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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1900-2-22, Page 2TUE 1311178SELS POST. ra. 22, 1900 THE BROTHERS OF THE WOLF It Wee elletainle A eery odd experie Wife The balfelegenclary village of 11011t1 Lu, the Misty Mountain of the Wo la liad fox ;Mire possessed an atLratition tor me as te Pktee to Visit, for Its people lied a deoldedly bad re- putation. Aek any Man lu Tasoaoy, or lo Italy ear tbe matter a that, whether be bee beard of Monte .Lupo, end he will raise Iiis houlders to bis ears, exhibit his palms, and pull a very very face. It is a place that the Tuscan does not Dare to mentioe. I (=fess to be food of poking about In tee quaint out-olathe.,way cornere el Italy ; therefore, for Ehe purpose a a book I was engaged upoo last summer, 1 one day determined to est forth and see this mysterious place for nayself. Perhaps the real reason of my joueney was because my friend "Then the aignore is the Hoglielaman who writes hooka?" nodded. Strome, 1 thought, that I ehould be known in thee out-of-taee world Place. L refltroted, however, how 0 ibed heard taut the eutetaws of the Mareomua had spies in every town, Truly I was to queer company. Still, as guest of tbe Syndic( I was perfect- ly safe. 11 handed me a long Tuscan Vise gania, one of those thin, rank (agars which diffuse a eholcing odor of burnt paper; and, fearing to offend him, lit it and tried to appear as though I enjoyed hls rough hoepitality. Truth to tell, however, there was a look lo his small, keen eyes that I did not at all like. tt bad ocourred to rne that 1 was in a den of the very worst thieves in the whole of a thieving oountry ; and that, if they suspected me of 'toeing, a quirk cu from a ready knife might end my career. Cerpena, of the Carbineers, had told Gradually, however, all fear left en6. me that for many years there had been II began to feel really pleased that 1 sinister rumors regarding the inhabie had come there, A curious sensation tants of that alriaost Inaceessible lit- of elation crept over me, as though Ile village high up in the mere heart the wine had been a trifle too heavy, of the blue, towering Apeonines, and eiee had added: "The faot ie, in that esitraainPait was that horribe g, howeveo, i arrangement of eabbegee plaoe they're all thieves and murder- leaves. At any rat* my head was ors. But. our Government are so reeling. I was a fool to have venture slow to act." / ed there. The popular idea, of course,' Is 'that i I tried to rise, but my lags refused brigandage has been stamped out In to eupport me. T heard my host speak - Italy ; but within thiry miles of ethers ing in a strange, far-off voice, and a I live, down in the Maremma-that' few seconds later a sudden darkness wide fever marsh stretching from Pisa fell upon me, blotting out all con - towards Rome -the country is even Betoulaese to -day scoured by the fearless outlaws , How long I remelted Iti that help - who will attack and rob thet traveler, less oondition I have no idea. When, and slit his throat if ha resist. Those however, I opened my eyes, I found uosafe roads are daily and nightly myself in a dark, damp, cellar -like patrolled by mounted Carbineers in place, with a chilling drip, drip of wa- pairs, smart in their cooked hats, ter sounding in ray Care. I was white gloves and immaculate uniforna ( propped up against the wall, but the but very often in broad elaylight Muse was in piteli darkness. I grope there is a tharp crack of a hidden ed about, and discovered that the rifle, and one or other of the unfor- chamber was a narrate underground tunate guards falls from his saddle, place, probably one or the old subter- with a bullet through his heart. mimeo cells of the ruined medieval I told nobody of my intention of castle arotuad whittle the village was visiting Monte Lupo, surposed to be built, The ponderoue door was lock - Um headquarters of the Maretemn out- ' ed. I shouted and pounded upon it, laws; but, putting me revolver to nee' but there W89 no sound, 1 seemed en - pocket, 1 one day travelled by train i torabed, Through several anxious up to Lucca, driving thence in five hours I paced the noisome place, re - hours into the mountains, where I preaching myself that I had ventured slept the night at Ponte e (Serraglio, there, until at length the door was e quiet, peaceful little village embow- unbarred by two men - dark -Faced, ered in limes and ohestnuts in the evil -looking scoundrels, who carried midst of wild and magnificent scan- lanterne. Both wished me, a polite ery. Next day at dawn I puebeell far- good.e-uoraing. I reflected that if it tber on into tbe amountaine, until, were morning I must have remeined about two o'clock, we rear:heel a tiny, unconscious for many hours, unnamed hamlet, where I ordered my Than, in reply to my inquiry as to wondering driver to remaain until my . t • tbe reason 1 -was held a prisoner, one man, who spoke in a tone oi autbority, although with most Ineffable polite- ness, said: "All those who visit Monte Lupo must pay toll," "Yon want money V" I said, feeling like O rat in a hole. "You, (Mall have all that I have upon ole; and I plac- ed my hand in my pocket, , drawing forth thirty-three francs in paper money. The fellow smiled, exaused himself, but politely informed me that snob an amount was abeolutely useless. 