The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-21
A Captive Briton
How He Passed the
Time With the Beers,

The statonmaster at Eiandslaagte
writes the following to the London
Daily News:
For some prior to the battle OF Glands
laagte rumor had been busy as TO the
intentions OF the Beers. and when on the
night Of October IS the railway staff
north OF ElandsIaagte was Withdrawn 1t
was felt that trouble was not far of.
Anticipating Boer attack or natives loot
ing. or both, the women and children
had been sent south for safety. The
local mines were kept working at high
pressure. and railway. postal, and tele-
graph services TO the south were in full
swing, when word was brought 10 me on
the 18th that the Boer advance guard was
within four miles. The news arrived
about 1 p. m. on the 18th, and two trains
of military stores, which it was intended
to force through to Dundee Camp. over
the line, which had been closed on the
day before. had already left Ladysmith
distant sixteen miles,, and were due to
pass about 1:SO p m.
When the first one steamed up I called
the driver into the Office and informed
him OF the near approach OF the Beers
''Pick up the mails. and go for all you're
worth" I said. There was hardly time.
however Loud cries. rafting hoOfs
cracking reports from Mauser rifles. and
the pattering of bullets all around-the
Beers were upon US. Driver Cutbush did
not wait He put on fun steam. and
amid shower of bullets the train went
ahead.
At the moment the van passed me sew
a
fired over our heads at the train. Others
dIsmounted and took steady aim at the
driver. The glass window in his cab
was, learnt afterwards, broken by one
OF the first shots. and several others
missed him narrowly. I was at once
seized by the second in command and
ordered 10 stop the train. the order being
emphasized by the muzzle Of his rife
held close 10 my head his finger on the
trigger. But he saw he was losing time.
and left me TO fire on the train. The
scene at this moment was most exciting;
in spite OF the imminent peril in which
we stood, ii was impossible to avoid ad-
miring the horsemanship which permitted
these rough riders to gallop at break
neck speed over rough ground in pursuit
grip of the saddle for a seat. firing round
after round in quick succession from
their Mausers. and yelling loudly with
rage as the train moved smoothly on.
Twenty PAGES off one of the burghers fell
wounded, and his horse fell over dead,
shot by some one in the train.
When my captor left me. I took the
opportunity to slip into the station and
hide dispatch addressed to Gen. Penn
Symons and two other confidential com
munications. Then. quickly had not
a moment to lose, for discovery would
have meant nothing pleasant to mel
managed to get Just five wc-ds through
to Ladysmith: First train escaped, sec
ond captured" The message was short.
but it conveyed a very serious meaning
to the authorities at Ladysmith.
A pair of rails were speedily unbolted
and slowed, and the second train was an
easy prey. The signal at the station
was then lowered to lure any incoming
train over the broken road. The next
move was to cut the wires, and after this
had been done 1 was ordered to dismant!e
the telegraph and telephone instruments.
The safe-keys were then demanded. and
the cash removed by one of the Boets,
who, 1 was informed by the leader. acted
as his accountant.
1 explained briefly to Field Correct
Pienaar that several Of the railway staff
had families dependent oil them, ard
askel that, as we were noh coubatan,s,
permits to pass through the Boer lines
might be issued 10 US. PIeHalr promised
M this should he done after twenty four
hours detention, and that II possible
horses would be provided Meantime. we
Should be provided tor "a The hotel at his
exnfr Sc.
AS the evening apprD tchei m3re Roers
rode in, so that by sunset 600 or 7o0 Of
them were in the vicinity. The scarcity
of bread resulting from this influx re-
minded me that one Of the captured
trucks contained bread for the troops at
Dundee, and as 1t was lost to them the
next best thing was 10 prevent its being
wasted. l mentioned the subject to the
Boer leaders, and they decided to have
it locked up and a guard placed over It,
But for this, we should have had short
commons, and I may say that as long
as It lasted II was distributed impartiany
As our stay seemed likely 10 prove a
long one, and the hours dragged YEARLY
on. a smoking concert was mooted,
whether by our men or by the Beers I
cannot say but whoever gets the credit
Of the initiative, II was duly arranged.
and Field Cornet Pienaar was ready and
willing TO take the chair. Duly at eight
p. m. he appeared, and az once had some
choice whiskey and cigar placed on the
table. and he filed up and handed around
to Briton and Boer impartially. The
Whiskcy was consigned 70 some Of Our
British officers. at Dundee, and Pien8ar
jocularly admired their choice Of whiSkey.
and, indeed. as the night advanced he
quite warmed UP TO the officers. who. as
he put IL. were not 30 bad az he thought.
as evinced by their good taste. Poor Pie
naar had a right royal time. and proba-
bly, never had jollier night IN his life
Il was his last on earth. for ere another
sun had set he was stretched dead on
the battlefield. within a mile Of the scene
7 have just mentioned. after. from all &C
counts. fighting ike a Trojan.
The smoking concert proceeded uerrily,
despite the extraordinary circumstances
under which It vas held Il was opened
by a comic song. rendered by q refugee
from Newcastle. whose musical abilities
proved Of great service. He and I then
rendered the old duet, "AIrs Well" and
on being encored, responded with the
Army and Navy" duet Trausvaal
burshar sang an Irish cong. az only an
Trishman can. lie told US Afterwards
that this was his eighth campaign bgr
be did nc, know then rhat Sc was bis
T1-+ e-r4s F4s- 20 --.- saz- r-.r-~.-,
sergeant then sst down u the piano Sir
Joseph Barnoy's giee. "Swestand Low.
was sung - HIS aecomps nimenL The