In Memoriam. MAY 28TH, 1879. EDMUND HENRY FISHER, M.A., Vicar of St. Mark's, Kennington; Archdeacon of Southwark, born 31st January, 1835; Died 6th May, 1879. THE Guardian of May 14th, has an affectionate account of Archdeacon Fisher's life-work and character, of which the following is an extract :"Edmund Henry Fisher was born at Ongar, in Essex, the son of a distinguished father, who survives him (the Rev. Edmund Fisher, seventh Wrangler in 1823). He was sent to Rugby at the usual age, and there began his life-long and happy intercourse with the Archbishop of Canterbury, then Head-master. After rising to the proud position of head of the school, he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he fulfilled all the expectations that had been formed of him. He gained the Bell Scholarship, being bracketed equal with E. E. Bowen, afterwards Senior Classic. He graduated in 1858 as twentieth Wrangler, and in the Second Class in the Classical Tripos, besides carrying off the Le Bas Prize. He was elected to a Fellowship at Trinity in 1860. He was also President of the Union. PRICE 3d. From Cambridge he proceeded to Marlborough College, to fill the post of Assistant Master, rendered vacant by the departure of the Rev. Robinson Duckworth; here he renewed his Rugby friendship with Dr. Bradley, the Head Master. In 1865 he undertook parish work in the Metropolis, as Curate of St. Peter's, Eaton Square. In 1866 he became resident chaplain to the present Archbishop of Canterbury, then Bishop of London. He laboured zealously in his new office, making himself lovingly familiar with men of all schools of thought engaged in parochial work in London. In 1869 he was appointed to the vicarage of Kennington, which important station he continued to fill till his death. One, whose friendship he used often to speak of, and who knew him as one of his pupils at Rugby, and his assistant at Marlborough, writes thus of his influence at school:-'In the school-house mainly, but indirectly in the school also, that is, among some hundreds of boys, 'Old Fisher' was a real power, and a power always exerted, consciously and unconsciously, in the cause of everything that was good. Quiet, gentle, modest, most deeply religious, pure-minded, he did the boldest things apparently (not always really) without an effort, and stories his Cambridge life was over, either just before or shortly after obtaining his Fellowship, he became a master at Marlborough. What he had once been to his old school he now became in another form to the new. The same quiet, gentle, and refined, and refining influence seemed to flow from him, and move around him: the rough grew softer in his presence; his watchfulness, industry, and firm, but tender rule of a large house* and of the Fifth Form bore their due fruit; and his growing love for the school of his adoption, shown in so many ways, was amply repaid by the warm affection of his pupils. Some of us too, and some of them, will not forget easily his sermons in the school pulpit-simple and earnest, and stamped with the true character of the man who preached them. I remember one who has passed away before him, a man of many rare gifts, and not easily touched, saying that no sermon had ever moved him as one of Fisher's very simplest dis courses. He left us leaving behind, as he did whereever he went, an impression which men of thrice his ability and thrice his apparent strength of character often fail in making.'N At School or at the University, ruling a house at Marlborough, or performing the delicate duties attached to the office of chaplain, to the Bishop of London or Archbishop of Canterbury, Edmund Fisher was always the same; quiet, courteous, full of zeal, utterly winning. Yet one who knew him only in his later years, and loved him as his own soul, may be pardoned for saying that the last ten years of his life ripened into full fruit, those noble capacities which had only before been seen in bud and flower. He himself would have said that 1869, the year of his marriage, and of his appointment to the vicarage of St. Mark's, Kennington, was the most fruitful in his whole life. How lovingly he set to work to heal divisions, how he gathered around him staunch band of Holy men and women a devoted to the highest interests of true religion, how he organised and kept in motion various good works, *Now Way's (Crescent). will never be forgotten by those who were with him at Kennington." Long will Marlborough mourn the loss of one she was so proud to number among her friends. Never did he forget the School to which for nearly five years he devoted all his energies; some little time after giving up his mastership he became a member of the Council, and gave an annual prize for Divinity, open to the VIth Form at the Christmas examination. It was only at our last Prize-giving that we had the pleasure of congratulating him on his appointment to the new Archdeaconry of Southwark, little thinking at the time that this very appointment was to prove