11's appearance coincided exactly with the description I had bad of the fearless Conti, chief of the Brothers of the Wolf. "Well," I said, furiously, "yesteuday I called upon the Syndic of this vil- lage, who, 1 presume, drugged the wine he gave me and handedi me over to you. Remember Tim an English- man, and the Ministry down at Rome will bear ca this." , "It is quite needless Inc the signore to express anger,' answered the ha - perturbable outlaw, with a grim smile. "A. little eltraft for five thousand francs upon the siguore's banker will settle matters. Our good Tonto, here, will take Lt down to Livorno, and the cullis still rematned, and a fewmo- day after to -morrow he will return ments later found myself in the with the money. When he comes back email, aril sn &ling mama ain vill go the signore will, if he wishes, be at lib - the home of the daring Brothers of the erty to withdraw bimself from our Wolf. hoopitality." The place, white beneath Lhe nun- "ra write nothing of the sort," I gin re. was deserted. the only sign of anewered. . life tieing a few strutting hens and There was a dead silence. a mangy cat stretched lazily on the "Thal is your denision ?" he asked bet stones. It was veey interesting atter a pause, as a well,preserved mountain strong- "Certainly." hold-exttetly the same that day as He :mailed grimly. Theca, crossing ages ago, when the immortal Dante the chamber, he, platied a key, in a low mature burst, or en even; more harm- ordinary pestol, so soon es it is require lived in Florencee and the Guelphs and door in the opposite wall and opened , d Ghibellines foaght so fiere.ely in the it. In August, the "Month of the Lion," as it is called in Tuseany, the days are long; tberefore set out alone for Monte Lupo, and, directed by an old herdsman I met upon the road. trav- ersed one of the wildest and, loneliest valleys I have ewer entered. Its per- fect silence, even in the sunlight Ives most depressing. A.n eagle soar- ing far above was the only living thing T saw. At last, hare -ever, I came, to a broken, moss -grown bridge over a ' mountain torrent, a relic of medieval times, aped Ligle up rose towering towards the sky a sheer wall of bare gray rock. In vain I looked for the village, but could see nothing. So runt:tingly was the place constructed back in the Middle Ages thatt from the road it was not visible. In that stolid wall of rock I afterwards dis- covered, ware loopholes overlooking the whole country for me.ny milee. Only on one side -the side unapproach- able -was this nest of thieves visible at all, the only way to the anoint stronghold being by the steep, nar- row path by which T was ascending. The long climb was very tedious in the blazing sun. until. at a slum, bend in the path, I passed through an an - tient gateway in which a rusty' port - 1 man for his life," tbe fellow answered, "boldite," from the oamee ,,,ot 14ydd, with au air et eupteelor neothalance, Kent, Willob wati Ite birthplace, a0d. eicesing the doter of the /nom' eaamber. was first tieed oei aotiVe serviee durlog Ile betake aleaost peeled Itallart, with-114"cl gilallielloa 8 100814 eelnaldfale. Al Ma that ourtolle aspirate Math the Preeleat ileolUent, it le of more ma =eke the Teseata tongue. Aecorditig tictelar illteeeret, Prolog' to eithe =lee to Popular belief ehie shilVe bandit. be- prated letter et protest agalost its euta los604 to one of the first families, in lodlied bY Rome, but liad killed a rival te, tbe I GEN. e01111Ettsao GEN. wranu. band of the won/an wbo was now tile The samplicity at Its ingredients al, Ootorimes Prineees Pelladio, and had to olviaan minds at any rate, extreme., ever eine() bidden in the neaunteills, ,ly meters, Peering in Mind LIM fearful beaorning ealef of tbe dreaded Broth- energy with wilioa it tem. be exieloaed, eas, A quantity ot earbOlio Reid, the well - 1 knew be was out a /tutu to be trill- known eleeneetie clielafeetent, is boil- ed with. Suddenly a brilliaot idea ed with an equ Of proportion of oil of 00,418 10 1310 ; en 1 eaid with apparept vitriol, beloved of the Parisian, gam- 111-mraoe : in. To the boiling mixture 15 ,dadded . . 