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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15160-8.txt b/15160-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ac0420 --- /dev/null +++ b/15160-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3714 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, On Commando, by Dietlof Van Warmelo + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: On Commando + +Author: Dietlof Van Warmelo + +Release Date: February 24, 2005 [eBook #15160] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO*** + + +E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Garrett Alley, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +ON COMMANDO + +by + +DIETLOF VAN WARMELO + +With a Portrait + +Methuen & Co. +36 Essex Street W.C. +London +Colonial Library + +1902 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: DIETLOF VAN WARMELO] + + + + +PREFACE + + +This book was written in 1901, while its author was a prisoner at +Ahmednagar. It was written in Dutch, and has been put into English by a +young lady from what was the Orange Free State. + +The author is a friend and relation of mine, son of a clergyman in the +Transvaal, and of old Afrikander stock on both sides. His book is the +more valuable because of the absence of all literary pretensions, and it +may be taken as truly representative of the Afrikander spirit, which has +been so much misconceived in England. + +FREDERIK VAN EEDEN + +WALDEN, N. HOLLAND, +_July_, 1902 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +FOREWORD + + I. AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH + + II. SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING + UP OF THE CANNON + + III. THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF + INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF LADYSMITH + + IV. DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA + + V. TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK + + VI. GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE + OF PRESIDENT STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET + + VII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER + + VIII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST + + IX. PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG + + X. FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS + TO THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS + + XI. BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT + + XII. PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN + STATION + + XIII. COMMANDO SUFFERINGS + + XIV. BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN + + XV. BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS + + XVI. CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP + +CONCLUSION: BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY + + + + +MY LIFE ON COMMANDO + +FOREWORD + + +Could I have known that the war would last so long, I might from the +beginning have taken notes. They would have brought back memories in a +way pleasant to me now, and perhaps also to those who have asked me to +write down my adventures. + +Often it occurred to me to keep a diary, but I was obliged to give up +the idea because my clothes were sometimes so thoroughly drenched that +the letters in my pocket were not readable. Later on, when clothes were +scarce and pockets past mending, I often made the unpleasant discovery +that caused the fool, on his journey from the land of Kokanje, to cry to +the King: 'We have ridden at such a breakneck pace, see, everything has +slipped through this little hole!' Now I am obliged to write down my +adventures without any notes, so dates, numbers, and names of places +will occasionally be missing. It stands to reason that I--being an exile +in a strange country, in the fort of ... in ..., cut off from the world +outside and without any official reports--should simply limit myself to +my own personal experience. And, lastly, I must apologize to my readers +for so often speaking of myself and my friends; but that is inevitable +in this tale. + +I shall pass rapidly over the first part of my life on commando. If my +memory plays me false--which is not very probable, as I still have a +lively recollection of the events--I shall be grateful for correction. + +_July_, 1901. + + + + +I + +AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH + + +When that part of the Pretoria town commando to which my brother Frits +and I belonged left for the Natal boundary on September 30, 1899, we +were all very enthusiastic, as could be seen from the nice new suits, +the new shining guns, and the sleek horses. Many ladies had come to the +station to see us off, and we were proud of having the opportunity to +fight for our country. Our departure seemed then to us a great occasion, +we were inexperienced in war. We had not yet learnt that one could pass +unscathed through many a fierce battle. We knew nothing of 'retreating' +and we knew all about the enemy with whom we were to come in contact. We +imagined that several sharp engagements would take place--that these +would be decisive battles in which many of our men would be killed, and +therefore the parting with relatives and friends was sad indeed. + +Our Field-Cornet, Melt Marais, had told us that we had nothing to see to +except provisions for a day or two, as Government would supply us with +all necessaries at Zandspruit, where the commandos were to concentrate; +so many of us took neither pots, pans, nor mugs. + +What a disillusion it was to find on our arrival at Zandspruit that +there were no tents, and as yet no provisions of any kind! So we were +initiated by having to pass the first nights of our commando life on the +open veld with insufficient food. And in the daytime our work was cut +out for us, as every other minute our horses disappeared--lost among the +thousands of horses that all looked exactly alike in the eyes of an +inexperienced townsman. Then it meant a running and seeking, an +examining of marks and tokens, until the stupid among us were obliged to +tie ribbons to our horses as a means of recognising them. And one, the +story goes, even tied a nosebag, with a bundle of forage, to his mount +so that it should not run away. + +At length the provisions began to arrive, but the pots and pans were +still scarce and we could not even drink a cup of coffee till a tin of +jam or meat had been emptied. + +We were just beginning to feel comfortable, when the time stated in the +ultimatum expired, and we had to cross the boundary of Natal. General +Erasmus was at the head of our commando. We spent the night near +Volksrust in a cold hail storm and rain. Those first days we are not +likely to forget. They were wet, cold days, and we were still +unaccustomed to preparing our own food and looking after ourselves. +Fortunately, we had the opportunity, a few days later, of supplying +ourselves with all necessaries at Newcastle. + +Before we crossed the boundary General Erasmus had addressed us and told +us the news of our first victory--the taking of an armoured train at +Kraaipan; at that time we still made a fuss about such a trifle. Also, +in those days, we still looked up with respect to our leaders. + +Ds. Postma, who accompanied us everywhere, led us in prayer. Not one of +the burghers seems to have known where the enemy were. We advanced +slowly and carefully, as we expected _to meet with the enemy at any +moment_; but we saw no signs of them until we came to Dundee. After a +rest of a few days we undertook the momentous expedition to the +mountains of Dundee, to the north of the town. + +Towards evening we got the order to 'prepare for three days.' For three +days! And we had not even provisions enough for one. But we understood +that there could not yet be a proper commissariat, and we fought for our +country willingly, convinced of the justice of our cause; so we +'prepared' cheerfully. + +Before the commando started, a terrible thunderstorm came on that slowly +passed over and was followed by a gentle rain. We rode hard in the dark, +through dongas, past farms and houses, zigzagging in a half-circle, to +the mountains of Dundee. No sound was to be heard except the dull thud +of the hoofs of the galloping horses. Now and again we whispered to each +other how delightfully we were going to surprise the enemy. When the +horses came to a sudden pause, and an inexperienced rider, owing to a +presentiment of evil, involuntarily uttered his wish to 'halt,' we +turned upon him angrily and called him 'traitor.' We did not then know +that we were far beyond earshot of the enemy. It stopped raining, and +towards morning we reached the mountains; and after we had with great +difficulty got our horses on to the mountains, we had to await the dawn +in the cold, drenched to the skin. A mackintosh is of small service in +such a rain. When the day dawned we led our horses higher up. A thick +fog had come on. General Lucas Meyer was to begin the attack on the +west, and we were to surprise the enemy from the heights. + +When the roar of cannon announced the battle, we were full of +enthusiasm, but General Erasmus forbade anyone to move on before the fog +lifted. It was quite possible that the fog might be only on the +mountain-tops, because of their great height, and that we would have +clear weather as soon as we began to descend, therefore several of our +men begged General Erasmus to be allowed to go on ahead as scouts. But +he was very much against it, and said that the enemy might cut off our +retreat, and 'if the enemy surround us it is all up with us,' said he. +As soon as the roar of the cannon ceased, we withdrew some distance into +the mountains to let our horses graze. But we had only just off-saddled, +when from all sides came the cry of 'Saddle! saddle!' and from our left, +in the valley, came the sound of firing. A detachment of 250 khakies, +probably knowing nothing of our whereabouts, and intending to pass round +the mountains and attack Lucas Meyer in the rear, was compelled to +surrender in a few moments, after first having sought cover in a kraal +near a house. + +We remained three days on the Dundee mountains, and during all that time +there was a steady drizzle, with intervals of hail and wind. Once when +it cleared up for a few hours we got the order to attack the town, but +it began to rain again, and that night we had to keep our positions in +the intense cold, without any covering. Fortunately, the enemy abandoned +their camp that night, and when we looked down upon the town next +morning the khakies had vanished. We had only the preceding day placed +our cannon in a position to command the camp. + +When we returned to our saddles, the horses had strayed so far that it +took us almost all day to get them back. My uncle, Paul Maré, formerly +Volksraad member for Zoutpansberg, treated us to kaboe-mealies (roasted +maize), the first we had on commando, and we ate with great relish. + +Meanwhile the commando had left. We followed, and entered Dundee, where +we helped ourselves hungrily to the good things from the shops placed at +the disposal of the commandos. + +In an unorganized army looting is a necessary evil. There are always +some of the lower classes who are the ringleaders, and when the +commandos reach a house or farm that has already been looted, they join +in the looting 'because the burghers are on commando, and they must be +well supplied with all necessaries, so as to be able to fight well.' So +we reasoned, and we joined in the looting. I can affirm, to the honour +of our burghers, that it was not our intention to plunder, and in the +beginning much was done to prevent it. The lower class Uitlander, who +joined us for the sake of booty, and not for love and sympathy towards +us, was largely responsible for the bad name we got among right-minded +people who did not know the facts of the case. It was the same as +regards theft. If anyone missed his horse, he had but to look for it +among the 'Irish corps,' or some other Uitlander corps, and unless he +knew his beast well he would fail to recognise it, as both mane and tail +would have been cut short by the thief. I do not wish to pretend that +_we_ were always free from blame. It has happened that the Uitlander got +a very poor horse in exchange for his thoroughbred because a Boer had +tied the token of recognition to his own horse and made off with the +better one. The truth is that very few men are proof against the +demoralizing influence of war, and I will not deny that this war has +shown up our many faults; but in my tale I shall be able