Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-14
WHEELING in AFRICA.
Adventurous Ride From johann
nesburg to Pietermaritzburg.
EXPERIENCES OF AN ENGLIsHMAN

What Charles F. Smith Saw In His
Cycle Ride Through the BOer
Camps-CauEht KOdakIng by the
Enemy-SaNv n Hot BattIe-His Re
ceptIon by General White.
resident in Northallerton has just
received from his brother. Charles +.
Smith. from Pietermaritzburg, particU-
lars of an adventurous cycle ride from
Johannesburg through the Boer camps,
says the London Telegraph.
With a cycle laden back and front.
with a proSpector's tent. fly and ham
mock, two pairs of blankets. several
changes of clothing. 4 change of boots.
timed meats. biscuits and bread. fruit
salt. n Rand X AIcNally map of South
Africa. he proceeded on his dangerous
journey i'll spite OF salutary warnings.
At the first store the Dutch proprietor
could not give him beer, as the penalty
was two years Imprisonment and con-
fiscation OF sellers property. The Beers
here eyed him curiOusly. The store
keeper advised him TO go straight
through the Boer camp as safer than
skirtinG the outpoSts. as the latter eX-
cited suspicion.
The early dawn found him on the
way to Standcrton. In the afternoon
he passed the first Boer camp. of which
he took n snap shot photo with Il ko-
dak he had under his coat. The camps,
he was told. extended seven or eight
miles. He took Il snap shot of Il queer
scene. Il riding school where raw re-
cruits We're being jiggered into all posi-
tons. clinSing desperately to horses
necks and here and there thrown 10
the ground. lie twined his way through
the Beers, some calling and chatting to
him.
Passing into the center of the Boer
encampment. ne saw maneuvers going
on. Beers We're on all sides. but amid
the general excitement and absorption
the cycliSt passed through almost I'M
noticed. Coming across the picturesque
scene of n laaGer. he put the kodak on
the cycle saddle and was peeDing
through to apply the sight finder. when.
ALAS a splendid scene was spoiled and
he himself grabbed by five Beers from
behind, one suatching the suspicious
instrument. All jabbered eXcitedly at
once in Dutch. The cyciist demanded.
in English. his kodak and. like injured
innocence. demanded to he taken to
their commandment to get his property
back, but. sub rosa. lie really did not
want to be taken. After conference
they released him, keeping the kodak.
He counted seven camps of bell
tents. He saw specialized German otli-
GERS. Hollanders and green roscttcd
Irishmcn. The majority of the soldiers
were dressed in civilian clothes: some
in khaki. The Staats artillery were
mainly HOlianders and Germans. They
had uniforms not unlike the German
caps with leather peaks. dark blue
suits with yellow facings. Probably
before going into action these can
noneers put aside those conspicuous
uniforms. for later on at the battle Of
Talana Hill he saw several of the com
mandOeS dead or wounded. and none
of them had the blue uniform. At
Dundee he Joined the Town guard and
acted as dispatch bearer for war cor
respondent in Il brick house facing Ia
lana hill on the day of battle He saw
the great action and heard the bullets
whistle. After the evacuation by Gen
eral Yule he was in Dundee when the
Beers came in. and one who spoke Eng
lish told him to go to his room and
consider himself as a prisoner. But |
da and escaped On his wheel. caught mp |
to the retreating column and passed il. |
He spent a night in a Kaifir kraal, |
where there were eight people sleep |
ing.
Arriving at Ladysmith. he was adj |
viSed to go TO see General White. to |
inform him with regard to the retreat |
ing army. He therefore went to the |
headquarters. and an Indian attendant |
General Whites room the |
cyclist knocked at the door, and 4 voice |
said, Come in He entered and saw |
the general writing ut 4 dressing Ia |
BILE. The apparition of the stranger |
had n disconccrting effect. and before |
the bold man could reply the general |
cried: who are you? What do you !
want? What are you doing here?' |
Two aids-de-camp rushed in, and one |
planted his back against the door.
Then both asked questions rapidly. |
The guilty man answered meekly that !
he had very properly knocked at the
door and had been told to come in.
and he only wanted to give them some |
Then Sir George and the
other officers cooled down and after
hearing the information cordially |
him. At Pietermaritzburg the
last that was heard of the Englishman
was he had Joined the staIwart I'm
perial Light infantry.