DONALD MACDONALD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 194, 7 September 1900, Page 2

DONALD MACDONALD.

LADYSMITH LECTUKES,

Donald Macdonald, the famous war correspondent, who is at present attracting enormous audiences to th» Opera House, Auckland, will appear in New Plymouth, en route to Wellington, on Friday aod Saturday evening next. Of his brilliant lectures a contemporary says:—" He was welcomed on his appearance by a crowded house. The galleries were thronged, and many had to stand the whole, evening. For the most part the lecture was a chatty, interesting narrative of incidents con[nected with the siege of Ladysmith. A high tribute was paid to the Kaffir runners, of whom the "absolutely best" Mr. Macdonald met was a missionary boy. Some light was thrown on the scanty Boer casualties reported outside of Ladysmith. It seems they only kept tally of actual burghers, and* made no mention of foreigners who fell in their tanks. A realistic word picture was given of dead Euglish soldiers, lying side by side awaiting burial—"a gruesome, unforgettable sight." A peculiarity of theseige was that nobody could sit or stand still for a month after the relief. Everybody wanted to be doing something, if it was only to toss a ttone in the air and catch it Tommy on the loot was said to be an nteresting study. "He knew how to do it, I assure you. I have often been asked what I thought of the British soldier as a fighting man. When you have seen him as I did you might sometimes doubt his wisdom but-never his bravery." With all his affectations, 'ho young British officer was declared to be a brave man, ready to lead his men on to certain death. Until they were stoppsd the British officers in Ladysmith were committing suicide by scores. "And if the British officer will lead men anywhere, Tommy AtkiiiS will follow. Tommy is not good at retreat; the Boers are. I am not making a che .p sneer at the expense . f the Boers in saying this, because I regard them as the best body of mounted infantry in the world." There is little doubt but that Donald Macdonald will attract two enormous audiences here, tor in Australia people nocked miles to inearhuu,