Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-02-09

"a "a ..agland from u woman In Natal
''Sc'''."I how she held the family
lorl :.-...nst the Beers while her father
Was held prisoner In their camp dur
ing the time they occupied Estcourt,
says the New York Commercial Adyer-
tiser. She says:
"fhc road to Mooi river was alive
with crowd of horsemen, wagons.
spiders. etc. | cannot compare il to
anything but swarm of black ants;
they were always on the move, coming
and going just as ants pass In a line
along the track. About IL o'clock the
Beers opened the ball by four of them
riding up To the gate and asking II we
had any horses 10 sell | will tell YOU,
TO start with. every one carries load
ed Mauser across his knee, and his
hand on the trigger, two bandoliers full
OF cartridges. got used TO looking
down rifle barrels. We said we did not
want to sell any horses. SO this man
said. Well, we must have them, as
we want horses badly. and will
give YOU receipt for them or course
there was nothing to be done so they
took my trap horses and fathers pony.
From the house we saw the wretches
budding up our wethrr flock and catch
ing and killing them by dozens.
Parties kept on coming. asking
horses They We're civil certainly, but
We always kept the back gate shut and
did not allow them inside. About IL
O'clock three Free Statcrs rode up. One
called Bester spoke English perfectly
and looked quite a gentleman. They
wanted yoke and gear for II oxen. We
told them they could not have it. In
the meantime the oxen had been driy-
en up the hills. and, to our disgust, 13
of them We're our own, Father remon-
stratrd aud said we had been told that
if people staid quietly on their farms
they would not be molested. and yet
our stock was being looted and killed.
So BpSter asked why did not father so
and see the general and represent 1t to
him. and he was quite sure the stock
would be returned and he CBesterD
| would guarantee his safety. 1t SEEM
| ed Il chance TO save our property, so
father saddled up Charlie, and they
went up to the camp at the foot OF the
| cutting. | began to suspect something
| after bit. and about sundown Il very
| civil young Dutchman came from the
camp with a note from father saying
as Brster had taken him into the
| camp and he had seen the guns, etc,
| they must detain him until the camp
moved on. They seemed very kind,
and he was all right.
"All this time parties of Beers, al
| ways in threes and fours, had been
| continually coming. wanting bread.
| butter. eggs and milk. | never knew
ANYTHING like the length of those days.
| They were like three or four in one.
However, at last dark came. We left
| lights burning all night. not to give any
excuse for thinking there was no one
in the house.
"wednesday we We're up by 3. and
after breakfast our visitors began 10
| appear. and we had another day on the
rack. About midday Captain Bleksley
and his assistants from the Johannes
| burg ambulance came. lhey wanted
to buy bread. etc. Some was cookliiS
so they waited for It, He was evident
| ly big swell and gentlemanly. so We
thought 1t polite to ask him to wait IN
the front vpranda, and brought them
out tea and cake. which was much ap
| tn, oil. m
and said he was very glad to find we
had remained on our farm, as the rum
and deSolation In these deserted home
steads were past description and most
pitpous and terrible He said he hoped
| had not been molested in any way.
| said: No. Personally his people had
been civil enough. but their requests
were always urged with loaded rifles
across their knees and fingers on the
trigger, which was not exactly pleas
ant. He regretted it should be neces-
sary. but in some cases their people
had been fired at, and they were bound
to glmrd against surprises. ! told him
nv father had been taken into their
camp. on guarantee Of safety, to try
and protect our stock from further
molestation and had been detained a
prisoner. at which he professed him
self much grieved.
AT daybrenk on Thursday the artil-
Iery fire began, and a big gun or two
gave a tremendous boom. This went
on until about 10 o'clock, and we could
see bodies of horsemen on the hills
above RyrnbeIla and Stockton. Soon
after that. to our JOY. the Dutch came
helter skelter back under Mr.. Sim
mons trees and behind Flagstaff and
kopie again. to their camp by the cut
ting. horses. wagons. spiders, guns.
"Friday morning. until about II. the
hillsdes between the spruit ana the
top of the hill were covered with
horses. mules and cattle. Then sud
denly they started to break up camp.
and by O'Clock they had gone. and we
have not seen a BOer since. The coui-
mando was between 1000 and 3OOo
strong. with eight guns and wagons.
The way in which they all disappear
ed was simply marvellous. They could
give us points in getting FROM place to
place. fancy they met with rather
warmer reception than they expected
They 1.-THE Boers) were most anxious
that we should go and report our treat
mept to the general. but we always
stcadily refused to leave. One even
suggested that should go to see Mrs.
.Joubert. ! am sure 1t was just trap