed outright it generally
stopped the drill for the day. If he
was only seriously injured, the drill
went on, for this was part of the les
son that must be learned. that in
peace, as in war, one must take his
chances.
BRITAIN'S INDIAN SOLDIERS.
The GOODNESS and tenacity dis
played by the Khaibar Rifles at Mich
nikandao blockhouse on the night of
March 2, and by the Twenty-second
Punjabi picket at Darwazagai, on the
night of May 16, are good examples
of the efficiency of the native troops,
and add Iustre even to the records of
India. The Michni blockhouse, held
by Subadar Tor Kahn and fifty-three
rifiemen, was attacked for several
hours by the main body of Afghan
invaders. A hail of bullets was
poured into it from all sides, and an
attempt was made to escalade it with
ladders, which are now the cherished
trophies of the garrison. The Sub
adar was abused by the enemy in the
usual style, and was cursed because
he, a Mohammedan. fought against
Mohammedans. This, however, was
nothing new to the Subadar. for
eleven years before, mullah had
cCme to him, Koran in hand, to call
upon him in the name of the propbet,
to surrender his post. For all reply
Tor Kahn dubbed the mullah to
death. The conduct of the Twenty
second Punjabis at Darwazagai. was
equally meritorious. The picket was
commanded by Jemadar Mir Afzal
Khan, second senior in his rank in
the regiment, and already we'll noted
for proficiency in musketry and
transport duties. This gallant man
was twice severely wounded during
the night, but concealed the fact
from his men till he died. Naik
Jehanded. though wounded in tho
head, took command of the picket
after the Jemardar's death, while the
signaller, Ram Singh, though also
wounded, stuck manfully to his work.
Such gallantry deserves to be made
known by general order to the
whole army-Afghan Correspond
ence London Times
WOMAN PLUNGES AFTER BABE.
Mrs. Gordon Kirby, of Snowville.
Va, learning that her little girl,
Oracle, had fallen into the mill race,
left a sick bed and leaped into the
stream in an effort to save the child
w. T. Tigleman. who was crossing
bridge over the stream, went to her
rescue Both of them were on the
point of drowning when John Craft.
seeing the man striving in vain to
drag the woman to safety, went to his
aid
Craft, being unable to swim, OBJ
tanned long pole, which he man
aged to twist into Mrs. Kirby's iuxu-
riant hair, dragging her to the bank
and the exhausted man with her. The
little girl was dead when taken from
the water.