to take up the +cudgels for my people in cases where the rest of the world turned from +us because they were disappointed in their expectations of us. + +After our departure from Dundee the looting went on freely. Then we +began to witness the devastation that is the irremediable consequence of +war. Here and there a house had been completely plundered. At Glencoe +Junction I entered the stationmaster's house, a well-furnished house +with beautiful pictures, books, and mirrors. Some massive silver mugs +and other articles of value were lying about. The family had only just +dined, for the cloth was still laid. I ate of the food on the table, +wrote a letter home with pen and ink, and left the house. Later on, when +I returned, it had been thoroughly looted and some of the mirrors +smashed. There were many of the riff-raff, Kaffirs and coolies in the +neighbourhood, and in all probability they had done the mischief. + +When our commando left Dundee to move in the direction of Ladysmith, +part of the Pretoria town commando was sent to reinforce Lucas Meyer, +who was to follow the troops fleeing from Dundee with his commando. My +brother and I went with it. A terrible thunderstorm came on just then, +and during the whole march to Ladysmith it rained heavily. Every moment +we expected to come up with the troops, but they had too great a start, +and we did not overtake them at all. We were too late again. An English +General has said that 'the Boers are brave, and make good plans, but are +always twenty-four hours late.' That can be explained in this way. We +were accustomed to fighting against Kaffirs, who hid in woods and +mountains, and against whom we had to advance with the utmost +precaution, so as to lose as few lives as possible. So we were too +cautious in the beginning of the war. We would not make a great +sacrifice to win a battle. + +On October 30 we were present, under Lucas Meyer, at the battle near +Ladysmith, but we did not come into action, as we belonged to a part of +the commando that had to hold a position to prevent attack in the rear. +The enemy did not attack our position at all, except with a few bombs, +because they suffered a great defeat near Modderspruit, and had to +retreat hurriedly. From our positions we could see how every time the +bombs burst among them the fleeing troops seemed to get 'mazed' for a +moment, and then went forward again. + +At that time we were often in want of food. One must have suffered +hunger to know what it means. In a few linen bags I had some biscuits +that had first been reduced to crumbs through the riding, and then to a +kind of pap by the rain and perspiration of the horse. Often when I +felt the pangs of famine I added some sugar to this mess and ate it with +relish. + +Some days later we left Lucas Meyer and returned to our commando, which +had meanwhile gone to the north of Ladysmith. During our absence +Zeederberg had taken the place of Melt Marais as Veld-Cornet. + + + + +II + +SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING UP OF THE CANNON + + +When we surrounded the town and the siege began, all talk of the bananas +that we were to eat in the south of Natal came to an end. + +Ladysmith ought never to have been besieged. On October 30 we should +have made use of our advantage. If we had at once followed the enemy +when they fled in disorder, we should in all probability easily have +taken those positions that would have involved the immediate surrender +of Ladysmith. Many lives would have been sacrificed, but not so many as +were sacrificed during the whole siege. And we might have used those men +who were necessary to maintain the siege elsewhere as an attacking +force. Instead of following up our advantage, we deliberately prepared +for a siege. The enemy meanwhile made use of the opportunity to entrench +themselves well. Most of our burghers were against our attempting to +take the town by assault when once it was thoroughly entrenched. + +The Pretoria town commando and that from Krokodil River in the Pretoria +district occupied the position nearest to Ladysmith. This was a hill to +the north of the town, flat at the top, and surrounded by a stone wall. +In all probability the enclosed depression of about 500 paces in circuit +had been used as a cattle-kraal. Against that kopje (hill) we gradually +put up our tents. From our camp we looked on to a large flat mountain +that we called Little Amajuba, because on October 30 the first large +capture of prisoners had been made there. In front of our kopje, near +the foot, ran a donga, and at a distance of about 1,000 paces, parallel +to us, lay another oblong kopje occupied by the enemy. This kopje we +called Rooirandjes. + +On November 8 we received the order from our General to attack the +Rooirandjes the following day. We were about 250 strong, and very +willing, as that position had not yet been entrenched. On a mountain to +our right a cannon had been placed that was to begin firing on the +enemy's position towards dawn. Distinct orders were given that our +Veld-Cornet was to be at the foot of Rooirandjes with his men before +daybreak. But something went wrong again, and it was already quite light +when we reached the donga. We found ourselves at a distance of about 700 +paces from the Rooirandjes, and we had to cross an open space if we +still wished to storm the position. The enemy's watch already began +shooting at us. + +The corporals let their men advance in groups of four from the donga to +the kopje, using the ant-hills as cover when they lay down. Our turn +came last, but meanwhile the enemy had received reinforcements, and the +nearest ant-hills were nearly all occupied, so that only three men could +go at a time. Such a shower of bullets fell that it was a miracle that +we came out of it alive. Fortunately I found a free ant-hill. My brother +had to share one with a comrade. + +At last the cannon from the mountain fired a few shots, but stopped +again almost immediately--why, I do not yet know. So we were obliged to +lie in our positions. It was terribly hot, and not a cloud in the sky. +We suffered horribly from thirst, and scarcely dared move to get at our +water-bags. One of our comrades lay groaning behind me. He was shot +through both legs. The bullets kept flying over our heads to the kopje +behind us, where some of our burghers lay firing at the enemy. Every now +and again a bullet exploded in our neighbourhood with the noise of a +pistol-shot. I fancy only Dum-Dums make that peculiar noise. We had +already seen many such bullets taken from the enemy by our burghers in +the Battle of Modderspruit. Another burgher, Mulder, ran past me with a +smile on his lips, threw himself behind an ant-hill, immediately rose +again with the intention of joining some of our burghers in the front +ranks, who sat calmly smoking behind some rocks under a tree, but had +not gone two paces when he was shot in the thigh. There he had to lie +groaning until our brave Reineke, who was killed later on at Spion Kop, +saw a chance of carrying him away. + +Some of us fell asleep from fatigue. One of our men on waking heard the +hiss of a bullet over his head at regular intervals, and thought that a +khaki had got closer up to him, and was firing at him from the side. +When he lifted his head he found that he had rolled away from all cover. +One, two, three, back he was again behind his ant-hill, and the +scoundrel stopped firing at him. It was lucky for us that the enemy were +such bad shots, or not many of us would have lived to tell the tale. + +When our cannon at last, towards evening, condescended to bombard the +enemy, the firing almost wholly ceased, and we made use of that +favourable opportunity to get back to the donga. We had lain nine hours +behind those ant-hills, and, strange to say, there were only two wounded +on our side. We decided not to run the same risk again. In this way we +lost our confidence in men like the brothers Erasmus, General and +Commandant, who, in the first place, were incapable of organizing a good +plan of attack, and, secondly, never took part in a battle. + +The months spent near Ladysmith were to most of us the most tedious of +the whole war. We had so little to do, and the heat between the glowing +rocks of the kopjes was awful. The little work we had was anything but +pleasant; it consisted chiefly in keeping guard either by day or by +night. In the beginning a very bad watch was kept. Later on we had to +climb the kopje at least every alternate evening to pass the long nights +in our positions, while not far behind us stood our empty tents. + +When we got back in the morning with our bundles on our backs, dead +tired, we simply 'flopped' on to a stone, and sat waiting for our cup of +coffee, either gazing at the lovely landscape or at the dirty camp, +according to the mood we were in, or exchanging loud jokes with our +neighbours. Constantly being on guard and constantly being in danger +wears one out. We much prefer active service on patrol or in a skirmish +to lying in our positions. It is not in the nature of the Boer to lie +inactive far from his home. He soon wants to go 'huis-toe' (home), and +very soon the 'leave-plague' broke out in our camp. That plague was one +of the causes why the enemy succeeded in breaking through our lines. + +Through unfairness on the part of the officers, some burghers often got +leave, others never, and the consequence, of course, was a constant +quarrelling. Many burghers got leave and never returned--either with or +without the knowledge of the officers. No wonder we never had a proper +fighting force in the field. + +The difficulties we had to contend with through want of organization +prevented the Generals from putting their plans into execution. + +Fortunately, many burghers were very willing, and if there was to be a +fight they always went voluntarily. It was noticeable that those under a +capable General fought well, while those under a bad or incapable +General were very weak indeed. Sometimes wonders were done at the +initiative of some of the burghers. We had a few games in the camp to +pass the time, but we were kept busy in a different way also. Sometimes, +when we were all just comfortably lazy, the order would be given to +'mount.' That meant a hurried search for our horses and snatching up our +guns and bandoliers. But after a while we had had enough of those false +alarms, and they failed to make any impression on us. The call of 'The +English are coming! saddle, saddle!' became proverbial. + +When we did not keep such constant guard, we sat or lay listening of an +evening to a most discordant noise caused by the singing of psalms and +hymns at the same time at different farms. We sometimes joined in. As a +people we are not very musical. + +The day-watch we liked best. Then we often got a chance of firing a shot +at a careless khaki on the Rooirandjes. To some of our young men there +was something very exciting in the idea that they were in constant +danger. Every now and again a bomb, too, would come flying over the +camp, and the whole commando would make for the rocks amid shouts of +laughter. + +At that time we still felt rather down when there was a fight in +prospect. When, some time after our attack on the Rooirandjes, we went +to the west of Ladysmith to attack Platrand, we did not feel at all +comfortable, although we went voluntarily. It was a lovely ride in the +dark at a flying gallop, but when we found on our arrival at Platrand +that the promised number of men was not there, we rode away again quite +satisfied that we had not to attempt the attack. For had we not made up +our minds not to risk a repetition of the attack on Rooirandjes? + +The blowing-up of the cannon at Ladysmith is one of the episodes of the +war that we look back upon with a feeling of shame. A few days after a +Long Tom had been blown up on Umbulwana Kop, east of Ladysmith, I warned +our Field-Cornet that the enemy were busy spying in our neighbourhood at +night. While on guard, we could distinctly hear the flapping of the +saddles and the neighing of the horses in front of us. I foretold a +repetition of what had happened on Umbulwana Kop. The Field-Cornet +promised that the guard would be doubled that night. Towards morning +those of us who were not on guard were waked out of our sleep by a loud +cry of 'Hurrah!' from the throats of a few hundred Englishmen who were +blowing up two cannon on a mountain to our right, close to us. We sprang +towards our positions, stumbling and falling over stones, not knowing +what was going on, and expecting the khakies at any