the cause of his early and lamented death. "He endeavoured," says the writer in the Guardian, "with his fervid conscientiousness to do the necessarily onerous work of an Archdeacon in a newlycreated sphere of work, without lessening his already arduous labours in his own parish. The strain was too great; within a year of his appointment he succumbed to an attack of brain fever and passed away, happily, at the last quite peacefully, in the quiet Suffolk village of Monks Eleigh, whither he had too late betaken himself for the rest which, humanly speaking, ought to have been sought many months before." A LETTER FROM EKOWE. Naval Brigade Active, Lower Tugela, April 11th, 1879. I wrote a few lines to you the day we arrived here, hoping it might just save the Mail. We are very glad to get back again as you may imagine, having been boxed up in our fort 2 months.* After I wrote to you in February from the fort, the life went with very little break, except of course occasional alarms by day and night, until the signallising began and we were able to get a little news from the outer world-until we had been at Ekowe over six weeks on *The hardship of their life there may be shewn by the following extract :-" All articles of luxury, such as tobacco, &c, were handed over to the Commissariate, and afterwards sold by auction, realizing fabulous prices,-for example, a box of matches sold for 4s., a bottle of pickles for 15s, tobacco 30s. per lb.; in fact almost £7 worth of things realized upwards of £100."-Colonel Pearson's dispatch, April 9th, 1879. we had heard nothing about the other columns, except a few words of the sad business at Isandularumours reached us that the Kaffirs had gone into Natal, but we knew nothing for certain. All we were sure of was that they were around us in considerable numbers. The first account we have read of the different engagements, and of the state of the Colony has been from English papers, so you see you have been a month ahead of us at Ekowe as far as news went. The first signal we got from Tugela (done by flashing the sun on a looking-glass, a combination of long and short flashes indicating certain letters) was that a regiment would come as far as the Inyezane Hills, and that we were to meet them there with half our garrison. Fortunately for us this was altered a day or two afterwards, just as we were prepared to start, by a signal that the General himself, with 4,000 men, intended to come up and relieve the whole garrison about the 1st of April. I say fortunately, as I doubt if five hundred of us, with one hundred rounds of ammunition, would ever have got as far as the small force coming out to meet us. From what we now know a large army of Zulus waited in the Inyezane forest for over six weeks. Ekowe being about 2,000 feet above the sea, we had a magnificent view of the country round, and on the 29th of March first saw the evening fires of the relieving column about 30 miles away. During the day we could see nothing of them, but on the 3rd day we saw their long train of wagons winding along the Coast road (called John Dunn's road). By this road they avoid the dense Amatikulu bush, and I expect it will be the main road for the future, as the General has given up Ekowe, and will have a fort on Dunn's road to avoid the dangerous Amatikulu and Inyezane forests. On Wednesday, April 2nd, we heard heavy firing in the direction of the General's Camp, and, on reaching one of our look-out hills, we could see the laager (consisting of wagons only, no tents being pitched) only 3 or 4 miles off in a straight line quite plainly. The General's column was evidently hotly engaged with the enemy, of whom thousands were to be seen. As you will see the whole account in the papers I will not attempt a description, although we could see it almost as well as if we had been taking part in it, with the advantages of watching the movements of the enemy, as well, from our lofty position. At any rate it was soon over, and the General was most successful. The Kaffirs did not however move off in some places until the afternoon, I think they must have been getting away their wounded. The General's fight was right down in the plain, and whilst we could see all the attacking force, I doubt if they could see the enemy much over a mile off. The General arrived the next day at Ekowe with three regiments and some Cavalry, having left the remainder to entrench themselves at the laager. No wagons were brought on, only light two-wheeled carts with mules, but they did not arrive until nearly midnight. We left Ekowe about noon on the 5th April, hearing before we went, that it was to be abandoned, owing to the dangerous country round. We marched straight down to the Tugela, with orders, just at the last moment, to go by the same road we came up, passing within about 2 miles of the laager. The relieving Column will remain behind, as long as provisions last, to make raids over the Country. The great start will be made about the first week in May