In 1899, a British garrison in the town of Ladysmith, South Africa, was besieged by Boer troops. The British amused themselves by devising tricks to deceive the Boers.
One day, a squadron of lancers left a lancer of straw on a rock well in sight of a Boer position. It was not long before the Boers were having shots at the soldier who so daringly exposed himself. Mauser bullets had no effect, and, getting exasperated, the Boers turned a big gun on the dummy. The truth was discovered, but only after a vast amount of ammunition had been wasted.
Another day a row of effigies was set up, and the Boers were nearly driven crazy by the indifference these men showed to their fire. They blazed away, only to find that they had again been fooled.
一八九九年，南非雷地史密斯市的英國駐軍遭波爾軍隊圍攻。英軍以愚弄波爾人為樂。
有一天，一長矛騎兵隊把一個稻草紮成的「同袍」放在石上，從波爾陣地完全可以看見。不久，波爾軍人就向這個大膽不躲藏的士兵開火，眼見毛瑟槍子彈奈何他不得，怒不可遏，出動一門大砲轟擊，發覺上當時，已浪費了大量彈藥。
又有一天，英軍擺出一排假人。波爾人見這排英軍對他們的槍火毫不在意，幾乎氣瘋了，不斷開火，最後才發覺又上了當。