THE SURPRISE AT TAMAI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2007, 19 May 1885, Page 4

THE SURPRISE AT TAMAI.

The following is froinjke pen of tho Daily Chronicle P^JHIWl&'^W^-fl'&fNfSjJfe. in of a.si>ldioLs'.yjc*<>r.y~7-y'l t is impossible, ta letelv surpused, and that only tfttf'fluporo coinage • >'**' 0«r - ' 'toidopH <- : *ttv<ld> **us from an overwhelming disaster, Not a maa<i*(M>&-i'Aw,/(M<il >'M*fi] idea that— thou-sand* of rebels were quietly streftfteJj}MmWW}titfcTrirho scrub and behind bouldors and ni' locks, quietly watching us aa,W43 innocently and jovially worked at our zarFbas. A few pickets wero out, and ajiuuadion of cavalry bcouts as well— l bfliove eighteen all told —so we v. ere content. Suddenly there was a great cry of alarm, rising loud above tho dm of the fatigue parties and accompanying bustlo of a treat camp, and then ho.irse cues from the officers, boon to be proud of iho piaise UMtfatingly lavished upon them for their wplcndid courage and steadiness. They fought tindcu th" eye of Goueial MoNeill, who himself had the nairowest possible escape from death. When the alarm was first laisod ho wat> on hoiaebick 311 st outside the zireba. As soon ai he saw the enemy he gave tho necessary oideip, and then attempted to jumi) tho bush wood banter — an easy enough feat, but his hor-e shied and backed from the zareba. It was a ciitical moment for the rebels were running down at full speed and were close upon him. Fortunately the General's aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Chaitoris, saw the penlofhis chief, and gillantly rushed to nn rescue. And not a moment to soon, for tic rebels were at close quarters. One Arab had his gnu pointed straight at the Geneial ; but Chartem turned the shot, and then, quickly turning, cut down another assailant with his sabre. As Charterm was thus engaged he was attacked nrfththe greatest fury by a lithe young Arabia mere boy, in fact, not more than ten years old. The youngster fought like a tiger, and succeeded in spearing Charteris through tiiearm before he himself was shot. He was a gallant littlo fellow ; he fought with all tho courago of a man, and suffered a man's fate. I fancy Lieutenant Charteris will hear more of that little incident, for he saved his General's life. About the middle of the tight thoic was some further trouble with the Loyal Poorbeabs outside tho first square. They were ordered to retire, but the order seems to have been misundci stood, for Major Drury, comm Hiding the left battalion, halted" his men, and they gall uit kept the enemy at bay. The older to retjre w.us repeated, and this time was ■Wl^mo literally obeyed, for tho Pooi beans not merely retired but rushed headlong into tho sqiiau 1 . Majoi J)rmy, who vainly strove to stay the mad rush, was loft somewhat in tho rear, and, seeing one of hi« men drop disabled, stopped and attempted to .save him, although tho enemy were close upon them. In another moment, indeed, they \\ ere hacking and thrusting at the heroic officer with their speais and swoids. ( Irander heroism was never shown on held of battle. For several minutes Drury fought with at least twenty rebels, and with his single sword kept them from their prey, nw did he abandon his effoits to sa\e his comrade until a spear wound in the neck and the danger of being hope'ersly surrounded compelled him reluctantly fco retire. No officer, perhaps, worked harder, or was more conspicuous in the fitrht, than Major Kelly, Brigade-Major. It seemed to be übiquitous ; turning up at tho nick of time whonever wanted, and cheerily rallying the men where it was needed. He even went outside the zareba, and nearly paid for his daiinjj for by death. Several rebels rushed at him. and one struck him in the arm with a spear. It seemed impossible that he could escape, but he was splendidly rescued by Lieutenant Domville, K. N., and brought safely into the square. I should have mentioned ere this an accident which was of some personal interest to myself. Two sppcial correspondents, both of them fortunately mounted, were cut off from the main body in the first ru«h As far as I can learn they mad* the best of their misfortune, and made their way to.Suakim. It must have been a dangerous ride", -fur the country around was sw.nming with rebeWr- and scores of camp followers were slaughtered as they were endeavouring to escape to Su ikim. Of the supurb courago of the enemy I have already spoken. He has pioved it over and over again, and is likely to do so again. Of that few of us as any doubt I noticed one gallant fellow towards the end of the figrht, who in recklessness brandished his weapons at tho Sikh", and stood their combined fire, and was not killed until after three minutes' firing. Searching amongst the killed, we made a pitiful discovery. At least four corpses aie those of women — fitting mothers of daiing youths, like Lieutanant Charteris's young adversary. These women were also dressed like men. The subject is not a pleasant one to any of 11s. The Marines captured a flag early in the fight, but the Berkshire men aie proudly displaying two of the rebels' banners which they captured in solid fight. I do not think that meu were ever killed faster than duung thofiistten minutes of yesterday's fight. The slaughter caused first by our cteady fire, and then bv cold steel, was simply terrific I estimated that of the 700 or KOO which the enemy lout, no fewer than . 500 were killed in that biief period."

