THE HERO OF MAFEKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11366, 8 May 1900, Page 5

THE HERO OF MAFEKING.

', AN INTERESTING SKETCH OF .' ' .COLONEL BADEN-POWELL. , > The Mafeking" correspondent of flie Lon« ■' .: don Times draws a curious and interesting sketch of Colonel Baden-Powell, the defen- • der of Mafeking. He says:-Colonel Baden-Powell is young,' as men go in the - army, with a keen appreciation of the possibilities of his career. His countenance is keen, his stature short, his features sharp and smooth. He is eminently a man of determination, with great physical endurance and capacity, and extraordinary reticence. His reserve is unbending, and one would say, quoting a phrase of Air. Pinero's, that fever would be the only heat which would permeate his body. He does not go freely, since lie is tied to his office through the multitudinous cares of his command, and ho is chiefly happy when he can snatch the time to escape upon one of thoso nocturnal silent expeditions, which alone calm and assuage the perpetual excitement of his present existence. Outwardly, he maintains an impenetrable screen of self-control, observing with a cynical smile the foibles and caprices of those around him. He seems ever bracing himself to be on guard against a moment in which he should be swept by some unnatural and spontaneous enthusiasm, in which, by a word, by an expression of face, by a movement, or in the turn of a phrase, he should betray the rigours of the self-control undej which lie lives.' Every passing townsman re' gards him with curiosty not unmixed witi awe. Every servant in the hotel watcha,' him, arid he, as a consequence, seldom speak? without a preternatural deliberation and at air of incisive finality. Ho seems to clos every argument with a snap, as though th steel manacles of his ambition had checkmated the emotions of the man in the instincts of the officer. He weighs each remark before he utters it, and suggests by hi* manner, as by his words, that lie has'considered the different effects it might conceivably have on any mind as the expression of his own mind. As an officer, lie lias given to Mafeking a complete and magnificent security, to the construction of which he has brought a very practical knowledge of the conditions of Boer warfare, of the Boers themselves, and of the strategic value of the adjacent areas. His espionage excursions to the Boer lines have pained him an intimate and accurate idea of the value of the opposing forces and a mass of data by which ho rail immediately counteract the enemy's attack. Ho loves the night, and after hi» return from the hollows in the veldt, where he has kept so many anxious vigils, he lies awake hour after hour upon his camp mattress in tlio verandah, tracing out, in his mind, the various means and agencies by which he can forestall their move, which, unknown to them, he had personally watched. He is a silent man. In the noisy day he yearns for the noiseless night, in which he can slip into the vistas of the veldt, an unobtrusive spectator of (he mystic communion of tree with tree, of twilight with darkness, of hind with water, of early morn with fading night, with the Music of the journeying winds to speak to aim and to lull' his thoughts. As he makes his way across our lines the watchful sentry strains his eyes a little more to keep the figure of the colonel before him, until the undulations of the veldt i onceal his progress. He goes in the privacy of the night, when it is no longer a season of moonlight, when, although the stars are full, the night is dim. Tho breezes of the veldt are warm and gentle, impregnated with the fresh fragancos of the Molopo, although, as ho walks with rapid, almost running, footsteps, leaving the black blurt of the town for the arid and stony areas to the west, a new wind meets him, a'wind that is clear and keen and dry, the wind of the wastes that wanders for ever over the monotonous sands of the desert. He goes on, never faltering, bending for a moment behind a clump of rocks, screening himself next behind some bushes, crawling upon his hands and knees. His head is low, his eyes gazestraight upon the camp of the enemy ; in a little, he moves again, his inspection is over, and he either changes to a fresh point or startles some dozing sentry as ho slips back into town.

THE INHUMANITY OF THE BOERS.

CHILDREN KILLED AND WOMEN MUTILATED.

The instances of Boer inhumanity during j the present campaign have been innumerable, but nowhere have they been so glaring an in the conduct of the siege of Mafeking. A correspondent in the beleaguered township, writing as far back as January 3, says: — It would a wear that our resistance is beginning to exasperate the enemy, driving him tj a pitch in which he is determined to respect neither the Convention of Geneva nor the promptings of humanity. Again, despite the innumerable warning which he has received, for two days in succession has he made the hospital and the women's laajer the sole object of his attentions. Yesterday the shells fell sufficiently wide of these two places to justify the broad-minded in giving to his artillery officers the benefit of the doubt; but today it is impossible to find any extenuating circumstances whatever in his favour, and your correspondent very much regrets to have to state that through the shelling of the women's laager many chili dren's lives have been sacrificed, many women mutilated. From time to time, every effort has been made to give to the gentler sex the most perfect immunity, but it would seem as though we can no longer consider as safe these poor innocent and helpless non-combatants. The children of seme of the most respected and most loyal townspeople have been killed in this manner, just as they were romping within the trenches which encircle their retreat. For two hours this morning the quick-firing guns of the enemy fired into the laager, creating scenes of panic and consternation, which it is not fitting to describe. These actions upon the part of the Boers, as Colonel BadenI Powell has repeatedly pointed out to them, make it almost impossible for us to regard our foe as other than one which is inspired with the emotions of a degraded people, and the crude cruelty and vindictive animosity lof savages. Just now, when the press of our feelincs is beyond confinement, there is nothing but a universal wish that we may speedily be relieved, and so enabled to enjoy tho initiative against the Boers. When that moment conies it must not be forgotten that we have suffered bitterly, and in a way which must be taken as excusing any excesses I which may occur.

