THE LATEST.

Waikato Argus, Volume X, Issue 891, 28 February 1901, Page 2

THE LATEST.

BOERS TREKKING TO SWAZILAND FRONTIER. HOW 7 BOER WOMEN ARE DEALT WITH. (Received February 28, 9.37 a.m.) London, February 27. Tli3 Boers, uuder Lucas Meyer, are trekking before General French and Colonel R. N. Read into the Pongola bush on the Swaziland frontier. In the House of Commons Mr Bioderick stated that Boer woman were detained in the British camps on reduced rations for those whose husbands were ou commando, and the other women are on full rations. AMONG THE BOERS. A recent cable stated that the Boers aho entered Portuguese territory have been deported to Lihbon. The following interesting article, from a special correspondent of the Christchuieh Press at Lorenzo Manpies, will be read with interest in this connection : There are at present TOO camped inside tin.' walls of the Portuguese gaol. The IVtugue«e provide them wi>h rations and tents, their own President utterly neglecting them. 1 i_'ot permission to go in and sec their camp and entered into conversation with some of the burghers. One very manly straightforward young fellow gave n.e a lony account of his service with the Boers. He Was a solicitor at Standerton with a larce prac ice. He fought through Natal and right through to Ivomati Poort. When rhe President turned tail and crossed the border, he then saw how blindly they had followed a man who got all h* could out of them and then deserted. Recognising that their cause was lost, he followed President Kruger to Lorenzo Marques in the hope that he would at least be kept by his own Government, ilcre lie was doonjed "to disappointment; and had to accept charity from the Portuguese. Asked why he could not see for himself that the Government had not been acting straightforwardly since the fall of Pretoria, he said : We had ceitain suspicions ut limey, but they were wafted away by the promises of our commandants and the President. Who could doubt a man's woid when he spoke to you with the Bible before birr ? Whenever the President brought us news or orders he would first read a chapter cut of the Bible ; then tell usour troops were successful in different parts and plan a trek for us, finally giving us his blessing and sending us away again. We would trek miles, have a fight, be. driven hack beaten and disappointed, only to be deceived again. Asked what the Irish-American had done, be answered "Nothing, but burn and loot. They have hardly fought one decent fight. They were the rearguard when the Boers were in action, and advance guard when running away. They were composed of the lowest ot the low, were perfectly uncontrollable, and treated the officers as they did each other 1 ' rtiey were responsible tor alt the damace done to rolling sfeeci, railway stations, etc. At the conclusion rf the war they expected to get well paid fur their trouble, aud you can imagine their chagrin when they received .°>(>s, -and were sent out to the country. The true Boer detects to stoop so low as the Ameticans have. There are men of our own nation just as low, but the majority are men." He finished by saving : " I have implicit faith in anything Lord Kobert says, and am coinc back to hand myself up, and do anything I am a=ked to do.'' Most of the young Boers talk in a similar strain. One Afrikander, who had been veldt cornet, gave me a few wrinkles about their mode of travelling, t tc. When the Boers camp at night, their first care is their rorses, then themselves. After thrir meal they sit round a tire, aud talk and smoke for about an hour, and then break up into small parties, and e;o out on picket, taking one blanket and waterproof sheet with them. If four compose a pari} they take watch tuo hours on and six off. They don't patrol at all ; they just sit where they are, and ke. p watch. Before daylight one man is told off to saddle t wo ouf. of every feur horses, and wh-ii that is done h-jtlf the commando moves off, taking everything but the rest of the horsc3 with tin ui. After a trek of shout two hours they halt and cook breakfast for rhem.-elves, and tbe rest of the commando they left behind. If the enemy ailvance uti those left behind a message U at once .'cut on, and off gees the advar.c ■ forces with convoy, etc., and travel straight for a oouple of miles, and then branch off on oua of the fl inks a lew miles, waiting till the others retreat, which (hey always do. They hold the position long enough to enable their convoy to get away, then everv man for himself, to meet nr. an appointed place. Jn the meantime a dejoy paity retreats in full view of the British in an altogether different direction ; when out of sight th y scatter, and make back to the main body, ready to repent tin; the manoeuvres asain it necessary.