'rhey brought 'it, and upon it I hWa'aveellfitlai°Lillftitde MillIX:,0 "Bring me a pen tted PaPetr, then." 8tr.: itqf401V141:0 „vol., the 1,1 lowing cwae, upon yellow' oryetals, whielt after a judio- Emma's, the Englisb bank in Flor- 10" "urea al leashing awe interill.O, mole, seribbling badly, fio that the put- fanorm W`hat n' known as an" Inane ed. laws would be uaable to read It; Strange to say, this oprapound "Please Pae bearer £200, Tell Con- would be absolutely innocuous in the eul-General I am held prisoner at the hoods of the amateur. He 'nigh, boil, Mountein of the Woif,'" ,, fry, burn or hammer it, without caus- Then, having signed it, 1 handedi tt log the slightest. inconvenience, eita, to Conti. el' to himself or to hie neighbors. None Ili carefully examined it, and smile the Iasi, in ,alhe hand e of the expert, ed in satiefaetion, this app , rantly hat nacos , „compeund "Good," he rtoponded. "Tool° will can be in.de to yieid, an explosion near - times as des.ruotive as that ride a fest horse into Firenze, and TO- ty. cute turn to morrow, Until then,. I regret produeed by the same quantity Tb.e hatory uf the thee the signore should be moonven- oe atenawder 1 lemma and rendered so unoomfor - able " But I deolared taat it was a metre trifle, congratulating myseif, never- bad been known and. usea, as a dye, for theless, upon out-wittiug these silk, wool and leather, without lathe scoundrels, Tr, the course of a few slightest accident occurring oto de - hours the Carbinoers would swoop monstrate its deaday haturea, A few and years beak, however, a fire broke out down upon tbis eolony of outlaws, tee encounter was certain to be a lant.ewlevrehthaof_cELtnee nciduacnhetimoricaotl woks, very tharp and lively one amd had been stored near a heap of The bead of the feariess brotberhood lead oeide. The fire melted the acid and thoughtfully left me lais lamp; and caused It to stream across the fioor patiently I waited in that gloomy cell through several hours. Again the door was suddrola thrown open, and Conti appeared, his facn pale and distorted by fierce an - 'SO you would give us up; to the guards-eb ?" he snarled, waving the paper in my face. "You thought us ouch fools that we could not read Eng - !discovery of its remerktble powers reads like a fairy tale.. For uowards of a century, picric( acid until it met the lead oxide with evalch it united to form lead ,picrate. In- stantly, there was a lerlito explosion and, in this way was discovered the most awful exploeive of modern Limes, At the present time, lyddite shells are termed by pouring the liquid picric acid into tbe empry cases and leaeing it to cool. Ae troom as il. cools It lish? But we are not to ba en rata solidifies, and vebilet in this state can ped like that, We never take monee be transported all over the voterld with- trom those who cannot keep a still out the slighest fear of accident...lust tongue. Only the silent go forth before it is placed in the gunOa small from -here." • • To Be Continued. SCIENCE IN SLAUGHTER. kens/ Powers of Mindoro 116111.1., - Triumph of Srioure and 111i;elia tutit SUM. - During the last few weeks, probably no subject has appealed more vividly to the majority of readers than tbe Mauser pistol, whith so many British terrible execution done by Boer and ofiic,ers have 1 rtely taken wt.b them Briton alike, in their present struggle, to the front in preferenee to the num- bersome service "Webley." As every - That no email proportion of the body knows, tbe Mauser rifle, with which the Boers are supplied, is about equal in of.ensive power to the Lee- Metford of our own forces; but be- tween our service revolver and that' of the clever German gunraakeo detonating chaege of the accidently discovered lead picrate is inserted in the shell. The enormous energy ex- erted by the eapboision of this eoen- pound, which occurs immediately Lae seta strikes its mark, has the ef,ect of simultaneouely bursting ehe Iyddite charge. For details of results, amity tattoo- eral Joubert, Another triumph of scientific and me- chanical] skill ii af-oaded by that won- derfol little weapon known as the losees is primarily due to the dogged nature of the combetants, one maY safely take for granted.. There is, however, another factor which cannot be overlooked: the ,eterrible stridee whiola, under scientific direction, have been recently made In the engines of war. Etere are a few facts which speak for theinseeves. One oe the most effective weapons against bath civilised and uncivilised toes is undoubtedly the theta fired by the, common field -gun. During the WHERE CAN BE NO COMPARISON, Briefly, its Wef advantages are as follows: It loads its entire charge of ten cartridges at one operation. These cartridges sire supplied to the marks- man in neat Mile rows of ten. They are held together by a thin metal slide which cam. be readily withdrawn, as soon as the cartridges have been p.ushed into the magazine. The aot of withdrawing this slide locks the me - Franco -Prussian War of 1870, tbe aver- clothier% and cocks the pistol ready age burst into some 25 pieces. To -day for firing. The recoil from each :shot the modern "shrapnel." is frequently automatically elejecfs the spent cart. made to contain as many as 500 bullets, mob of which must find a billet, hu- man or otherwise, when ,the shell ridge, plumes the fresh one in the firing position, and recocks the pistol ready for the following sbot. The result of this ingemous arrange - bursts. This, too, is irrespective al- ment is that the wbole ten shots can be readily fired in the brief spew of together ot the vast number of pieces *MT BUT ODDSt smoLa sousEs 'ran NOB OBFIED BATTALIONS, The StritemIcal Imperleape or anon Peril - nevi iVerfore, mid the Port They nave reelocrly Pleyfet hi tioulh Africa, 'Zulu Vferh 11111 19 11 11 119 1 1114. 