DELIBERATE TREACHERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 336, 4 January 1881, Page 2

DELIBERATE TREACHERY.

3 Ihe Nelson Mail gives an account t of a couple of ludicrous incidents which f occurred at the recent Volunteer review x and sham fight, it appears that in ac--5 cordance with announced arrangements, the Volunteers from the town, as well as the Stoke and Wairaea Companies, proceeded to Britannia Heights, where one division was to form the attacking 1 and the other the defensive force. Un- ; fortunately, however, either from a I misinterpretation of the orders given, - or from deliberate treachery—let us , hope the former—one Company that was I tc have aided another Company turned ranks as it climbed the hill. Matters were I round and fired volley after volley into its beginning to look very serious ; the ' carnage, if there had only been bullets in the rifles, would have been something awful ; and the Commander-iu-Chief recognising haw fearful were his responsibilities, was almost at his wits’ end, and, as Wellington at Waterloo earnestly prayed for the appearance of the Prussians, so did he wish that something might turn up to afford a reasonable excuse for bringing the engagement to a close. Fortunately that something which he was wanting came, in the shape of a lady niomber of that profession of which Mrs Sarah Gamp was so distinguished an or ament, who suddenly appeared from a neighbouring house and without preface, thus assailed the harassed officer ! “ I wish you and your guns and trumpets m as farther with their banging and blaring, and me just called in to attend a good lady who was took ill this very evening, and has to get worse afore she gets better,” With that gallantry tor which he is noted, and with a readiness to adapt himself to circumstances that did credit to his discretion, the Mayor at once saw how he could at one and the same time plea ß e the lady and get his troops out of the difficulty in which they had become involved, so he ordered the “ Cease firing ” to be sounded, and the scene of warfare was sjhifted. A few minutes after the battle nad re c unmenced there was witnessed a sight that froze the very blood of those who saw it. Just as the firing had reached its bright, a man with a face that looked ghastly in the pale moonlight, and with the perspiration pouring down his cheeks in rivulets, was seen tearing down tlieliil and apparently making tracks for the accident war.) in the hospital at a pace that was suggestive of the seven-leage boots of the fairy tale. A friend seeing his distress sung out to know what was the matter, but the only reply was, “Oh ! I’m shot : get a doctor.” Before sending for a doctor, however, lie was caught and examined, when it turned out that he had by some mistake got in between the enemies, who were firing at one another with so short a distance intervening that he had felt the concussion from the explosion of their rifles on each side and had come to the conclusion that a bullet had gone righ t through him. The doctor was not sent for.