Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-27

Il MM riff III tered white set
" kaE. Tgyf4yMM tiers in the dis.
NSfe bfs.s 1sEl trict. One of
EdT GsS ssS&gJ the first blows
&fsss %YEs,S S6 vi struck was at
mine, at Brinton's Reef, about eighty
miles east of Buluwayo. The mine
was operated by Mr.. w. F. Brinton
and two Beers named Potgieter and
Gierstaat, respectively, with about
twenty Kaflir 'boys" in their service.
With Mr.. Brinton was also his son
Otto, boy of fourteen.
There had been so little anticipation
OF trouble with the natives that early
on the morningof the 23d Mr.. 8rinton
had ridden over to Grahams Htore,
about twenty miles to the north.
Gierstaat had gone to inspect work on
another "reef" to the west, and Otto
and Potgieter were left alone at their
little hut.
Otto was within, when he heard q
sudden dull crashing noise ut the
door. Looking quickly, he saw to his
horror that the Boer, who had been
smoking his pipe on bench just out
side, had fallen on his face to the
ground, and that blood was pouring
from his head. A Kaffir knob -kerrie,
or throwing club, lay beside him.
AS the boy rushed to his COM
panion's assistance he was suddenly
confronted by swarm of armed ma
tives, who had stolen around the cor
ner of the hut. Among these were
their own miners, armed with drills
and hammers, and the rest were
Matabele from neiehboring kraaI.
These last were in full war-gear, some
with rifles, others with shields and
assagais, and all wore white ox.tails
twisted around neck and wrist.
Otto was only boy, but in coun-
tries like Rhodesia boys rapidly ac-
quire decision and pluck beyond their
years. He saw at a glance that moth
ing could be done for Potgieter, and
the yelling natives were surging for
ward to cut off his retreat. Half
dozen rifles were leveled at him, when
he drew his revolver, which he carried
in his belt, fired three shots straight
into the mob, and under cover of this
turned and ran for his life toward the
mine.
The nearest shaft was some hundred
yards away, and Otto hoped to hide
himself by retreating into the tunnels.
1t was what is called an "incline
shaft, running down at an angle of
forty-tive degrees for about hundred
Q Wi oil 81 4,
bottom. The whole swarm of natives
pursued him, firing their rifles and
throwing spears and clubs, all of
which weapons missed their aim-for
the Kaflirs are notoriously bad marks
men, though brave enough at close
fighting. Otto had just reached the
mouth of the shaft, and was pre- caring
to descend, when a struggling volley
was fired. He felt u stunning blow
on the top Of the head, became un-
conscious at once, and, dropping his
revolver, rolled headlong down the
shaft like shot rabbit.
The Matabele uttered a wild chorus
of delighted yells at his fall, and,
taking it for granted that he was dead,
did not take the trouble to go after
him, but proceeded to burn the hut,
mutilate Potgieter's corpse, and do
what other damage suggested itself.
Meanwhile Otto lay doubled up
among heap of boulders at the bot
tom OF the shaft, insensible and sorely
bruised. The slope OF the shaft was
strewn with broken quartz, which in
his reckless tumble had supplemented
the effect of the heavy musket ball
which had grazed his skull, cutting
the scalp, but intlicting no serious in
jury. 1t was quite six hours, as he
afterward calculated, before he slowly
and painfully struggled back to con-
sciousness, with parching thirst and
head that was mass of bruises and
caked blood. For some minutes he
was unable to realize his situation =;
and thec his first thought was that his
father might have returned and been
murdered by the savages. He listened
but could hear no sound, and finally
crept up to the mouth of the shaft
and peered over.
Not native was in sight, but where
the mining hut had stood was only a
heap OF ashes, sending up pillar of
smoke into the sky. The sun was
shining brightly, and it seemed about
two o'clock in the afternoon. With
infinite precautions Otto emerged
from the shaft, and after satisfying him.
self that the Matabele were really gone
he went painfully down to the little
creek that flowed near, and drank till
his feverish thirst was appeased. He
washed the blood from his wounds,
tied a wet handkerchief around his
head, and went to look at the ruins.
Potgieter's body was lying stripped
and horribly mutilated near where he
had fallen. The other Boer lay not
far distant, also stripped and pierced
with many assagai wounds; but to
his infinite relief Otto could find nc
trace of his fathers having returned.
He filed flask with water, wrote on
a stray board with charcoal, "Gone to
] ff,,,,, a -