The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-03-19
FROM SOUTH AFRICA
An Old Time Philipsburger Bobs
Up Again.
AS THOUGHT TO BE DEAD
He Tells About War, Killing "Niggers
and the Various Diversions
of the Dark Continent.
Charter, Mashonaland. S. A.,

Dear Friend Il have come here only
three days ago. Yesterday the post
master showed me letter from you
in which you say you have not heard
from me for ono year. | wrote to you
in June, when l was on the point of
leaving for Gwelo, i'll Matabeleland,
with the Natal troop. But we were
suddenly called back to go to Salisbury,
as the Mashonas had broken out in re-
bellion. On our way to Salisbury we
found two Zulu "niggers" murdered
and another with five holes in his
skull, but still alive. He was not in
his right mind and he could not speak.
The holes were evidently made with
a native axe, which resembles cold
chisel driven in the end Of a stick with
a knob on the end of it and is about
an inch wide. We picked the mig
per'' up and took him to the Sails
burg hospital Arriving at Salisbury
we found that martial law was de-
clared and all the whites under arms.
In a laager made near the goal the
prisoners were turned out Of their cells
TO make room for women and children.
Tents and sheds were put up inside
the yard on three other sides saudbag
) walls were put up. All the men eX-
oept the officers were sleeping III the
open air Everyone got los per day
and rations The day after l arrived
in Salisbury l was put in the garrison
police, ou' duties being to maintain
order in the laager. act as sentry at one
of the gates where officers and non
commissioned officers only were ad-
mitted. and also to patrol round the
town to see that the hotels were all
closed and arrest anyone found in the
town after p. M, and also to bring
in any prisoners the pickets may have
captured. The first night we ran thir-
teen "niggers'' in. all OF them had
! assegais. They were trying to leave
the town. The day before l arrived
the people in the Mazoe valley were
rescued with great difficulty and
while | was in Salisbury patrols res.
cued the people from Abercorn an(
Hartley. l offered to 90 to Abercorn
but they had enough men withou
taking any of the government police
. When things got quieter martial law
\ was rescinded and new force wa
organized, called the Mashonaland felt
force, at los per day and rations a
} before Provisions getting scarce
patrol was sent towards Umtali to NEE
Col. AldersOn's column and bring OF
$ wagons to Salisbury. We met Alder
: son with the regulars about fifteei
miles beyond Marandellas. They hat
only few days Lefore knocked on
4 Makone and burnt his kraal. On ou
4 way down we burnt lot of kraals
4 On one occasion we expected to hav
a fight. l heard an order shouted
} maxim to the 'front.' and in it cam
nearly running over us, and the
D "right half troop (to which l be
) longed) right wheel, quick march
> and we went rushing over rock an
bush, only to find an empty kraa]
= which we burnt. After getting fou
4 wagons loaded with provisions we re
turned, and on our way the native
were reported creeping up on us. Hal
4 of us were spread out in skirmishin
3 order and the ether half left to proteC
the wagons but no natives were see
! by us, although the scouts saw them
D That same night we saw the cam
I fires of the natives and heard thel
4 drums beating about a mile to ou
s right, but they did not attempt to me
. lest us. After l had returned to Sails
8 bury some time we were sent out
Z the Mazoe to build and garrison a fol
Z there, which we did. After the fol
Z was finished we had to abandon it an
Z make another nearer to where the III
. tives were. We stayed there until OF
= time (three months) had expired
4 when we were discharged. I hay
; since signed on or till the 3lst {
4 March on this garrison (Charter
s What I shall do when that time come
: I don't know. I may go out tradin
( amongst the natives if they hay
Z quieted down; if not. dare say l wi
Z be wanted again by the government
. When we were on our way to Maran(
Z elias we found and buried some of tt
Z murdered whites. We also found