NATIVE VIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 293, 11 December 1899, Page 3

NATIVE VIEWS.

HOW LANCERS STRIKE THE

NATIVE MIND,

He now saw a train from. Ladysmith (says a Kaffir account of the battle of Elandslaagte), coming very slowly, and he wondered if it were a Dutch train. Then he sa.w a flash and heard the report of a cannon, and the train stood. The firing' came from the train, but he could see no one. The Boers spread right and left, and fired at the train, and then began to run Avhen the train moved. The train stopped again, and a shell was fired and burst among the Boers, making the stones fly everywhere, and many Boers appeared to die where the shell burst. Then the soldiers came out of the train, and fired their rifles rapidly until they were partly hidden by smoke. After a time all was quiet and everything still. Then mounted troops with long sticks (the Lancers) pursued the Boers, stabbing them as they fled from hill to hill. Some begged for mercy, and .these were not killed. Some Boers left their horses and guns, and ran on foot. Horses were speared as well as riders. The horses were out of condition, and could not run, so that the soldiers soon overtook them. He was afraid to remain, and, thinking he had seen enough, went .on to a kraal. On Sunday morning he was at Lady smith, and saw the troops coming back. The trains were full of soldiers—who were joking, and offering to sell the horses and guns they had captured very cheap. When the prisoners came through our native said to them, "Where is your

special pass now?" The Boers replied, "Oh, we let you come into Natal, and now you taunt us thus." He answered, "Oh, I only asked because I wanted to know where your special pass is." They put their hands to their heads, and seemed grieved. Three trains came in crammed with soldiers and prisoners and wounded, the latter limping as they got out.