Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-12-30 | Page 8 | Saved by Geese

Saved by Geese. This Is the story of how the geese of Kale-ir pave the warning that saved a Bnrish detachment. When the Bulgars left their native fastnesses and came down into the plains, 'their advance was hatled by a certain famous fa-mous river and a historic lake. A British Brit-ish company was holding the upper lake, for it was divided Into two parts connected con-nected by the river. The company was charged with responsibility for the upper Inke and five miles of connecting stream as far as Kale-Zir. They had absolute command of the lake, thanks to the motor mo-tor "coats, and a crossing there was Inconceivable, In-conceivable, but the river flowed through a maze of reeds and swamps and forests. 1 most p.-iris of which appeared absolutely miDenet:-;) ble from the British side. A I fee.ir.c of comparative safety pervaded j :i;r- British camp. Then one evening the orderly officer I set out from the CaLmp on Ids bicycle to visit two outposts up the river nearly two miles from the camp. It was very dark. As he neared the sentry he heard the movement of wings and distinguished Bock after Hock of geese flying from their night rest among the reeds. "Looks odd," he remarked to the sentry. sen-try. Then to a sergeant: "I'll take one man, sergeant, and we'll cycle down the path and have a look." The path ran a quarter of a mile along the marsh and then stopped abruptly in a stifling fence of reeds. The officer and his orderly dismounted and listened. They could discern over In the swamp a long line of men in single tile. Back at the picket post, the order'.y sent a man to warn the camp, while he remained behind to keep the enemy raiders-under observation. The raiders were 200 strong, under command of a German officer. They kept to the path until just before it came into a clearing. Then they' halted and prepared to attack. They got into open order and came on quickly. At that moment mo-ment the British officer fired four shots. Immediately a light over the British camp appeared. The glare was dazzling. There was a moment's silence and then a roar of fire. It was a complete surprise. The raiders were bunched close and must have had fifty casualties in the first fusillade. fusil-lade. They made no attempt to resist, but flung everything away and made for the maize fields. Kansas City Star.