The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-16

SC well that they had faith in me, and
went at it. l. put down thirty-four cases
of dynamite and when it was all let on
that bridge was about as pretty wreck
as you will see in a long while. l learned
afterwards that I could have done the
same work with forty cartridges, but L
did not know how to go at it scientifically,
for l had not been in the business OF
blowing up bridges before. so naturally |
did not make as neat job as | might
have done: but anyway 1t was effective,
for the bridge was completely wrecked.
ESCORTED MICHAEL DANITT.
Lord Roberts was meanwhile lying
close in Bloemfontein letting his men get
into condition.. l was scouting all about
the city. and l happened to be present at
the fight at the Waterworks, as they cali
ed it, where we captured 12S wagons,
which some batteries of the Royal Ar
tillery CT think that was the force) were
conveying We cut them up pretty badly,
and the affair caused good deal of noise,
for it took place not far from Bloemfon-
tein, and Lord Roberts had sent out word
that all that vicinity was pacifed. After
wards | accompanied scouting party
with General De La Rey and we recon
noitered to within two miles of Bloemfon
tein. In this party came across my old
commander Commandant Trickhardt. and
was associated also with General Phil
Botha brother of General Louis Botha.
81 was also fortunate enough to be de-
tailed to escoN Michael Davitt, the Irish
member of Parliament, who was within
the Boer lines around the British position.
For seven weeks more Lord Roberts
lay in Bloemfontein and while he kept
sending word to England that the Free
State was pacifed we had the free run of
the whole country and We're scouting all
about the city. When Roberts concluded
ID move he was SO Overwhelmingly strong
that could do nothing but retreat to
the Vet river. 1t was mastery retreat
that those farmer Generals of the Beers
executed. We kept Lord Roberts advance
guards busy all along a front of %
miles and after bothefing them enough
to give our main army a chance to re-
treat we always got away leaving our
mark on the enemy. At the Kip river we
made stand and while we were but 700
strong we waited for the coming up of
French's flying column of horse. He had
about 5000 men, and yet we not only
stopped his advance but beat him back
and finally forced him to retire with Sc
we're losses. You have probably read all
about that engagement.
END OF HIS FIGHTING.
After the Kip river fight we had or
ders to retreat directly to Pretoria, and
there We're the strictest commands to
make no opposition to the advance of
/ Roberts through johannesburg. L paid
a visit to my family and finding that all
was well with them, / went to the Court
crowd of people waiting for the coming
OF Lord Roberts. I was with few Beers
who had waited after the retreat of the
main body to Pretoria. We noticed at
once that the flag of the Republic had
been pulled down, and we went to the
court house to ask the meaning of this.
We could not get any satisfaction from
the officials there, / secured Boer
! flag and hired little Boer newsboy to
climb to the top of the mast on the court
house and nail up the flag. We waited In
the midst of the crowd until We saw il
safely at the top of the mast and Their
we bade farewell to the frightened off
Gals in the court house and told them
that Lord Roberts would have to pull
down the flag now.
I'VE secreted ourselves in the town that
night and before dawn, Lord Roberts hav-
ing in the meantime occupied the city
we slipped out through the lines and has
tened to Pretoria. Here We expected t.
find that preparations would be complete
for a last stand, but only few Boer.
were in the almost deserted city The
Government had gone on to Machade
Dorp. We waited in Pretoria and had the
satisfaction of seeing the British eau
tiously reconnoitre the town, even send
ing up a balloon before they discovered
that it had been evacuated.
LEFT THE COUNTRY
After that it was a continuous retreat
and We finally went to the Portuguese
frontier and / spent some time at Della
goa Bay. Seeing that there would b,
, guerrilla warfare for long time to com.
and knowing fully that there would be nc
opportunity to visit my family in Johan
nesburg for long time without danger
OF arrest and perhaps exile and imprison.
ment, for martial law reigned there, de
cided to come home. l communicated a.
soon as possible with my wife and TOLD
her my intention and left by sailing YES
sci for Australia, coming here on tn,
Alameda"
Mr.. Turner is sturdy, stocky, blue
eyed and frank-faced man, and he tell
, his story with a wealth of detail and
: forceful command of English that maket
{ him delightful man to listen to- He il
: a machinist by trade and he expects I,
. remain for some time in Honolulu.