GENERAL PIENAARS OPTIMISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12070, 13 September 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

GENERAL PIENAARS OPTIMISM.

BOERS WILL BE LOYAL TO THE KING. Lisbon-, Saturday, July 19.—The 1000 Boer ex-prisoners who left Lisbon on July 18 on the Bavarian presented a very different appearance to that on their arrival, draggled and miserable, a year ago. There have been marriage*, deaths, and births among them, and a Portuguese mother was weeping desolately on the quay vesterday. waving her wet handkerchief to the ship which was taking away her two daughters, who have chosen Boer husbands and have followed them to their country. General Pienaar, who remains behind to look after his gold mine, says that there was sincere and general satisfaction among the Boers at the turn things had taken, and there is absolutely no shadow of ill-will. "We fought each other," he said, "and now it is all over. We are very glad to accept the hand of good fellowship from England, and King Edward wilt count among his subjects none more loyal and ready to serve him than the Boers. * If only England will be kind to us, as everything leads us to suppose, there will never be reason to complain of our ingratitude or disloyalty." General.Pienaar went on to say that Lord Kitchener is very popular among the Boers, far more so than Lord Roberts. "He is a man, a real, strong man, and we all admire, respect, and trust him. We know that when Kitchener promises anything we can believe him, for lie carries out his promises. There is nobody like Kitchener to lis. Lord Roberts is not like that at all; he promised much and did little.

" England should be very proud of her infantry." said the general, " for nothing can equal their bravery, persistence, and unswerving tenacity. They creep, creep, creep on, like waves, following each other closely; one man falls, the next moment his place is filled; and on they go, in endless, unwavering lines. "The Boers," he added, '' had the greatest admiration for their courage," and he related an incident after an encounter at Thaba N'chti. where Boer boys and Tommies fought like lions one Saturday, twenty-eight English being taken prisoners. The following morning they were ail having a football match together. Pienaar said to De Wet, ''Look at those boys, lighting yesterday and playing together to-day," and De Wet answered, "They are only enemies while they have their bandoliers on."