994 91,1a:were% One of the most Indispensable quail - Mations for the making of a Moores- ful general lei to be able to perceive and take advantage of every ave./table Protection, either natural or altificial in order to afford oover for his man, Qr 0 strengthen his defences. Beak- less chargee in the face of a beavy rifle and artillery fire certainly eerve to shave the METTLE AND DASHING COURAGE of 1118 1080 engaged, but they do not atoll win battles, "It is naagnificent, but it Is not war." A skilful officer, with good opportunities for protec- tion will lead his men from cover to cover in sixth a manner ae to bring them within a hundred yards of the enemy, with but very little logs.In the last rush, of eourse, men must drop; but if the leader knows his busineee the, danger is reduced to a nainimuna iiato which the she'll itself is resolved by the explosion. The peculiar deadliness of this ‘pro- jectile, however, lies in the fact that its burst can be timed to a nicety. In this way, 11 18 possible( fbr the expert arlillerymon to shell an entrenehed two seconds, whilst, so speedily simple is the process of reloading, that an ex- pert has fired with it no fewer than eighty aimed shots per minute, each of whicb awould penetrate seventeen inches of pinewood at the muzzle. But this is not all. The lacester for this remarkable man - killer is made of wood. By an ingena army at several thou.and yards' range, ;Iisstosihgaayrrengets colt, tairtabcheetd 0tto the sueue:sfully bursting eaeh shell at the narrow end of the empty Ja Aster. The crucial moment, when it is immedieLea result of the combination is the natti- ly ebove the heide of his opponents. 'est lit1,1;e0,01s!?,i-,ssuiSssEeihs-Ple: a wee - Needless to say, a very small error of LIZIealunndearatia7br wetri" .`t,Tif' ., rot navel e ess judgment will result either in a pre- just as readily be reeonverted into, an leee liurial of the whole p.rojeetile in 6 , ll'OR USE AT 61,0SE QUARTERS. valley through whieb I had passed. "The signore eas °erne, to see the tbe ground at the rear a the entrench- " Finally, no topical article upon eel_ Theworld had much changed in the sights of Monte Lupo. It is good. He ed. The terrible execution done by the entitle slaughter would be immolate pot six hundred rears: but Monte shall Poe them ell;' and he waved his American ahrapnel in Lhe variou 4 en- wbich omitted mention of the splendid hand in the direction 01 t1i. inner gagements of the Cuban and Pbilip- tionett naval guns with which the gal - oh a tuber, lent •'Powerfuk" are stated to have I looked in, The grioesorne sight I pine wars, when wit neseed thews caE used me to start WHOLTRENCIII(ULS OF DEAD been ensiling the Boar Poeitions Lupo had remained there ever the eerael Watching that silent valley, its people robbers through every gener- ation. Among the old, tumble-down houees I -wandered until I came to one with a national coat -of -arms upon it, end, having knocked, I was udmitted into a large, cool room with stone' floor, a big table in the centre, and, benthes around, reminding me of a pabliee house taproom in Englend. It was the Syndic's drawingerocina Presently that functionary appear- ed, a thin -faced, small -eyed man of ,firly, a well-to-do contadino. 11 heti evidently watched my approach with ell the village, for In order to rereive me he harl put on his facto cleethem, fn response to my reopeotful saluta- tion:I he beeame the essence oC Itelian politenees, and requested me to be vented. When wa had chatted for a few em- ote:, he suddenly exclaimed: "The signore is English?" "Yes," I atsvrered, smiling, "But how did you know 1 was not German?" "Th. English always have lire same =rent They cannot roll our Ttalian ris; ' and, laughing, he rose and 1 °oil' Arent a cupboard a big Mork' of red wine and 8 couple of glesses. "That le the beet T can offer 'you," he said. "It ain't exactly Chateaw T,afitte, you know," teeted it -an excellent Rufina,but e Irilia tecia. Then we fell to (Mat- ting about the prospects of the wine e etterna the eternal subject of e,onver- :tattoo with Cm Tweet( cone:idiot. in reply to bis inquiry, 'told him thee- 1 lived in tl.e eity away by the sea, Whereurn he regarded me our - lonely, and 44)44 in a -vette, of roierre_ gal : around L tdysraith, As most people eaek horrified, A coal perspiration Spauish soldiery were discovered be- ' are aware, toe average naval gun, be - broke out upon me. The plitee, lit by a feeble lamp, emelt of chlotide of math the 80898 of euccesstul shrapnel leg