Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-09-04
BoERs ON ST. HELENA.
CAptaiR Mann Tell. How They Are
Treated by the British.

New York, sept 3-Tho British
steamship Masconomo. which has just
arrived here from South Africa. touched
at 81. Helena for repairs. Captain
Mann was permitted 10 visit the Boer
prisoners on the island. lie rode up the
I've mile winding road b the top of
Rupert Hin ia deadwood plain, where
be found the prisoners. pen Of General
orouje's 2o00 men. Deadwood plain is
q east % Jamestown The stockade Is
two miles from Longwood. which was
the home of Napoleon.
The Boer Hptives are confined within
a harbed wire enclosure quarter Of a
mile square. Twelve feet from the
fenoe on all sides is a second trocha like
the first. II Is death for Boer private
to cross the line Of the inner pen.
Captain Mann said that Boor wish.
ing for change Of scene left the inner
enclosure aud advanced TO the outer en-.
closure. The sentinel warned him aud
ordered the man 70 10 back.
The Boer only laughed. The sentinel
fired and killed his man. The British
soldier was then tried and acquitted by
n courtmArtiAl.
''While the British soldiers sleep ls
men In tent, said Captain Mann, ''the
Beers sleep only 10 men TO tent. In
order 10 afford them all the room posi-.
hie the British have allowed the Beers
% cut hamboos for shacks. This BAN.
boo frame the Beers have ingeniously
covered with canvas and with slabs Of
tin. The tin they obtained in a curious
way There were on the island a great
many parafine cans. which the Beers
carefully fiattened out for the tin sides
and roof b. their shacks.
"Some 0f the prisoners are permitted
10 work for the farmers On tho island
and thereby earn little money.
MANY are darkskinned, O foot Eel.
lows, who go about smoking long pipes.
They always give the military salute IL
they meet you Ia the highway The
Beers fnternize with the Inhabitants.
"The nearest approach 10 anything
like uniforms was three uniform hats
which picked out among the 2OOO
There were many men seventy years
old and just as many others IS. % and
H.
The officers with whom conversed
speak both Dutch aud English. The
privates are not rs bright as their ON.
GERS. They seemed rather a stupid lot.
They have the same fare as the British
soldiers
There arr two regiments Ia the gar.
ris1n-the West Indian colored regi.
ment. composing the regular garrison.
and the Fifth Gloucester infantry. Lieu.
tenant Colonel Eyans-guArding the
prisoners.
THE Beers have such an aversion 20
blacks that the proposition Of assigning
the West Indies % guard the natives /
could not be entertained
Il conversed with Colonel schiel. the
German officer who fought with the
Beers. He was very cAntankerous still. |
"CommandAnt RoOse. the Boer officer
who captured Winston Churchill. was
very conciliatory. He told me that he
thought the game was mp and his peo.
pie ought 20 stop fighting.
The Boer officers are allowed 10 do /
pretty much n they please, and their
names are posted nj the 81. Helena club. I
The British officers entertain them al
afternoon teas. and General Crnuje Is
practically the steady guest Of the gov.
ernor. A cable now runs % the island
from South Africa and the bulletins
from the seat Of war arc frequently
struck Of and sold TO the prisoners for |
penny piece.
"A Dutch ship anchored while was
there, but was requested 90 leave and .
did 50. The British were afraid some /
Of the Beers would got away on their
cousins ship"