An Execptiover iv the Nihilists' Pay.— A Moscow paper states that Kroloff, the executioner of the murderer" of the late Oir Ale\andir, has been arrested at St. Peteisburg. He was in leceipt of a salary of ?00 roubles pei month from the Nihilists, in consider atiou of which he parsed documents and letters from them in and out of the piisons, and tendered other services. TiiK Oo\ kenor or Ntw South Walks — Lord C'aiiiiL'ton (aa\» t\wWo)hl) will bo gicatly missed at Home if the report tin nB out true that he is to succeed Lord AugustiiH Loftus as Governor of New South Wales ; ho will be missed in societ}', in tho hunting field and as a landlord. But ho ought to make an ideal Govenor of an Australian colony. H" lias a fine fiank manner ; he has a charming wife, whose health it is to bo wished were more assured ; he lias no want of capacity, and ample tact to recognise that the less a Colonial Governor con cerns himsi If in local politics the happier is his lot. A Go\ ernor who can show the way on horseback will be i grateful novelty to the AnstriliaiiH, and if Lord Canngton cares to follow in the lines of Sir Hercules Robinson, and keep some horses in training, the measure of his popularity will be full. Therk appears to he more money in Russia than is generally fancied. The St. Petersburg correspondent of tiie Ironmonger, a London paper, writing o" Janniry 29, says • — " Capital just now in Russia se< ins to be very plentiful, In net. tin 1 is>ue of a large; loan of £3,233,000 at four per cent, has met with iiio^t unprecedented success. Th( syndicate who have undertaken to build the Vladikafkas railway, were authorised to issue the above sum in four per cent debenture, in order to be able to build the branch from tho station Tikopatsky to NovorrosHisky, a port on the Black Sea. Tho issue was advertised on Jan R and 9, but the number of subscribers was so great on the first day that the banks before noon closed the lists. Tho sum in roubles (metallic), was 25,531, 500, at 79 GO per cent — four per cent, guaranteed by Government. The Internatnational bank received deposits for over 51,000,000, and the Russian Bank for Foreign Trade for over 42,000,000 Thus for five times the sum required in two hours was money deposited. Re turns for Beilin are not yet received. Subscriptions were not asked at I'aris, London, or Amsterdam, although the coupons are payable in pounds, francs, guldens, &c." The Test of Actual Trial. This is whit proves the merit of a preparation. The proprietor of Green's August Flow or, knowing its valuable properties, meets this tistboldlv by piepar ing s.nnple bottles of this remedy, which are sold -it 6d. This enables doubters to try its virtues at a trifling expense. August Flower is a panacea for Dyspepsia and all disorders of the Liver, including Biliousness, indigestion, sick Headache Costiveness; &c. , &c. Three doses will relieve any of the above, and a faithful use will certainly cure. No medicine in the world has ever given such proof of its merits I>rH#H*S£ 4 recommend it with perfret ronfidcnc&-jind physicians prescribe it regularly. Kriee for fullaized bottles 3a $d, Sold by pU druggists,