The latter, however, could hardly conceal his surprise at my
visit at this moment. He at once advised me not to mention my name, or
show myself too much, as that very day a new Landrost had arrived to
take charge of the town, and strict regulations respecting the coming
and going of the inhabitants and visitors were being made. He then gave
me some splendid news of the Natal border, the first intelligence of the
victories of Dundee, Elandslaagte, and Glencoe. To hear of those alone
was worth the long drive, and he also showed me the Dutch reports of
these same engagements, which really made one smile. On every occasion
victory had remained with the burghers, while the English dead and
prisoners varied in numbers from 500 to 1,300, according to the mood of
the composer of the despatch. The greatest losses the burghers had
sustained up to then in any one engagement were two killed and three
wounded. The spoils of war taken by the Dutch were of extraordinary
value, and apparently they had but to show themselves for every camp to
be evacuated. They were kind enough to translate these wonderful
despatches into a sort of primitive English, of which printed slips
could be bought for threepence. The hotel manager said if they did not
invent these lies and cook the real account the burghers would desert
_en masse_.
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