General Botha and the New Zealanders.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 118, 20 May 1905, Page 10

General Botha and the New Zealanders.

AN INCIDENT OF THE I3OKR UAMPAKiN. In an article on "The, War and Afterwards" a piivato tells tlio following interesting story in tho current k&iiu of tho (Sixth L'oiilingcnl'H Mug.iy.ino: "Wo had two Uoeis iih guides, both of whom liv.l l)fun on Oeuer.il Holh.i'n Commando; from one of (hem 1 learned bi-u-i'.il little bits of Jiiforniation th.it would hnvo boon unith a few pence at times on l'lumci'b L'oluinn. it was from tln.s t-nmo man that 1 learned tho following little yam that 1 have muson to l)o)ievo i.s Iho tiuth, and so far stands as an un reported item, it being tho naiiow e.seape of capture of Oeucrnl IJotha and twenty men by Major Andrew with v, paity of New Zealantlert.. "About the latter end of November, 1902, it will he, remembered that Major A nd row -was J a command of a party of New Zealanders Unit, went on patrofand' also as escort lo the xignallois to »Spitn Knp. After arriving on tho lop of tho kop, about two hows' climb, a paitj of 'Jo<.«,' with n Uige mob of catt.e, could be seen in the distance. Word was htliographed to General Plumer, with the result that just before dark wo made off in tho direct ion of tho column j but as soon as it was dark wo ret raced our footi>tep6 ami made off in the direction of whero we ha<( seen the catlle. About midnight wo halted on tlio banlui of a stream. Our guide, a (.mall man wilii whiskers and who had only been attached to tho column a. few days, rent ahead to find out if any Hoors or cattle weio about ; half an hour later the guide returnud and reported to Major Andrew that the Uoers had trekked with the cattle; we then retired and camped ju.st before daylight. The boys who took part in that patrol will remember it only 100 well, but little did any of us think that we had been within 200 yaids of General Botha and twenty \\w who were all deeping tho fi'evp of the just ; but huch wivx the caw. Our guide gave us away. 1 will giw theyarn as I leceived it from Mr. Do Beer. "'You remember when a paity of your men were lound Hpitz Kop, and when you weio at tho foot of tho kop you weie died on by two burghers. Well, I »iid one of thoai" two men. Wo were biippowd to have been on obs.fi vat ion pr/at, but instead wo went to a farm where out v. X rt, wei o .stopping; wo wi«ru lotuiuiug (o our post when wo caught sight of tho troops, so we had a few hliotsi at you. That night we saw you htait to return to your column, and m> wo relumed to the farm wheie (.Jciic'ial Botha- was having a few days' ivi-l. liotha a^ked mi- wlio the men wuiv on iSpiU Kop. 1 lepliod "Tho I'iet Relief Uunimnnrlu" (my wife hud told m«' that tlu» In l Relief Commando would be on NpiU Kop tli.it* night). Tiothu tan\, "lhnt is .ill right ; «i' won't have any of the troops to d'Mmb us, ho wo won't luivo any pii'kcls on to-uit^ht All tins nii'ii can turn in and Me op — jou have all had ii lough I line .jUi-Ij." So wu all turned in, and, for niv.'ielf, iiem- slept. bi'tliT. "'At d.i\ light the following morning I «m lull! Itotli.i wanted inc. I went to him, and he «>.ked me if I ««.-> suic- it wnb the I'iot lid ief Commando that wan on Spit/. Kop. I mi d "Yi'.n," bocaufo 1 had hp<iUeil to olio of the hcouts, and thfii li.'foui I knew whom I wa-s Both.i hud huuh'd nut a eoup'o <if cut.s with his sjambok, and I wais told I wa*, a pii.soiirr. It v.in then that I found out that tin: Li tjf>|w* had mine us far yj, (lie river the night bi'foie, and your m-oui had gomi out. Ho saw our luillii.H, and hu to!d thi'iu he was goiiig to takt; I In- I loops bnel;. Tim Kaffir i>an not to lull Uothil until the next uumiiii,;. 1 m.i« cuuilinutti.il'id and iiTs-ncd ?.5 la.slu*, and as it ,iil lame out about m. going to my wife, sho .uid my ilui};htei.<» wuie ilitri,:t"tl by tho clitt<-i cnt comiuuudoi-.i partmi,' th'it way, mi iho fu.st -li.ii.lc 1 got 1 biinvniki'j,l r and urn nuu lighting fur tho Hi itivti. * "