BOER PRISONERS IN THE BERMUDAS.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 46, 19 June 1906, Page 2

BOER PRISONERS IN THE BERMUDAS.

An ex-soldier (who is now a postman) recently told me the following : —“While the Boer War was on I was stationed in the Bermudas. Scattered amongst the islands were about four or five thousand Boer prisoners ; they were a rowdy crew, continually brawling or singing their National Anthem, and they lived in the hope, freely expressed, of the German Navy coming to release them. The incident I am about to relate occurred on an island called Darrell's Island. There were troops on each island, of course, to guard the prisoners, .and cruisers always patrolling within easy distance. Well, these Boers were allowed to cut wood for the manufacture of rough toys, which were sold at bazaars held for their benefit in the larger islands. They charged extortionate prices for these toys, asking half a guinea for an article which would cost about sixpence over here. Well, unknown to us Britishers, out of some of this wood they built a boat, about six feet long by six feet broad, presumably with an idea for some of them to escape in. Then one night they gave it a trial. They launched a boat on the end of a rope with two stuffed dummies in it. They wanted to see if they could get clear of the island without the .eVer-alert cruisers spying them. They had nearly paid out the rope to its full length, which was about seven or eight hundred yards I should say, when a cruiser’s searchlight veered round near the boat. It bobbed about for a bit and then finally rested squarely on it. A few moments more and then—bang ! went a gun, and the Boer’s handiwork flew up in splinters in all directions. The Boers made no other attempt to escape after that proof of our tars' vigilance and marksmanship.”

The following is a hint worth knowing : When baking scones, or cakes, if the soda is dissolved in a little boiling milk, it will prevent any chance of disagreeable lumps so often found in scones, etc. *

A knife or fork which has come out of the handle can be fastened as follows : Mix r. little powdered chalk, whiting pr slaked lime with resin powder. Fill the whole of the handle with the mixture, then heat the tang of the knife or fork before fixing. When cold it will be firm. *

The following is a method to restore scorched linen : Cut up two onions and squeesc out the juice, and then mix with h&lf-an-ouncc of white soap in little pieces, and two oun&s of fuller ’B earth, and half a pint of vinegar Boil well, and let cool. Then spread it over the scorched parts and let dry, Finally wash the linen.