carriea on a heavy fixed mounting lime, and in the floor wag an open bursts, has added not 0 little to the aboard ship, is no playLhing. Indeed, the particular guns under ,notice, grave, I3es1de it was en open coffin, high reputation in which this miselle oontaining the body of a man. bas elways been held by military effi_ owweillilanngd maesasLulaxeineatutopws,ceimi.da. c7Atecse118_ At ehie Root the Brothers oe 1 he eelea gainst f Grill tad (len e or thinly ;tr., azaty afseeenit einnt Iteongththe, joitiToLtelektl nweb,1,11111<ei Wolf got rid of the evidences of their ta crimes. There was truth, then, in the mored veasels, the favorite weepon is to gal them into tioeition upon itringe rumor that the bodies of those they the terrible, higtoexplasive shell. Meet mounainge at :uch :Mort notice. murdered they buried in guide- of these high expecemives tere 901.0pused In „actual working, however, :00 of 81,01.f pr:duot of pierie acid, and li We their fearful power 18 al 10981, 1140701 .1 ,gyUoUrgth inibUelabho ja:IgnodonedPlit'');01 l'ilveleil "The signore you see there," he ex- . plained, indicating the body. "was, like --------tits Not only is the actual are time , i e it movement, as will be aeon Mai the fol. yourself, disinallned to make, us any ceeeee- -"n -e ye more ,..",V n BI him with a snug bed instead r and fumeei from It are NO poisonous. l bet in .Tno six_inalu.rvelaiers, wire -wound his harsh laugh was ethned" by, his a confined (mew, 8 1,1 1 11 0, roofed -over gun," said he, "iti the Sliest quicic-fir- grinning companion. battery, they would in 1 , llibly suf to- er ern , • I cal t 1. It requieee only the The situatiou was desperate. This pate such of the olden un Ile wound- *comparit ively smelt eh toga of twenty.. hand of outlaws Wa8 feared from earl eti 99 in the halt of =ell ' 1 1 b e, tang 1. e • five pounds of cordite to throw its 110 - to end of Tuecany. Tho who fell in left .inoireent arily un i t Lended, lb projectile. to the enormous diet -once A typical instance, a the ,.,havoc of ten mllas. The tramendoui energy to their hands and would not pay they wrought by a shell of this dew:Option imparted to the projectile is Ltif tote= murdered, fearing lest they should meuri.ea et „the beetle of Yalu, on to send ii craehing through olose (=- complain to the authorities, Those September 17(h. 1894, whoa a 12 -loch on two feet. of wrought iton at the who paid ware released oaly OILS vow shell from the Chinese Chen Yuen pen- muzzle whilst at 1,000 yards' range it of secreey. The victim, for the most (+tented the J9p90098 flagship Matsu- is travelling .1 tst enough to perforate part landowner% knew too well the 911i0la. Th, damage done WPM sImply a breastwork of eighteen iocher ef the terrible vein gean re which that bind a kp IlLi lig, fitil e0p)yletely dent or a li zed would Wreak upon them nod their the stricken every. in addition I a ex- "1110 In'3i;ni• "So rapid is the rate oft fire, that, it families if they informed, plodIng a pile ot efaiumanition with . . is eiatutily peasibk to have four of "Now," said the man, permasivelie fearful effect, it. hurled three massive "if the mIgnore is wIllingato write us an order for Lha money, vve, are quite ready. The signore is English, there- fore rich. Five thousand francs te mealy not much ?" In English money it was two hun- dred pounds. "I'm poor," I declared. "I ea n't give von so moth." "We never bargain with it gentle - lowing (fetal ls, recently gathered from itle present, so we are presenting n the 91 gunenanini. ; eibn Ilen an AI nivel on r In the present Transvaal War we are fighting against men whose coun- try presents many natural faeilities for proteetion, and, whatever may be said against them, the Boers have bah- erto displayed great skill and judg- ment in taking advantage of such pro- tection. In the recent action at Mod - der River an hotel and sonre outlying farms, with their surrounding walls, were utilised by the Boers as cover for theta' marksmen ; and it took many hours of severe fighting to drive them from their position. The history of England's wars abounds in examples of this deserip- Hon, Private residen.ces, farmhouses, barracks, and sheds have been forti- fied, and in many cases have stood lengthened sieges against overwhelm- ing odds, Conspiouous among these is the siege of Fort Mary, Lydenburg, which m- atured, during the Boer War of 1880- 81. On December 5th, 1880, the 94th, under Colonel Anstruther, removed headquarters to Pretoria, leaving sev- enty men at Lydenbuag, for the pro- tection of the stores. At this time no one dreamt of war, but on the 29rd of the same month news came that the 94111 had been attacked at a pipette BRONRHORST SPRUIT, little more than forty miles from Pre- toria, and more than half of them kill- ed. Lieutenant Long, who was in cam, mond, immediately fortified a couple of huts which bad formed the offieers' quarters, and christened them Fort Mary, after Mrs. Long, who was with