Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-04-25

party OF Beers by a British garrison
artillery battery Of al guns In one OF
the hills guarding the capital Inc |
shells fell wide and this fact irritated
Ross. He left the column in charge OF
his second in command and rode al
gallop toward the hill from which the
battery was firing. oblivious to shot
and shell, Ross rode right 10 the sum
NIT of the hill. luckily arriving I'M
scathed.
Who's the goldurned fool In com
mand Of this outfit?" he shouted to the
astonished gunners.
A young artillery lieutenant came
| forward and saluted the major. The
senior eyed the younger man
sternly.
That the best practice you and
your fools can uake?" he inquired
with deep disgust. I'm report you
for bad shooting when | get into Pre-
toria. Maybe the general will let you
hear from him. | guess you had bet
ter go back to school, young man
for your education has been sadly
neglected"
Ross wheeled his horse and clat-
tered down the hill again to retoin his
command. For many a long day the
lieutenant will suffer from the gibes
Of his brother officers, and the men OF
the battery will probably never re-
cover their self-respect.
Ross came out of the Boer war with
a remarkable record behind him anu
with the undying admiration and
friendship of Lord Kitchener and 9th.
er generals. His is a name to con
jure with. The Beers feared him TO
marked degree. SO much 50 that
when large parties of them came up
to East Africa to settle after the
war and learned that Ross was an
official. they told the governor that
they we're afraid to settle in the same
country with Ross. But they have
learned that the major in war and the
major in peace are two entirely differ,
ent people. The East African Beers
have long lost all fear of him and
now look upon him as their friend
and brother
think | am correct in saying that
Major Ross is the only naturalized
American who is a retired major Of
the British army. companion Of the
coveted Distinguished Service order.
and an acting official OF the British
Colonial government service. This
alone proves in what high esteem he
is held by the British government
After the Boer war was over, Ross
fought for g time in the Somaliland
war Of 1902-l904 as an officer with
the Boer contingent of mounted in
fantry. Then he came up to East AT.
RIGA and went on q trading and ele-
phanthuntlng trip into German East
Africa. His life there Is somewhat
J shrouded in mystery. All have ever
been able to ascertain about 1t In
that he shot a large number OF ele.
plants, secured a grant Of land, and
! set up a trading store at one of the
German stations, Bakoga, believe, on
! the Victoria lake.
! However. he managed to fall afoul
of the German authorities. and he was
expelled from the territory and his
land confiscated BY all &C
counts, he was very harshly and unde-
: serYedly used. When his royal high
! ness the duke Of Connaught was Wis
iting East Africa in 1906, Major Ross
> came to meet him at Kisumu on the
] Victoria lake by the dukes special
request They had a long talk and
J the duke promised to take up his
/ case against the German colony on
2 his return to London.
, Shortly afterward, as a result OF
:. this meeting. Major Ross was appoint
) ed assistant game warden of the East
: African Protectorate. No more fit
j ting work could have beon found for
' him, and he has earned great name
] for his rigid enforcement OF the game
protection laws Woe betide the man
/ who Is bold enough to break the game
! regulations, for he will have 10 an
t swer to Major Ross and the courts
I of justice a. sure as his name ii
4 what II is
Day after day Ross rides the plain.
- and game reserves In search OF law
d breakers. He thinks nothing of cover
= ing so miles a day. He carries hil
8 food and blankets on his saddle, ant
e sleeps under tree. in a native hut
g OF. If lucky, at a farmhouse. He cares
nothing for the danger Of attack from
+" prowling beasts of the jungle or tur
d bulent natives. or from the hardship
e of exposure. He spells duty with 1
e very big capital ID.
r On one occasion, the story goes tina
" he rode by moonlight from Fort Hal
e In the Kenka district to NairobI-s
distance of Ga miles! When abola
II half way, he was held up on the plalni
3 by three lions. Ross says that he hat
: much difficulty in keeping his pony'I
/ head on to the lions. but eventual,
the lions tired Of stalking him an.
: turned their attentions to some zebT;
Il which Ross could hear near by 4
q wasn't a very pleasant experience, bu
4 Ross laughs at il. lie calls the thre.
i lions in question. "Gol-darned pesk,
!. curious critters
3 At mis- house in Rairobi he kept fol
3 a Icing time a tame lion. much to ID,
terror of itinerant natives. He say
II that IL was the best watch dog h.
e ever owned. and claims that when al
J. the other bungalows in his yicinit,
n were favored by burglars. his housi
}, escaped attention. Which Is not a
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