The evening times., 1900-03-01
SCENES IN GRONJES LAAGER.
The Beers Thankful at Having Es-
capped Death.

PAARDEBERG, Feb 27.-Cvia Modder
River, Feb. IS, 1855 p. m.D.-AmOng the
Boer commanders who were taken prison
ers were commandants J. Martins, R. West
and Verster; field cornets, J. Snyman, J. II.
Vande, ]. II. Bosnian, W L. Lemmer, and
BadenhoTst; Adjutants J. S. Maree ard J.
A BOtha: War Commissioner Arnolds and
Acting Field Comets p. V. DevillieTs and
G. ]. Dupless. The biggest commanders
that surrendered were the PotchefstrOom,
OF zoe men, and the Bloemfontein, OF 500
men.
Before the arrival Of the guard 10 re-
move the prisoners, the lsager presented
pitiable sight. The BOers were lying or
sitting in groups Their faces were hag-
gard. worn. and nearly all were crying out
for drop Of spirits. The laager had been
practically destroyed. Nearly all the Free
Staters spoke English and their principal
idea seemed to be thankfulness for their
present deliverance.
One Of them. shaking his fist in the
direction OF General CronIe. said:
Damn you, you hard man. You deserve
TO be shot"
Several Of the prisoners were youths OF
sixteen and eighteen. There was a strange
scene when the prisoners crossed the
river 1t looked more like froIic than
warfare The prisoners took their trou-
sers on. and many splashed water on each
other and cracked jokes Others. with
grim faces, looked with disfavor on this
careless merrimcnt. The Boer rifles that
were surrendered were uninjured.
The prisoners look more like an irregu-
lar horde than soldiers. There are many
grey bearded men and bcardless boys among
then. They appear to be well fed. but
tired. They carry a rough roll like that
used by farm servants in carrying effects
when they are changing situations Gen
eral Cronje and about dozen others alone
looked like men Of position. Even the
uniformed Orange Free state Artulerists
we're ragged.
All the prisoners accepted their posi-
tion complacently. General Cronie sat 81
lently smoking under the trees near head
quarters. The others were arranged in
ruws on the veldt according 10 their com
Eandoes. About fifty women and children
t-aveled in their own Cape carts.
A correspondent tramped out on the
veldt and saw some British soldiers re-
moving the Boer sick on stretchers. The
correspondent did not see a single wagon
intact anywhere. Most OF them were half
burned. Meat and potatoes were scattered
among old clothes. trunks. and cooking
utensils.
There were thousands Of rounds Of Maui
ser and Martini-Henry cartridges. but
there was scarcely any artillery ammuni-
tion. Only four Krupp I2-pounders. one
Maxim, and one Vickers-Maxlm were
found. The positions south Of the river
were protected with remarkable trenches
that looked Ike split dumb-beus. They
were banked with sandbags waist high
and the ends were deep and overhauging.
There were many bags rEed with -four.
bread. and cartridges. Probably not more
han three persons lived iu each trench.
General CrOnje's force numbered 4I0O
odd. The food in the lager was very
scarce and most Of what remained was
pu,rid.
4 two hours inspection Of the Boer laa-
ger was nauseaung. II is marvellous how
anyone could remain ten days there among
decomposed horses and the entraus Of cat