her husband all through the siege. Be- fore his operations were complete a force of about 700 Boers appeared, and beleagured the frail structure. The story of how the little garrison repelled tee determined assaulte,of the enemy for eighty-four days, hardly needs repeaung. It was one of the tee= they liad undergo), OW hold their own ateainet the beeiegers; lent eventhaily etarvetion corapellea 111910 to WOOL the teal= Offered by Nana Sahib, alteoe Naltla aept, hie Woiel le knoiliym to 01 tigi weld. Qf the whole garrison, lotus mon 000000a ; the rest, trealudIng the women and obildren, were, barbarously massacred. In the meentierte, Sir Henry Law. rence, at Loclomw, wall more NAM -l- ate. Taut Which maimonly referee ea to as tbe " Siege of Luelcuowel your in reality the siege of the Resideney, arid therefore tonnes within the lim- its of this aaticle, Tae building was garrisoned wita 750 13ritlea troops, and on ably lst the %Vora in overwhelm- ing numbers beleagured it The cour- age diepinyed 4y tee gearison, the herdships they underwent, and the manY devecee thee' eMPIOYe , the battalion taroughotli. the reename teract the menoeuv res of the enemy, form the subjeot of were' books, an are etshrined in mplentild verse by the poet Tennyson. Although partly re- lieved by Ilavelook and Outrun, in September, it was not until Mama of the following year that the siege was finally raised. As a last -and, in some respect% a crowning instance, Waterloo may be cited, 'When Wellington surveyed tbe field ca that decisive battle, his ex- Periencea eye imunedietely sIngledout two farmhouses' as positione which should be defended. They were called Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte -two names which, at that time, were prob- ably unknown at a distance of a few miles, but whith now hold a hallowed niclie in the mile of noomniito pets 8-4ace orten Tel/011 a Oro. PPOS IN tionE, plump' p.41.4 19 /110 Tooaxneva9•009111)mnentotaTlopemmt lys Aintkati:snyinewasaSve, nal3rnewerallben: leaf Pt8re e'enPnrita' al 14 11 his bi0t is remarkable wIlat coat:melt =nee animals Mole for the wile of way - After the 13attle of Vittoria, the Guards captured a Poodle from the de. feated Frenchmen, and -as tae rage. ment happened to be looking a pet at the lame -the clog WAS Promptly Invit- ed to fill that positien. It served with two -ton guns front their !noun logs, ec1 flee to every inflammeble article Wit bin rah, en.I killed andi wounded no, fewer than 21:1 effteera and men. The fevorite French higb-explosive is known as "malinite," :Ind hat; been ex- teneively annuli:eel tor 1.180 In the arenth Navy. Our own edition of this exitiottive, whinh differ, scenewhat from that of our aneighborm, is known as those huge 1001b. projectilee in the air at Gime, eona nci Cower than ten of them, or a 1,01n1. weig•ht 041 1,000 tba of metal eon be diacharged in te minute." the degree of preeision, too, with which our intrepid seamen and ma- rine gunners can drop these "whop- ping" projectiles amongst at enemy, is al ways It 1?Cvcllotioll to the 3 11 v.o _ atone landsman. . 1110st brilliant epleoctes or the war. The spring, eupplying the fort WEIS 0111 off -they sunk two wells'and obtained sufficient water for their needs. The thatches were ignited by means of Greek fire -a few daring spirits arawl- ed on the roof, plucked them out, and threw water on tbe flames. The enemy brought guns against them -the gar- rison eonstructed it cannon out of an old Abyssinian pump, and answered their shells with bome-made solid shot. In fact, they held their own at every point; and when peace was declared and they enlarged from their riddled fort, the Uniou Jack floated as bravely above It air when they entered, The defence of Rorke's Drift, during the Zulu campaign, although not of long duration, affords an example of ENGLISH GLORY. Napoleon was not slow to reeognize the immortal:me of theee two poste, and througabut the day his fiercest attacks were directed against them, let Hays Sainte was taken between six and sav- ed in the evening, but at Hougotimont the British Guards reeisted all comers, In vain Napoleon burled aolumn af- ter column at the position; amid shot and shell and fire the terrific conflict continued all day, and when the retreated hundreds of the Emperor's best and bravest lay dead around tae farm. Both commanders recognised the great importance of this building. If it had fallen there is every probability that the result of the battle would have bean different Had the worthy Flemish gentleman, who formerly =- copied Hougouraont been told that his farm was to be the means of °banging tbe bistory of the civilieed world, he would probably leave smiled. But suab a fate was reserved for it -or, at least, it contributed in a very great degree to the general result. der of the eampeign, but at the tie- sault of 13r:dart was struok by a bul- lea evbiel broke ooe of its legs. The fault, however, lay entirely with the dog; for it