A QUEER STORY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 71, 26 March 1910, Page 15

A QUEER STORY.

METHUEN AND DE LA REV. Apropos of Lord M«tluien*s appointment us Governor of Natal, a South African journal publishes a very curious story which reached it some time ago It goes to the effect that General Do la Key had a tame prophet, who frequently saved his force by telliug him the exact movements o& the British troops. On the laft occasion, the prophet mentioned thnt tliret; bodi«- of British troopa were closing round De la Rey, but that if he would attack them one by one he would eocape. He added "The strongest fore© ia iv front of you. I have seen }ou defeat it, and on the ground lay a great red bull, sorely wounded." After the engagement one of his men camo up to tho General and said,. •There in a British officer lying wounded. He seem* a man of importance, but his helmet is tilted over hi* face, and I enn't t>ee who it i»." De la Rev went to the place, had the helmet lifted, and Raw Lord Methuen, whom be knew. "Come," he said, "old men like us don't die of wounds ; we leave that to the boys. I am going to have you put into my wagon, and you will be right soon." Towards the end of the war, the narrative- goes on. De la Rey's men were dull. It occurred to him to stir up the prophet, and to demand to know when and where the next tight would take place. "No mote fighting," said the prophet. "Two of our burghers are now riding toward* us to tell und talk of peace, I *cc them crossing the river. One hat turned to tpeak to an English officer who had ridden tberp with him." Take the time," said the sceptical Boer. "Two o'clock? All right, my friend, 1 think wo have caught you this time." The prophet wrapped himself in silence and smoke. Two days later two Boers rode up to tell of peace negotiations. "When did you leave the British!" they were asked. 'Two days ago." At what time?" "Well, we crossed the river at two o'clock." "How do you know that?" was the question. One of the men answered, "I had ridden into the river, when I called to the British officer on our escort, 'What is the time?' 'Two o'clock,' he said. 'But haven't you any watch!' 'Xo,' I said. 'Here, wait a moment," he shouted, 'take mine.' And he rode into the water and handed mo a leather strap he wore on bit wrist, with a watch in it/