Imperial Hotel,
Maritzburg, Natal.
Feb. 23rd, 1900.
[DEAR MOTHER: — ]
I reached Durban yesterday. They paraded the band in my
honour and played Yankee Doodle indefinitely — I had corrupted
them by giving them drinks to play the "Belle of New York"
nightly. The English officers thought Yankee Doodle was our
national anthem and stood with their hats off in a hurricane
balancing on the deck of the tender on one foot — The city of
Durban is the best I have seen. It was as picturesque as the
Midway at the Fair — There were Persians, Malay, Hindoo,
Babu's Kaffirs, Zulu's and soldiers and sailors. I went on
board the Maine to see the American doctors — one of them
said he had met me on Walnut Street, when he had nearly run me
down with his ambulance from the Penna Hospital. Lady
Randolph took me over the ship and was very much puzzled when
all the hospital stewards called me by name and made
complimentary remarks. It impressed her so much apparently
that she and the American nurses I hadn't met on board came to
see me off at the station, which was very friendly. I have
had a horrible day here and got up against the British officer
in uniform and on duty bent — The chief trouble was that none
of them knew what authority he had to do anything — and I had
to sit down and tell them. I wonder with intelligence like
theirs that
their Intelligence Department did not tell them the Boers
fought with war clubs and spears. I bought a ripping pony and
my plan is to cut away from all my magnificent equipment and
try to overtake Buller before he reaches Ladysmith and send
back for the heavy things later. It is just a question of
minutes really and it seems hard to have come 1500 miles and
then to miss it by an hour — I arrive at Chievely tomorrow at
five — that is only ten miles from where Buller is to night, so
were it not for their d — — d regulations I could ride across
country and join them by midday but I bet they won't let me
and I also bet I'll get there in time. Of course you'll, know
before you see this. Marelsburg is the capital and its chief
industry is rickshaw's pulled by wild Kaffi's, with beads and
snake skins around them and holes in their ears into which
they stick segars and horn spoons for dipping snuff. The
women wear less than the men and have their hair done up in
red fungus.
Well, love to you all, to Nora and Dad and Chas,
and God bless you.
DICK.