was not centeot to re- main in the roar in °barge ot two men, but air soon as the tharge sound- ed broke away, and, dashing to the front took up Its potrition at the bea4 of the regiment. When the 11300 re. tua•ned to England dm dog came witb thera, and lived for many years oil eliae,e legs at Chelsea Barracks, Among the wounded ta tbe Battle of Inkerman was Sandy, the regiment- al dog of the Royal Engineers. It went out with a detwehment of tha regiment early In '54, but did not tali part in 'any active :service until th 1 battle above named. Here it Mara conspicuous by trying its ,teeth on th legs of 0130 Or two burly Russian* until, thitkiog that CANINE ALLIES were quite unneoestiary, one of the came' Placed Sandy hore-de-oombat ba running las bayonet through thi dog's body. Nevertheless, under the careful nursing of the men, it lived to return home when peace was Imo- oltamed e and 0 order to commemor- ate Um event the colonel bad a silveit medal struck, with whish Sandy wail adorned until bis death. e Valiant Bob, of the 60t11, wee Pei haps thmost famous regimental p that ever existed -at least, none ea lay claim to having passed through greater number of adventures. It we at afteiwand, where tbe 60th were eta up almost to a man, that Bob reoel,V- ed a builetewound in the leg. During the last stand, when the few who were left alive stood beak to back, In a small square, Bob took up its posi- tion in the centre, and howled Pite- ously as it perceived its comrades fall- ing one by ane. When the earnage was 000r, Bob escaped, and, &Arlie: its wound and its small knowledge of the e,ountry, travelled another ninety miles alone to join the main aaray, re- ceiving yet another wound en Tonto, but reached its deetination. ALMOST THE SOLE SURVIVOR ---e- THE TELEPHOTOGRAPH IN WAR. Among the many applianes now be- ing tried in warfare for the first Lime -that is to say, in warfare between wbite men -the telephotographic cam- era is not the least important. • TelepbotograPay was first used in actual warfare in the Chino -Japanese war--oeediess to see:, on the side of the Japanese. It may, perhaps, be well to explain briefly w.hat telephoto- graphy is. The telt- or far-ph.otographic action le not brought about by a telescope proper, but by a specially designed lens being used in combination with various ordinary forms of lenses according to the work to be done. Telephotographic lenses can be used with any good cam- era; but, as great rigidity of appara- tus and extremely trourate focusing are essential, the inventor a this lens has also designed a special form of camera particularly aseful for natur- alists and others wishing to photo- graph living or Inanimate objects at great distances. Its advantages for military purposes are great, and partioularly in Italy, SPLENDID EtEROISM. without parallel. On this occasion two houses, which had formerly belonged to a Swedish naissionary, were garri- soned by 139 men of the 24111 regiment, in command Of Lieutenants Chard and Brorahead. Having received news that they ware about to be attacked, a hasty rampart: of mealie-bags and bisouit- boxes was thrown up. Little more than an hour elapsed after the receipt of the nerve, when a. body ot about 4,000 Zulus appeared, and, with their characteristic feroetty, burled them- selves against the defenders. Flushed with their recent success at Isaudhlwaua, and deeming repulse by so small it band impossible, the savages charged again and again with indome Rabe pert:inanity ; but the men of the 24th held their own rotignifieently, and did timidly work with bullet and bay- onet. One of the buildings, which was used as it hospital, was eventually cere tied, and In a tow minutes was in flames; but the wounded were drag - gad through 0. window, ,incl transfer- red to the other homer, where the de- fence Ives as . vigorous as ever. From four in the afternoon all through the night the fight rttged, and at daybreak the Zulus retreated, leaving hundreds of their number dead on the field. In snob a crisis as the Indian Mu- tiny, where insurrection titarLed into life in one night, it is ouly natural that dezocis of came oecurred where English residents and /401(1 CWS W8193 be- sieged in their homes. Most of these wore stormed anti taken in a, very short time; but doubtless thee•e was mom, a gallant defence which his- tory has been unable to chroniolei At the first sign of the outbreak, Sir Hue( Wheeler at Cawnpore, pro. visioned and fortified, two laser/mks formerly used se boapiteas oe the Euro. peen regiment, tie had with him 450 MIDI end 330 women ond children. For niany revolts, in spite of the filrious assaults of the sepoy,s, and the terrible prime touch work has been done on this di - realm. An idea of its value will be given by the photographs printed. It will be 80011 that 11 18 poe,sible to take acourate pictures, clearly showing the enemy's position, numbers, the char- acter bf the defenses, position of guns, eta., and