moment. It was the +first time that we had heard a fight at night, and it gave us a creepy +feeling. We saw the flames of the guns and from the exploding bullets, +and heard the rattling of the shots and the shouting, but we could not +join in the fight, as we--eight of us--were not allowed to leave our +positions. Now and again a bullet fell in our neighbourhood, and the +Free State Artillery, who were on the mountains to the right, fired some +bombs at the enemy, nearly hitting us in the dark. + +When it got lighter we went to look at the dead and wounded, perhaps +from a feeling of bravado, perhaps to accustom ourselves to the sight. +The enemy had paid dearly for their brave deed. They know the number of +their dead and wounded better than we do, for they had opportunity +enough to carry them away. On our side only four were killed and a few +wounded. Niemeyer, Van Zyl and Villiers were among the killed. Pott was +severely wounded. Niemeyer had several bayonet wounds. + +After that we were, of course, doubly careful. We have never been able +to discover who failed in their duty on guard. Cooper and Tossel were +suspected and accused. They were sent to Pretoria under arrest, but the +investigation never led to any result. We have every reason to believe +that our burghers were guilty of treachery more than once near +Ladysmith. Government ought from the start to have taken strict measures +against traitors and spies. + +Some days after the blowing up of the cannon I sprained my left knee, +which I had already hurt before the war began. General Erasmus gave me +leave to go home for an unlimited time. On my way home I passed my +brother Willem without being aware of it. He had come from Holland, +where he was studying, to take part in the war. + +What a meeting with relatives and friends! How much there was to tell! +Even then we had not experienced very much, and how much more will our +burghers have to tell their dear ones on returning from their exile in +strange countries! There will, alas! be much sorrow, too; for many of +our friends and relatives have been killed in this war, and many more +will have yet to give their lives for their country! + + + + +III + +THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF +LADYSMITH + + +Before my knee was quite cured I returned to Ladysmith. The first thing +that caught my eye on my return to the camp was the balloon above +Ladysmith. It looked just like a large crocodile-eye as it followed all +my movements. When I went to look for my horse or to fetch water or +wood, there it stood, high up in the sky, and I felt as if it kept its +eye specially fixed on me, and as if I might expect a bomb at any +moment. + +We had never in all our lives seen so many flies as at Ladysmith. We had +to hurry over our meals as they made eating almost an impossibility to +us. Fortunately, I was only a short time there, as towards the end of +January, 1900, part of our commando, including my brother and myself, +was sent to the Tugela as reinforcement. We had a distance of four and a +half hours to ride, and we had to ride hard, as the enemy were +determined to force their way through. We arrived the same day, just two +days after the enemy had tried to force their way through to the right +of Spion Kop and had been defeated. On nearing the high Tugela mountains +we heard more and more distinctly the constant rattling of bullets, +interrupted by the roar of the cannon and the bom-bom-bom of our saucy +bomb-Maxim, that made our hearts expand and those of the enemy shrink. +As we raced on to the foot of the mountains, the bullets that the enemy +were sending over the mountains to find the Boers raised the dust around +us. + +The following morning we went to lie in a trench that had been dug by +our men on a rise to the right of Spion Kop. The previous day eight +burghers had been wounded there. Red Danie Opperman was Field-Cornet. +Not far from us, to our left, stood a few of our cannon, and facing us, +to our left, on the long mountain slope, we could see fourteen guns of +the enemy's. In front of us was a large wood, and close to that the +English camp. We could see the enemy moving in great close square +masses. It was a terribly hot day; we had to lie in the trenches, as all +day long the enemy fired at us from the smaller positions facing us, at +a distance of 15,000 paces; and constantly the bombs burst over our +heads. At regular intervals a lyddite bomb--that gave us a shock through +our whole body--came from the wood towards the cannon on our left. Once +only part of our entrenchment, where, fortunately, no one happened to +be, was blown to bits. + +Whenever there was a moment's pause, we lifted our heads above the +trenches to have a look at the lovely landscape and at the positions of +our enemy. That day not one of us was wounded. Only the artillery +suffered. If our few cannon ventured to make themselves heard, eight or +more bombs followed in quick succession to silence them. Next to me lay +a man whose servant, a restless, impatient Bushman, most amicably +addressed him as Johnny. The Bushman went to and fro continually to a +'chum' of his who lay hidden behind a rock close to us. Once, on one of +his visits to his 'chum,' a bullet struck the ground close to his +heels; he stood still, looked slowly and defiantly from his heels to +the enemy, and said in a most emphatic tone, 'You confounded +Englishman!' and calmly proceeded on his way to his chum. + +To the right of this position was an open space, almost level with the +immediate surroundings, but ending in a steep decline some 900 paces +further on. There we went towards evening with a reinforcement of the +Pretoria town commando that had followed us. The Field-Cornet made us +stand in rows, and told off forty men to dig a trench that night. The +rest of the men would relieve us the following night. My brother and I +were in the first shift. Towards morning, while we were still digging at +the trenches, fire was opened across the whole line of battle. We +imagined that we were being attacked, and jammed ourselves in the narrow +trench. But as the attack did not come off, and the bullets flew high +over our heads, we went on digging until daybreak. Then we noticed that +the enemy were lying in a trench about 800 paces ahead of us. We fired a +few shots at them, but saved our ammunition for an eventual storming. + +The whole of that day and the two succeeding days there was a constant +salvo over our heads. The bullets flew over our heads like finches, and +did us no harm, but we had to be on our guard against the sharpshooters, +who occasionally fired close to us. That day (January 24), the heroic +Battle of Spion Kop took place, where our burghers, after having been +surprised in the night by the enemy and driven off the kop, obliged +them, after a stubborn fight, to abandon it again. The Pretoria men, who +were to have relieved us in the trench, took a great part in that +battle. Reineke, Yeppe, Malherbe, De Villiers, and Olivier were killed. +Ihrige was severely wounded. + +All day long we lay listening to the fighting, for we could not sleep. +We had to stay in the trench three days and four nights before we were +relieved. Water and food were brought to us, or fetched by our men at +night, as we did not venture to leave the trench by day. We were safe +enough, for the bombs had not much effect on the sand-walls of our +trench, and there was always time to stoop to avoid them. The following +morning news was brought to us that the enemy had abandoned the whole +line of battle and were retreating in the direction of Chieveley. + +The battle of the Tugela had lasted eight days. + +I had again hurt my knee, and had to leave Ladysmith for Pretoria, from +whence I went to Warmbad at Waterberg to stay for a few weeks with Mrs. +Klein-Frikkie Grobler, who received me most kindly. My brother Frits got +leave for the first time then, too, and Willem remained at Ladysmith. +During my absence the English broke through at Pieter's Heights, where +Willem was made prisoner and Lüttig, Malherbe and Stuart de Villiers +were killed. Meanwhile Frits had gone, with some other Pretoria men, to +the Orange Free State, where the enemy had surrounded General Cronje. + +Since the beginning of the siege our burghers always thought the town +would fall soon. 'The khakies cannot hold out any longer! They have no +provisions, and their ammunition must be coming to an end! Buller can +never cross the Tugela, our positions are too good! What does it matter +if _I_ do go on leave? The khakies cannot get through!' That was the +opinion of most of the burghers. And if anyone ventured to point out +that the enemy _might_ force their way through because we did not all do +our duty, he was either not believed or looked upon as a traitor. +Meanwhile enthusiasm was dying out. The burghers lay in their lagers or +went home, trusting to the few willing ones, who ultimately proved not +strong enough to withstand the overwhelming force that Buller brought to +bear upon one point of our positions when he was obliged to force his +way through at no matter what cost. + +No leave should have been given during the war, and here I may as well +mention--although this tale does not pretend to be a history of the +war--that it has been carried on with far too great laxity, owing to the +ignorance of our Generals and the demoralizing influence of +self-interest and nepotism. We should have sent our forces far into the +Cape Colony to get help from our brothers in a war that had been forced +upon us by England. The Colonial Afrikanders never had the opportunity +of standing by us, because we did not supply them with the necessary +ammunition or stretch out our hands towards them. Unless they had help +from our invading forces, they dared not risk a rising, because of the +confiscation of their property in case of failure. + +We have had to suffer--to suffer cruelly for our sins. Our enemy forced +his way through the dyke that surrounded us, and like a stormy sea he +ruined our homes, devastated our fields, and caused us endless +suffering. Besides this, the talk of intervention had an enervating +effecton the commandos. In our commando, which was largely composed of +ignorant men, the strangest stories went round. One was that the +Russians had landed somewhere in South Africa with 100 cannon. There was +always talk of a great European War having broken out; and the +consequence was that the Boers counted on intervention or help from the +Powers, instead of depending on their own strength and perseverance. The +most sensible among us recognised the improbability of intervention. It +was not to the interest of any foreign Power to intervene in South +Africa where it had no firm footing, particularly as Chamberlain had, by +most cunning artifices, forced us to be the aggressors. + +War was inevitable. Sooner or later it had to come. After the Jameson +Raid, which was really the beginning of the war, the Transvaal +Government recognised the dangerous position in which it stood, as an +isolated Republic, and was therefore obliged to arm itself with the most +modern of military equipments. Before the Jameson Raid race hatred was +dying out rapidly. The consequence of the raid was that the gap between +Boer and Englishman widened, the sympathy of the Uitlanders for us grew +deeper, and the Afrikander Bond grew stronger. England's prestige in +South Africa was threatened, and with it her rank as first Power in the +world. She had to maintain her supremacy in South Africa; while for us +it had become a question of all or nothing. England has evidently +succeeded in keeping up such friendly relations with the other Powers +that no intervention seems possible. + +The relief of Ladysmith took place on February 28--a Majuba Day--a day +that had been marked as a red-letter day in our calendars. For nineteen +years the enemy have longed to wipe out the remembrance of that day, and +they have done so brilliantly and malignantly. Since that time we have +been humiliated and belittled. Our fall was great. For the first time +there was a general panic. The two Republics, being forced to venture on +war against a powerful kingdom, felt themselves staggering under the +heavy blow. + + + + +IV + +DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA + + +After the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith we imagined that the +decisive battles would soon follow. Although my knee was not yet cured, +I went to Glencoe, whither our commandos had retreated. I was not five +days there when I had to leave, being unfit