HOW THE BOERS TREAT LOYALISTS.

Writing on February 19 the Lorenzo Marquez correspondent of the London Times says:

This week there left by steamer for the Cape a party of political" prisoners, which was quite unique in its composition. With the exception nf a- single Englishman, the party of ten consisted of descendants of the early Dutch settlers of the Cape Colony, but neither commandeering orders, appeals, nor threats could induce them to join the forces of the enemies of their Queen. I will give in his own words the experiences of one member of the party, which, except that some of the others were detained a week or two longer in gaol, are typical of what the rest have come through. " On November 15 (he said) the Herbert division of the Cape Colony was taken by the Free Staters, under Commandant Jourdaan, and proclaimed Free State territory. According to President Steyn's proclamation all British subjects would he allowed 14 days t3 leave the district, or, if they preferred it, they could continue to reside in their home;' on condition that they gave an undertaking to remain neutral. Acting on this explicit assurance a number of people, with interests at stake, arranged to stay in their homes, and attend to their duties. What was the surprise, therefore, of these and others to find, two days later, that the issue of passes to those intending to take their departure had been suddenly stopped, and that on the third day the residents were being commandeered in wholesale fashion for military service and supplies. When some of the loyalists pointed out to the commandant that this action was in direct conflict with President }3teyn's proclamation, he repSed that the latter had been revoked and another |~ substituted. Needless to say, no one has,, ever seen the second proclamation. ' Mean- ; time, both English and Dutch were making their escape at'night, and in order. to pre- *

