The Newtown bee., 1900-11-02
Cape Town, South Africa,

September 23, 1900. Cape Town gets to be very slow town and everyone is wondering what they can do to kill time until Lord Rob- hannesburg. It is not quite as bad for
 some of us as we are taking orders and getting out plans and specifications which take up part of the time.
 The only thing of interest the past week has been the coming of Baden Powell. People simply went wild over him. There was great crowd to meet him at the station and he was carried from the car to the carriage on mems shoulders. Then the horses were taken from before the carriage and men drew itpthr0ugh the street. This week there are to Do receptions and torch light pro- most popular man in Africa. He has a stern face yet one of great expression and kindness. The Boers admit that he has excelled them in brightness and strategy. As Krueger has skipped the country it does not seem as though the war could drag on much longer. Krue- ger has found himself traitor to his country just as we expected. He stole ten millions in gold from the mines, and to enjoy it, leaving the remaining burgh- CTS to get along as they can. Yet this is the man who appealed to all the powers for intervention on the plea they were fighting for liberty. Lord Roberts re- ports that since the commencement of the war he has captured 15, 900 Boer pris- oners, 10, 900 have been killed, 5000 have taken the oath of neutrality, though that does not amonnt to much, leaving 10, 900 still in the field. They can keep up a guerilla warfare for some months of course but that will not change the final result. Nov that the Eransvaal and Orange Free State are annexed it IS only an act of barbarism and murder for the Boers to continue the war.
 Within the past 10 days Roberts has captured 96 locomotives and hundreds of cars. These will be of the greatest ser vice to him. I am looking forward with much pleasure to getting back to the club at Johannesburg to live, as the liv- ing here is as bad as 1t can be. am so tired of hotels that would be glad never to see the inside of one again. The club comes the nearest to being a home of any place I know of outside the real thing. Several times week I.get can of Boston baked beans, have them warm them up here at the Royal Hotel and make an entire meal of them. They taste much better than anything we get here.
 This is the Jewish new year. Have been tonight to their spe cial service. The minister is Rev pr Hertz of the church in Johannesburg. He came all the way from America with me two years ago. having been called from a church in Syracuse, N. Y., and made a great name in the short time he was at Johannesburg and trebled his congrega. tion in number. He is deep thinker and eloquent man. Tonight the large hall was packed, many thousands there, and at the close of the service the people simply fought to get chance to shake hands with him. thought would slip out quietly ard not join in the struggle to get near him, but he suddenly caught sight of me and rushed through the crowd and came and talked with me and made me promise to call on him. m.SESome of the Jews were indignant that he should leave them to talk to Yankee. The strongest churches here are the Jewish, Old Dutch ard Mohammedan. have not attended the latter. It is said to be 8 curious sight. Every known church is represented here at Cape Town. don't wish to discourage foreign mis- sionary work but if you could see what 1 have the past two years you would agree with me that one dollar spent at home does more good than two sent to a heathen country. So many of the mis. sionaries sent out here seem devoid of tact or common sense in educating or Christianizing the South African Kaff1r. Religion is an important factor but ordi- nary common sense is a close second.
 B. M. Mitchell.