This is a true word. Never mind what false-hoods you-tell, but truth will out, sooner or later j only it is generally later, more’s the pity 1 Let me give a short summary of the untruths told me during the very first days of my captivity—untruths later to be overtaken by the truth. On the Sunday morning, after their first ebullition of temper was over, I asked several of the burghers, and especially Commandant Swarts, to tell me what had happened since war had been declared on the previous Wednesday evening. This is the answer I received; " There are 90,000 Transvaalers and Free Staters in the field all determined to die rather than give in; our commandos have rushed down Natal, from Laing’s Nek, where we were massed before the war, ready for it (not like England, blustering but unready), and reached Durban yesterday, and to-day Natal is ours!"
When I expressed my doubts the answer given me, on this sacred day of rest, which the Transvaal Government says it respects so highly, was that “it is official news" sent to their lager late Saturday evening. This is No. I., and a very good h too—a regular Ai. Now prepare yourself, reader, for the next; it might take your breath away otherwise. It is this: “The Free Staters took De Aar yesterday, and combined Free State and Transvaal forces are besieging Kimberley now, which will surrender within a few days. We have swept everything before us, because we were ready!” No. II. is a stunner, and no mistake about it. Now the next: “Mafeking fell yesterday, Cronje taking it with a rush; Baden-Powell and all his men being prisoners now, and on their way to Zeerust" This is No. III., and a real, lively, frisky lie it is. Another one: “ The whole Colony has risen, the combined forces will sweep on to Table Mountain! We will not rest till we are there. Already a body of between 7,000 and 8,000 Colonials has crossed over into the Free State to help us. One flag now from the Zambezi to Table Bay" No. IV. makes me grow dizzy, it is so tall to look up to. “ And" said my truth-loving Commander, “ our northern commando will this week take Buluwayo" bringing the total number of crammers up to five. And to every doubt I expressed the invariable answer, given with the simplicity of the "heathen Chinee,” was, " but it is official, we got it last night.” And this latter statement was quite true, let me say it here—I've seen myself many of these official wires. Thus a pure and honest Government delighted in gulling its simple subjects! Of course, official meant Paul Kruger says.so, and even if he tells an untruth it must be true! That was the general idea.
I knew instinctively at the time that this was what the Yankee would call "awfully tall lying”; and now, when I look back — four months after these “official truths” were told me — I could laugh and despise these liars, only I feel more inclined to weep that men, guiding a State through critical times, could sink so low. I know quite well that false reports, outrageously false, were spread on our side, too; but then it was done by irresponsible correspondents and scare-mongers. But here every lie bore the official stamp. The good, simple burgher would not lie thus—his Government— wondrous Government!—taught him, and, alas, too many proved to be but too apt pupils.
'Tis February now, and their troops never got beyond Colenso, and are now retiring rather quickly: and they never got further south than our few Colonial towns occupied by them: and they have never taken Kimberley, which is now relieved, nor Mafeking, soon to be relieved, I hope: nor did they ever get further north than the Crocodile— they could not even take Fort Tuli. Since then time upon time Government officials assured me that the combined troops of the two States amounted only to 50,000 men, and as for the 7,000 Colonials, why, they are still waiting for them here!
And Table Mountain is still as far off as ever. All this was official lying, of which the reader will hear more later on. And these very officials are the men who tell the world how they pray to God for success, and how sure they are that God will give them the victory, for their cause is so just! Does a just cause require to be bolstered up by such shameful lying? Are real God-fearing men boasters and idle braggarts? Alas 1 I have been terribly disillusioned. I had a different opinion of the President and his officials. I differed from their political opinions, but respected those among them who were wot political Hollanders, for there are many other good Hollanders among them. And now?—well, never mind what I think—only I am disillusioned and bitterly disappointed!
So much for official lying:—now a little private lying.
One of our escort, a Colonial-born German, who had had a little education, and been to Europe with his parents as a youngster, acquainted some of my fellow-prisoners on the way to Zeerust with several little interesting experiences of his.
He told them that he had once met Sir Donald Currie, who was so struck with his ability and general personality that he offered to adopt him as his own son, but "I preferred coming back to South Africa" said he. I wonder what Sir Donald will say to this! Further, he told them that he once travelled from Kimberley to Cape Town, and was mistaken for the Attorney-General of the Cape (was it Sir Thomas Upington, I wonder?) and given a whole saloon carriage to himself! And then he informed the party that he never would have fought on the Transvaal side, but as he owned all the farms from Zeerust right away some thirty miles to the north-west, he had to do it, or forfeit all his property. And thus the tedium of the journey was pleasantly (?) beguiled. Arrival at Zeerust let in the glare of truth, and our imaginative hero dwindled down to a very commonplace little fellow—very commonplace, indeed, even in the estimate of his own compatriots. But I forgive him—I can even excuse his propensities. Does not his Government officially encourage him to develop his truth-disguising talents? But magna est veritas et prevalebit!
