The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-26

with a present. When the boy returns
he brings with him dozen friends. In
this way the force is constantly re-
cruited.
TIE "Boss" also resorts to many
ruses TO make the boys work. Just
now he is constructing a telegraph line
from Umtali to Tete. on the .Zambesi.
DR.. jameson had to give up this job on
account % the heat.
When the men funk entirely C-eech
puts a bottle of brandy about a mile
in advance and announces that the
men who reach that point first get the
prize The telegraph line is rapidly
approaching Tete.
He also protects his boys, and on
several occasions has numerically
thrashed white men who abused one OF
them. This is almost unprecedented
in South Africa, where treatment of
blacks, both by the English and the
BCers, exceeds in brutality any that
was ever visited on a Georgia negro in
the slave days.
1t is related of President Kruger
himself that he once treked across
country for two whole days with a
Kafir boy under his wagon, hands and
feet tied to either axle.
CREECH'S PLUCK.
South Africa is being opened UP now
the most important town in central
South Africa, has just been connected
with Cape Town by 4 railroad. Sails
oury, the town of next Importance,
lying 200 miles further east, is to have
an outlet at Beira, East Africa, Creech,
under Rhodes direction, IS completing
4 railway between these two points.
That part of Africa is said to be the
most deathiy district in the world,
tO it,: SANDY nature and the
equatorial heat. Few persons can stand
the climate, and English pioneers who
have survived the Jungles of India and
the SLOWS of British America succumb
here.
A few hours suffices for the deadly
fever to do it's work The mortality is
awful. On October is, last year, the
writer saw ten men carried oct of the
Beach hotel at Beira, who had gone TO
bed the night before seemingly IN
splendid health.
The soil for leo miles inland is quick
sand. Rough pine boxes, which serve
as cofirs. viii not stay down in the
grave, but float to the top. a black
stands on the box until the hole is filed
with quick time and sand. 1t is sui
cidal 10 remain there long, but Creech
stands it.
he seems to have a constitution i'm
Dervious to disease. He is a superb
athlete and lives for the most part in
the open air. at night he lies down on
the Veldt wherever he happens to be,
and takes his rest with the horses rein
tied to his boot.
TEMPERATE AND ECCENTRIC.
In contrast to the others, he taboos
all stimulants ard tobacco. This may
not seem remarkable, but considering
the fact that drinking in South Africa
is Synonymous with living, it is worthy
IF note. Every Englishman working
for the British South African Char
tered company drinks at least one
quart Of brandy a day, unless he can
not get it.
The personality ard career of this
man are unique. Re dislikes civilizat on.
He hates TO wear q collar. Yet his
clothes are of the most expensive i'm
pOrtations. lie prefers broadcloth and
generally swims a river or wallows in
the dusty veldt the first day he pits
on a rev suit after that il is dis
carded. 1t is popular saying that one
half of Creech's nlggers wear some of
his clothes.
He seems to have no conception of
the value OF money. His earnings are
marvellous. The bank at Beira stands
ready to cash his check for 10000
($200, 000). AS rule he has no savings,
but his credit is good.
This man Creech is never happy 'un-
less he is broke remarked Jameson to
Rhodes when the former left the teie-
graph job. But I'll back him for any
amount" the latter is said to have an
swerad, because we can't get along
without him.
For two months of last year he sup
ported so stranded Americans and Eng
Iishmen at Fontes villa, many of whom
i'll l,
On a native holiday he rode into Beira
and bought out a jeweIry store dis
tributing the contents to. his blacks.
His swagger as he rolls along the
street is a constant challenge in a COM
munity where physical proves is the
only safe passport. but even the bur-
Hest hesitate to dislodge the chip, for
Creech is first and foremost a fighter
and has worked his way to the top in