Della Dorn; or, Struggles of the Boers

Front matter

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Preface

Many epic poems are so commonplace that they afford no enjoyment to persons of even a moderate degree of Hterary attainment, while others are so abstruse that they can be understood by those only who have mastered the history of all ages.

A poem, to be enjoyed, must be understood, but it cannot give the highest degree of pleasure if it be so explicit as to leave no room for the exercise of the reader's own imagination. It should be only a frame-work which, when completed by the imaginative powers of the reader, will become a beautiful picture.

If the picture is too complete, no matter how beautiful it may be, it will rapidly pass from the reader's mind, because of the feeling that he has not been allowed to take part in its construction. If the frame-work is too meager, a mind of only moderate imaginative power is unable to complete the structure and hence it fails to become a picture such as the writer had in mind.

In the following story the writer has attempted to avoid these extremes.

Complete notes are appended for the benefit of those who are not famiHar with the history of the South African Republics and are not accustomed to reading works of this nature. Such persons would not be able to enjoy the story without these notes, while there are many who will find no need of them.

While fictitious characters have been introduced for the purpose of illustrating the heroism of the Boers and to make the story more interesting, the poem is based upon the history of their unfortunate struggle — unfortunate for both England and South Africa.

I wish to express my gratitude to my friends, Mr. John O'Byrne, W. I. Simpson and B. F. Phillips for substantial aid, and to Prof. B. C. Chrisman and wife, Mr. B. Cannon, Mrs. J. T. Jeter, and many others for their encouragement in the preparation of this story.

Introduction

It IS to be hoped that no one will ever attempt to read the following poem without first carefully perusing this brief introductory lesson in the history of the South African Republics. Should anyone read the story without understanding the circumstances which gave it birth, he will deprive himself of the inspiration of the author, his sympathy will be dormant, he will look upon it as a problem in the abstract and the whole story will probably be reduced to a bundle of meaningless rhymes. Even the student of history, who is already familiar with all the circumstances of English domination in South Africa, will find a deepening interest in a review of the trials and unjust burdens of such a brave, though unfortunate, people.

There has probably never been a country with a history so full of pathos, or an existence so disturbed by injustice and indignities. Every act of British rule over the Boers, as those early settlers were called, was but a link in the long chain of oppressions which dated from the moment that the English first set foot upon their soil.

Their history begins about the year 1650, when some families from Holland, together with a few German, French, and Flemish settlers, formed the nucleus of a Dutch colony near the Cape of Good Hope, the southern extremity of Africa.

Here they lived the simple, patriarchal life common to all pioneer settlements, at perfect peace among themselves and with the world, except the native savages, who occasionally made raids into their settlement; nor did they war with these except so far as was necessary to protect their homes and families from the ravages of those roving, robber bands. Whenever they were attacked by these savages, they fought bravely, but beyond this they gave no evidence of a belligerent spirit. They tended their flocks and herds, built and cultivated their farms and were expert huntsmen. Game was plentiful on the wild plains and hunting was their chief sport.

While their houses were mostly of rude type, they built comfortable homes, had a regular government and were deeply religious. They seemed to have no spirit of aggressiveness and did not trouble themselves to subdue the natives or acquire lands beyond what they needed for pastoral and agricultural purposes.

They had great respect for the customs and methods of their ancestors and hence progress was not a prominent feature of their national existence. From time to time they were joined by other settlers, attracted by the hope of greater civil and religious freedom and their financial betterment. Each new contingent at once became a part of the people and all went well until at the end of a century and a half the little colony had grown to be quite an extensive country and their farms and villages covered a wide area.

During all these years it was a Dutch colony, and notwithstanding its dimensions and prosperity, it was still owned and governed by Holland, though there is no intimation that Dutch rule was severe or that it produced any great degree of dissatisfaction in the minds of the Boers. While Holland had been their benefactor, and they, no doubt, felt grateful for her assistance, they probably, also, felt that one hundred and fifty years of service was sufficient to fully compensate her for all she had done, and, being now able to take care of themselves, they sought their independence in 1795. The United States of America had gained its freedom from English rule less than a decade before and the French Revolution, which had completely changed governmental affairs in France and shaken the foundation of almost every European government, had come to an end and the Napoleonic wars had just begun. All things considered, it would seem that this was a propitious moment for them to strike for liberty. Holland was unable to hold them, but England took charge of the colony, claiming to do so as a friend to Holland.