to the King's Kraal, when I expect we shall go too. I must attempt, before closing this, to give you a short account of our stay in Ekowe. First of all we were all very glad when the Colonel decided on staying, as, after our successful advance so far, it would have looked so much like giving in to have returned to the Colony. We all set to work hard at the fort, and succeeded in getting a good ditch all round the buildings by night fall. At this time of course we knew nothing except that the other columns had retired to the Colony, and that we had the Zulu army against us, and naturally expected them every hour, so, as you may imagine, every one worked with a will. The Church was at once turned into a hospital and loopholed, as we had a good many sick and wounded from our engagement a day or two before. All the tents were struck, and wagons brought inside the embankment; some which we emptied, putting their contents into the cottages, were formed into a cattle laager outside. There was an alarm the first night, but it turned out to be nothing but a Zulu scout in the distance, and the next day we were able to get on with our ditch and embankment, and cutting down all the cover round the buildings. Such a pity it seemed to destroy the trees, but there was no help for it. There were 5 or 6 magnificent groves of orange trees, besides bananas-apricots-pines, and every kind of fruit. But every tree, with the exception of two orange trees within the lines, had to be demolished. In the course of a week our fort was fairly safe. Why the Zulus did not attack us when we first arrived, we cannot understand. They certainly made a great mistake, as they might have swept us off, and the large convoy of wagons, under only 300 men that came up to us on the 26th of Jan., just as easily, if not far easier, than the unfortunate 24th Regiment. We felt certain, from different information we received, that we should be attacked, and consequently kept a good look out the whole time. I never saw sentries and men keener. After the first week we hoped every day they would come at us, as we felt certain we could have managed the whole army. Our only danger was, as we thought, their coming some very dark night, and we were afraid of wasting our ammunition, as we had no very great reserve. We were doomed, however, to disappointment, as, after strengthening our fort day by day for 70 days (by wire entanglements, to prevent a rush, all round-sharp spikes in the ditch, and 14 broad traverses all over the fort to prevent the cross fire from touching us, and various other engineering precautions), the force, we had been waiting for so long, attacked the General on his way to us, and was utterly routed with great loss. As we had sent away our cavalry and native Contingent, to enable our provisions to last out longer, most of the officers' horses were at once turned over for vidette duty during the day--the mounted men being selected from the Infantry in camp who did good work the whole time as videttes. Owing to the height of our position (or rather the hills just immediately surrounding us), they were able to keep a good look out all day for many miles round, so that we always had an hour's notice at least when any large bodies of Kaffirs appeared. There were four posts, and always three men at each post, but nevertheless the Zulus managed to kill one poor fellow, and wound severely another, besides continually firing volleys at them, especially on first arriving at their station in the early morning. The time the man was killed it appeared 6 Zulus were lying in wait for him in the long grass. He went about 100 yards in front of his comrades, when the Zulus fired wounding his horse which threw him, they then assegaid him in 18 places, took his rifle and ammunition, and made off. The other, a few days after, was shot in four places by a regular volley from the Kaffirs lying in the grass, but although he had his arm broken in two places, and was otherwise shot, as well as his horse, he managed to gallop back to camp and is now almost recovered. After these cases an Infantry company was always sent with the Videttes to skirmish the ground before placing them on sentry, and the Zulus did not attempt it again. I was on this latter duty three or four times. I have, I fear, rather tired you with this last page, but it shews how they continually watched us. Every day some were seen, sometimes 300 or 400 men would be seen moving along about 1500 yards off-sometimes small bodies much nearer. They were very troublesome while we were making a new road to the Inyezane hill, small bodies of them getting on tops of hills, and firing their volleys at us. They succeeded one day in wounding a Lieutenant in the Buffs. He was struck in the head, but fortunately not dangerously. About the end of Feb. the Colonel decided on taking half the garrison to burn a large military kraal of Cetywayo's, about seven miles off. We were about 600 strong, including one gun. I went with my men, being