A Story of the Last Boer War.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 108, 13 February 1900, Page 3

A Story of the Last Boer War.

Sir James Sivewright has told a little story of the last Boer wa,v, which affords a graphic illustration of what might have been. The story was told to a gentleman who has reproduced it m the Pelican. In 1881 Major Redvers Duller w<is Military Secretary to Sic Leicester Smythe, the Commander-in-Crnei at the Cape, and on one pat ticulac Sunday he was a prey to melancholy. Ho confessed, that the reason of his melancholy w.\s his anxiety about the war in Natal, which vhe Boers had invaded. Ho said to Sir James, " Does Sir George Colley know this African ground as we know it ? He may bo tempted to go np one of those infetnal hills. Very well, he'll chrnb 0119 of them, bnfc not really get to the top ; or, if he does get there, he won't understand that the top's no use unless you know which ridge to guard. And again, I ask you, does he know our African hills ?" Sir James tried in vain to reassure Major Buller, and took him to the oif'ce in Capetown and got the wires connected with the base. The news was reassuring. Sir G- Colley had moved out m foice the day before, and was in command of, the position. Tho Boers were probably retreating. The news was communicated to Major BuJlei, and he became more melancholy than ever. " You see," ho said, " it's the very thing I told you. Col Icy has gone up some mountain. He'll think ho commands the Boer position, but he won't. It takes an African to do that* Please God, tho Boers have bluffed and have bolted." A few hours Liter came the news of the disaster at Majuba Hill, and Major lUiher tried hard to get Sir Leicester Smythe to go straight to Natal. A special boat was chartered, Major Buller saying it was not the time to wait for orders {torn England. Sir Leicester, however, saw Sir Hercules Robinson, the Governor, who insisted on their " awaiting orders from home," and the opportunity was lost. Very little satisfaction is to be obtained from speculating on what might have been, but it is strange to think that had the Major Buller of that vanished Sunday had his way he would not now be going out to pluck those laivels which 1 9 years ago he vainly sought- to force upon another.