In 1804 it was delivered to Holland, but in 1806 the English retook it and Cape Colony has been a British province ever since.

In 1815 Holland relinquished all claims to it, which firmly established British supremacy in that region.

An attempt was at once made to destroy the nationality of the Boers. The Dutch language was forbidden in the courts and schools and every possible effort was made to make the Boers feel their dependence upon the British.

So harsh was English rule, that in 1840 great numbers of the Boers left their farms and moved northward and settled, some in Natal and others in neighboring sections.

In a short time the British annexed Natal to Great Britain just as she had Cape Colony.

Again, many of the Boers left their second country and settled in Orange Free State, but in 1849 the English took that also.

Many of them again left the country and settied in the Transvaal, where a small settlement had previously been made. About this time the English began to be attacked by the native tribes around them and they appealed to the Boers for help, which was refused. The English began now to see how difficult it would be for them to hold the territory against both the natives and the Boers, and in 1852 they made a treaty which assured the Boers that they would never be interfered with north of the Vaal river.

This is called the "Sand River" treaty. Orange River Free State, two years later, was given similar assurance of immunity from British disturbance, by the treaty of "Aliwal North." Notwithstanding these assurances, in 1877 Mr. Shepstone, the British Secretary of Natal, forcibly seized the Transvaal for the British Crown, under pretense that the Boers were too weak to resist the attacks of the natives.

The real truth of the matter was that they were not able to resist the attacks of both the barbarous native and faithless Briton.

This state of affairs continued until 1880, when the Boers of the Transvaal, unwilling to longer suffer the indignities of British insolence, resolved to fight for their freedom, and an attack was accordingly made on some British troops who were making their way to Pretoria, the Capital of Transvaal.

The British were defeated in this battle and surrendered to the Boers. Three other battles, in all of which the Boers were victorious, were fought in this war. The last was the battle of Majuba Hill, in which the British lost 283 officers and men in killed, wounded and prisoners, while the Boers lost only one killed and five wounded. Gladstone was at this time Prime Minister of England and, having a greater sense of justice than most Englishmen seem to have had, he summarily stopped the war.

This was in 1881. In 1884 the Boers were again assured by the terms of the London Convention that Britain would never again interfere with her affairs.

About this time it began to dawn upon the world that the Transvaal had one of the richest gold mines in existence. Thousands of foreigners flocked to these gold fields and soon the foreign element outnumbered the original settlers four or five to one. Almost at once trouble began. It was a rather awkward situation. A very great majority of the people were being governed by the minority, without any voice whatever in the government. Most of these foreigners probably cared but little who governed them, but England saw her opportunity and did not fail to make us^ of it. British papers were freely circulated among the miners, explaining the injustice of existing conditions, and soon there was a clamor for suffrage. Paul Kruger, President of Transvaal, opposed the infranchisement of foreigners, for he well knew that if this element was allowed to vote, England would soon be in possession of the government, and the experience of the Boers with the English made this, above all other things, the most undesirable.

He felt unwilling to surrender his country to a nation which had already robbed his people of three out of the four homes which they had settled. In 1895 the English made a raid into the Transvaal for the purpose of overthrowing the Government. This raid was led by Col. F. W. Rhodes and Dr. L. S. Jameson, though it is believed that Cecil Rhodes, Premier of Cape Colony, planned the expedition. Cecil Rhodes, brother of F. W. Rhodes, was an immensely rich Englishman who lived at Kimberly near the western border of Orange Free State, and was hated by the Boers, probably above all other men. He had been constantly interfering in their affairs and had thus rendered himself supremely odious.

The Boers brought the Jameson Raid to a sudden termination by turning out with their rifles and capturing the entire posse.