thi$ :Moue(' be noted, at a distance of two or three miles if tbe atmospbetre and other circumstances are favorable. For balloon work it is especielly suit- able, as drawing a plan anything like murate in a swaying balloon is be- yond the power of the oleverest aroughtsman, while even the best traited eyes cannot x•etein the exact details of a position hastily viewed. In addition, the caraera will often reveal meats quite overlooked, by the eye, it good instates of which was seen the other day. A cinematographe view had been taken of the rapids at Niagara; when, in che evening this was being thrown onto it soreen, the epectatore wdre su.rprised to see a body- being tossed about in tbe waters, which had not been noticed at the time, of tak- ing the pbolograph. On a subseement saerch being made, the body was duly found. The twentieth met of a eec- ond will saffice to seeure an accurate picture, of what ie would take an art- ist with tae pencil on bour to denw. SMALL WONDER, The editor was sitting in Ms office one day when a man whose brow was clothed with thunder entered, Fierce ty seizing a chair, he elammed his hat on the table, hurled his umbrella on the floor a•nd sat down, Are you the editor ? he asked. Yes, Cen you read writing? Of course. Read that, then, he said, thrueting At the editor an envelope with an in. seription on 13—, said the Bator, trying to spell it, That's not a B, Tt'd an S, mad the man, S -oh, yea ; I see. Well, it looks lilce " Salt for diener" or "Soule of sin- ners." No, sir, replied the men, nothing of the kind, That's my name -Samuel EL Bremner. 1 knew you aouldn't read. Called to see you ebout that poem of mit= you printed the other day on the " Sureentro of &meow," Don't remember it. CO course you don't, because it watt law the paper under the inferno= 11 - He f "Smtearease To -morrow. The editor fled. of that gallant bona of heroes. More than one Afghan Callik tO 010 ground during the war of 1078-9 thifeugh the bites of Bruce, the en- orm,ous mastiff which took mot in the campeign. No regiment could cleat the dog as a pet, for the reason theta it was always changing from elle 14 another, as Its fanoy pleased. Burin the skirmishing neer Cendahar the do cherged the enemy with the men, 401 was successful in doing a great deal 0 exelention. But after the battle Bram was nowhere to be found; and.watati the ambulance parties want out le bring in the wounded the dog Wag found medically cut in two, evident- ly by a sabre. A. small grave was deg beeide the larger ono in which the dead were burled, and there Bruce wail interred, and a stone put up to meek its final resting -place. The cavalry tharge at the Battle of Suakin, in the Soudanese War of 1880, wee led, not by an offieer, but by is dog -a large terrier, Paddy, by neime. It evinced the greatest contempt feer the Malules forces, and, altbough stah- bed at by those it Attacked, name out unscathed, atter baying passed through the enemy's lines and back. AROUND THle MODDER RIVER. The scene of Lord Methuen'a hefty" fighitng is twenty-five miles south of lelroberley an'd about four miles weet of the Orange Free State border One. There is tio village nor town, but Sim- ply a settlement, with a few stetter farms scattered about, a general seore for supplying the farmers and Rafters, ond a couple of hotels mid farms com- bined, where some of the residents of Ximberley go for a ohange of air or Inc the sbooting. Where the rivers Modder end Riet meet is 1 he " island," It iS not in reality an island, but a V-shalee ed piens of Mod farmed by the tete rivers, It is here that i be Boers made theer beat stead, for the position evne favorieble. The steep hanks of the ea oat thel south side, the point of at- tack, are well wooded anti covered with dense brush, affording excellent cov- er for riflemen. The eaS1 side is quite open, and by keeping Moog the hulks oft the 1VIodder River, Which is on the north side, the 13orre pan sereen thou - north side, the B001.3 eon screen them:- selves from view TOT 1, WO miles oi MOTO, Teetre the river takes n more =ethane ly comae, and to gain the Orange Free State the Boers would have to -come Into name open country. CONCERNING IVORIES. Silver for toilet table artiele.s will „ always hold its own, but ivory to-dey is the most distinguished material of which brushes, combs, powder boxer, MB band mirror a and the like can be Made, e It la better for a person who is col- lecting the eurolture tor a dressing - table to put nioney gradually into floe piecee of ivory rather than :Myer. Every of the best gloility is steadily inereating in value. Every yeal• the number of elephaetts deereases. The time is alrnost here when the ivoll hearing elephants ef Central Attlee will be extinet. Collections of ivory e now fetch large prima, It is trot sure poising, therefore, that ivory toilet are tides should be eagerly sought, Public libraries are now to be tound in almost overly toeere in Natal. e Re 1 1