for active service. Again I +went to Warmbad for some weeks with Mr. Burgemeester Potgieter and his +family, and on my return to Pretoria remained in my office until the +beginning of May. + +Meanwhile Frits had returned from the Free State, and my knee was cured. +We each bought ourselves a sturdy pony, and left, with some other +burghers, by train for Klerksdorp, from where we went on to Dewetsdrift, +on the Vaal River. General Viljoen was guarding the drift there with +some hundreds of burghers. We rode from there some four or five hours +into the Free State to spy the movements of the enemy. + +From Dewetsdrift we went, under Commandant Boshoff, to Schoemansdrift, +Venterskroon, and Lindequidrift. Our division formed part of the escort +for the guns. Our route lay through beautiful scenery. The Vaal twists +and bends between two high mountains that curve on either side like the +roads the khaki makes with his double row of waggons over the hills of +the Hoogeveld. In every opening of the mountains lies a farm, a mean +little house, but among well-cultivated fields. In nearly every farm the +family was grieving for one of its members who had been taken prisoner +along with Cronje, and of whose fate they were in ignorance. The people +received us very kindly. Everywhere we got milk and biscuits, and we +found afterwards that those people were the kindest who had suffered the +most from the war. + +As the enemy were already on their way to Johannesburg, we had to +retreat as rapidly as possible, first to Bank Station, near +Potchefstroom, and then by train to Langlaagte. To the north-west of +Johannesburg we had a skirmish with the enemy, who attacked us as we +were feeding our horses. It appeared that our guard was not on duty. I +have never seen horses saddled so quickly. Most of the burghers rode off +and left us behind with the guns. One ammunition waggon stuck in the +mud, and was left behind, but was brought in safety to Pretoria by Frans +Lottering, a comrade of mine, who rode back for it with some gunners +when we had fled. Lottering was given a sword by General de la Rey for +his brave conduct. Through negligence on the part of our officers we +lost on that occasion one gun, several waggons, and some of our men. + +Almost all night long we retreated with our guns to Pretoria. We had not +lost courage. We all spoke of the thorough way in which our Government +would have fortified Pretoria, and of the great battle that would take +place there. We had all made up our minds to a stubborn resistance at +our capital. What a bitter disappointment it was to find that our +Government had decided not to defend the town! The causes that led to +such a decision will be brought to light by historians. The consequences +were that many of the burghers were discouraged, and rode 'huis-toe,' +and nothing came of the great battle that was to have been fought. + +Frits and I decided to give our horses a few days' rest in their stables +before going to meet the enemy. + +On June 4, at about twelve o'clock, while we were at luncheon, a lyddite +bomb fell close to the fort, raising a cloud of dust. My mother went +outside, and came back quickly to tell us that it was not a shot _from_ +the fort, but from the enemy. The bombs followed in quick succession. +They flew over Schanskop fort, and fell close to our house at Sunnyside. +As the ground was rocky they exploded well. My mother and sister fled +with our neighbours to the town, and my brother and I saddled our horses +and rode off to Quaggaspoort. + +From over the mountains, to the south of the town, the bombs came flying +as a gentle warning from the khakies that it would be better to +surrender in order to avoid a great calamity. + +It was sad to see how few horses there were at the foot of the mountain. +Here a group of four, there of ten--a sign that the number of burghers +in the positions was very small indeed. When the enemy appeared at +Quaggaspoort, we noticed that the burghers from the direction of +Krokodil River were retreating, and a moment later they were all in full +flight. One of my comrades, a brother of Lottering, was wounded in the +arm by a shell as he fled, and had to remain behind in Pretoria. That +night my brother and I spent in our own home, but we left the town the +following morning in the direction of Silverton, just before the enemy +entered. + +It would be well to try and understand the condition of our country and +the temper of our burghers. + +As the capital was in the hands of the enemy, it was easy enough to +convince our simple-minded men that our country was irretrievably lost +to us. Therefore a period of discouragement and demoralization followed. +Many burghers, also, who had all along fought bravely now remained +behind in the towns or on their farms, not daring to leave their wives +and daughters at the mercy of the soldiers. We may not judge those men, +neither need we consider it to our credit that we, either from a sense +of duty or from a spirit of adventure, acted differently. There were +many also who argued that the Government was corrupt, and that the war +should have been prevented, or that the Boers did not want to fight. So +they also became unfaithful to the cause, and to those along with whom +they began the war. And the name of 'hands-upper' was earned by those +burghers who of their own free will surrendered to the enemy. The chaff +was divided from the grain; cowards and traitors remained behind, and +the willing ones went to the veld, even though it were in a retreating +direction. We were still very hopeful. There were still the good +positions in the Lydenberg district, and we had heard that De Wet had +cut the line of communication behind the enemy. We also still had an +intact line to Delagoa Bay. + +My brother and I met our old comrade Frans Loitering, and the three of +us went in search of General Grobler of Waterberg, who lay with his +commando to the east of Pretoria at Franspoort, near Donkerhoek. There +we joined his commando. Our camp was put up near a Kaffir location, and +as the Kaffirs were clean, we often bought boiled sweet potatoes and +crushed maize from them. + +Nothing particular happened at Franspoort. To the right and left of us +some desperate fighting went on for several days, and at Donkerhoek a +fierce battle took place, but we were not attacked. + +When the news came that the enemy had broken through our lines at +Donkerhoek, and that we had to retreat, my brother and I left Grobler's +commando. Thinking that the commandos would fall back upon the positions +of Belfast, we went to Middelburg to an uncle of ours, the missionary +Jan Maré, in order to give our horses a rest. We had lost sight of our +comrade Frans. On our way we bought bread at the farms, or had it given +us, cut a piece off an ox that had been slaughtered for the commando, +and slept either in a manger or, as was more often the case, in the open +air of the cold Hoogeveld. We arrived at Middelburg completely +exhausted, and are not likely to forget our uncle's great hospitality. + +We accidentally met our former Commandant, Boshoff, who told us that he +was on his way with ten men to join General de la Rey, who had gone in +the direction of Rustenburg to cut the enemy's line of communication +between Mafeking and Pretoria, and we very willingly joined him, after a +delightful rest of ten days. + +The commando of Commandant Boshoff consisted of nine burghers with an +ambulance waggon--that was used for the commissariat and for our +bedding--a French doctor, two Kaffirs and two tents. It seemed as if we +were going for a picnic. But it was necessary that we should be well +provided with all sorts of things, as our journey would be through the +Boschland, where fever and horse-sickness play havoc with man and horse +in summer. In winter it is endurable for a few months only, so the +country is very scarcely populated and almost uncultivated, and in +winter the Boers trek there with their cattle from the bare, chill +Hoogeveld. I had always longed to see that part of the Transvaal. + + + + +V + +TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK + + +Some hours north of Middelburg one suddenly leaves the high plateau of +the Boschveld for a difficult road that curves steadily downwards +between two high mountains until it reaches a wide, thickly-wooded +valley. In the kloof (mountain-pass) a swiftly-flowing river cuts the +road that goes along its banks, in several places, before it loses +itself in the Olifants River. There the song of many birds, not to be +found on the Hoogeveld, can be heard, and there it was delightfully +warm, in comparison with the chilly air of the Hoogeveld. Of an evening +we made large fires, as there was plenty of dry wood. We sat round the +fire, chatting or listening to the comic songs which one of our comrades +sang. It was a happy time--away from khaki, far beyond reach of the +roar of cannon--a time of rest in preparation for the evil days that +awaited us. + +Everywhere we saw flocks of sheep and herds of cattle grazing among the +bushes--always a sign that we should find a waggon or two with tents +close to them, under the nearest trees. Sometimes, near a drift or a +good place to uitspan, quite a small lager had been formed of the trek +Boers, or, rather, of their wives, for the husbands and sons of many had +gone to the war. The Boers who fled with their cattle in that way we +called 'Bush-lancers.' We came up with De la Rey's lager near the Elands +River, and later on made the acquaintance of Captain Kirsten's scouts, +to whom we offered our services. In those days it was very pleasant to +belong to the reconnoitring corps. When we went to reconnoitre our +horses got plenty of forage on the farms, and as we were few in number +and always ahead of the lager, there were always eggs, bread, and milk +to be had. We had enough to do, also, as we had to keep a sharp +look-out, and we were in constant danger, but not at all afraid of the +patrols of khakies, which, being small in number and without their +guns, were pretty harmless. We advanced almost parallel to the Magalies +Mountains, that stretch from Pretoria to Rustenburg, until we came to +the neighbourhood of Selikatsnek. Unless one was well acquainted with +the highways and byways of that part of the country, one was in constant +danger of losing the way; it is a long stretch of bush, consisting of +the well-known thorn-bushes of the Hoogeveld, for a distance of about +ten miles deep. The principal passes of the Magalies Mountains were +occupied by the enemy--Wonderboompoort, Hornsnek, Selikatsnek, +Commandonek, Olifantsnek. General de la Rey had made up his mind to take +Selikatsnek, and on July 11 he succeeded, by his strong will and +military talent. + +While we were reconnoitring with Captain Kirsten's party we got the news +that De la Rey had attacked Selikatsnek--about an hour's ride from where +we were--and that the battle was still going on. We all rode to the +scene of action, but my brother and I, with a few other men, remained +behind to wait for Captain Kirsten, who was absent at the time. As soon +as he arrived we rode off, and arrived at Selikatsnek at about nine +o'clock. Our burghers had already taken two of the enemy's guns. + +Selikatsnek (or Moselikatsnek) is a narrow opening in the Magalies +Mountains, with high shoulders on either side, that slope gradually to a +white kopje in the centre. If an attacking party once occupies the +shoulders, it can easily keep the enemy on the kopje or on the two +slopes. When we arrived our burghers already occupied the principal +positions--both shoulders and the smaller positions to the front of the +kopje. The enemy had been obliged to draw in their clipped wings, and to +concentrate on and in the neighbourhood of the white kopje. + +But as the shoulders of the pass were very steep on the other side, our +men could not surround the enemy or attack them in the rear; and as +there was not sufficient cover for them to go down the slope without +great loss, in order to drive the enemy by force from their positions, +the burghers remained 'rock-fast' in their positions, and made no +progress at all. Thus, the enemy would either get reinforcements from +Pretoria or escape when it got dark. Both our flanks kept up a constant +fire on the slopes, and on the white kopje, but the shoulders were too +high for a proper aim, and the khakies lay fast behind the boulders and +in the clefts of the rocks. + +Captain Kirsten, with about ten men, was ordered by General Coetzee to +hold a position to the right of the white kopje, and