If these had been Boers raiding British territory they would have been hung at once, no doubt, but the Transvaal Government turned them over to the English authorities, and they were tried on the charge of invading a friendly country and imprisoned, which was probably meant as punishment for their failure, more than for the crime.

From these developments and the increasing clamor for suffrage, Kruger now saw that the English were bent upon the destruction of the infant republic, even if it took bullets instead of ballots, and in 1899 he consented to foreign franchise after a residence of seven years and oath of allegiance, provided England would agree to submit national differences to arbitration.

Britain objected to the "Arbitration" requirement and demanded a five years' franchise instead of seven.

England was a member of The Hague Conference which proposed to settle all National disputes by arbitration, and it seems a little queer that she would object to it just now. But it should be remembered that Transvaal was denied a seat at The Hague in May, 1899, which denial was based upon England's objection. This is probably the Key which unlocks all mystery in the matter. England no doubt thought that her guns could settle all disputes between herself and Transvaal more satisfactorily than any Court of Arbitration, and she did not propose to be brought under obligation to the Boers or to the other Powers to settle those differences in any such manner.

It is said that Mr. Kruger even agreed to the five years franchise, but that, so eager was Mr. Chamberlain for immediate conquest of the country, he did not even present the proposal to the British Parliament. Negotiations of this kind went on during August and September and all this time England was making preparations for an invasion, and Transvaal was preparing to meet it if necessary. At last, the Transvaal Council decided that the English were only parleying in order to gain time to mass more troops and become more firmly stationed on the Transvaal borders, and on the 9th of October, 1899, Mr. Kruger sent a note to Mr. Green, the British agent at Pretoria, stating that unless the British should cease to land troops, and unless they should remove further from his border those already there by five o'clock P. M. of the 11th, he should consider it a declaration of war. It could scarcely be supposed that England would comply with this demand, when war was the very thing upon which she had already determined.

On October 11th shortly after noon, Mr. Green brought to Mr. Kruger, Dr. Reitz and Wc'merans, as they sat in the Executive Hall, a note from the British Government, breaking off all further negotiations, and from that moment war was inevitable. The reception of this note is sufficiently described in the text and notes of this story.

While it may seem unjust that a majority of the people should be governed by a minority, it should be remembered that this was the Country which England had promised never again to disturb. It was the country of the Boers and they should have had the right to control it, no matter who came. If they considered it dangerous to grant suffrage to the great number of foreigners, it was not only their right, but their duty to withhold it. Of course, there could be but one result hoped for — that of victory for England.

The population of Transvaal was only 150.000, while that of Great Britain was 300,000,000, and with such disparity in numbers the Boers themselves could not hope to win without help from other nations. They, however, felt that the justice of their cause would excite the sympathy of other nations, which it did, but not to the extent of giving them aid. In 1897, the Orange Free State and Transvaal had entered into an agreement that in case the independence of one of these territories was threatened, the other would come to its assistance unless it could be shown that the threatened country was at fault and, as will be seen from the following story, President Steyn of the Orange Free State responded promptly when war was declared against the Transvaal.

There was also quite a number of Cape Colony volunteers, and a few from other countries. Colonel Blake, an American Irishman, raised a company of volunteers in the United States and went to the assistance of the Boers. This was known as ^'Blake's Irish Brigade," and won for itself the reputation of being as good "Fighting Stuff" as the Boer army possessed.

Beyond these the Boers had no assistance and in the end were forced to yield. It is unnecessary to mention the Concentration camp in this connection, as this barbarous war method is fully dealt with in the text. Suffice it to' say that in all probability this one measure, in which England seemed determined to punish women and children, even to death, for the persistence of the soldiers in the field, had more to do in causing the Boers to surrender than all other British measures combined. But England paid pretty dearly for her victory. The territory which she gained cost her nearly $7,000 per square mile, besides the lives of more than 22,000 killed and about 74,000 invalided home.

