BORNHAM, THE SCOUT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9171, 13 June 1901, Page 1

BORNHAM, THE SCOUT.

. Major Burnham, the American scout, whose achievements were widely circulated when he joined Lord Roberts' force m South Africa, has again been figuring m the public eye, chiefly m connection with Broadwood's disaster at Sannas Post. He something of that affair from tho Boer side. In spite of his cleverness — perhaps because of it — he had , fallen into die hands of De- Wet, and was a welcome .though, unexpected, guest of that leader's column. He saw the whole of the Boer arrangements for the Sannas Post trap, and when Broadwood's column, came -over the hill it did not need thej wit of a professional scout to know what was going to happen, and Burnham risked his life to save the column, mounting an ambulance waggon and made signals to the British advance guard. The signals were seen, and perfectly understood, but the column evidently thought itself perfectly safe, and blundered on. The explanation subsequently made was that Burnham. was taken for a Boer using the British- code, and that the warning was regarded as a trap. The story is simply another illustration of the criminal stupidity of some of the British officers.. After - the Sannas Post affair, Burnham was placed m a bollock waggon at the head of the Boer column, but by a series of m.- . genious artifices he managed to get placed m the last of the long line. of waggons, whence he had an uninterrupted ■view- of the Boer rearguard. Waiting until nightfall, and watching his opportunity, he managed to drop over the front of the waggon just behind the Jails of the last two oxen, and remained flat on the ground until the waggon had passed over him, when he swiftly and stealthily crawled away, and lay hid m I « hollow until the Boer rearguard had passed, ultimately making his way back to the British lines. Burnham is credited with a great deal of useful work m. South Africa, and his experiences m the war would make an exciting volume. It is stated that he was within the Boer lines, unknown and unsuspected, no fewer than thirty-four times.