She told me her
father was one of the most valued artillerymen on the Boer side, and
that he was also an adept in the art of making fireworks, his last
triumph in this line having been at Mafeking on the occasion of the
celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Fully appreciating the
value of his services, the Transvaal authorities had from the
commencement given him the most arduous tasks, and always, she
indignantly added, in the forefront of the battle. As regarded the
present accident, she said her father had repeatedly told the
authorities these particular shells were not safe to handle. Apparently
the safety-bolt was missing from all of them, making them when loaded as
brittle as an eggshell. This young lady and her mother were certainly
very anti-Boer in their sympathies, though terribly afraid of allowing
their feelings to be known. All that day and the next they spent in the
laager, looking after the injured _pere de famille_, whom, by the way, I
got quite friendly with, but who, I think, was rather relieved to see
his family depart. I rather regretted them, as Miss Hoffman used to
bring me a lot of gossip overheard in the laager, where she assured me
public opinion was running very strongly against me, and that all were
of opinion the General should certainly not allow me to join my friends
in Mafeking.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145