GENERAL GORDON AND CECIL RHODES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 5 (Supplement)

GENERAL GORDON AND CECIL RHODES.

In the newly-published "Twenty-five Years' Soldiering in South Africa," its author, "A Colonial Officer," describes meeting during his adventurous career with General Cordon and Cecil Rhodes. Ha remembers Gordon addressing the C.M.R. in the following terms: —

"Men, look to your sergeants—sergeants, look to your officers —officers, look to your colonel—and the whole of you look to me as your father."

For many years he was known among them as "Father Gordon."

Of ' Rhodes the author gives a description as he appeared at the beginning of the Matabeleland campaign.

"There was nothing in his general getup to suggest the extraordinary personality of the man, nor even to make me recognise him as the Honorable Cecil John Rhodes, whose photographs were familiar enough. His appearance suggested the proprietor of an up-country tradingstation. A smasher hat, shabby grey coat, grey flannel shirt, a very dirty pair of white flannel trousers, and . leather boots, made up his attire and on studying his face I came to the conclusion that the photos, had rather flattered him. He was a tall, powerfully built man, his massive head with its rugged face suggesting a resolute character. His voice was a very peculiar one when heard for the first time, alternating between a bass and a falsetto, and not at all in keeping with his appearance.