                      HI! THIS IS $NEW MODE$ ON THE KEYBOARD. BEFORE I
 HAND THE KEYBOARD OVER TO SLIME WHO WANTS TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY,
 I TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SCREEN.....    $$$$$$$$$$$$            
 I WROTE IT IN FEBRUARY 1990 ON A RAINY DAY. I WAS DEPRESSED AND HAD
 A TERRIBLE HEADACHE (ALTHOUGH I HADN'T DRUNKEN ANY ALCOHOL THE NIGHT
 BEFORE!).  THE SHAPES ARE PRETTY BIG, AREN'T THEY?   ENOUGH CRAP OF ME,
 NOW SLIME WANTS TO BEGIN! BYE FROM NEW MODE! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
                                
  

    NOW IT'S SLIME TALKING TO YOU.IN THIS
 SCROLLER I'LL TELL YOU A TRUE STORY ABOUT THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION AND
 CAMERONE DAY, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY HOLIDAYS, AND SOME CRAP AND NONSENSE
..................  O.K.! NOW AS PROMISED: THE STORY ABOUT THE LEGION AND
 CAMERONE DAY.    THIS IS THE BIG DAY IN THE LEGION CALENDAR AND
 COMMEMORATES THEIR GREATEST BATTLE FOUGHT IN MEXICO ON 30 APRIL 1863. IN
 THIS BATTLE SIXTY LEGIONNAIRES HELD OFF A FORCE OF TWO THOUSAND MEXICANS,
 HALF OF WHOM WERE MOUNTED CAVALRY, IN A FIGHT TO THE DEATH.    
     THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF CAMERONE GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS:     WHEN
 MAXIMILIAN, THE NEW EMPEROR OF MEXICO, LANDED IN THAT COUNTRY IN MAY 1864,
 THE MILITARY POSITION WAS THAT A FRENCH FORCE, CONSISTING OF ABOUT FORTY
 THOUSAND EUROPEANS, HELD MEXICO CITY AND A CORRIDOR FROM IT TO THE SEA
 AT VERA CRUZ. OPPOSED TO THIS WAS THE MEXICAN LEADER, JUAREZ, WHO WITH
 SOME TWENTY THOUSAND TROOPS CONTINUALLY HARASSED FRENCH ACTIVITY,
 PERSISTENTLY ATTACKING SUPPLY LINES ALONG THE CORRIDOR COMING TO AND FROM
 THE CAPITAL CITY. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL 1863, TWO BATTALIONS OF
 LEGIONNAIRES HAD ARRIVED TO ASSIST THE FRENCH MILITARY FORCES.     
     TOWARDS THE END OF THE SAME MONTH, AN ESCORT WAS NEEDED FOR A CONVOY
 WHICH WAS CARRYING BULLION TO FRENCH TROOPS IN THE INTERIOR. THE THIRD
 COMPANY OF THE 1ST BATTALION WAS ALLOCATED TO THE TASK. ITS EFFECTIVE
 MARCHING FORCE HAD BEEN REDUCED TO SIXTY-TWO LEGIONNAIRES - THE REST,
 INCLUDING THE OFFICERS, WERE SICK WITH YELLOW FEVER. THREE OFFICERS
 VOLUNTEERED TO GO WITH THE ESCORT; THEY WERE CAPTAIN DANJOU, LT VILAIN,
 THE PAY OFFICER, AND 2ND LT MAUDET. DANJOU WAS A FRENCH OFFICER OF SOME
 EXPERIENCE WHO HAD FOUGHT IN ITALY, ALGERIA AND THE CRIMEA, WHERE HE HAD
 LOST HIS LEFT HAND AND HE NOW WORE A FALSE ONE IN ITS PLACE.     