prevent the enemy +from taking it. This position consisted of a small rise, from which we +could fire at the kopje with a sight of 550 paces. To the right of this +rise, at a distance of 80 paces, was a small kloof overgrown with +bushes, and on the other side of the kloof ran a reef of rocks in the +direction of the white kopje. Here some of the burghers had before our +arrival forced eleven khakies to surrender, but they had not succeeded +in occupying the position, as some khakies had remained in the kloof, +and had shouted to them that they would not surrender. We were therefore +warned against that kloof. But while the others were shooting at the +enemy on the white kopje, one of our men went by himself to see if there +really were any khakies left there. He kept under cover wherever he +could--behind the rocks and behind the walls of an old kraal--and came +close up to the kloof without being fired at. On the other side, at a +distance of fifty paces, he heard a wounded man groaning and begging for +water; but, as he was alone, he did not venture to cross the kloof. He +returned to his comrades, but they would pay no attention to his request +to cross, as they thought the enemy were only waiting until more men +came under fire before they began firing. + +We continued shooting at the white kopje, from which the enemy were +firing at us. The Captain had a good telescope, through which he could +distinctly see the faces of the enemy on the kopje. If a khaki showed +himself from behind a rock, the Captain pointed him out to one of our +marksmen, Alec Boshoff, who studied the position through the telescope, +and took such good aim that the Captain declared he could see the blood +on the wounded man's face. + +The burgher who had gone to the kloof tried to persuade the rest to +cross with him to the other side, as he was sure the enemy were not +inclined to make any resistance there. At length, after twelve, he went +with two others to the opposite side, but first told a few of the best +marksmen to keep an eye on the reef. They crossed the kloof very +cautiously. It was dangerous work, as a shot might come at any moment +from behind one of the numerous shrubs or boulders. But they did not +advance in an unbroken line. Every time they sought cover behind a rock, +from which they watched to see whether the enemy would make their +appearance. They did not all three advance at the same time, either, but +first one and then the other. Whenever they had advanced a few steps, +they stopped to ask the wounded man, who lay groaning there, whether he +was alone. When they reached him they put some grass under his head, and +gave him some brandy from a flask that they always carried with them. +The poor man lay in a pool of blood on a rock under some shrubs. He had +been shot through the leg. His name was Lieutenant Pilkington. + +The wounded man took hold of the hands of one of the burghers and begged +him to stay with him. He, however, considered it his duty to advance, +but first assured the poor man that the burghers who were following +could also speak English, and would look after him. Most of our men +followed the three. The rocks and boulders on the reef that we were +climbing afforded us splendid cover from the enemy on the white kopje. + +To our left we found some more wounded. My brother took charge of one +with a ghastly wound in his head. We made some prisoners there, who were +too cowardly to defend themselves. A few of our comrades took them down. +We could notice by the guns and rugs that were lying about that the +enemy had fled in a panic, or else we should never have ventured to do +what we did later on. + +We could fire at the enemy from a much shorter distance now, but were +not yet in their rear. It was necessary that we should occupy the next +position--a reef running parallel to the reef we were climbing, at a +distance of eighty paces. But it was impossible to take that position, +as our guns were firing bomb after bomb from the valley at our back, +somewhat to the left of us, so that the stones flew up in the air. We +also ran the risk of being taken for khakies, as our men knew nothing of +our venture. The Captain sent down a message to tell them to stop +shelling that position, as we wished to take it. Meanwhile, we kept on +firing at the white kopje, and the khakies kept on firing at us. + +I went back to the wounded officer, who was being looked after by the +Captain. While we were standing talking, he died from loss of blood. Oh +the cruel brutality of war! The poor man was not dead five minutes when +we sat smoking his cigarettes. + +We moved slightly more to the left towards the boulders. Khaki was on +the one side, we on the other. Some of our men had a most original and +amusing way of getting at the khakies. 'Come out, you rabbits, come out +of your holes, else we'll shoot down the lot of you!' Then the poor +things answered: 'We're afraid to come out. You'll kill us!' They really +thought we would shoot them down if they surrendered. The officers had +lost all control over the soldiers. Later on, at Nooit Gedacht, where +_we_ had cover as well as the enemy, it was proved that as soon as the +officers lose control over the men they remain lying behind the rocks +without firing a shot, as they are too frightened to expose themselves. +Most of them still had their bandoliers full of cartridges--there, too, +when they surrendered. + +Before the war the English used to say they would fight us in our own +way, from behind rocks; but they forgot that as soon as an officer, +having to seek cover himself, fails to keep his eye on his men, they are +too cowardly to lift their heads from behind the rocks, as they are not +fighting for their independence. On a field like Selikatsnek we are by +far the better men. + +To get the khakies from behind the rocks, one of our men ran as hard as +he could to a rock in their neighbourhood, and aimed at them. Then some +of them threw down their guns and put up their hands. Others surrendered +more calmly. So he sometimes made five or six of them surrender without +their having fired a single shot at him. A shower of bullets always came +from the white kopje, but, as his movements were quick and unexpected, +they could not take proper aim at him. One of the khakies said as he +surrendered: 'It is better to surrender than to be a dead man.' Another: +'Just fancy, in the hands of the Boers! I wonder what poor mother 'll +say!' + +Meanwhile the gunners had received the Captain's report, and ceased +bombarding the reef that we wanted to storm. As it was getting late and +there was no other means, one of our men ran forward as hard as he +could, making use of every small covering, while the rest kept firing at +the white kopje to prevent the enemy from taking a proper aim at him. +There were not many khakies behind that reef, neither did they fire at +him. The rest of us followed at intervals, while those who arrived at +the reef again fired at the white kopje to cover the others. + +The few khakies who surrendered at the reef we first disarmed, and then +we allowed them to seek cover behind the rocks from the bullets of their +friends. From that position we could see the enemy from the rear. In the +narrow road, at a distance of about 150 paces from us, stood an +ammunition waggon with splendid horses harnessed in it; there was no +room for them to turn to draw away the waggon. A few khakies showed +themselves next to the waggon, but were immediately shot down. A little +further on an ambulance waggon, also inspanned, stood against the kopje; +one could distinctly see how the empty litter was carried up and +brought down again with some of the wounded. Once a man walked next to +the litter as it was carried down; I pointed him out to my brother, as I +suspected his motive. I was right. Just by the ambulance waggon he +disappeared in a donga leading to the valley. My brother, who was a +little higher up the reef than I was, could not hit him, as he appeared +again only for a moment. He was most likely a despatch-rider who went to +warn the guard at Commandonek to retreat. + +Further on there were some horses to be seen, and a little further still +the small tents of which the camps consisted. We kept up a constant +fire, but the enemy seemed to have sufficient cover on the kopje--and +they were very obstinate. For some time the firing from the shoulders of +the pass ceased, and in the dark shadow between the high mountains we +for a moment had the feeling that we had been deserted by our men--only +for a moment, for we knew it could not be! The game was in our hands. + +The sun sank lower, and we felt if the enemy were not soon compelled, to +surrender they would escape in the dark. There was still one position +which must be taken--the last reef, to which most of the enemy had +retired from the position we now occupied. One of our men, therefore, +let the other six fire a salvo at the kopje, and ran as hard as he could +to a rock at a distance of twenty-five paces ahead, about halfway to the +last reef. But now both the enemy and our own burghers, under Commandant +Coetzee, fired at him so persistently that he was thankful to reach the +rock. He lay there as still as possible, with his gaze fixed on the +reef--as he lay without cover on that side. It was a most critical +moment. + +Fortunately he heard, almost at once, one of his comrades, Van Zulch, +call out 'Oh, the white flag! Hullo, the white flag!' and he saw them +climbing down. He lay still a moment longer to convince himself of the +fact, and then calmly went to the last reef, where many khakies +surrendered--and he descended with them. Now the rest of the burghers +came running along from all directions to disarm the enemy in the +dusk--and to take what booty there was to be had. In their eagerness to +get as much booty as possible, they allowed an officer, Major Scobel, +to escape. + +As I arrived rather late on the battlefield, I cannot give any account +of the order in which De la Rey placed his men, neither do I know the +number of the enemy's dead and wounded, nor how many lives our victory +cost us. I have never seen any official report concerning this battle. +Field-Cornet Van Zulch, who with Commandant Boshoff, took the officers +to Machadodorp, and who is at present a fellow-prisoner, tells me that +three officers--Colonel Roberts, Lieutenants Davis and Lyall--and 210 +soldiers of the Lincolnshire Regiment were taken prisoners, and that +four companies of the Scots Greys had early that morning escaped with +two guns. Our loss, both dead and wounded, was not more than thirteen or +fourteen men. The enemy had made a stubborn resistance, judging from the +number of dead and wounded that were lying on the field. Of the seven of +us who forced the enemy to surrender by attacking them in the rear, not +one was injured, although we were the attacking party. They say that the +khaki prisoners whom we left on the reef remained there all night, and +came down the following morning with little white flags made of the +bandages that a soldier always carries with him, tied to twigs. + + + + +VI + +GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE OF PRESIDENT +STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET. + +Commandant Boshoff had been ordered to take the prisoners to +Machadodorp. He left my brother and me with Captain Kirsten, who had to +reconnoitre in the direction of Rustenburg along the Magalies Mountains. +We first of all passed through Commandonek, and found that deserted by +the enemy. We had no adventures on our way to Rustenburg. + +The Rustenburgers, who had nearly all laid down their arms and taken the +oath of neutrality, took courage when they saw De la Rey's big commando, +and joined us one and all. + +Then we recognised a great fault in the character of our people. Without +the slightest compunction, they first fail in loyalty to their own +country, and then break the oath of neutrality, although the enemy had +in no single respect violated their part of the contract. Some of them +we, in a way, forced to join us, as we took the guns and horses of the +unwilling ones or of those who acted at all in a suspicious way. We also +called them traitors. But most of the burghers joined us of their own +free will. Many had not taken the oath of neutrality, as they had been +beyond the reach of the enemy; others had, after Lord Roberts' +threatening proclamations, ridden over to the enemy to give up their +arms, but had given up their old rifles and kept the Mausers for +'eventualities,' to use the now historical word of Sir