TENACITY OF PURPOSE.
[TO THR EDITOR OW THR "SPICOVATOR,1
SIR—The article in your issue of March 27th on the plucky attempt of Lieutenant Shackleton to reach the South Pole has put me in mind of a splendid instance of tenacity of purpose which happened during the .guerilla stage of the late Boer War. A party of scouts belonging to one of the Old Country's Volunteer regiments were out ; they were ambushed
• by the enemy, and one of them, quite a young lad, was shot and mortally wounded. On the Boers reaching the spot where he lay on the veld, their leader, a kind-hearted fellow, seeing that lie had only a few minutes to live, said to one of his followers who could speak English : "Kneel down and ask him if he wishes to say anything ; lie may be able to speak." On the man's kneeling down, the lad gasped out: " Why won't you fellows give in F" His last words, they were all he could Say; but he was not beaten, although mortally wounded. Just a Volunteer trooper who had come out here to keep the old flag in its proper position l This country has given proof that our hearts are still made of the same stuff as were our fore- fathers' ; the brave men who were on the other side tell us that. I have written you this, Sir, because we appreciate the good work you are doing in the old home; also that it may hearten you to bear the ring of the right metal from the
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