Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-28


train before dawn. and was sheltered
during She day IN small wood. in com
pany with huge vulture. who displayed
a lively interest In me.
CHOCOLATE HIS ONLY FOOD.
II walked on at dusk There were no
more trains that night. The danger of
meeting the guards Of the line continued
but i was Obliged 90 follow &c. ass ! had
no compass or map. ! had Co make wide
detours TO avoid bridges. stations. and
nuts, and so my progress was very slow
chocolate IS not a satisfying food The
outlook was gloomy. but J pcrsevered.
with Gods help For five days my food
supply was very prccarlous. l was lying
up by daylight and walking by night
Meanwhile. my escape had been dis
covered and my d scription telegraphed
everywhere All trains were searched
and every one was on the watch for me.
-Four times tine wrong people We're ar.
rested
"'rhe sixth day. ] managed TO board a
train beyond Middleburg. from whence
there was direct service TO Delagoa.'
CONFIDENCE IN BULLER
LONDON. December 2S-The Morning
Post has received the following from Mr.
Churchill. under date Of December 26th.
tclcgraphed from Chieveey Camp. where
ho has arrived:
"AlI ranks have complete confidence I'm
Sir Redvers Butler. and there Is stern
determination 20 succeed next time. at all
costs A painful impression was caused
by the announcement Of the change 81
c0pmandcr-in-chief. and the soldiers
here are resolved TO vindicate their trust
ed leader
SITUATION DIFFICULT
"The situation. nevertheless. is difficult,
the Boer position being one Of eXtraor-
binary strength with high hills lined,
tier on tier with trenches and galleries
rising from an almost unfordable river
and with q smooth plain in front
"The enemy have all the ranges mark
cd. and many powerful guns dominate
the various points of the river while he
drifts are commanded by converging
muskotry fire from probably 1900 Beers
There are sixteen miles of wild broken
country before reaching Ladysmlih,
which demands early relief.
CHURCHILL SAILS FOR DURHAM
LOURENZO MARQUES. December D.
Mr. Winston Churchill arrived here late
last night and left for Durham boy the
steamer lnduna.
ROBERTS AND KITCHENER MEET
GIBRALTAR December 1.-THE Brit
ish steamer DunOttar Castle. having
ON board General Lord Roberts. of Kan
dahar. communicable of the British
forces I'm South Africa. arrived here yes
terday evening
General Sir II. Kitchener who came
from Egypt To join General Roberts as
his chief of staff, embarked ON board thc
Dunottar Castle. and the vessel sailed
early this morning for Cape Town.
III rrfr.f
LONDON. December T-Dispatches
from MOdder river represent Dulch MS
affection i'm Grigualand West as growing
very serious. I'm some towns the entire
Dutch population has joined the boeis-
IL is announced that the Beers nave
raised the siege of thurman. ana nave
am Withdrawn To- Mager-iOnteih
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Times. under date of Friday. December
22d. says.
ANXIETY regarding the Colonial Dutch
is steadily CROWNS They make no EFFORT
10 conceal their sympathy with the TWO
republics. and the only question now ls
whether. If the military situation is not
changed, they viii keep from open reDel-
lion"
SORTIE FROM KIMBERLEY.
KIMBERLEY Wednesday, December
20-At 2.30 this morning detachmenl7
under Colonel Peakman. with three Max
inns and three 7-pounders under MAJOR
May. reconnoitered. Leaving the en-
tronchments. the British advanced on
Toll Pam The BOcr pickets fired, ana our
Maxims replied. the Beers disappearing
over the ridge. our guns ther p gan p"
shell Toll Pan at range OF L'VJ yaids'
A BOer gun dropped four shells near our
mon. but did no damage. As the Beers
We're strongly entrenched. we withdrew.
Their guns are well placed.