THE SIMPLE BOER.

Evening Star, Issue 15373, 23 December 1913, Page 12

THE SIMPLE BOER.

<. i Ignorance is not bliss on the battlefield. When the South African War began, the Boers, brave fighters though they were, ' lost many an advantage through almost i childish simplicity in the art of war. A wider on the war gives an incident, of this trait: While fighting at Magorsfontein a niuii- . her of youthful Boers, in this their first ' battle, allowed 100 Highlanders to approach within a short distance of the trench wherein the Boers were concealed. They then sprang out. calling "Hands up!'' The Highlanders, completely surprised, ■ threw down their arms and advanced, holding their hands above their heads. One of the young Boers approached them, > scratched his head in perplexity, and said ' to his_ friend "What shall we do with - them?" After a consultation they allowed ■ the Highlanders to return to their column. ' When the. young Boers arrived at the Boer 1 laager, laden with the captured rifles, their i general asked them why they did not bring f their prisoners. The youths looked at each i other, and one of them sheepishly replied : i "We did not know that they were i wanted." : It was not the lads, however, who al- - ways made, the mistakes. One edd Boer, i on viewing for the first time, a company of - Highlanders in the distance, refused' to • fire, insisting that it was a herd of ost triches, and he persuaded all the burghers t, in the trenches near him that they wore 1 ostriches, "nd nothing >.ut ostriches