A Royal Horse Artillery driver in South Africa during the Boer War told the following story:
A staff officer under Colonel Shovealong approached a Boer farmer sitting at the door of his cottage, near which was a large stack of hay, and said, "I have orders to either buy or destroy all forage and food in this district. I therefore give you notice that I am about to set fire to that pile of oat-straw."
"But I tell you --" said the Boer farmer.
"Resistance is futile," said the staff officer.
"But would you please --"
"I can listen to no excuses."
The stack of straw presently burst into flame, and the staff officer went on his way rejoicing. The Boer turned to his wife and said, "I wanted to tell him that this was the oat-straw I had sold to the colonel half an hour ago." And he jingled the British sovereigns in his pocket.
波爾戰爭期間在南非的一個英國皇家馬曳砲隊車夫說了以下一個故事：
一個波爾農夫坐在他的小屋門前，附近是一大堆乾草。肖夫阿朗上校手下一名參謀走到那農夫跟前，說道：「我奉命把這一帶的飼料、糧食或買下，或毀壞。現在就通知你，我會把那堆燕麥稈燒掉。」
那波爾農夫說：「但是，我告訴你──」
參謀說：「反抗是沒有用的。」
「但是，請你──」
「求免的說話，我不會聽。」
那堆燕麥稈隨即被焚，那參謀滿心歡喜，繼續上路。那波爾農夫轉頭跟妻子說：「我本來想告訴他，那堆燕麥稈半小時之前才賣了給肖夫阿朗上校。」他搖搖口袋，裏面的英國金幣玎璫作響。