I am not in possession of an estimate of the Boer losses, but feel pretty sure that England would be unable to offset her 22,000 killed, even by counting the 14,000 children which died in the concentration camps as a result of her cruel measures. England has gained a country with one of the richest gold mines in the world, but this will lack much in paying her for the one item of prestige which she has lost.

She has been one of the most powerful nations of the earth and a glorious country. She can boast of some of the loftiest minds that the world has produced. She is yet a great and powerful country, but when she allowed us to see that it took her nearly three years to subdue an army of men whom she considered too ignorant for self-government, and with a force five or ten times as large as theirs, then we begin to wonder why we ever considered her so powerful.

Yes, England is a glorious country, but she has reached the zenith of her glory. The love of wealth and power, unmixed with justice and mercy, is her ruling passion, and the canker-worm of decay is gnawing at her vitals.

Long has a continuous sun shone over her dominions, but today it is descending toward her western horizon, and ere long it will set never to rise. Then, like Greece and Rome, her only pride will be in her history.

BELLA DORN

OR

STRUGGLES OF THE BOERS. (INVOCATION)

Oh, Thou, Who didst in days of old Direct the pen of poets bold.

And round them nightly visions cast Of weal, of woe and trumpet blast, And held beneath omniscient eye Each nation's final destiny: Thou, who dost yet in varied mold Republics, Kingdoms, Empires hold, And fashion each as best to fill The measure of thy sovereign will: Thou, Who dost still against the strong Avenge the weak of ev'ry wrong. And bind the wounds of broken hearts Made by unjust and selfish darts; Inspire my soul, direct my pen. That I may teach my countrymen, Sons of Columbia's worthy sires Within whose breast still burn the fires Of freedom, bought with patriot's blood On many a field a sanguine flood. Oh, aid me teach to them the cost

Of freedom won or freedom lost, And point them to a noble race From whom the world had turned its face, And heeded not its struggling throes 'Gainst fearful odds of battling foes; And how its sons for freedom fought And baffled cultured skill and thought With naught but brain and manly heart To shelter from the tyrant's dart.

Oh, that Columbia's sons could feel How ill the fate when tyrant's heel Has crushed a nation's bleeding heart And forced it reeking to the mart And made in anguish there behold Like merchandise her children sold. When hope no charm to future lends And death is but where anguish ends. Oh, give me courage, make me bold That I may ev'ry page unfold Where heaven records the direst fate Of those who rob of freedom's state Those who were made with equal share Of gifts divine and heavenly care; For heaven ordains that man must pay A forfeit for unequal sway: A recompense of loss and pain

Is blent with base and selfish gain, And Justice would not dare revoke A just decree by nations broke, But raze each nation to the dust Whene'er it ceases to be just.

DELLA DORN

OR

STRUGGLES OF THE BOERS.

Chapter I Beyond the Vaal there lies a land/

By zephyrs from the tropics fanned ;2

A favored spot on Afric's plain

With streams more fair than Clyde or Seine,

And, nestled in the mountain cove,

The timid deer and cooing dove

Found each a home — a sly retreat —

From sportsman's ken and noonday heat.

The sunny peaks, where mountains rise

And pierce the dome of Southern skies.

Like sentries, stationed guard to keep

O'er nameless graves where heroes sleep,

Looked down upon the fertile plain.

All rich with fields of golden grain,

Whose yearly harvest^ always brought iThis is the country North of the Vaal river between that stream and the Limpopo, in South Africa, and is known as the Transvaal.

2The tropic of Capricorn passes through the Transvaal, and hence it lies partly within the tropics.

"The inhabitants of Transvaal were an agricultural as well as pastoral people.

The sturdy farmers all they sought.

The sparkling brooks and trickling rills

Came skipping down the forest hills,

As from their crystal founts they sped

To vales v/here flocks and herds are spread

In countless numbers. Oh, how sweet

To watch where brooks and streamlets meet

As they, like lovers' voices, blend.

And ever onward, downward trend,

And o'er the pebbles rippling go

To reach the glassy lake below;

Or, ling'ring in each eddying curl,

Like maidens, dance in mazy whirl.

As from each drop rare jewels gleam,

Reflected from the sun-lit stream.