     NEWS OF THE PENDING CONVOY OF BULLION FILTERED THROUGH TO THE ENEMY
 AND THE MEXICAN SECTOR COMMANDER, COLONEL MILAN, BEGAN MUSTERING A LARGE
 FORCE OF GUERRILLAS WITH THE OBJECT OF CAPTURING IT. MILAN MANAGED TO
 ASSEMBLE ABOUT TWO THOUSAND MEN, EIGHT HUNDRED OF WHOM WERE MOUNTED
 CAVALRY ARMED WITH REMINGTON AND WINCHESTER RIFLES. EARLY IN THE MORNING
 OF 30 APRIL, THE 3RD COMPANY SET OFF ALONG THE CORRIDOR AHEAD OF THE
 CONVOY TO ENSURE THE WAY WAS CLEAR. THE COMPANY MOVED OFF IN TWO PLATOONS
 MARCHING IN EXTENDED LINES, WITH DANJOU IN THE CENTRE WITH A COUPLE OF
 MULES CARRYING RATIONS. A SMALL REAR GUARD FOLLOWED BEHIND - FRENCH
 INTELLIGENCE WAS POOR AND THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT A LARGE ENEMY FORCE WAS
 WATCHING THEIR EVERY MOVE. JUST BEFORE 7.00 A.M., DANJOU'S COMPANY PASSED
 THROUGH THE DESERTED HAMLET OF CAMERONE, NEAR A STREAM NOTED FOR ITS
 EXCELLENT CRAYFISH. THE HAMLET CONSISTED OF A FARMHOUSE AND OUTBUILDINGS,
 TOGETHER WITH A FEW OTHER RUINED HOVELS, ALL ENCLOSED IN A COURTYARD. A
 MILE OR SO PAST CAMERONE, DANJOU CALLED A HALT FOR 'CASSE-CROUTE'. FIRES
 WERE MADE AND COFFEE WAS BOILED - IT WAS NEVER TASTED, FOR AT THAT MOMENT
 COLONEL MILAN AND HIS CAVALRY ATTACKED. THE LEGIONNAIRES FORMED A SQUARE
 AND PREPARED TO MEET THE MEXICANS IN BEST ALGERIAN FASHION. THEY WERE
 CAUGHT IN THE OPEN BUT, FORTUNATELY FOR THEM, IT WAS NOT GOOD CAVALRY
 COUNTRY OWING TO THE PLENTIFUL CLUMPS OF TROPICAL VEGETATION AND
 WAIST-HIGH GRASS. CONTINUOUS VOLLEYS FROM THE LEGION RIFLES KEPT MILAN AT
 A DISTANCE AND, UNABLE TO CHARGE DIRECTLY, HE MANOEUVRED HIS MEN CLOSER
 AND BEGAN TO SURROUND THE FRENCH COMPANY. DANJOU, SEEING THE VULNERABILITY
 OF HIS BOYS CAUGHT IN THE OPEN AND APPRECIATING THE ENEMY STRENGHT,
 DECIDED TO FIGHT A RUNNING ACTION BACK TO THE FARMHOUSE AT CAMERONE, OVER
 A MILE AWAY, AND HOLD OUT THERE. HIS MULES HAD BROKEN LOOSE IN THE FIRST
 MELEE AND GALOPPED OFF WITH RATIONS AND RESERVE AMMUNITION, A FACT WHICH
 DID NOT IMPROVE HIS PROSPECTS.     
     THE LEGIONNAIRES, IN A WIDE SQUARE, BEGAN TO MOVE BACK TO CAMERONE
 AND AS THEY MOVED MILAN AND HIS MEN SNIPED AT THEIR FLANKS. MOVING
 PAINFULLY SLOWLY THROUGH THE TROPICAL UNDERGROWTH, DANJOU EVENTUALLY
 MADE IT TO THE FARMHOUSE, ARRIVING WITH A PITIFUL HANDFUL OF FORTY-TWO
 MEN, MANY OF WHOM WERE WOUNDED. ON ARRIVAL, THEY IMMEDIATELY SET ABOUT
 IMPROVING THE DEFENCES BY BARRICADING THE OPENINGS AND REINFORCING THE
 WALLS.     
     UP UNTIL THIS POINT MILAN HAD ONLY HIS CAVALRY WITH HIM, AND IT WAS
 TOWARDS 9.00 A.M., TWO HOURS AFTER THE ACTION HAD STARTED, THAT HIS THREE
 BATTALIONSOF INFANTRY ARRIVED, COMPRISING SOME TWELVE HUNDRED MEN.
 SEVERAL CHARGES AND FORAYS WERE TRIED BY THE MEXICANS AND, THOUGH
 REPULSED, THE LEGIONNAIRES WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER BEGAN TO SUFFER. TOWARDS
 ELEVEN, THE SUN HIGH IN THE SKY POURED DOWN A FEARSOME HEAT AND THE
 CONTINUED VOLLEYS FROM RIFLE AND MUSKET BEGAN TO TAKE THEIR TOLL.     
     COLONEL MILAN CALLED ON DANJOU TO SURRENDER BUT HE REFUSED AND MADE
 HIS MEN SWEAR TO FIGHT TO THE END. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE MEXICANS
 PENETRATED THE UPPER STOREY OF THE FARMHOUSE AND DANJOU WAS SHOT THROUGH
 THE HEAD BY A MUSKET BALL FIRED FROM THE ROOF. VILAIN TOOK COMMAND AND
 CONTINUED TO DIRECT THE DEFENCE.     
     AS TIME WORE ON AND THE LEGIONNAIRES FELL, THE ENEMY ASSAULTS BECAME
 DEADLIER AND MORE TELLING. THE HEAT INCREASED AND THE MEN WERE TORTURED
 WITH THIRST. AT 2.00 P.M., AFTER SEVEN HOURS OF CONTINUED FIGHTING UNDER
 FANTASTIC PRESSURE, VILAIN WAS KILLED AND 2ND LT MAUDET TOOK COMMAND.
 WAVE AFTER WAVE OF ATTACK WAS LAUNCHED AND REPULSED, BUT THE FINAL RESULT
 WAS INEVITABLE - YET STILL THE SURVIVORS RESISTED.     