Alfred Milner. + +A few of the oath-breakers tried to excuse themselves by the Jesuit plea +that either they did not mean what they swore or else they had purposely +changed the form of the oath. In judging those who broke the oath of +neutrality later on, we must remember that the enemy did not keep to +their part of the contract, and so our men were justified in considering +it as null and void, and, according to William Stead, their forcing us +to take the oath of neutrality was against the Geneva Convention. But it +is too difficult a question for me to discuss. + +When the enemy, a few days later, drove us from Olifantsnek, General de +la Rey sent Captain Kirsten with twenty men to the neighbouring kopjes +to prevent the enemy from going on a plundering expedition. Then I for +the first time saw a farm-house burnt down by the enemy. From a high +kopje, by the aid of a telescope, we could distinctly see the movements +of the khakies. The bitter feeling that was roused in us in our +helplessness is not to be described. + +General Baden-Powell was in Rustenburg, and Magatonek was also in +possession of the enemy. + +It was a most interesting and adventurous time that we spent near the +Magalies Mountains. By day we went reconnoitring along the hills near +the mountains in the direction of Olifantsnek, and towards evening we +withdrew into the thick woods of the kloofs, where it was delightfully +warm both for ourselves and for our horses. When a small number of the +enemy came in our direction, we fired at them unexpectedly from the +hills, and so protected the farm-houses on the mountain-sides. +Occasionally the khakies ventured a little nearer, but always had to +retreat in disorder. + +I once nearly fell into the hands of the enemy. As we were reconnoitring +on one of the kopjes, I suggested to a friend that we should go to the +farm in front of us, where none of us had been since Olifantsnek was in +possession of the enemy. We had to ford a donga closed in by barbed +wire. When we got to the farm, we were told that the enemy had not been +there, with the exception of a khaki who had lost his way. He had taken +six eggs from a nest in a kraal and swallowed them greedily, and had +then passed on to the garden without speaking a word to the harmless, +inquisitive women of the farm. + +For safety's sake I put the boys on guard and had the horses tied. The +view was so enclosed on all sides that the enemy could appear most +unexpectedly from Olifantsnek. We had been there only a short time, when +we were told that the enemy were coming in large numbers from the +direction of Rustenburg. We mounted at once and rode back, but could +not get back to our comrades on the hills because of the barbed wire in +the donga. We had gone only about 250 paces along the drift, when the +enemy came riding along. Fortunately, they were intent on plunder and +did not see us, as they kept their eyes fixed in the direction of the +house. If we had been a few seconds later we should have fallen into +their hands. The few burghers on the kopjes began to fire at them, and +when I got to the top of one of the kopjes I saw the enemy--about 100 in +number--fleeing in great disorder. This expedition cost them several +dead and wounded, besides their plunder--meal, fowls, and other +things--that they dropped in their flight. + +When I went back to the farm later on, I was told that one of the girls +had clapped her hands with delight when the enemy fled past them. That +must have been the reason why she and her family were so cruelly +insulted and plundered by the khakies afterwards. We met with great +kindness during our stay in the Magalies Mountains. We always got +something to eat, and towards evening we bought some loaves of bread to +take back with us to our hiding-place. In those days we could always +get forage for our horses, and they were in very good condition. + +Meanwhile General de la Rey had gone with a commando to the west of +Rustenburg, and had left two Commandants in the Zwartkoppen, to the +north-east of Rustenburg. + +When we got the tidings that the enemy had taken possession of +Selikatsnek, we went as rapidly as we could to the Zwartkoppen. We had +many adventures on our way. My brother and I rode on ahead, thinking +that the others would follow, but they went a round-about way, and so +did not catch us up. When we left the wide tract of wood that stretches +along the Magalies Mountains, we noticed that the enemy from Rustenburg +had come to meet the column from Selikatsnek. Fortunately, our horses +were good, and we escaped the danger by riding back into the wood to a +farm that I knew of. While we were giving our horses a rest there, a +despatch-rider came along looking for a reconnoitring corps. We rode +with him in the track of our comrades, who had taken a great circuit +round Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Zwartkoppen, and immediately +joined Commandant Boshoff, who had just returned from Machadodorp. + +The Commandants now followed General de la Rey. We came up with his +commando to the west of Rustenburg, where he had surrounded a party of +the enemy. Commandant Boshoff, however, was immediately sent to +Olifantsnek, as the enemy had left Rustenburg and the pass was clear. +Our men were most changeable in their moods. The slightest favourable +tidings raised their spirits, but any unfavourable news made their +courage sink into their shoes. There was much talk about the retreating +movement of the enemy. Some spoke of intervention; others said the +English soldiers had refused to fight any longer, or that the whole of +the colony was in rebellion. This talk went the round even among the +officers, probably because they did not understand the enemy's +movements. + +Now we know the meaning of it all. It was De Wet who was being followed. +We were not two days at Olifantsnek, when, to our great surprise, De Wet +arrived with a commando of 2,800 men, followed by 40,000 English. He +had been by treason separated along with Steyn from the chief commando, +and had been chased by the enemy a month already. + +It was a great lager that advanced through Olifantsnek--the largest +commando that we had seen yet, with numerous carts, waggons, beasts of +burden, and other belongings. And it was then I made the acquaintance of +President Steyn and De Wet. Our Commandant with his men accompanied +President Steyn to Machadodorp to President Kruger. We put up our tents +for the time being next to those of President Steyn, so that we had time +and opportunity enough to learn to know him. When the enemy a few days +later broke through at Magatonek, to the west of Rustenburg, General De +Wet sent for me one evening and ordered me to take a report to +Rustenburg, and gave me some instructions for the Commandants there. + +I had to take a message for President Steyn also, that the ambulance of +the Orange Free State was to follow the lager in the direction of the +Krokodil River. + +Late at night I arrived at Rustenburg, only to find that the lagers had +already taken flight. The enemy were expected at any moment. But the +ambulance was there still, and all night long I led it in the direction +the General had told me the lagers would take. + +Late the following morning I arrived at De Wet's lager, which had moved +a few hours further on to Sterkstroom. The commando left there that +afternoon, and went along the Magalies Mountains to Commandonek. That +day and that night we had a first experience of the long tiresome +marches that enabled De Wet to mislead the enemy. + +That night President Steyn made a most favourable impression on us with +his talk. He did not try to encourage us with hopes of intervention, but +merely pointed out that the war might last a long time still, and that +we would have to enter the Colony. + +At Commandonek we rested a few hours while De Wet himself went to +reconnoitre. He sent a message to the English officer in charge of the +pass that he must surrender. The officer replied that he did not quite +understand _who_ must surrender--he or De Wet. I think this was merely a +dodge on De Wet's part to find out by the signature of the reply who +was in charge of the army at the pass, and so to make a guess at the +numbers of the enemy. + +He decided not to attack the pass, and before daybreak next day we were +on the move again. Some time afterwards at Warmbad I heard that an +English General had related this dodge of De Wet's, but he thought De +Wet had threatened him with a very small force, as his commando must +still have been at Olifantsnek. It is an example of the way we misled +the enemy by our mobility. + + + + +VII + +WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER + + +Near Krokodil River, on Carlyle's Farm, President Steyn and his +attendants separated from De Wet's commando, and went in the direction +of Zoutpan to Machadodorp. We were about seventy-five men in all. The +little commando consisted of carts, a few trolleys, and horsemen on +strong, well-conditioned horses. The Free Staters nearly all had one or +two spare horses. Our own commando still always consisted of twelve or +thirteen men, and the small ambulance waggon which we used for +provisions. The French doctor had remained behind with De la Rey. We +moved very fast. At Zoutpan--a sunken kopje like the mouth of a crater, +with a pan at the bottom, from which the salt is got--I met some old +acquaintances, who pretended to have come there for salt. During our +talk my suspicions were roused by their curiosity, and by their +knowledge of President Steyn's arrival. I also doubted their tale that +their trolley stood behind a kopje, and not at Zoutpan, and I warned the +Commandant against them. He became very anxious, and made us move on as +rapidly as possible, for once we had crossed the Pienaars River all +danger from khaki would be past. It was a good thing that the Commandant +made us travel so fast, for we had only just outspanned at Pienaars +River the following morning when the khakies' bomb-Maxim began firing at +the outposts of General Grobler's Waterberg commando, which was +stationed there. We had only just time to inspan and ride off to the +Boschveld, towards the Olifants River, where we would be safe, while +General Grobler disappeared in the direction of Warmbad. + +At Pienaars River I made the acquaintance of General Celliers, who was +loudly proclaiming the way in which he would squash khaki if only the +burghers would fight. He is the exception to the rule that all braggarts +are cowards. Most of the braggarts have gradually disappeared from the +scene, but the deeds of this hero were always in accordance with his +words. + +We heard afterwards that a detachment of the enemy had followed us, but +we had had too great a start, and had besides taken a short-cut of which +they knew nothing. It would not have been easy for the khakies to +overtake a well-mounted commando like President Steyn's. + +We were also told that the enemy knew of the arrival of President Steyn, +which strengthened my belief that the two suspicious characters at +Zoutpan were the informers. Whenever we, as the attacking party, made +prisoners, they always declared that they had known all about our plan +of attack--probably to discourage us with the thought that through the +treachery of our own people the enemy always knew all about our +movements. + +For a long way we followed the same road that we had taken with +Commandant Boshoff to Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Waterval-Boven +(President Kruger having already retreated from Machadodorp), where we +stayed a few days and heard the famous Battle of Dalmanutha (August +27)--the most awful roar of cannon that I have ever heard. + +From Waterval-Boven we went to Nelspruit, to which President Kruger had +moved in his railway-home. We gave our horses a week's rest and passed +the time fishing and hunting. We were content there, as we got plenty to +eat, and our horses, too, were well fed--an important matter to us just +then. Circumstances were forcing us to attach much value to all sorts of +trifles that we would formerly not even have noticed. + +If once one has suffered the pangs of hunger, one learns to value the +comfort and luxury of home; and if one has wandered about for weeks +without seeing woman or child, one learns to appreciate their gentleness +and charm and to understand Schiller's Züchtige Hausfrau in 'Das Lied +von der Glocke.' How often in our wanderings we longed for good +literature during our long, tiring, monotonous rides! And how terrible +was the thought of the moral