Nor wear they thus those gems for show.

But careless of their beauty go,

Allowing but one glimpse of light

From them to meet our anxious sight;

Another glimpse from them to gain,

And hurrying on to reach the edge

Of some high cliff* — some rocky ledge.

Whose trembling height the trees o'erlook

That stand below beside the brook,

Nor shudder at the quiv'ring brink.

But, hand in hand they trusting link,

Its mossy banks o'erspread with fern Pormed rustic seats at ev'ry turn Where whispered love and plighted vows Were wafted through o'erhang-ing- boughs.

And with their faces all aglow,

They leap into the stream below,

And join with countless friendly drops,

Whose streamlet songs had reached the tops

Of those high cliffs their flight to urge

On down to ocean's restless surge.

II The Limpopo,^ whose murm'ring roar Made music for th' admiring Boer, More softly sang, when on its shore The Transvaal- maids their lovers met. And days for nuptial feasts were set. Its mossy banks o'erspread with fern Formed rustic seats at ev'ry turn. Where whispered love and plighted vows Were wafted through o'erhanging boughs Of elm and oak and sighing pine. No spot on earth seemed so divine. For wave-washed bowers by Nature made Bear 'semblance fair to Eden's shade. Where first the songs of love were sung By man to maid when earth was young. Oh, happy pair — primeval twain, iThe Limpopo river is tlie northern boundary line of the Transvaal. It first flows North, then East into the Indian ocean.

2The term "Transvaal" means, literally, "Beyond the Vaal."

Who dwelt on Eden's lovely plain, Thy strains were but repeated o'er, When lovely maid and gallant Boer Sang songs of love, by Limpopo, You sang six thousand years ago. They learned to love that rolling stream, For it was blent with ev'ry dream, Each youthful passion's brightest gleam, And on its bosom seemed to bear Their hopes, their secrets and their care.

Ill The mocking-bird that lingered near, And seemed to bend a list'ning ear, Repeated each sweet accent o'er. As, wafted from that mossy shore The lute's sweet tones in melting strain, In cadence, such as softens pain And lulls an aching heart to rest, Or brings a sigh to lover's breast. Enchanting filled the fragrant air With breathings soft as maiden's prayer.

IV The gentle slopes, the rolling hills But led to plains of wilder thrills Where forests, stretching far and wide. Traversed by streams on ev'ry side With tangled vines and flowering trees,

Each waving welcome to the breeze, Held many a home of patriot brave, Who would but smile to see his grave, If 'twere the price his land to save.

V, Upon those plains and sacred hills, More sacred made by former ills,^ Once lived a happy, noble race With freedom's beam on ev'ry face. And in each eye a spark that shone More bright than earth's most valued stone. Nor was that gleam of giddy kind. As in the gay we often find.

But sober, just, religious" look, That grosser eyes would fail to brook, With feature waves that hap'ly blend, As when we meet a childhood friend, And over all those gentle flows That give to comrades best repose.

VI A land too new for gorgeous homes, Or gilded spires and costly domes; Or ivied porch, artistic bowers. Creations but of older Powers; Or laden coffers gained by spoil,

^Reference is here made to their former treatment by England, mentioned in the Introduction. "The Boers were deeply religious.

Or wrung from hard and honest toil, But rich in such as mountains hold Of brightest gems and purest gold;^ The densest thickets, home of birds, And barer plains for flocks and herds, With echoing glen and solemn glade. The hurrying stream and wild cascade, Were blent as one continuous dream. Well suited to the poet's theme.

VII But far more lovely was each spot Where stood a cozy mountain cot. Home of the noble, hardy Boer, Who loved his sports, but freedom more; His hand unused to blood and spoil. But suited more to honest toil. Delighted not in human gore.

And longed to hear of war no more.

VIII Beneath the elms and scaly birch. Half hidden, stood the simple church. Where ev'ry happy Sabbath day Called each from toil to sing and pray. And as their prayers and anthems rose. They pled for blessings on their foes.

iThe gold-mines of Transvaal are probably the richest in the world, and diamonds also abound in the immediate vicinity.

