THE BOERS' FEAR OF THE SEA.

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 16, 19 January 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE BOERS' FEAR OF THE SEA.

o The special correspondent of tha Standard writes an amusing account of the journey by eea of several Boors from Lorenzo Marques to Durban: — They dread the sea, these men who pass their lives in tha solitude of the veldt. ''We have never beheld so much water," said a black-bearded prisoner; "we are afraid." I pointed to the white hospital ships. "You see, even our sick ' soldiers would rather be on the sea." "Wo are afraid," replied the Boer, in grave tones, "the ships must capsize." "In a month you will all want to be sailors," was my encouragement. "Na-ay," in tnat long-drawn drone peculiar to the Boer and the Kaffir. -The fussy little tug drew alongside, and we went on board. Crossing the bar at Durban, even in ordinary weather, is an ordeal to those whom nature has not intended to go down to the sea in ships. It was blowing half a gale. Once in the open sea the tug became like a vicious horse — a buck-jumper plunging and rearing. Our sunburnt Soldiers showed, a pale green face and sprawled on the deck, thfeir rifles rolling. Sea upon sea swept the deck ; yet the Boers -behaved like men. They tied their handkerchiefs over their broad-brimmed hats ; they laughed like frightened children — a nervous laugh. Some held on and prayed silently. And so we came to the Chicago, which stood like % rock in the oceaa. Here a new trial awaited' them. From the little tug tumbling and , tossing by the side of the great ship we had to be lifted in a basket hoisted by a steam crane. They looked with terrorstricken faces as it swung high over the angry sea. With manifest relief they saw that they were not to be the first victims. When we were safely on board they followed, and were among frierras, for the Chicago already had 150 prisoners from the district of Heidelberg. Jackson — " No, I never take the newspaper home. I've got a family of grownup daughters, you know." Friend — " Papers too full of crime?" Jackson — "JNo: too full of bargain sales." Mrs. Youngwifc — " I have at last discovered how to receive guests properly." Mr. Youngwife — " V . 1 1" Mrs. Youngwife — " I have everything ready and then look awfully surprised to see them." A rich upstart entered a restaurant — " Ah ! I suppose j r ou have very " few things in the way of game heah?" " Oh, yes," replied the waiter, " anything you like, sir, from a quail to au elephant." " Very good," said the man, who fancied himself, "you might bring me a slice of elephant." "Beg pardon, sir," returned the waiter, loftily, " we don't cut 'era.''

OUR SOLDIERS UNDER FIRE. * " Linesman," writing in the November Blackwood, describes the demeanour of "the rank and file under fire in South Africa. He says :— " I have teen soldiers make more fuss over the upsetting of a perambulator than they did over Lhe shouting of those grim messengers from the far-off kopje. Some slept, others lay grumbling at the spoilt dinner, a few t6ok a mild interest in the destination of the shells, and laughed a little when they fell and Burst in a totally different spot to what they had expected, or laughed a good deal when they fell and did not 1 burst at all, as often happened. It was not an action, it is true, but it was ' being shelled,' and shelled at one's very front door ; so surely one had a right to look for a blanched face or two, or even a nervous manner in some of the younger soldiers. These shells did not even kill the usual dog, and when they ceased (and the Boer gunners were, no doubty counting the heaps of slain through their ' field-glasses), the hungry shelterers trooped back to their ' dixies,' and wasted not a thought upon them. Then came Colenso. What finer frolicking ground for all the human emotions could be invented for all save one — the thrill of triumph? Hope, anger, fear, mortal terror, grief, bitter disappoinment, humiliation, despair — were there not grounds for them all and room for each? When had a great British army, complete in equipment, primed with health and confidence, led by a famous General — when had such an invincible machine ever failed before? Yet when did beaten men ever walk more calmly back from disaster than did those shattered brigades from that death-deal-ing river-bank, with the sun eating out thc.r very senses above, and their legs failing from fatigue beneath them? A joke during such an inferno? I heard many, and many a grumble, too, -best sign of all, and many a regretful reference to the beer they knew they eouldn'.t get, and the beef they very strongly felt they ought to get. Brave men with hearts aright, not untouched "by the horrors jostling you on every side ; not unmhoved even when poor Bill, next man to you, oh'd forth his soul suddenly and/ awfully with a bullet in his brain ; not unmindful of the tragedy you were acting, or of 'what they .would say at. home,' but brushing it all aside in the hope that a defeat cheerfully taken might be no defeat at all. You were right— many an illusion born of barraok-rooin lifa was chased and .beat-en that 'day; you learnt to know each other, and yolir officers learn to know you so well during those hours 'of agony, that instead of 'My men,' many a one was fain to whisper 'My children.' "