A West Pointer with the Boers: $b personal narrative of Colonel J. Y. F. Blake, commander of the Irish brigadeBlake, John Y. Fillmore
History
A West Pointer with the Boers: $b personal narrative of Colonel J. Y. F. Blake, commander of the Irish brigade
Blake, John Y. Fillmore
South African War, 1899-1902
The two men who escaped were Americans, one being known as "Burnham the
Scout," and the other as "Ingram the honest man." As this man Burnham
often ran to America to boast and deceive, I will say half a dozen
words about him. He first claimed that he was a scout in America, but
all soon learned that there was no truth in his claim. At the time of
the Matabele War in 1896, he showed himself in his true light. He was
of no earthly use at Buluwayo, for all knew him, so he went to Mangwe,
a few miles to the south. Here he shot an innocent, unarmed Kaffir, if
he shot one at all, and reported that he had shot and killed M'Limo,
the Kaffir war-god. He was told that he was really a wonderful man and
undoubtedly the greatest shot in the world. So ignorant is he, that
Burnham did not know that M'Limo was a myth, a great Spirit, to whom
the Matabele would pray and look to as their guide.
But Burnham, the scout, managed to shoot and kill the great Spirit,
and, on receiving a report of this wonderful achievement, the London
_Graphic_ brought out his picture and his long story of how he killed
M'Limo, the war-god, and the terror of the Rhodesians. The Americans
in Rhodesia made it so warm for him, that Burnham left for the United
States to give a course of lectures. He now wears Khaki and is in the
British service, and his native land feels thankful.
Lobengula now sent in word that there was no cause for war with his
white brothers, and that he could not understand why they had suddenly
appeared in such a state of frenzy. Captain Blank, the famous scout,
and another man,--or beast,--were now employed, and sent out to
negotiate with Lobengula, and after a few days absence, returned to
report that he had died suddenly on the Zambesi River, which, you know,
is about three hundred miles distant. They were sure he was dead,
_Because Poison Seldom Lies_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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