The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-08-10
Digby WiLoughby's Strange Story


Seated around the table of an up-
town cafe were several men who had
been in South Africa at various times,
and they were busily engaged discuss
ing the different persons who had as
sisted in making history in that coun-
try.
Suddenly the conversation turned
to Digby Willoughby, and one of the
party who had served with him in
Basutoland waxed reminiscent. Poor
old Diggy, what a wonderful man he
was! If he had only been in the regu-
lar service what success he would
have made! I think, in fact I am
sure, that he would now have been a
general, and it seemed a sad pity that
his life should have been wasted.
'sAnd yet after all, his life was not
wasted, for what hero of romance ever
had such adventures. first met him
in 1880. Then he was an auctioneer's
assistant. Scoones & Willoughby was
the name of the firm, for he was after
ward taken into partnership by his
Lonsdale's Horse in the Zulu war and
had served with distinction, too After
the war was over he came to PETER
maritzburg and settled down to bust
ness.
81 think auctioneering, however,
was too tame for him, for he joined
theatrical company which was then
playing in the town, and that same
company had some very wonderful
persons in it. Among others there
was a man named Veitch, who had
retired from the British army He af-
terward died in the Congo. He had
gone out in charge of an expedition
for the king Of the Belgians and lot
of other people who afterward became
famous.
"Willoughby did not stick long at
theatricals, however. He soon began
to sigh for fresh fields to conquer 50
when the Basuto war broke out he
cab1ed to the war Office in England Of
fering to raise regiment Of irregular
cavalry for service in that disturbed
district.
well, the war Office did not know
much about him, but he received word
to go ahead, and what a regiment he
did raise the remittance men and
colonial failures, but they were a
splendid lot of fighting men and were
ready to go anywhere that the colonel
wanted, or do anything he ordered.
II shall never forget our start from
Pietermaritzburg. The ladies of the
town wanted to present the regiment
with magnificent silk flag, and Col.
Wflloughby, respondent in full uni
form, had his regiment formed up in
front of the Royal hotel. The various
troops were lined, their horses feet
in the gutter Of the sidewalk, and af-
ter the ceremony was over COL Will
loughby to save his life did not know
what word Of command to give to get
the men away. Finally after brief
conversation with an old sergeant Of
the Cape Mounted Rifles he gave the
order, Rein back, march, then 'Fours
left!' and then amid the enthusiastic
cheers of the crowd we marched away.
We did not have much of a picnic
party either, but Willoughby was al
ways in the thick of the fight, and I
firmly believe that he would have
calmly crossed this room with a cigar
in his mouth even if there were a hail
of bullets had there only been some
body looking on.
"Quite the very funniest thing, how
ever of the whole campaign happened
after he had been in the field for about
six months. Our uniforms were worn
out, and Max Langerman, now one of
the big men in johannesburg, had sup
piled new clothing for the regiment.
There was some delay however, about
the payment, and he was patiently fol-
lowing the regiment all through that
wild campaign trying to serve the COL
onel with writ. You can imagine
what a chase he had.
81 am glad to say that he was finally
paid, however, and then when we re-
turned to natal the regiment was dis
banded. After that I lost sight of
Willoughby for a time, and the thing I
heard was that he and the late Maj.
Shervington had gone gun running to
Madagascar.
"You may remember the French
were blockading Tamatave. Well, he
ran through the blockade somehow or
other, landed his guns and then, as he
himself described it, offered his sword
to the queen Of Madagascar She &C.
copied it and he was made command
er~in-chief of the Madagascar army.
HE repulsed the French in two dis
tinct engagements, and then when the
blockade was raised, the country be-
ing in want of money after the war,
Willoughby was sent to. Great Britain
as envoy extraordinary, minister plen-
ipotentiary, to the court Of st. James
for her majesty, the queen of NADIA
gascar, the object of the mission be-
ing to raise the Madagascar loan.
II met him in Piccadily with an
aide-de-camp following him. He rec
ognized me instantly and did not seem
in the least changed. He was just the
carno door old uonio1 ohon Ho inuito1