hurt we were suffering--voluntarily in a +way, yet forced to it by a sense of honour and duty. For in this lay the +grievousness of the war, that a powerful nation--influenced by a few +unscrupulous leaders--was trying to annihilate a small nation that +demanded the right of existence, and was therefore forced to defend that +right. It was a happy time for us when we had the opportunity of turning +our thoughts towards literature and other things than commando work. + +The privations that we had already endured were small indeed in +comparison to those which awaited us. It was well with the Uitlander +optimist who remained in our country while the Republics could give him +the comforts he demanded as his right, but who, as soon as things went +wrong, and he saw nothing but misery in the future, left for his own +country--there to sit in judgment on our peasant-nation. How I long for +the gift of being able to express myself, to give a true account of the +self-denial of our burghers and of the misery that we endured! How my +heart bleeds when I think of the great sorrow that has come upon my poor +people! + +When the enemy approached the Delagoa railway-line, President Steyn left +with his escort for Hectorspruit. I had to follow with a trolley for +which there was no room on the train. Because of the disorder that +reigned everywhere I had to wait nearly three days before I could start. +I was pretty nearly famished on my arrival at Hectorspruit, and ate +greedily of the remains of the porridge left by some burghers, among +whom were two sons of State Secretary Reitz. President Steyn's lager had +in the meanwhile become 250 men strong, under Commandant Lategan, and +was then at Krokodil River. + +At Nelspruit I met a couple of old friends, Malherbe and Celliers, with +whom I left for the lager. They were both Transvaalers who had been +studying in Holland, but had returned before finishing their studies on +account of the war. The commando was well supplied with weapons and +ammunition, as the Delagoa Bay line brought plenty to our store. What +became of the rest I do not know, as President Steyn was in a hurry and +our commando left first for the North. + +The ford at Krokodil River was about fifty paces wide--made for the +occasion and difficult to cross. The trolleys and waggons that had to +cross to the lager on the opposite side gave us much trouble, as they +sank deep into the sand. We harnessed a double span of oxen to the +waggons, undressed ourselves, and had to swim alongside the animals to +get them through. Occasionally something dropped from one of the waggons +and had to be fished up in a hurry to save it from the strong current. +There was much shouting and laughter, and if any crocodile had been in +the neighborhood he would have suppressed his hunger until the storm was +over. + +On the banks of the river there was a constant shooting at fish and game, +and even at crocodiles, who showed themselves occasionally. There was +game in abundance. It seemed as if all the game of the Transvaal, that +is becoming so scarce, had fled to this part. + +We were on our way to Pietersburg through the Boschveld of South-East +Lydenburg, which might be called a desert in winter. It was a journey +difficult even for a trek Boer, and more than difficult for a large +commando. A man called Bester was our guide. Some two years before he +had made the same journey on a hunting expedition, and now he was able +to follow the ruts which the wheels of his waggon had made then, and +which would be in all probability deepened by the summer rains. Our +means of transport were chiefly carts and trolleys, on which we also put +our bedding to lighten the burden of our riding horses. + + + + +VIII + +WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST + + +On September 12 we left the Krokodil River early in the morning, after +first watering our cattle and filling our water-bags. Our guide did not +expect to come across any water before the Sabie--a river several days' +journey further on. There were several springs on the way, but as that +part of the country was so little known, because of its unhealthiness, +no one could tell when the last rains had fallen. + +The shrubs and bushes had grown high above the ruts made by the waggon +two years ago, and were a great hindrance to us. The road we followed +twisted and wound rather more than was agreeable, but it was certainly +easy to follow for the lagers that came after us. The horsemen rode next +to the lagers to shoot bucks. We had no 'slaughter-cattle' with us, so +had to live on the game that we shot. + +In the neighbourhood of the river we still came across birds and +insects, but the further we went the more monotonous and _dead_ Nature +became. I could never have pictured such a lifeless wood to myself. No +sound of insects was to be heard, no chirp or song of bird; and not even +the trail of a serpent was to be seen. + +There was a melancholy stillness. Traces of game were in abundance. It +seemed as if only those animals lived there which, accustomed to the +monotonous silence, withdrew noiselessly from the gaze of the +interloper, or, in their ignorant curiosity, stood still until a +hunter's bullet warned them or put an end to their lives. To them we +must have been strange disturbers of the peace. Shots fell in all +directions; sometimes a whole salvo was discharged when we came upon a +herd of bucks. There were many thornless trees growing in their stately +height far above the usual scrub of the Boschveld. Our horses often +grazed on the sweet buffalo grass that always grows under trees. Looked +at from a rise, the Boschveld appeared to be nothing but trees--trees +as far as the eye could see. One shuddered at the thought of what would +become of anyone who lost his way there, since for miles and miles there +was no water to be seen and no trail to go by. It made one hurry back to +the safety of the lager, trusting to the capability of the guide. + +To our great joy, the first spring contained water. It was a large pool +surrounded by rocks, where the game was accustomed to drink. We arrived +there towards afternoon, rested a few hours, and continued our journey +with fresh courage. As the waggons moved too slowly for our liking, we +rode on ahead; but the consequence was that, when it got dark and we +off-saddled, we had no bedding, for nearly all the waggons were obliged +to outspan when darkness set in, as there was no road. + +We knee-haltered our horses in case there were lions about, and +collected a large quantity of wood to keep the fire going all night. +That night our talk, of course, ran upon lion-hunting and shooting +expeditions. Then we crept as close to the fire as possible, and were +soon in a troubled, or untroubled, sleep, dreaming of lions and other +wild animals. But I felt the cold very much, and could not sleep without +my rug, and kept turning from side to side to get as much warmth from +the fire as possible. If only I had made two fires! In a battle I have +been between two fires, and did not find it at all agreeable, but in +this case it would have been different. + +I lay awake, waiting for the third fire, the red dawn, but not in a +poetical mood. There is a time for everything; that I learnt during the +war. Rain is lovely, and cold gives energy, but one must be warm to +appreciate it. As I lay thus, four mules, tethered together, came closer +and closer up to our fire, grazing all the while. I lay still, listening +to the peculiar noise made by the biting off of each mouthful of grass. +I seemed to expect a joke, and suddenly one of the mules fell on his +back. In a moment all our heroes were up and ready to defend themselves +against lions or khakies, according to their different dreams. I +laughed, and laughed again, so that the hyenas could hear me a mile off, +and the startled lion-hunters began to laugh also, so that we woke up +the whole camp. This little episode made my blood circulate, so that I +very soon also was in the land of dreams. + +As the burghers chased all the game on ahead of the lager, the President +and Commandant Boshoff agreed to go in advance, so as to have a chance +of seeing the numerous kinds of wild buck and larger game. I went with +them. Greatly to my distress I forgot to ask our guide what direction we +would take that day with regard to the sun. An experienced hunter would +not have forgotten it, as he knows from experience that in the +excitement of the chase we often leave the beaten track. I had to pay +dearly for my forgetfulness. I rode some distance to the left of the +President, but took care to keep him in sight. But the Boer is +wonderfully disobedient to any authority, and not long after two men +made their appearance to my left, and I saw that if I did not look out +they would be ahead of me in no time, and chase all the game away from +me. As the donga next to which we rode seemed to be a favourite resort +for game, I took the same direction as they did, more to the left. The +dongas ran into each other with numerous bends and curves, and were +sometimes overgrown with high grass, then again quite bare. I paid no +attention to the direction we took. + +After a while one of the men wounded a buck, and they both rode into the +donga after it. I rode on, to cross the donga a little further on, so as +not to have to follow in the track of the other two, and saw a red buck +on the other side, which I wounded so badly that it seemed unnecessary +to fire again, and I rode leisurely towards it. But when I had crossed +the donga the buck had disappeared, and I began to seek for the traces +of blood, but I soon had to give up the search, not to lose sight of the +other two men. They, however, seemed to be a great distance off, as I +did not overtake them, and I did not succeed in tracing them in the +direction that the wounded buck had led them, as the track in the grass +was invisible to my inexperienced eye. + +I rode back to the donga, and deliberated on the course to take. In all +directions I heard shots, right and left, but I stood irresolute. I had +no watch with me to find the four quarters of the wind, but the sun had +only just risen, and I made a guess with an imaginary compass. It was +lucky for me that I made such a good guess, and had paid great attention +to the direction we had taken with regard to the sun. I was certain that +I should come upon the traces of the lager if only I kept within the +sides of a right angle, unless the lager had at the start taken a sharp +turn to the right or left. + +But it was possible that in our excitement we might have crossed the +waggon track which the lager was to follow; then the lager would be far +to the right. Standing thus like the ass between two bundles of hay, I +was not in the mood to think lightly of my case, but had to act at once, +so I chose the safest and more probable of the two sides of my right +angle--namely, the left, as I would then in any case not be moving +towards Portuguese territory, and could always turn to the Krokodil +River. + +I felt pretty certain now, as it was more probable that we had not +crossed the old waggon tract, and every moment I expected to hear the +switching of the long whips. But when I had gone some distance I was +obliged to return to the donga, and retrace my way to the place where we +had slept. A clever Boer would have succeeded in finding the way back, +but I soon lost my way altogether. I lost the traces of the horse's +hoofs, and the dongas looked to me so different that in one place where +a donga branched off I did not know which to follow. An intense feeling +of desolation took possession of me. Lost in a wilderness without food +or water! I thought of the twelve or thirteen men who got lost in this +wood on a hunting expedition, and of whom only one was saved. A great +fear came upon me. Gradually I became calmer, and tried to form some +plan of action. I resolved to keep to the left, where I had already seen +a solitary mountain. Perhaps water was to be found there. + +My gun was loaded with Dum-Dum bullets, specially prepared for bucks. I +had filed through the steel to the lead, so that the bullet would expand +at once when it came into contact with bone. I found a buck tame in its +very wildness, but I missed it, for the aim of my gun, a fine sporting +Mauser, had been bent by the branches of the trees. It was a good thing +that I did not come across a lion, or, rather, that a lion did not come +across me. + +I had to ride under trees, through shrubs and grass, and had to keep a +sharp look-out, as the king of beasts sometimes