Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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23 and by means of some rather nasty enfilade fire from a concealed position to the left of the road he received sufficient covering for two rifle sections to be able to approach over open ground and look as if they might have done an assault had the enemy section re- mained. This movement wlas carried out not without casualty and not without dismay for, in spite of the activities of non-intervention committees, Whitney had been receiving supplies from outside, one form of which he used at this juncture, niamely containers which, when ignited, belched forth volumes of horrid yellow smoke which Saltus found most unpleasing. Somewhat shocked at the underhand methods of his foe, h© reorganized his: forces, putting his rear platoon in front under one of his hired generals. This plan availed him little, however, for shortly his two platoons were to be separated, the latter being enticed well off the road to the right over a ridge where they only just escaped an ambush with a full measure of treachery. Meanwhile, anxious for the speedy fulfilment of his mission, Saltus continued his advance with his: main platoon. Endeavour- ing not to be surprised again, he sent iahead sections on either side of the road. Hoping to have things his own way for a bit, he was not a little aggravated when he was fired on again. Incensed by this time, he flung caution to the winds and determined to have at Whitney now and finish him once and for lall — a decision which he was bitterly to rue in a moment, for it was: not until after he had cast the die that he discovered that Whitney was occupying what looked to him to be as good as an impregnable position, on top of one of Bermuda ' s highest peaks. Well did he realise thiat he was vulnerable now and how he wished that, instead of being halved, he had been doubled, for only under those circumstances did he feel that he could get them down. He had posted his sections and there was nothing for it but to go through with it now. Taking what cover he could in a clump of bananas, he gave the signal for his men to start up the acclivity. Their cover was good to begin with. Then, after occupying his final position, his men by now heavily under fire, he had his bugler blow a succession of sounds which was the signal for the assault. His men went well for five yards, and then, whether in anticipation of more yellow unpleasantness or not, they stopped. Whitney had cleverly taken his men back a little, and were evidently having excellent sport at stationary targets at unusually close range. Chief Saltus, disappointed at the discovery that the zest with which his braves moved was inversely proportionate to that with which he gave his

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22 Not for long however was this Utopian state of affairs to continue, for the people of the islands make up in resourcefulness and virili- ty what they liack in fighting capacity. The fact is that when March ' 38 came along the rivals thought that the time was ripe to do a little battle. As in the previous year the pretext for hostilities was fish. There were many incidents ' leading up to the final outbreak, but it is understood that one of the most provoking was that Chief Saltus received a consignment most inadequlately done up in a mere scrap of paper. A-ctually, a state of war — which, as will be indicated later, was mainly guerilla — was, as it were, uncaged on March 22nd. when the Tribe of fishermen at St. David ' s Island went to St. George ' s to insist that chief Whitney should give them better prices and terms for their catches, Whitney refused, and rioting broke out at St. George ' s. The St. David ' s Islanders were joined in the rioting by the local fishermen. Chief Saltus, on whose finger the pulse of the whole situation rested, having heard of these disturbances, gave orders consequent- ly for his bodyguard to march to St. George ' s on 23rd. March and join hands with the rioting elements. Accordingly, he issued forth from the gates of his fortress. Having no thought for secrecy it wkas a noisy debouch for he was headed by his newly acquired band. It is not clear why he decided to do this but tacticians have it that he ' was aware that his band would be more of a menace to the enemy than of an encumbrance to himself. (Note: He saw fit to discard his instruments later feeling that protests he met with en route might amount to throwing local sympathy agtainst him). As it happened. Chief Saltus would have done very much better not to have been so cocksure and to have paid more attention to secrecy all along, for his intentions were made known to all, and Chief Whitney ' s espionage was such as to give him plenty of time to send out forces to meet Saltusi ' advance. Saltus, in fact, was no more than an hour ' s: march from his fortress when his Advanced Guard met with desultory fire from Whitney ' s scouts. The Genera- lissimo, however, )did not let this worry him, and it was only a mat- ter of minutes before he had ousted the scouts and proceeded with his advance. Shortly afterwards, he encountered more firing, this time from an enemy section secreted in a small quarry a sling-shot ahead of him and about a niblick shot to the right of the road. Sal- tus swiftly formulated la plan for attack with his leading platoon,

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24 vocal encouiiagement, had by now lost both his voice and his dig- nity. Fortunately, it was at this precise moment that representa- tives of the non-intervention committee intervened and a truce was called. SCOUTS AND CUBS. It has become a commonplace in the last few years for this article to lament our lack of la boat. This year, to provide variety, we have been tantalised with hopes, the constant failure of which has at least made it plain that there is no hope at all except from our own efforts; and that hope merely waits for fulfilment on the discovery of a suitable boat within the means of our limited resources. Yet the Scouts have shown the proper spirit in not being dis- courage by disappointment, and there has been no failure of keen- ness ' . Our strength is now twenty-four, and could easily be larger, but for the fact that any considerable increase in the size of the Troop would make it unwieldy to manlage, as long as: our meetings are confined to Friday evenings in the School. The new half of the field is now almost ready for use, and next year we shall be able to have alternate meetings, at any rate, on the field after school. Dast summer, through the kindness of Miss Mary Tucker, we were able to camp on Trunk Island again. Various causes combined to delay the camp until the begining of August, and, as a result, only a dozen scouts were able to attend, but the camp was very suc- cessful and was enjoyed by all, so much so, in fact, that we de- layed breaking camp for a couple of days, and did not leave until the arrival of another camping party forced usi to go. During the winter term two parties went out one week end to spend a night under canvias for the Scout Journey test. One of these stayed out an extra night. On the first evening this party en- deavoured to find the other, but as it was after dark when the ef- fort was made, the signs left by the others in liberal profusion over the sandy tracks of the district were missed. Actulally they came within a few hundred yards of their objective and called and shout- ed until every dog for miles around was frantic, but ' Big Chief Sleepyhead ' was living up to his name, and having put lights out lat about seven o ' clock, was so soundly asleep that the trump of Doom would scarcely have waked him. On Sunday, May 2 2nd. the Troop took part in the Empire Day Service in the Cathedral and in the subsequent march past H. E. The Governor. It was the largest pariade which has yet taken place, and by spectators it was considered also the smartest.