TALES OF DE WET.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1922, Page 4

TALES OF DE WET.

HIS DUEL OF WITS WITH LORD KITCHENER. LONDON, February 3. Christian de Wet, who lias died at his home in the Dewet-sdorp district of South Africa, attained almost legendary fame by his wonderful exploits and escapes in the South African W ar of 1899-1902- In its last year the war virtually resolved itself into a duel of wits between Lord Ritchenei and the famous guerilla, chief . Over and over again De Wet was reported •‘cornered” and his capture imminent. He 'invariably escaped. One story, which came from a Boer source gives a vivid idea of his boldness. He found his transport headed by a large body of British troops. He approached the

camp alter dark and drove his wagons right through it. He- was hailed, but he inquired for some detachment of the British that was farther on, and was- allowed; to pass. Th c only ob-jection-bj Ins |.ii j'S.igc n.'u made by a group of officers dining near the roadway, who did not like the dust his wngon wheels were making A STAGE ARMY. On another occasion the British forces thought that they had cut off the escape southward of General de Wet, and that there was nothing for him to do but to stand and fight, or to break up bis force into small par-,, ties and disappear into the cold. At midnight all the British troops were called to arms. From the direction of de Wet's camp they could hear sounds of much stirring and movement, the rattle of wheels and the shouts of the Kaffir drivers. Everyone in the British lines was ready for a midnight attack.

When the sun rose, however, .they found, to their surprise, about 40 empty wagons, dragged by a few oxen, which had been driven round in a circle all night. De Wet had escaped and had actually rounded the end of the British line.

Eventually a large measure of success attended Lord Kitchener’s untiring pursuit. De W°t lost all his guns and most of his followers, as well as bis cattle.

Later th e Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in May, 1902—a bitter moment as De Wet often confessed. BEATEN BY THE MOTOR CAR.

When the Great War broke out in 1914, General Botha'decided on the invasion of German South-West Africa

at the request of the Imperial Government. Then De Wet played a gambler’s chance to recover the independence with which he had parted so re-

luctantly at Vereeniging. He headed

rebellion in the Free State while General Beyers, the Oommandant-General of the South African forces, took the j lead in the Transvaal, in conjunction j with General Delarey, General Botha’s life-long friend