Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-11
HOW HE WAS TAKEN
War Correspondent BALES Relates
Experience With the Beers,
SHOT BEFORE BE Was CAPTURED
Beers Were Kind, But Criticised
His Foolhardiness.
GRAPHIC STORY OF A RIDE

| Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
| LONDON, April 3.-H. Hales, CORE
| spondent Of the Daily News, who was
wounded and taken prisoner to Bloemfon-
tein before that place fell into the hands
OF the British, has written vivid dessrfp-
ton Of his experiences. His companion WIS
| Mr.. Lambfe of the Melbourne Aga. MI.
Hales' story follows:
| eve had drifted few nurdred yards be-
hind the advance party. but we're good
distance in front of the rear ,uaro. whsh a
| number of horsemen made a dash from the
| kopJes which I'VE We're skirting and the
| rifles began to speak There was no time
| for poetry; 1t was case of sit tight and
| ride hard or surrender and be made pris-
| oners Lambie shouted to me, Let's make
a dash, Halss,' and We made 1t. The Beers
| were very close to us before we knew any
thing concerning their presence. Some of
them wers behind us and some extended
| along the edge of the kopjes by which we
/ had to pass to get 20 the British line in
| front, all Of them gallop'ng in on US, shoot
ing as they rode and shouting to us 20 sur
| render and had We been wise me1 We
would have thrown Tap oar hands. for It
was almost hopeless to try and ride
| through the rain Of lead that whstled
| around US.
No Wonder They Were Hit.
1T was no wonder we were hit; the WON
| der to me is that we were not filed with
| lad. for some Of the bullets came so close
| to me that think should know them IL
| met them In a shop window.
We were racing by this time. Lambie's
big chestnut mare had gained length on
| my little ve!dt pony, and we were not more
than hundred yards away from the Maus-
| er rifles that had closed in on US from the
| kop1es. A voice called in good English:
| nroW up your hands, you d--n FOOLS
| But the galloping fever was on us both,
| and we only crouched lower ON our horses
backs and rode all the harder, for even a
| parnyard fowl loves liberty.
| All at once I saw my comrade throw I'D
! MS nands with a spasmodic gesture He
| rose In his stfrrups and fairly bounded high
| out or the saddle. and as he spun round in
| the air l saw the red blood on the white
| face and / knew that death had come to
| MIN sudden and sharp. Again the rifles
| spoke and the load was closer to me than
ever friend sticks in time of trouble. and
| knew In my heart that the next few
! strides would settle things. The black pony
was galloping gameiy under my weight.
| would he carry me safely out of that line
| OF lire, or would he fail me?
| suddenly something touched me on the
| right temple; 1t was not like blow; it was
not shock; for half second was con-
scious !! knew l was hit: knew that the
l .,
| knew that I was lying down upon my
horses back. and my head hanging below
! his throat. Then all the world went out in
one mad whirl. Earth and heaven seemed
| to meet as II by magic My horse seemed
to rise with me, not to fall, and then
| chaos.
The Coming Around.
| when next I knew I was still on this
planet I found myself in the saddle again,
riding between two Beers, who were sup
| mo IN, fba r
| side to side. There was halt; a man with
a kindly face took my head in the hollow
| or his arm. while another poured water
down my throat Then they carried me to
a shady spot beneath some shrubbery and
! laid me gently down. One man bent over
me and washed the blood that had dried on
my face, and then carefully bound up my
more plainly-a blue sky above me; group
Of rough. hardy men, all armed with rifles
around me. 1 saw that 1 was prisoner,
and when I tried to move soon knew I
| was damaged.
The same good-looking young fellow
with the curly beard bent over me again.
Feel any better now. old fellow
| II stared hard. at the speaker for he
| spoke like an Englishman. and we1l-edu.
Gated one. too. Yes, I'm better. I'm Q
prisoner. amt II
| Eyes
"'Are you an EngIishman? I asked. He
laughed.
mot T. he said, I'm a Boer born and
bred, and am the man who bowled you
over. What on earth made you do such
FOOLS trick as to try and ride from our
rifles at that distance?'
"'Didn't think 1 was welcome in these
parts
Don't make Jest Of It, man. the Boer
said, gravefy. rather thank God you are
a living man this moment. 1t was His
hand that saved you; nothing else could
| have done So
HE spoke reverently; there was no cant
in the sentiment he uttered-his face was
too open. too manly, too fearless, for
How long is 1t since I was knocked
OVER ,o,+ three bour,,
Comrade Was Dead.
els my eomrade dead7'
"'Quite dead the Boer replied; death
came instantly to him; he was shot through
the BRAIN
Poor besgar,' muttered, and he'll
have to rot on the open veldt, supposer
1.-The Boer leaders face flushed angray.
DO you take us for savages? he asked
| Rest easy: your friend will get decent
| burial What was his rank?'
| WAR correspondent.
Wand your own?
"'War correspondents also My papers are
in my pocket somewhere
Sir said the Boer leader. you dress
exactly like two British officers. You ride
out Wftn nshtins party; you try to ride
of at a gallop under the very muzzle of
| our rifles when we tell you to surrender
You can blame no one but yourselves for
| this days work.
| ct blame no man; played the game
and am paying the penalty
Then they told me how poor Lambie's
horse had swerved between myself and
them. After ba1nbfe had fallen then they
saw me fan forward in the saddle and they
knew was hf'aA few strides later one Of
them had sent q bullet through my horses
bead. and he mad rolled on top Of me. Yet,
with it all, II had escaped with Craze over
the right atempt and badly knocked-up
shoulder. "a Truly, as the Boer said, the
hand of G2d must have shielded me-"
DIR. CRAMER DTEs FROM wOtyNDs.
Policeman SIX OF Frederick, Md, Ar