The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-30

his wagon wheels were making l have
heard this tale denied, but l tell II as 1t
was told to me Il got it from a Boer
source).
More Dust in Their Eyes.
When Gen. DeWet had made that re-
markable march of his and crossed the
Rustenburg road west of Pretoria, he was
headed off about eighteen miles north at
the Warm Baths. The evening before the
army was Jubilant, for 1t was supposed
that they had the willy Boer OH the hip
They had effectually prevented him join
ing forces with Botha. They had, so
they supposed, cut off his escape south
ward, and there was nothing for him but
to stand and fight or to break up his
force into small parties and disappear into
the bushveidt. At midnight all of the
English troops were called suddenly TO
arms, and they stood in ranks until day
break.
From the direction of DeWet's lager
they could hear sounds of much stirring
and movement. the continual rattle of
wheels. and the shouts of the Kaffir driv-
ers. Something was up; what ii was no
one could tell. The Beers appeared 10
be confused, and 1t was whispered about
that they had lost their way and might
stumble upon the outposts at any min
their rifles ready. Every one was ready
for a midnight attack and supposed at
least that the action would begin at the
crack of dawn.
But when the sun rose, what did they
find? About forty empty wagons, dragged
by a few played-out oxen, had been driv-
en- and thumped around In circle all
night A score of black boys and half
dozen white men were all the prisoners
aged to take most Of his light carts with
him along the top of the thanking ridge,
and had actually rounded the end of the
British line, and was some twenty miles
away, retracing his steps toward the Vaal.
At beast, that is what he was actually
doing at the time, but the English did not
find 1t out quickly enough to pursue him.
He got almost twenty-four hours start!
Almost Comic Opera.
Two nights after, Waterman on guard
at a railway crossing aeeout twelve miles
west of Johannesburg, on the Krugers-
dorp line, was surprised by the appear
anoe of a trooper in helmet and the uni
form of q mounted infantryman, who ask
ed his way to the FLORIDA station. The
sentry turned to point down the line, when
he was confronted by a cooked revolver.
Keep quiet" said the supposed Tom
that he relieved the astonished man of
his rifle, and, On true story paper fash
ION, gave three low whistles. Immediate
~ some men appeared from behind
nearby shed, and a few minutes later the
head of a column of mounted men, fol-
lowed by long train of cape carts and
led horses, came down the road and cross
ed the railway. 1t took them almost half
an hour to go by. The sentry judged they
must have been in the neighborhood OF
1000, with at least eighty carts. When
all had passed, the watchmans guardian
said to him pleasantly
your relief will come to you in about
an hour. II you stir from where you are
until five minutes before that time you
are dead man, for there is a sure shot
with rife watching you from the corner
of the shed You can inform your officer
that Christian De Wet and his army
passed by here at twenty minutes TO
one"
The man, whose rife was taken from
him, declares that shortly before the time
for the relief came, he heard a man gall
lop away from the shed near by Upon
that. he walked into the camp, distant
about mile, and gave the alarm.
Loot as "a Link.
The same evening it was reported that
another small party OF BoerS mad crossed
the main line, heading north, and the
post at Natal Spruit had been captured
at daybreak and the bridge blown up.
Win which party was Gen. De Wet 1t
would be hard to state. | think myself
he was with the one to the eastward, for
the simple reason that he had led the
English to believe he was with the one to
the west
When De Wet captured all of the sup
plies and the huge quantities of am
munitlon and clothing at Vredefort Veg,
he said to his prisoners: Now, we have
got more than we want-turn to and help
yourselves" And soon Dutch and Brit
ish were busy looting discriminatory, taxi
ing everything they could get. A burgh-
er and a Tommy" almost came to blows
over the possession OF a camera that was
being sent to an officer through the post.
The mail pouches were all ripped open,
and the veldt for miles around was COW
cred with letters and newspapers Some
OF these were afterward gathered up and
reached the propert authorities. Strange
thorn uya Of