Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1900-09-06
On st.


lust arrived from South Africa,
touched at St Helena for repairs.
Captain Mann was permitted to-
visit the Borr prisoners on the is
land. He rode up the five mile
winding road to the top of Rupert
Hill, in Dcadwood plain, where he
found the prison pen of General
Cronjc's 10000 men. Dcadwood
plain is east of Jamestown. The
stockadc is two miles from Long
wood, which was the home of Ma
polcon.
The Boer prisoners are confined
within Il barbed wire imclosurc II
quarter of a mile square. Twelve
feet from the fence is "A second tro-
cha like the first. 1t is death for
Il Bocr private to cross the line of
the inner pen. Captain Mann
said that Il Bocr, wishing for II
change of scene, left the inner in
closure and advanced to the outer
inclosurc. The sentinel warned
him and ordered the man to 60
back. The Bocr only laughed.
The sentinel fired and killed his
man. The British soldier was
then tried and acquitted by Il court
martial.
while the British soldiers sleep
thirteen men in "A tent" said Cap
tain Mann, 1.-THE Beers sleep only
ten men to Il tent. In order to af-
ford them all the room possible
the British have allowed them TO
cut bamboos for Shacks. These
bamboo frames the Beers have in
generously covered with canvas and
with slabs of tin. The tin they
obtained in Il curious way. There
were on the island II great many
parailinc cans, which the Beers
carefully tlattcucd out for tin sides
and roofs to their shacks.
"Somc of the prisoners are per-
mittcd to work for the farmers ON
the island and thereby earn il little
money. MANY are dark skinned
siX-foot fellows who go about
smoking long pipes. They always
give YOU the military salute if they
meet you on the highway. These
Beers fratcrnizc with the inhabit-
ants.
1.-THE nearest approach toanything
like uniform was three uniform
hats which | picked ont from
among the 10000.
"Thcrc We're many men 20 years
old and as many others II, lG and
II. The officers with whom | con
vcrsed speak both Dutch and Eng
lish. The privatcs are not as
bright as their officers. They
seemed rather Il stupid lot. They
have the same fare us the British
soldiers.
"Thcrc are two regiments in the
garrison, the West Indian colorcd
regiment composing the regular
garrison and the fifth Gloucester
infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Ev-
ans guarding the prisoners.
"They have such an aversion to
blacks that the proposition Of as
signing the West Indians to guard
the captivcs could not he entertain
ed. conversed with Colonel
Schicl, the German officer who
fought with the Beers. He was
very cantankerous still. Com
mandant Roosc, the Boer officer
who captured Winston Curchill,
was very conciliatory. lie told me
that he thought the game was up
and his people ought to stop fight
ing.
1.-THE Bocr officers are allowed
to do pretty much as they please,
and their names are posted at the
st. Helena Club. The British Off
GERS entertain them ut afternoon
teas, and General Cronjc is practi-
cally the steady guest of the Gov
crnor.
"a cable now runs to the island
from South Africa, and the bullet
ms from the seat of war are fire.
qucntIy struck off and sold to the
prisoners at Il penny apiece.
"A Dutch ship anchored while |
was there but, was requested to
leave, and did so. The British
We're afraid that some of fine Beers