IN THE HANDS OF THE BOERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 38

IN THE HANDS OF THE BOERS.

A WAR CORRESPONDENT'S EXPERIENCE. One of the special correspondents of the Standard, who was captured by the Boers, gives the following account of his experiences, which he forwards from Ladysmith, under date October 24: — The victory of General French at Elandslaagte to-day, be says, enables me to forward you an account of an exciting and novel experience that has befallen me. On Thursday I left Ladysmith for Dundee to join the foics under General Symons, hoping to be" in time to record the engagement that was then believed to be imminent. I found that a passenger train had just left, but a goods tram of five trucks was on the point- of departing, conveying cattle and a quantity of stores and equipments consigned to the camp at Dundee. Together with a photogr,aphic artist, an employee, and the cattle contractor, 1 decided to proceed by this train. We got through saff.ly as .far as Elandslaagte, but at this point th« signal was dead against us, and the driver pulled up. The signal had been cleverly manipulated by a party of Boers, numbering about 50, who had been lying in wait for us. The moment wo slowed down, the driver was covered by their rifles, a«d we were called upon to alight. Tho passenger train, we learnt afterwards, had managed to "rush" the station. The Boors had firad upon it, but the plucky enginedriver put on full steam and went safely ahead, though he was compelled to leave the gv.ard behind. The Boers had then taken

, possession of the station, and ordered the men ' in charge to get the signul afe " stop," in order ;- to check our train. Our driver ran right into the trap, and we found ourselves prisoners before we well knew what had occurred. Directly they had secured the train, tho Boera cut tho telegraph line and tors up tho track. We ours2lve3 were treated well, though tho field cornet in command warned us that anyone attempting to escape would, if discovered, bo immediately shot down. At tin same- time, he assured us that the Bocr3 were not wages. Thosa under his charge censisted of Transvaale:\s. Free Staters, and Dutchmen from Cape Colony, who wero British subjects. My enforced stay with the enemy was not wibhout its amusing features. , I found them a great deal les3 truculent in • manner than in appearance. At first sight, thanks to the infinite variety of their cosjtumes, they might have he?n mistaken for a ' picturesque band of brigand?. The majority , of them were attired in shirts and trousers, ! with red and blue fancy-patterned .scarves, and formidable sloucli hats.

t Some of them, the day after the capture of the train, when its contents had 'been looted and shared, came out in the most- fantastic garb. Several appeared in military greatcoats, and one young fellow stTuttod about proudly wearing a staff officer's cap, while another was considerably inconveniencedby a huge sabre clanking at his heels. But, inisoldierly as they might seem to an eye accu&tomed to the r.natnes? of Aldershot, there was no mistaking- their physical fHnets. | Nearly all of them were strong, pcwerfullybuilt men, while a few were veritable giants. j They were all in the hij;herft spirits. For instance, on the night of our capture, the field cornet v.as induced to pve'ido over an impromptu smoking concert. " Tho Boers are extremely fond of music, and it was amusing to see a Johanncsbu^ge" plaj'inpf the piano, wi«h his fjim still sir.njr o\v:r hia .shoulder. ; while hn mere rualif ccraradas stood around 1 him &pellboimd. They sang the Transvaal " Volkslie:! "' v/itli immenao fervour \nd volume of sound. The one .subject, of their talk \>?a their resolute determination to vight to tho las'j for the independence of thpir country. Keneral do Koch, with a few guns and 1500 men, including a German contingent, arrived in camp the same night. It was cvidert to us, from the con venation of tho leaders, -thai a batile was impending. , I and my fellow-prisoners were strictly warned to remain within e'eors under guard. During our confinement the proceedings of one or two of the nice turbulent Boers caused U3 some anxieiy. Two of thor.i actually came to blows in out room, nn.l had to bo sepaiaiecl by force. Bui cho lerdevj were, on the whole, particularly careful to placa us under the chaTjre of v/pll-dispof-ed and trustworthy men, On Friday night our field cornet, although nodding in his chair for want of- sleep, presided for an hour over another pmolcing concert^ when the utmost jollity and good-will prevailed. We prisoners slept on the floor, while the majority of the Boers withdrew to a short distance*from th-e railway. On Sunday morning we were startled by thn sound of the British gunu, and began to hope that there might be a prospect of rescue or escape. The Boers, including our guards, ppeadily found enough to occupy their attention with- ,' out troubling about a handful of civilian ' prLsone 1 ;?, and- in the course of the morning we xnaclw our way unmolested to the British lines. There we wore enabled to follow the whole course of the battle of Mandslaagte.