The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-11-20
What a Yankee
Fighter Saw
There.
TURNER WRITES TO
THE ADVERTISER
He Is Now an Engineer at Oahu
Plantation Near
Honolulu.

Life has its amenities even in war time
and in the midst Of hot campaign. The
following sketches Of incidents which
actually took place during the Boer.Brtish
war in the Transvaal were written for the
ADVERTISER by Francis J. Turner, a
mining man from South Africa. who
fought all through the flercest Of the war
on the side Of the Boer. Mr.. Turner
came TO the Islands about month ago
from South Africa and is at present EN-.
ployed as an engineer at Oahu plantation.
One of the Remington scouts while out
scouting one day alone in the Orange
Free State came to small farm; over
the house white flag was flying. Being
thirsty he rode up to the door and seeing
young girl asked for drink of water.
The child ran in to her mother, who at
once invited the scout indoors, Gaming out
to him to come in On entering the room
he found young woman weeping over
baby she had in her arms. He asked her
reason for weeping. My poor husband
has been killed at Pardeburg," she re-
piled, and l only received news this
morning"
So forcibly did this strike the scout that
he could not keep back his tears. He
told her he wished the war would stop.
He remained for some time trying to con-
sole the poor woman, forgetting for the
time the war, and his safety. Suddenly
looking towards the door he beheld two
Boer scouts watching him. They had
slipped quietly from their horses and had
heard and seen all.
I'VE have caught you mapping one OF
them said smiling.
Yes" he answered: II admit you have;
1 am helpless. as my arms are on my
saddle; you may do as you will"
The Boer who had addressed hindu
Pleissis by name-then stepped inside.
shook hands with the Britisher, and said:
NO, you need not give up; | have seen
that you are an honorable man with your
heart in the right place. You may return
to your lines in peace
MIGHT HAVE BEEN a SPY.
A green young Boer was on Brandt
Yacht (picket duty) one night outside
Ladysmith. The password for this night
was Maxim" Hearing footsteps near
him, he called out, wee dare?' meaning
Who's there?"
Friend" came to reply.
Halt friend, and give the wacht
voord," demanded the young Boer.
Cannon" came the answer quickly.
The young farmer thought for Il moment
or two, then shouted, "All right; that's
near enough, but it's Maxim
Whoever the person was he challenged,
spoke Dutch, and this fact alone assured
the young Boer farmer. This occurred
three nights previous to the attempt made
by the British to destroy Long Tom,
the siege gun that proved such a source
of annoyance to General White.
FAT PIG IN TWO PLACES.
Commandment Viljoen of the Lydenburg
gf,Tt1 nd r.
ing something like six feet around the
waist 1t happened that fiat pig" was
the password one night. On this particu-
lar night the commandant took notion
to visit the picket lines. The first picket
man he came up happened to be its
all-the-same tome" sort of person.
who comes there" rang out in the stul-
ness of the night.
Friend replied Niljoen.
The sentry recognized the command
ants voice.
Halt, friend. and give the password"
Fat pig" shouted Viljoen.
Pass, fat pig; all is we'll"
The commandment passed. but swore
vengeance on the sentry, whose voice he
knew too well The next morning our
friend the sentry had five hours pack
drill
IT WAS THE GENERAL.
young officer came out of Ladysmith
under a flag of truce early in December,
1899, bearing written request from Cen
eral White, for an armistce. He was
conducted to the commandments head |
quarters, and taken into the official tent, :
where sat some seven or eight burghers
Conversing with the General. The off,
GERS escort waited until the General
ceased talking, before introducing the Of .
fccr. In the meantime the young Briton
became impatient, and asked his escort to /
take him at once to the commanding Cen
eral, as his business was most impor-
tant.
IAN right" they answered, that is the
General sitting on the ground" The 9TH
ers were seated on camp stools.
The young officer could not credit this,
and remarked. sYou don't say so; impos-
siblew
impossible or not" they replied,
that's the General all right" {.
Not until the General assured him
would he believe II, Returning 10 the
lines, tho young officer said 20 his escort,
You should come into I.adysmlth and I
see the difference between our General
ana yours"
I'VE should like well enough TO see him,
but then, you forget there az" no trains
Tho oHieer smiled at this, web knowing
what lh6y meant,
HAIL FELLOW, WELL MET
when tho Boers rushed 10 capture the
guns, after tho battle " colensO, they Il
found some 20 men concealed hehlnd an
rmhankmentF hey were under Colonel
bullock, ana were evidently there 20 ny
% save tho guns that night, They could
not 500 The noers, as they nhe noersl had
worked theiT Nay over 20 the river DURING
The last charge ~ tho enemy, and Ter
manned under e0Yer Should ths BRUSH
DE driven back a fourth tlme. thelr orders
HeFe az capture ihe suns,
lWafine no HurpfiHa NJ the fnfmY ~ II
rear Haads upW yelled ~ a. least sp
it1eFf Il
lhf hgeFF hsi ihe iTpp 0n ihra ana
ihfY Nfff lsFins lhelf ems aeRn Hhfn