The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15
THE TRAGEDIES OF NATAL.
ALMOST EVERY FOOT OF THE COL
ONY BLOOD-STAINED.

mud BOers-Men of the Crisis-OOm
pauI.s Domestic Life-SOmet thing
About r. W. Reitz, Twice Presi-
dent of the Orange Free state,
Vow Kruger's Secretary OF state.
-on, the New York Commercial Adver-
tsser.
should hostilities between Great Britain
and the Transvaal break out it is prob
able that Natal may be again the battle
,ioI5 It was in the northeast corner of
+t,st colony. which projects like a wedge
between the South African Republic and
me orange Free State. that the conflicts
between the Beers and the British forces
were fought in the last war.
At Iaings Mex Pass a comparatively
email Boer command under Gen. Joubert
drove back 1000 men commanded by Sir
CAorge Cooley, governor of Natal; the
british met with another reverse on the
1ngogo Heights, and finally came the bat
tie Of Majuba Hill, where Colley's men,
tired by a fatiguing night ascent, were
s1rprised asleep by a handful of Beers
and driven with great loss down the slope,
their general falling with one-half of his
men. That was on Feb. q, 1881, and since
then there has been peace in Natal But
the tragedies that have been enacted on
the soil of the colony sometimes called the
Garden of South Africa" from the beau
tml flowers that grow there, are almost
innumerable. There is scarcely a yard of
GROUND on which blood has not been split.
Years ago the Zulu hordes of Chaka raw
aged the country west of the Zugels river
with ferocity which spared neither man
nor babe; it is estimated that they slew
more than million persons. One of the
historical tragedies of South Africa was
ucrpetrated by Chaka's successor, Din
esan. who succeeded to the Zulu throne
nv numbering his brother. When the
Trek Beers predecessors of the Beers
Of the Transvaal, arrived, with their slow
moving wagons and their families, after
their toilsome exodus from the Cape, their
leader, Retief, asked the chief for grant
If land. Dingaan complied. There was a
feast to celebrate the occasion, and while
the Beers were seated on the ground
drinking Kaffir beer they were suddenly at
tackled and slaughtered to a man, as many
Of their wives and families being after
ward murdered as the treacherous assas-
sins could set hands on.
After hat there was much fighting until
heroic Beers under Andres Pretorius rode
against a Zulu army of 1900 men, and
totally defeated it, leaving 5000 natives
dead on the field in victory which is still
annually celebrated as a public holiday,
Dingaan's Day." in the Dutch republic of
the Transvaal.
Passing over minor struggles, one comes
to the Zulu war, with its tragedies of
lsandhlwana, in which a British column
was cut to pieces, and of Ulundi. when the
Zuus' power was broken by the British
under Lord Chelmsford.
The Natal Government Railway runs
from the sea at Durham right up to the
high veldt of the TransvaaI by the very
pass which Colley and his regulars failed
to force. The gloomy hills-Amajuba
"Hill of Pigeons" and others-remind
one somewhat of pass on the Scottish
border and not the less so because of the
piercing cold in the winter aud the bleak
winds that visit that region. Possibly
such characteristics, among others. have
had their share in suggesting such names
of townships as Glencoe, Dundee, New
castle, HaWick and even Highlands.
President and Mrs. Kruger live in sub
stautial albeit modest enough looking
dwelling in Pretoria. "Oom Paul" and
his household are very early risers. Five
o'clock not only sees the presidency astir
hut the President sometimes in his short
sleeves, sometimes in his "schIa- frock, 8"
sometimes in his Methodist parson-like ar
ray of sombre black, seated on the stoop
In his favorite big chair, and thoughtfully
pulling away at that long pipe of his-one
of his favorite friends.
From this hour till about s, when his
secretaries arrive, loom Paul. may be
approached with impunity, although u
o'clock and also in the afternoon used
also to be his favorite calling hours. Not
no OF mod in
way of what one would call "conversa-
ton for Dom Paul" though really an
atfable and kindly old gentleman when
not on show is before ST. angers brusque,
taciturn, and morose by turns. refuses to
speak English, though he understands it
as perfectly as you or l. and insists on his
visitors having a Dutch interpreter.
The Presidents conversation on these oc-
casons is generally limited to: Hin"
land snorO. eva" (here a pun at his be-
loved pipe and subsequent liberal expecto-
ration. Occasionally something will strike
his as funny, and he will give gruff sort
OF laugh, as though in spite of himself;
nut like the parrot of old. though he says
nile he thinks the MORE and often,
days after a visitor has departed, loom
Faul will come out with some startlingly
shrewd remark as to that visitors CONVEX
satlon or personality.
Iante' is a sturdy Dutch housewife of
ult old Stdmp-one of the stock who in the
old dagger days loaded the rifles, handing
them to the men who fought-yet womanly
HthaL
In appearance, '"Tante," whose age
should place at between sixty and seventy,
reminds one of a motherly housekeeper IF
'he good Old-fashioned style-there is no
attempt at show or fashion in the
cut of her clothes. She hates the intrusive
Hlander like a true Boer, and she can't
uanK why he can't stay at home and mini
MS own business" I'VE don't want them
lei them 10 TREK" she has been heard to
sion.
I'm" nen recently some one was telling
lahte' all about the "Dum-Dum" bull
H's aud long distance the modern rifles
,goma reachz-"falling right behind the
AoPes and exploding there''-"Tante' was
oaeut and thoughtful for moment. How
g'sr she soon regained her usual cheer
tgho'S replying, in brisk tones: well
uI5u IT they fire behind the kopjes, the
0lF thing will be for us to sit in front"
1 n returning from his memorable visit to
.,usl7nd' the President brought with him
10 st,ff Of