; ' T?nt this lie pontoon bridge over the Orange River wt afc the end of a week blown up. Personal! ,' I was commandeered no fewer . than six imes, hut as I declined to take " any notii of the summons,' I was brought ' before th sommandanfc, and told that I must • ■ either act pt service or be sent to Bloemfon- /.- tein'und • arrest.' Altogether about 150 " •; ' rebels joi id the Free State commando in the .. district. '■ These were for the most part men '■■' of no sta ling, who depended for their live- -■ '- ,■ lihood '" r elief works provided by the Cape '"' •"'■/-— it.-; On January 1 the Australian ; contingei surprised the rebel laager, killed ',''- * five, won led nine, and took a number of ;:.'■ ::' ; prisoners. Most of the Britishers accompanied M troops on their departure from Douglas. The Boers, on their return, scoured tl ■ district, and on January 16 they took my ■ ife and myself prisoners, and sent us to the tager at Oliver's River, where we were job" u by the other prisoners from the Herbert livision. Per the first five days of our joi ney to Bloemfontein we had hardly any food One man had actually to go 24 hqurs w boufc anything, and at the end of that tim all that ho got was a raw rib of mutton, hich he had to cook, without salt or dish, a a veldt fire. Our daily rations consisted of a piece of raw meat, which wo had/to . -ill on sticks, and a little flour, which w kneaded with the aid of a towel. After let ing Oliver's River we were taken before G leral Braytenbach, of the Transvaal, wl , on the whole, treated us well. As we st I persisted in our refusal t« fight, he took me statements from us, and said we must proceed to Bloemfontein. At Cronje's '. ager the cross-examination was repeated. On the eighth day we reached Comman; ,nt Faurie's laager, and here again we were msiderately treated, the commandant giv; x us a little of Lis own coffee and sugar. _ That was the first coffee we had tasted io eight days, the only liquid hitherto supplied eing water. We spent altogether 11 days i the ox waggon. For the last six days although the food was rough and scanty, o had not much to complain of. While dt lined in one or two of the laagers we overl ard the burghers say that people with Dm a names such as ours who refused to fight light to be shot, and that they would ha 3 great pleasure in shooting us if they only ;ot a chance. The Bloemfontein authority lodged us in the common gaol, and for J days wo were kept there, the only foot supplied being mealie meal porridge am dry bread. One or two of us, who had little money, however, were permitted to iave our meals supplied from out«de. ' T s decision to liberate us appears liY en arrived at Sl, ddenlv. When we had h n 10 days in gaol an official came to us am said that as we refused to fight we. must .rocecd to Komati Poort, Wo were mar ,ed to the station under a guard, placed o the train, and provided with tickets t( Komati Poort. No food of any klljd was applied for the journev. and. as most of 1 i men m ] been taken 'from their peaceful , cupations in the field without being allow 1 to furnish themselves with anything bey id the clothes in which they stood they woi 1 have been in a terrible' plight, had not i e few of us who possessed funds made pr< ision for their wants during the tour days took us to reach Delagoa Bay At Pretoria ie authorities gave us tickets 'or the I orti uese portion of the railway." THE RANSVAAL "REPUBLIC." *THE TEWS OF AN AMERICAN LADY. The fol wing letter, written by a lady at Capetowi appeared recently in the New York Tri me: — Sir,--I. is with grief and disappointment that an mencan in the Transvaal reads the extra, in the Tribune of Dr. Parkhurst's Ihanksgr ng Day sermon. That a man who has ) en so conspicuous for clear thinking, and ho has rendered such signal service to t 3 present generation of younger clejgymer in the great denomination he represents . ould have lapsed into such confusion of :hought in regard to the BociBritish v r, is lamentable. He says "If tho Amei ans of to-day felt as the Americans- of 1 '6 felt, the great body of American citizc ship would rise in grand protest against tl snuffing out of Republican independence i South Africa." •""Repu ican 'independence"— words dear to ev y true American heart, but in the , case of th Transvaal controversy, absolutely misleadin In name only doe's a Republic c.xjst in ie Transvaal. 'Does a Republic persistent ' disfranchise two-thirds of its adult ma! white population, keep them disfranchise! and frame laws for disfranchising their chil ren? ' fa Does E mblican independence permit the arbitrary mpnsition of taxes on this twothirds m ority of unrepresented citizens, taxes whi i are cunningly contrived to fall on this c ss alone, which are so excessive as to ren it all but the richest mines unworkable, which render the necessaries of life dear 1 yond all reason, and which enormous tax , worst of all, do not benefit the Transvaal but go into the pockets of a few people? Was that the American spirit of 1776? ' _ Does a Republican minority tax a Republican maj rity for an enormous secret service fund Does a tepublican minority tax an unenfranchisee majority, forbidden' to carry arms, to ouild nd equip huge forts which at a moment's lotice can be used against a defenceless eoplc? Docs n Republican independence include the freed n of the press, and the right to hold pub! ■ meetings? Does it it ensure trial by a jury composed of one's ] ers? '" Can a ue Republic permit its President to dismiss ts Judges, reverse their decisions, and conn md its Legislature to pass a law declaring hat the Judges were not entitled to test th validity of a law by its agreement or conflict with the Constitution? , Can an .gglomeration of 100,000 peopleAmerican English, Germans, French—endure for . ,y length of time impositions like theso? ■ not the righteous intuition of the civilised ' >rld against it? And w: n, in the face of facts like these, a clergy! in of keen thought talks nbout . " snuflint out, Republican independence," docs lie i t thereby put aside something of his direct 'ss of thought? For one docs not "snuff o " great forts, vast armaments, splendid valry and artillery, and the strategic skil of some of the finest mercenaries in the v. rid (who, Dr. Parkhurst should know, an -.his time with the Boers, not with the Briti; ). One attacks them, and takes them slo' y, painfully, and solely and only in the na e of truth, righteousness, and justice.' A suffii nt answer to many people is President Ki ger's oft-repeated assertion, "We dc not wi t the Uitlanders; we did not ask them to ( me; this is our country, let them leave it ii 'hey don't like our ways." True enough. He does not want them now. but he did wn t them just, after the London Convention, ien, wishing to raise money, his secretary .-as instructed to write from the Albemarl Hotel, on December 21. 1883, "This G' eminent will view with satisfaction the ■ velopmen* of properties on which concessit have been granted." and he assured tin companies that they could count on Coven lent protection Then the penniless - President lesired the Uitknder. Now the millionaii Picsident would like the Uitlanders t leave the mines thev have fairly bought a: i fairly paid for. which they have spent ten of millions sterling in developing, and whir have made Mr, Kruger and his oligarchy rich to millions; he would like them to ave these mines to his and their further d station. .■ And tl ; a Christian minister describes as a "sane fieri mulishness inherited from Dutch an stors who fought the Spanish Inquisition. Is there the slightest parallel between jhting for liberty to worship God accordinp o the dictates of one's conscience, and fight g for extortionate taxation without repn 'ntation? And is fighting England at ie close of the 19th century the same as jilting Spain at the close of the 16th cent ry? Furthc is it Republicanism when a railway sclie o is to be floated, that four-fifths of/tbe L< islature shall receive presents for their fav arable votes, and the eminently Christian Resident make the candid confession of h principles that he " saw no harm in membi ? taking presents?" Every fonday morning in Johannesburg . sees 20,0( Kaffirs too drunk to go to work. They arc drunk on the vilest liquor ever manufact - ed or sold. A law was framed restrictin its sale. Mr. Kruger, an ostentatious t( d abstainer, denounced the law as immoral, because it deprived a number of honest pe )le of a livelihood." ;,.. , Does a tepublican Government in time of !**. peace, d( berately hold up a train, rob it w £soo, K) in;-gold, and appropriate the ;. .same to i .own'use? /

e '■•'■-; May one hold up to Almighty God hands i. soiled with bribery and corruption, and with r a tongue foul with falsehood and treachery, e ask,: and expect His favour? and shall a fc Christian minister call-that "sanctified obt stinaoy," and "better Christianity" than - that of those who are fighting them? } Stella. M. Seymour. , e Capetown, January 20,1900. i ■ ■