A Woman's Part in a RevolutionHammond, Natalie Harris
History
A Woman's Part in a Revolution
Hammond, Natalie Harris
Jameson's Raid, 1895-1896
Commandant Cronje's Burgher force paraded the street this
morning--they are the men who captured Jameson. Jameson is the god of
the hour, and Johannesburg resented the intrusion; but for the sake of
their hero, still in the power of the Government, there was no
indication of intolerance beyond a few audible sarcasms; remarks which
were answered in kind by the Burghers.
Betty says they were an interesting-looking body of men;
strong-framed, heavy-featured, with long unkempt hair and beards. They
rode shaggy, moth-eaten-looking little ponies, each man with a bundle
of hay bound to his saddle and a sausage in his wallet. Fathers among
them as hale as the brawny sons by their sides. They looked capable
of any amount of fatigue.
Numbers of stray dogs and cats attest the many deserted homes.
JANUARY 15.--Every train brings women and children, hobby-horses and
canary birds back to their homes in Johannesburg. Betty has returned,
accompanied by Mr. Seymour Port, from Pretoria. She gives a very
spirited account of her visit. Through Mr. Sauer, one of the advocates
retained by the Reformers, a visiting permit was obtained. She and Mr.
Fort were obliged to wait several hours, in company with a crowd of
wives, at the prison gates, under a broiling sun. All were loaded down
with offerings.
Betty's own donation was several green-lined umbrellas (a god-send in
a whitewashed court beat upon by a tropical sun). After being admitted
each lady was taken into a private room and 'felt all over by a Boer
woman,' who was so fat, Betty declares, 'she must have grown up in
the room, as she could not possibly have got through the door, even
sideways.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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