THE STORY OF A BOER PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 825, 27 September 1906, Page 3

THE STORY OF A BOER PLOT.

THE ANUOLA 'KEPUBLIC Some months ago there appeared a cablegram getting forth tb(.t the, Boers in Angola had established a republic. «i General F. Joubert Piennnr (says the Gape Argus, of August 8), who figured in the story as the filibuster, Is in Capetown, atd baa related the history of the nffair to a representative of the Argus. The general is a man of fine presence and good address. He has spout two years in Portugal, and a year ago left for Angola, in Portuguese West Africa. 'I have,' he said, ' a case pending against the Portuguese Governor and I am not at liberty to say now all 1 wouH like to say. I expeot to have a reply from 'he King of Portugal by next week, and thereafter I will know exactly what is my position. an emphatic denial. 'Meanwhile, I emphatically dery that i ever attempted, or dreamt of attempting to upset Portuguese authority or to establish a republic. 'ln fact,' added the general, 'if * had any country to dispose of i would uot establish a republic. I am not keen for a republic in this country. 'How did the Btory arise?' 1 will tell you. In Ootober last I was asked by the Portuguese authorities, as leader of the Boers at the t'.me, to form an auxiliary force to aot against the chief Malando. I could not go myself, aud appointed an leader of the force a man named Andries man of the Church Council. 1 thought he waa a good man th«n when 1 did not know the people so well as I do now. SALE OP A MAN'S HEAD. 'He went and a battle wa<* fought. The day after the battle he wrote me a letter, in which he said' that Malando was killed, that his head had been oat off, and sold to the Portuguese Governor for nine head of kaffire. He Jhad, hj« also said, one little kafflr for me for my trouble. 'After that I wbb [informed the head was received back and buried. It was used, In the words of Andries himsell in a leiter to me, as a "cornerstone" in anew fort, and the Portuguese flag was planted id the dead man's head. '1 wrote back,' continued General Pienaar, 'saying that. I could not allow this sort of thing, that 1 refused to be the leader to slave traders, cattle drivers, aud mutila--1 tow of the dead. I put the case very\ strongly; with the object of presenting them from doing the same thing again. I resigned my position as leader. 1

Audries then got ioto a funk; for I had told him that V would go to the British Government, and would advise tbe British Consul. 'Thereupon this man Andries Albertse set a persecution against me, and combined with the Portuguese Governor to make things difficult. In fact, my life was at tempted twice. l 'I found it difficult to get away from Angola, and if it had not been for the firm position taken by tbe British Consul, Mr Mackie, at St. Paul de Loanda, I would have been a dead man. 'All depends now on His Majesty Don Carlos what action 1 will take in the future. The Minister for Foreign affairs. Sir Edward Grey has given instructions that I most first exhaust all my ; efforts in Portugal. THE LAW IN ANGOLA. 'Th's'man Albertse, together with the Governor, seeing that they might get into trouble, tried to damage my name, and so tbe article which appeared in the Argus. They hired the chief Orlog to give evidence against me, pajing him 10 head of cattle, lie made his statement, be a brigand, on whose bead a reward was set, and cleared out with 200 bead of stolen cattle"—-this with a grim smile. 'Another man, called in the article a VBuer settler," also gave evidence, but he was not a Boer, being a German fugitive, who had fled from Central Africa.' The general related how this man had ill-repaid the hospitality of a Boer named Steyn. 'This German wrote me a blackmailing letter, In wbioh lie threatened that unless I paic! him 100,000 reis (£2O), he would sell his evidence to Albertse. Tbe roan was in my service. I kicked him out, but I still have bis blackmailing letters. There were ?uoh atrooities perpetrated ip that country,'added the general, 'under my own eyes that would make you stare, and I have been made to suffer because I did not countenance those; cruelties. But l wish to say here that Don Carlos, the King, knows nothing of these troubles. For the King and Queen I.have the highest respect.' 'Why did you go to Angola?' 'X have six sons,' said the general, simply, 'and as I was not rioh enough to settle them here, J thought that in a new land I might find homes toi them and myself. 1 had worked up a nice business there, when I was compelled to leave; and 1 may say that the sympathies of the English recidents there were with me, and I am indebted to the British Consul.' 'How strong is the Boer Colony?' 'I took tbe census myself. There were 276 Boers of 16 and upwards, pr altogether, with the women and ohildren, 800 eouls.'