Humors of Campaigning.

Manawatu Herald, 6 December 1900, Page 3

Humors of Campaigning.

(By Captain the Rev. James Green in Sydney Herald.) It is wonderful how much the hardships of a campaign are lightened by good temper and the gift of humor, which, after all, the British soldier, whether English or colonial, vo'unteer or regular, certainly seems to have. The art of looking at the bright side of things has pulled through many a difficult situation and saved many a forlorn hops. Take the siege of Mafeking. The inoroso tenacity of the Boers was outmatched by the splendid pluck of the besieged, who, catching BadenPowell's sanguine spirit were possessed of nt only a determination to fight to the last, but a positive belief that they could hold their own for ever. The women and children were full of spirit and cheerfulness, and probably those inside the city were much happier than those outside. B.P's. jokes kept the place in a continual smile, and inspired the Boer with the idea that when a man could joke as he did he must have a card of some kind up his sleeve, which he could at any time play against them When they began with " Big Ben " no harm to human life occurred for some time, owing to the excellent precautionary measures, and " 8.P." sent out the following in a letter : — "I would like to point out the serious inconvenience caused by the firing of your big gun. Yesterday Mr Riesle, of the Mafeking Hotel lost a fowl, which had its leg broken by a splinter from a shell ; moreover his dog is always running about after the pieces, and the noise is not pleasant. If you persist in this course of action I must give you notice that it will be considered tantamount to a declaration of war. ' ' . On the march the men are uniformly cheerful, and a joke makes one forget for awhile that he is on quarter rations. When the Lancers came through our camp at Elands River, after the siege, one " Bravo " wore a dopper hat and his shirt outside. He preserved a very grave face, and as he rode in his ranks with an article of drapery fastened to his lance in imitation to those who still carried their ladies' favors in the form of silk streamers at the lance head, the whole army laughed, and at the sight of his shirt many a ragged Tommy forgot that he had not a shirt at all. It is very touching to note the kindness and sympathy shown to each other by the wounded and sick in the hospitals. They lighten their troubles by funny stories and practica 1 jokes, which hardly conceal their k consideration for each other. " Hello," r g£.id oijjl of the Victorians who lost a leg at Eland's River to a Tommy who wa3 limping on one leg across

to the ward where I was visiting at Johannesburg, " Hello, they have left you more than they left me." " Have you got a leg off, too ?" said the other ; and then they sat on each side of the same bed comparing notes. One was the right leg, the ; other the left They feared it would be impossible to get up a partuer- j ship and make the two legs do for | both of them. They discussed all : sorts of contrivances, and wondered which of them would be able to use ■ the artificial limbs first which they were to get in London.