The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-28
ESCAPED FROM THE BoERs.
The Thrilling Experience OF Burn
ham, the American Scout.

ham. the American scout.
LONDON. May 15.-Burnham, the Aemri-
can scout has given Bennett Burieish an
account of his adventures when prisoner
in the hands of the Beers. He was sent Out
to Bloemfontein by General Roberts on
March 80 to scout as far as Thaba N'Chu
and up to the Basuto border. his object
being to find out the numbers Of the Beers
and what they were planning. On the FOL
lowing morning he was captured by nail
dozen Beers as he was trying to signal
to the British who were entering to the
fatal ambush of Koorn Spruit. To con-
tinue in his own words:
They told me l was a prisoner. and
ordered to dismount and follow them into
a cattle kraal, or stone wall enclosure near
by when they turned the horses loose and
took up positions to fire upon the soldiers.
During the course OF the morning other
Beers came up and asked them to lend
their horses to outfank our flying con-
yoy. SAYING theirs were too tired. My
captors. refused. saying that though their
horses were fat they preferred to ride
them so they left the newcomers to hold
the kraal and rode away to try and head
off the guns and convoy.
II was turned over to the new arrivals
who asked who was. and on being told
one of them remarked it would have been
better if they had shot me and not been
troubled in that situation with prisoners.
The man may not have meant what he
said. Certainly they did me no harm be-
yond keeping me under close watch.
After the fight. 1. with other prisoners.
was rounded up. AS l had bound my
handkerchief round my leg, pretending
that / was lame, l was allowed to ride
In a wagon with other sick and wounded
rt.r-,y, n
going two miles along that road and then
were turned to the north by east, trek
king until p. m. We rested in suita-
BILE place for defence and fighting rear
guard action, for the Beers imagined they
would not get away without being heavily
attacked.
After dark the oxen were inspanned.
and off we were started again. journeyina
without hating thirteen miles. Those of
our men marching on foot suffered Sc
verely, but the Beers forced along all who
could walk. On and on. the men and
animals being marched to the point Of
exhaustion. Sunday had passed in the
same way with only brief halts for food and
rest, until early on Monday morning. we
were within ten miles of Winbu-g.
I'VE had thus trekked about forty-fOur
miles from Kroon Spruit. made sketch
of the route. l gathered all the infornn-
tion could as to the Beers numbers and
Intentions and told several of the wounded
officers that intended escaping and would
carry back any messages.
Behind the wagon l was on several
mounted Beers rode. little bushman
was set to watch me, as they had grown
suspicious. One OF the wounded men had
said he knew me. though l declared he
was mistaken, and that my name was rot
Burnham. Just before daylight the bush
man walked forward to speak to the
driver. Selling the opportunity 1 dropped
up the dissle- boom, slid off that Into the
road, letting the wagon pass over me:
then I rolled to the side OF the track. The
mounted men almost rode over me. but
failed to notice ne. There WIS still
twenty minutes left before daybIeak in
which to hide.
II got past their rear guard and ian
to a KafIir kraal when the native said
he would fetch me a horse. He left. and,
thinking better of it, 1 ran out into the
open veldt and there lay down in very
shallow depression in the grass, covering
my face with my lat. Very soon I saw
the Beers hunting for me in every direc-
ticn. but mostly among the kopjes lay
fiat for twelve hours without food or water
or daring to move until darkness set in.
1t was a trying experience which nearly
drove me mad for the suns rays were
parching and bistering hot. At sunset l
arose, got a drink in a spruit, and hur-
ried down the back track.
Il was weak and it was not until another
day spent hiding in kopje that at O'Clock
l reached Broadwoods cavalry, five miles
outside of Bioemfontein. From the time
l escaped until l arrived l had only one
biscuit and mealie cob to eat. The Beers
treated their prisoners very fairly. permit
ting no one to insult them. think they
were altogether better class of Beers.
Some of their leaders were sharp. intelii-