The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-20


into the present territory OF the orange
Free state, ana thence. crossing the VAL.
succeeded after scme bloody and 4 disastrous
reversss in driving Mosefikatse father OF
Lohengula( beyond the Ianroco into the
country DOW called Matabsislan8. Moseli-
katse was then the most Teiounte5 native
captain n South Area and hss uasr a.
most al purs-hrsG Zuius, who had m..rsst-
e. from Zuluiand with him n a body. we're
as fearless. as Esrce. as cruel. and as nigh
" trained as Chaka's and p.ngaan's finest
warriors Yet the Trek Beers xanoufsse4
Moselikatss as they had van4u.shea On
sazn, and took possession OF that FAR and
rich country now called Transxazl
One battle was fought in lager against
Moselkatse's Aatabele ho-des There were
but forty grown DUtchmen In the camp,
but the women and even the children (Pres-
sdent Kruger, then a boy. was. I believe.
among the numbeF) served in the defense.
loading the long smooth bore guns as fast
as they were emptsed, and the Beers finally
beat off their savage enemy with great less.
After this night endorsements came in and
small bands OF mounted farmers attacked
the Matabele n their own kraals
In the last OF these daring campaigns rs
Beers followed Up and fell upon Mosel.-
katse in person on the Marco river. Mo-
selkatse commanded no fever than 1859
Of his finest soldiers. Fierce as they were.
-sound themselves no match for the mounted
Dutch farmers all fine game shots. and al
insoued with an invisible determination.
For more than week the Beers with moth
ing but biltOBg (sun-if!ed game meaD TO
eat, and no bed but the bare veldt. harriei
and harassed the Matabele hosts. Again
and again the Matabele tried 70 entrap their
active opponents. 10 bring them 10 close
quarters. when their stabbing assega.s
might be brought into play. But the mount
ed men always evaded them and al length,
after losing large numbers Of his warriors.
Moselikatse gave up the contest, retreated
beyond the L.mpopo, and left the whole
vast territory Of the Transvaal which he
had long held by the sheer terror 81 bis
name and arms, 20 the 'Noor-TFekkert. -
We English, in a misera5ly mismanasei
war. and after a shameful peace. have had
our bad moments with the Transvaal Beers.
But, now that time has somewhat assuaged
the bitter memories of Majuba Hill, those
Of US who know and appreciate the sterling
qualities Of the Boer characteristic stub
born determination, the simple yet sub
lime faith, the deep love of IONS land" as
they call the country OF their adoption
cannot deny TO these rude farmers their
need Of praise.
For years after the battles with the Zulu
and Matabele tribes the Beers as a body
settled themselves quietly IN the Orange
4
country. growing their crops and amass-
ing great fiocks and herds
The more adventurous spirits among
them-the elephant hunters-went annual
~ into the hunting yeldt, and when they
had dsnuded their own country of great
game, trekked far afied ia every direction
IN pursuit of ivory. Ii has been the custom
TO charge the average Boer with lack OF
courage. / cannot follow this imputatlon
The Afrikander Dutchman is. l Will grant.
irert and hard TO move. Even in the agi-
tation among the Transvaal farmers, before
the Boer war, in which, undoubtedly,
large proportion OF the population viewed
the British annexation with extreme anger
and indignation, they were very slow 10 so
"out." AS in former struggles, the yrouws
did an immense deal of serewins up their
husbands to the fighting point The Dutch
wife has great influence over her man: she
is usually possessed OF indomltaole spirit
and determination; and in moments of dan
ger and difficulty she counts for a good deal
in South African movements.
When the Beers finally took the field in
1851, they founght well, as even we our
selves must admit. II is no light matter 10
take up arms successfully against the
strength OF Britain as these farmers I'D.
BY a series OF lucky accidents the Boers
found arrayed against them troops weak IN
numbers, mostly consisting or young ana
unseasoned soldiers, led by general VINO.
after series OF extraordinary olanders,
pad with his cwn life the penalty of rash
ness and lack of judgment.
At Laing's Mex and Ingogo river the
Beers undoubtedly had our men at I'M
mense disadvantage, and by the help or
their very excellent shooting scored their
victories. But at Majuba Hill. where less
than 80 Dutchmen stormed hill held by
400 British troops and defeated them with
the loss of their general. six officers and
ninety men killed and a large number
wounded want of courage can scarcely be
charged against those ignorant, undrilled
farmers. They themselves still look upon
that event IN their simple way AZ more an
act of God than OF their own courage.
Nor. in the far more desperate fighting
against the Zulus and Matabele during the
Great Trek. can want of courage be urged
against the frontier Beers.
The Beers are race Of hunters as well
as pastoralists. and the Transvaal Beers
especially have been engaged In a war OF
determination 0amentable 10 the lover OF
animal lifel against every species OF wild
beast. Numbers Of them have been occu-
pied ever since boyhOod ia the hunting of
elephants, bunaloes. lions. rhinoceroses
and other heavy game. They have practi-
cally exterminated the elephant south of
the Zambesi. and the buffalo IS becoming
very scarce. No man who understands
South African hunting can pretend 10 say
that the chase of these animals is not a
dangerous one requiring the highest quail
tiles of nerve and courage. I viii not say
that the average Boer hunter will. by way
Of recreation. face the lion single-handed
In the way that the great English hunters
-Selous. OsweIl. Vardon. Gorion-Cum-
ming Baldwin and o.hers-haye accus-
toned MS 70. Few hunters. indeed. are so
Quixotic The Boer treats the lion as dan
gerous verunin. IL possible obtains help
from hts fellows, and as matter of bust
ness stays him by volley But hundreds
Of Beers have slain lions sinEle-handed