The sun., 1897-06-06
FIGHTING ABEL KRUGER.
sISG GLE-H HANDED ME PACED 4
TRIEE
oSs rssI's CSu.is. uss Issk Vengeance e.
TIE Rasatss fsr Thrsr Us~-aSrr 80 Hts Rsu--
u-A YIsIu strr-s WITH TIE Bsses 80 Hbs
Vtetisas-uts unerTtsE 4tra ta ac7isp.

tie Rnaatss nsr Thrlr UnS-aSrr sf mis- Raus-
uJ-a YIsIu strsus WITH tie Bsses 80 ISIS
NIetirss-uis userTtsE -. is se7iss.
In tbess days. when the siaiwart. unSInehinz
figure Of the Boer ero~ds the broad canvas Of
South Africa # is Of in;erest 20 encounter true
Esory OF heroisrn from the early AEnsls Of the
Orange Free state. such n story Is that of Abel
Kruger. whose marvellous exploits can he favor
ably COMPARE with those o. Horatius Coolies or
TIE victors 0f ThormopTlE-
The facts sbon. Abel Kruger learned during
my stay in South Africa from the lips Of Mr..
LauEhlI1 Kelly o. Blocnfoatein. Orange Free
Sta:e. members Of whose family were corr-
panions in arms Of the gallant Boer. Kruger
uas nc1.r relative OF Prssident Paul Rrcge- Of
the IrabsvaAl-tho famous Dom Paul.
A little more tLAn thirty years have passed
uince the Orange Free State at that time still in
its infancy. waged a sanguInaTT war with the
Basztus. then newly welded into q nation By
theIT as.Ite King. Moshsahe.
The country Of the BasutUs is . land Of broken
and rugged mountains. clustering about the
head waters OF the Orange River. From the
western foot Of these mountains the open plains
Of :he Free state stretch away. grassy and tree
less toward the setting sun Over all It's level
e1pAnse there is hardly q hill TO be seen, while
the air Is 90 pure and dry that objects can Be
discerned at an almost incredible distance
n
Basutus. the Free State called to arms every
able bodied burgher within her boundaries
Now the Boer soldier. always a horseman, may
literally be said to live in the saddle-for from
the saddle he shoots: In the saddle while riding.
he half the time eats: and he dismounts only
when pressed by the cxigencies OF sleep. Trained
from his childhood to shoot from the saddle.
every man Is expert rider and marksman.
Such q soldier was Abel Kruger. one OF the very
first to be summoned from his farm. to drive
back the murderous bands Of Mosheshe. who.
coming down from their mountains at uncN-
pccted points, strove with demon ferocity to
bio; out In fire and blood every homo and set
Element OF the whites within reach Of frebrand
and asscgai.
The Boer forces. all mounted-as has been said
were divided into small bands OF from 60 TO
200 men. Each band, or commando" oper-
ated in a sem!nde pendent manner against the
ha!f-ciyiliZcd enemy, combining itseH as much
as possible TO its proper district. The COM
mando to which Abel Kruger belonged was early
called away from the neighborhood OF his resi-
dencc. to the country. FAR and near. In
search OF parties of maraudcrs-
The Kruger farmhouse situated on the
open plain some miles distant from the noun.
tains, and Abel suspected that IL would sooner
or later be exposed 10 attack. 1t bore hard with
him 20 go awav with the commando and leave his
home almost defencc!css. His wife and children
were there, with only two or three faithful ser.
wants to protect them. Naturally he was anx
ious for their safety, when. after absence OF a
week. his commando rode back to his place.
While still afar on Abel stopped low In his
saddle. striving TO descry the smoke wreathing
up from the chimney. The cattle that should
have grazcd on the plain in the vicinity were
nowhere to be seen. Nearer and nearer rode the
troop. till at last the house In view, roofess
md ruined. Five minutes later they dismountcd
before the blackcned walls.
Where arc my wife and my children r. he
cried. rushing in through the charred ant
smoke-beZrmed doorway. Their mutilated
corpses lay before him in all the horrible ghast
illness OF death. For some moments he gazed al
them IN silence. Tho tears coursed down hi.
bearded face, but never a word did he utter. He
slowly walked back and replaced himself in the
saddle, rowin: vengeance on the Basutus.
His companions had mounted and were ready
TO galiop away when Abel rode up beside tn,
commander, took of his hat and, with upraise'
arm, called God and man to witness his resolve
that as long the war should continue h.
would never again leave his ruined farm
which," said he. II was wrong TO have gon
fron at all knowing, as did. that 1t was sur
TO be laid in ruins by those black-sk:nned an
dger-hcartei murdcrcrs."
fclSOulNR Win III III ADcl btdt6 OF mint
was useless so his commander and companion
allowed him to do as he pleased. From tn
whole troop he got bountiful supplies of biltong
powder. bullets and buckshot. Then the com
hiani rode away. leaving him alone at the desc
late farm. He filled his saddlebags and stoves
away his supplies on both his horses, for elci
burgher had TWO, one to mount when tho othe
grew tired. Then he Of saddled and let HI
horses Craze and refresh themselves while b
himself. stretched upon the grass, thoughtful
laid out his plan OF campaign.
He would fight the Basu:us single-handet
and not only would he make his ruined farm h
headquarters but he would find bait sure
draw them thither. For this purpose some ca
tie would be necessary. These he would tax
from the Basutus themselves.
That night he rode off toward the mountain
and stampeded one Of their herds In the dar
moss. collecting number Of them afterwar
and driving them to his farm. Next morning
few Basutus followed the spoor, and after tin
sighted the cattle on the plain.
Near Abel's ruined house there was a litt
hill, 100 200 feet high, one OF the few /
the Free State. rocky. bush-grown, and IA
topped. This hill sloped gradually upward. til
within ten feet OF the top. a clear cap of roc
rose up almost as straight wall In sou
places 1t was accessible. in others not. On Il
top 1t was as fat as If 1t had formerly been
peak and was now sawed of. On the slope
the further side OF this hill A bel had his hors,
and guns in readiness. while he himself lyiI
fiat upon the level rock. watched the approac
Ing Basutus as they came on for the cattle
Now. at that time. none OF the Eaffir trib
had horses, the southern Kafirs had. in fact,
name for that animal, but have since called
"ihashe," y KafiiriZed form OF the English wor
Before driving on the oxen the Basutus prowl'
curiously about the ruins OF Abel's house. b
when he saw them gather together in a grou
looking in mt the door. where the corpses OF h
family had lain. gloating. perhaps they wcr
aver thoiE own work. he could stand IL no longt
but rushed 20 his horse and rode desperate
down the hill. coming out on the plain 200
800 yards from the warriors They hiI
and Yelling and brandishing their assega
rushed toward him, expecting TO meet a,
slaughter him. for he was galloping straiRhtw.
toward them. But Abel knew when o turn.
knew too much Of lsscgnis 10 bc deceived in q
distance. He fired both OF his guns each knoc
Ing over Basutu. The Others ran 10 the slo
OF the hill. but more OF them fell before the
mainder found shelter behind rocks and boulder
keeping well out OF range ot their assegais.
now disinounted and picked them on one b,' or
some OF them had only partial cover al
Athera fnnlislly and KauEtinnly fnuntei him