Beneath the elms and scaly hirch Half-hidden stood the simple church.

Their simple life, their frugal fare; Chaste conversation, fervent prayer; Their gen'rous spirit; love of friend; Such sense of right as would defend, By ev'ry phase of justice' laws, A hostile foeman's righteous cause; Respect for paths ancestors trod. Alone surpassed by faith in God; With Valor's gift from sire to son, The trav'ler's admiration won.

IX

In Calvin's Creed,^ they gave assent To ev'ry word its tenets meant. For each was taught from earliest youth To deem it all unquestioned truth. In it each doom was known to God E'er seas were formed or earthly sod, And by decree so firmly fixed That man nor angels stood betwixt, Nor even God would dare undo What purpose did or knowledge knew. So, if they reached a hoary year iThe principal religious sentiment was that of the Dutch Reformed church, which is Calvinistic. Calvin believed that all things "Whatsoever cometh to pass," was predestinated or predetermined by the Creator before Time began and that the number and identity of those to be saved and those to be lost was thus unalterably fixed.

Or filled the sadder youthful bier; If by disease found early graves, Or, sailing, sank beneath the waves ; If on the field of hostile strife They fell, or by assassin's knife, They deemed it all as foreordained And still their faith as firm remained.

Chapter II

Beside a gently rising hill, Where Limpopo's low, murmuring trill So faintly fell upon the ear.

As though 'twere spirit voices near, Once stood a plain though pleasant cot,^ Where sorrow's visits seemed forgot And every breeze with fragrance fraught New joys and love of freedom brought. Its walls were neat, though low and plain, Nor bore its porch a sanguine stain. And none who sought a refuge there From summer's sun or wintry air Were e'er denied a gen'rous share.

II The tempting lawn in verdure dressed. Seemed but where forests paused to rest And dwell upon the smiling scene Of blooming peach and field of green. Its rustic seat, its limpid spring, And list the songs the warblers sing. This sacred spot, 'til British mood

^This cottag-e is supposed to have stood near the southern bank of the Limpopo river in the extreme northern part of the Transvaal.

Between its lord and freedom stood,

Where morning's brightest beams were born,

Was once the home of Horace Dorn.

O'er many a land he wandered far,

With Liberty his guiding star.

And labored on from year to year,

For Freedom's boon to him so dear.

Ill

Below the ocean's restless rim,^ Where fogs and clouds the skies bedim. And struggling star-beams lost their way, Nor reached the earth their brightest ray; Where dikes, the land from ocean pent, His happy childhood days were spent. But when those youthful days had flown And he through youth to manhood grown, With brow untounched by marks of time. He sought a more salubrious clime. To Iran^ first, "Land of the sun," Which Moslem^ sword had long undone;

iMuch of the surface of Holland is below the level of the ocean, hence fogs and misty clouds are quite prevalent. Inundation is prevented by dikes or embankments.

Hran: Ancient name of Persia, a portion of which is referred to as "Land of the Sun," by Thomas Moore in \ his Lalla Rookh. ^ ^Moslem: A follower of Mohammed.

Where Mithra's^ shrines in ruins lay, Nor Gheber^ dared to disobey Command to kneel at Allah's^ shrine. Or count its worship undivine. Where once Al-hassen proudly trod Through Gheber's blood to serve his God, Where many a brave had tried in vain To free his land from Moslem stain, Young Horace saw the proudest fall Before Mohammed's saintly hall, Though forced at first by Arab's rod, Submissive now to Moslem nod.

IV Disgusted with the land of slaves.

Apostate sons of nobler braves.

He sought fair Erin's^ verdant shore

And thought to roam the world no more.

But what had been the Persian bane

Here Britain tried, though half in vain,

For, though by force her pride was crushed.

Her valiant s ons were never hushed.^

^Mithra: Deity of the ancient Persians. They were Fire-worshippers and were conquered by the Arabs and their temples destroyed, and the people forced to embrace the Mohammedan religion, though they, in time, became willing devotees to that form of worship.