     ANOTHER CALL TO SURRENDER WAS YELLED BY MILAN BUT HE RECEIVED WORDS
 OF DEFIANCE IN RETURN. THE DEAD AND DYING NOW LAY SPRAWLED ALL OVER THE
 COURTYARD; BOTH LEGIONNAIRES AND MEXICANS, WITH THE STENCH OF DEATH AND
 CORDITE IN THE NOSTRILS AND A THOUSAND FLIES RELISHING THE FILTH. THEY
 FOUGHT ON THROUGH THE LONG HOT WEARY AFTERNOON AND AT 5.00 P.M. MAUDET
 WAS LEFT WITH TWELVE MEN. THE MEXICANS FIRED THE MAIN FARMHOUSE AND MAUDET
 AND HIS MEN DASHED ACROSS THE COURTYARD TO A LAST SMALL OUTHOUSE. AGAIN
 MILAN CALLED FOR SURRENDER AND AGAIN HE WAS REFUSED.     
     AFTER A BRIEF LULL TOWARDS 6.00 P.M., THE MEXICANS INFANTRY MASSED AND
 MOVED SLOWLY IN - MAUDET WAS LEFT WITH HIMSELF AND FIVE OTHERS TO FIGHT.
 SEEING IT WAS HOPELESS, HE GAVE THE ORDER TO LOAD AND FIRE, AND THEN THE
 FINAL ORDER TO FIX BAYONETS. TEARING ASIDE THE BARRICADES, THE SIX MEN
 CHARGED INTO THE MASS OF MEXICAN INFANTRY AND WERE COMPLETELY ABSORBED
 BY IT. YET BY SOME MIRACLE COLONEL MILAN WAS ABLE TO CALL A HALT TO THE
 ULTIMATE MASSACRE. THREE LEGIONNAIRES SURVIVED THE FINAL CHARGE. MILAN
 APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MUCH IMPRESSED WITH THE LEGIONNAIRES AND GAVE THEM
 THEIR LIVES AND ALLOWED THEM TO KEEP THEIR RIFLES AND BURY THEIR DEAD.
          DANJOU'S WOODEN HAND NOW RESTS IN THE LEGION HALL OF HONOUR IN
 AUBAGNE. IT IS A SYMBOL OF LEGION DURABILITY - FOR THE LEGION NEVER
 SURRENDERS.     
     THUS ENDED THE BATTLE OF CAMERONE - NAPOLEON III ORDERED THAT THE
 WORD 'CAMERONE' SHOULD BE INSCRIBED IN GOLD ON THE WALLS OF LES INVALIDES
 IN PARIS. OF ALL THE SCORES OF BATTLES FOUGHT BY THE LEGION, THIS IS THE
 ONE MOST HIGHLY REGARDED AND CELEBRATED ANNUALLY WITH ALL THE POMP AND
 CEREMONY THAT THE LEGION CAN MUSTER. CAMERONE DAY, 30 APRIL, IS WITHOUT
 DOUBT THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY IN THE LEGION CALENDAR.    (CALLED UP: SIMON
 MURRAY - LEGIONNAIRE - THE REAL LIFE STORY OF AN ENGLISHMAN IN THE FRENCH
 FOREIGN LEGION).......................... WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS
 STORY? IT REALLY HAPPEND! AND I THINK THAT THIS STORY IS MUCH BETTER
 THAN ALL THESE FANTASY STORIES OF DUNGEONS, DRAGONS, FAIRIES AND MAGIC
 FOOLERY.             O.K., LET US STOP NOW TELLING TALES. NOW WE BEGIN
 WITH THE CRAPTALK......... IT IS SUNDAY 05.08.1990 AND I'M IN HOLIDAY AT
 MY SISTER NEAR FRANKFURT. THERE'S A REALLY GREAT LAKE WITH A WONDERFUL
 BATHING-BEACH. WITH MY RUBBER BOAT AND MY GIRL FRIEND I'VE DONE MANY FINE
 THINGS....... THERE'S A BEACH FOR NUDE SWIMMING (IN DEUTSCH: FKK - FREI
KOERPERKULTUR) AND I SAW MUCH LUSTFUL GIRLS. NATURAL THERE ALSO WERE MUCH
 OLD AND FULL OF FOLDS WITCHES WITH PENDULOUS BREASTS...... THIS WAS THE
 DARK SIDE OF THE LIFE BUT NEVERTHELESS IT WAS NICE....     
     AT THIS WEEKEND (03.08.-05.08.1990) NEW MODE WAS AT TEX' HEADQUARTER
 TO MEET SOME GUYS OF THE SCENE LIKE 'THE LOST BOYS'. I'M SURE IT WAS NICE
 TO MEET THESE ENGLISH GUYS AND I'M SORRY THAT I WASN'T THERE (I HOPE THAT
 I'LL MEET THEM AT THE 'ICC NO.2' IN 1991 - IF WE MAKE ONE!).      BUT NOW
 IT'S TIME TO FINISH THE SCROLLER AND SO LET'S WRAP.     !!  W R A P  !!   
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                                                          
                                   YOU'RE ONE OF THESE GUYS WHO READ EVERY
 SCROLLER HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AREN'T YOU?     O.K. LETS FETZ!  