the only one of the naval brigade. We started at 2 am. (quite dark of course) and arrived at daybreak within half-a-mile of the kraal, when we were seen by a Zulu from a small kraal near. We soon heard the war-cry echoing along the hills, but in a few minutes we came in sight of the kraal (very large, capable of holding some thousands) and, after sending a shell into it we rushed in, the few Zulus clearing out pretty fast, and in a few minutes every hut was in flames. Dabulemanzi, the great chief, was at his kraal watching less than a mile off-but, as it was a most difficult place to get at, in fact only Cavalry could have done it, we commenced our return. The whole way back we were fired at by some 400 or 500 Zulus from the neighbouring hills, but their bullets whistled harmlessly over us, or fell a long way short. I was sent with my few men to the top of a small hill to drive off some Zulus that had been annoying us. When I arrived at the top nothing was to be seen, but all at once a volley from at least 10 guns (I wont say rifles for they made such a noise) was fired at us from less than 300 yards off, making no end of a whistle over our heads-we laid down pretty quick-I luckily had detected two puffs of smoke from a tree just below us but across a deep ravine. I told off six of the best shots at once to the spot, and the volley brought down two of the gentlemen, the remainder must have been in the bush, the other side, and cleared off, as only one or two wild shots were fired off after that. On the way back however as I was in front as escort to the gun, the Colonel told me to fire a shot at a small Clump of men over a little hill, nearly a 1000 yards of. The men sighted for 950 yards, and we saw 4 Zulus distinctly drop-of course it was a very chance-shot, as at that distance no certainty could he made. I think we may consider it lucky the army was not in that direction that morning at all events. They must have been very angry at the destruction of their Kraal, and would another time have been lying in wait for us. I think our worst duty was guarding the cattle all day. After the first fortnight the grass was well eaten for a mile round the camp, so the cattle had to be sent some distance off with 2 or 3 companies always outside them as guard. It was very monotonous work all day, though perhaps a good thing for the health of the men as it got them out of the fort for a time. I am sure we should not have minded our imprisonment so much if we had only been enabled to get news but we did not see a newspaper or letter for over two months, and for 35 days, we did not get news of any kind, even of the movements of the rest of the troops, or of the Zulus. Occasional Notes. T.W.D. R. F. Isaacson, O.M., has changed his address to 134, Cambridge Street, S.W. W. Douglas, O.M., Scholar of Keble College, Oxford, and J. H. W. Lee, O.M., have been appointed to Masterships at Rossall School. W. H. Churchill, O.M., of Jesus College, Cambridge, has opened a preparatory School at St. Ninian's, Moffat, N.B. A. D. B. Buckley, O.M., has passed into the Army through the Militia, 15th place. C. V. Hume, O.M., on leaving Woolwich, was presented with a revolver for proficiency in drills and exercises. T. G. Balfour, O.M., was 3rd and H. S. Philpot 4th in the Wimbledon Competition at Oxford, and therefore shoot in the VI. against Cambridge at Oxford in June. Balfour has won his Company Cup. Second Ties for House Matches have begun :Way's (Crescent) have drawn Horner's (Cross Arrows). Littlefield. Gould's (Star)-the bye. Sharp's (Mitre) The Rev. J. Franck Bright, Fellow of University College, Oxford, has been elected to the seat in Council rendered vacant by the death of Archdeacon Fisher. Bathing has not yet begun, but will, we understand, do so shortly. Talbot is already on the scene of operations. The following O.M.'s represent their respective Colleges in the Eights at Oxford: J. E. Ivor Yale (5), Magdalen S. E. V. Filleul In answer to correspondents we beg to state that the Singing Cup was won last term by Mr. Way's House (Crescent). We understand that a Singing Class is being formed under the auspices of Mr. Bambridge, for the practice of Sacred Vocal Music. The hour of practice is fixed from 2.45-3.45 on Sunday afternoons. It is hoped that all members of the School who are at all musical will at once give in their names, and not let slip an opportunity which may never occur again. WE acknowledge, with thanks, The Harrovian, Eton College Chronicle, Wykehamist, Wellingtonian, Bathonian, Pelican, Meteor, Carlisle High School Magazine, and others. Correspondence. To the Editor of the Marlburian. DEAR SIR,-I should like to answer some proposals, that appeared in your last number. First, with regard to having no cricket on match days, is it pro bono publico ? It seems to me not to be so, especially on match days in the beginning of the season, when the weather is bad. On the occasion of the Cheltenham match, I believe, there is no compulsory |