Baden-Powell of MafekingFletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
History
Baden-Powell of Mafeking
Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
Baden-Powell of Gilwell, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, Baron, 1857-1941; Generals -- Great Britain -- Biography
"Then, clambering down among the rocks, we crossed the Tuli River and
commenced the ascent of the towering crags in which the enemy were
located. Of course this had to be done on foot, and I left my horse
tied to a tree, with my coat and all spare kit hung in the branches.
"Our friendlies went very gaily at the work at first, with any
amount of firing, but very little result; the enemy had now entirely
disappeared into their caves and holes among the rocks, merely looking
out to fire and then popping in again. Our own niggers climbed about,
firing among the rocks, but presently did more firing than climbing,
and began to take cover and to stick to it; finally, two of them were
bowled over, and the rest of them got behind the rocks and there
remained, and no efforts could get them to budge. I then called up the
Cape Boys and the Maxims (in which Lord Grey assisted where it was
difficult to move owing to the very bad ground); these reinforcements
came up with no loss of time and went to work with a will. It was
delightful to watch the cool, business-like way in which Robertson
brought his Boys along. They floundered through the boggy stream
and crawled up the smooth, dome-shaped rocks beyond, and soon were
clambering up among the koppies, banging and cheering. Llewellyn, too,
brought his guns along at equal speed, and soon had them in equal
position on apparently inaccessible crags, where they came into action
with full effect at every chance the enemy gave them.
[Illustration: Scout Burnham.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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