takes the lords of +creation unawares. And I had to look out for an opportunity to shoot a +buck--the only food within my reach. The nearer I came to the mountain, +the surer I was that I had lost my way completely, and the more I became +reconciled to my fate. I planned how I should build a large fire in the +night for myself and my horse, and how I should defend myself against a +lion with a burning piece of wood. + +Suddenly my horse went faster and pushed to the left. Greatly to my +astonishment, I saw that the attraction was a little stream of water +that he had scented in a donga. I off-saddled, and let my horse graze in +the luxuriant grass. + +Now I was strengthened in my belief that I had taken the wrong +direction, for we were all under the impression that we should not soon +reach water. I prepared some more Dum-Dum bullets with a small file that +I carried in my pocket, and did not let my horse graze long, but +hastened to the mountain to find a better shelter for the night. To my +great joy, I came upon the wide road about a thousand paces further on. +I followed the road along the mountain for half an hour, when I came +upon the lager, camped near a stream--probably the same stream at which +I and my horse had quenched our thirst. + +As we sat round our fires that night we heard shots fired in the +distance from the direction that we had come. Some men were sent out +immediately, and returned after a while with a man quite exhausted from +hunger and thirst, and paralyzed with fear; he had been unable to +overtake the lager. + + + + +IX + +PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG + + +Experience teaches us. The knowledge that we have gained in this war we +must pass on to the coming generation. It may be of use in a war of the +future, or on some other occasion. Therefore Oom Dietlof will take this +opportunity to give his nephews in South Africa some practical hints +that may be of use to a burgher in his travels or in a war. If anyone +loses his way in the same way that I have just described, he must +remember the following way of finding the four quarters of the wind: + +The small hand of a watch describes a circle in twelve hours, while the +apparent movement of the sun round the earth is in twenty-four hours. +The movement of the small hand is therefore twice as fast as that of +the sun. If one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying watch to the +sun at twelve o'clock, then the hands and the figure XII. lie in the +meridian as well as the sun. + +In the northern half-circle the sun and the hands move in the same +direction. In one hour's time the small hand goes a distance of 360°/12 += 30°, and the sun goes a distance of 360°/24 = 15°. If at one o'clock +one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying watch to the sun, the +line that divides the acute angle between the figures I. and XII. lies +in the meridian. So one can always find the meridian. + +In the southern half-circle the sun and hands move in opposite +directions, therefore one must point the figure XII. to the sun, and +then divide the acute angle between the figure XII. and the small hand +to find the meridian. + +In this way one can at any time find out the direction one has taken. +But everyone has not always a good watch, and the sun sometimes hides +behind the clouds. Then it is better to have a good compass--but better +still not to lose one's way. + +Besides such simple articles as a pocket-knife, a water-bag, etc., +which are indispensable to a traveller in our country, everyone ought to +carry with him a good plaster, a nosebag, and some snake poison; maize +(mealies) for his horse, the cheapest and most strengthening food that +we know of, can always be carried in the nosebag. Snake poison prepared +by a good Kaffir doctor is the only cure for snake-bites or the bite of +any poisonous insect. The Kaffirs prepare it from some (to us) unknown +shrub, and from the poison of the most venomous snake, which they make +into a powder. This powder is used as an antidote by swallowing a small +dose--enough to cover the point of a pocket-knife--and also by applying +some to the bite, after first having cut an opening into the bitten part +with a pocket-knife. Some people protect themselves against the poison +of a snake-bite by regularly swallowing some of the poison and +vaccinating themselves with it. One can even protect one's self in this +way against the bite of the poisonous file-snake of the Boschveld--a +snake the shape of a three-cornered file, sometimes from 3 to 4 feet +long. It is a fact that the person whose body is proof against the +poison of a snake-bite is never bitten, as he is feared by snakes. +Formerly I doubted it, but I have myself seen people who have made +themselves proof against a bite in this way, and I have also heard it +from people in whom I have the utmost faith. + +Alcohol is also a good antidote, provided one takes it immediately and +in such quantities that it goes to the head. I would recommend everyone +always to take a small quantity of brandy with him on commando, if +experience had not taught me that some take even a mosquito-bite as an +excuse to 'take a drop,' and I am against that on principle. + +Often while loading my horse the thought struck me whether the poor +brute ever had a wish to protest, 'Surely this is becoming too bad!' and +that reminds me that one must be very careful not to overload. The +knapsack must not be filled with kaboe mealies (roasted maize) for one's +self, while the nosebag of the poor horse remains empty. + +More than one prisoner of war has bitterly regretted that he did not +take his horse's power of endurance into greater consideration. Now I +must take up the thread of my tale. + +The following morning the lager would start at three o'clock, and, as +my horse was in good condition, the owner of the horse that had been +left behind asked me to fetch it before the lager left. He explained to +me where I would find it tied to a tree about half an hour's ride from +the lager, so I started with a friend at about two o'clock at night. On +the way we came across a mule that had wandered away while grazing, +ignorant of all the danger he was exposing himself to in the uninhabited +Boschveld. The creature gave us much trouble by refusing to be caught +and constantly dodging behind a tree, so we lost a great deal of time. +On our way back, close to the lager, we heard the whine of the wild-dog, +the well-known feared wolf. We thought it very interesting to come +across a wild animal of which we had no fear just then. But when we +reached the camping-ground of the lager, where only the trolley stood to +which the wandering mule belonged, we found to our surprise that both +white men and Kaffirs had given up the search for the mule for fear of +the wild-dog. They had all congregated round large fires. The wild-dog, +however, is harmless by himself; like the khakies, his strength lies in +numbers. We had to leave the sick horse to join the bucks of the +Boschveld on its recovery, until the horse-sickness came. After a long, +tiring, but very interesting ride we arrived at the Sabie, where the +rest of the lager was already encamped. The Sabie is about the size of +the Krokodil River, and its scenery of woods and valleys formed a sharp +contrast to the deadly monotony of the Boschveld that lay behind us. We +had crossed the bare desert and were now in a part of the country +inhabited by Kaffirs. The following day the lager was removed half an +hour further on, and there we remained a few days. + +At night four of us were persuaded to go eel-catching in a +crocodile-pool that we had discovered a little further on. We made a +large fire to entice the eels, and, as we were none of us great lovers +of angling, we made a splendid bonfire, as there was plenty of dry wood +to be had. + +There was something particularly attractive in these large fires on +those quiet, dark nights of the wilderness. The glow threw a sombre +light on the water that gave one a creepy feeling, as if a crocodile +were on the watch for us in the water, and lions at our back between +the large trees. What must they have thought of us? + +The bank of the river seemed to be about 6 feet high, and not very +steep. We made the fire closer and closer to what seemed the bank. I saw +someone lift up a huge branch, walk to the bank with it, and plant his +left foot firmly on the ground. The reeds gave way beneath him. What +seemed a firm bank, by the glow of the fire, proved to be a mass of +reeds and grass, and the poor man fell down a height of 6 feet, his fall +being hastened by the heavy branch he held. For a moment we stood +irresolute. To jump after him into a crocodile-pool! But he called for +help, and we had to act immediately. Fortunately, one acts almost +instinctively in such cases. One of the others slid down the bank--the +thought striking him: 'If only there are not two crocodiles!' Landing on +a horizontal branch, he stretched out his hand to the drowning man, +someone else took hold of his left hand, and so they were both saved. If +a crocodile had been in the neighbourhood, he would probably have stood +on the defensive. Such a queer, two-legged animal who led the attack in +such a strange but decided way must have roused his respect. + +This piece of fun put an end to our eel-fishing. We had caught only one +eel--and a man. + +The following morning there was parade for President Steyn. His speech +to us was touching and to the point, and showed that he believed in a +good ending to the war, if the burghers were capable of enduring such +hardships as at present. Then he also told us in what a hurry he was to +reach his burghers, as he was afraid that the enemy were doing all in +their power to make them turn against him. We all liked President Steyn +very much. + +On our journey through the Selatie Goldfields, past the Marietje River +to Pilgrim's Rest, we crossed the steepest mountain that I have ever +seen. A double span of oxen was harnessed to each waggon. The oxen were +lent us for the occasion by the Boers living on the plateau in front of +us. After every few steps upwards we had to put stones under the wheels +to prevent the waggons from slipping back. It took our little lager +nearly all day to reach the plateau. Then we had a most magnificent +view of the Boschveld that lay behind us. In the distance the Lobombo +Mountains were visible on the boundary of the Portuguese and Transvaal +territory. The first rains had fallen on the plateau, so the green grass +was a refreshing change for our eyes. The horses would be able to graze +well, and the good feeding would soon make them lose their old coats, +and then they would be sleek and glossy again. + +From the high plateau we descended, over a 'lumpy' veld, with an oasis +here and there in a hole or valley, or on the top of a hill, to +Pilgrim's Rest. Some miles before we reached this little town we passed +beside the water-works that supply a strong stream of water for the +machinery of the gold-mines. We simply stormed the shops, that were +still well supplied with provisions, and bought all sorts of luxuries +and necessaries for our journey. From Pilgrim's Rest we once more +crossed a steep mountain, along a road that for length and height has +not its equal. In the neighbourhood of Ohrigstad, a little town that we +left to our right, I asked a Boer woman whether the fever did not make +one's life impossible there, and I got a very naďf reply: 'No; this +year the fever was not so bad. We all got ill, but not one of us died.' + +The rest of our journey to the north of Lydenburg, over Spekstroom +River, along Watervalop, over Steenkampsberg to Roossenekal, was very +tedious. The uninhabited Boschveld was very interesting, and we had +sufficient provisions then, but the poor, uncivilized Boer inhabitants +of the Lydenburg district were unable to supply us with necessaries, the +want of which we were beginning to feel. We could not buy a loaf of +bread anywhere. And it is anything but pleasant in a time of war to come +across such lax and unenergetic people as they proved to be. The men +were nearly always at home, and appeared to be discouraged and unwilling +to fight. We had all lost our sweet tooth. That one could tell by such +expressions as: 'Even if you give me sugar:--' But occasionally we got a +more desirable substitute, when a beehive was discovered in a cleft of a +rock. Some of our men are particularly clever at discovering a hive. I +have often seen a man stand gazing up at the sky, walk on a short +distance, and again stand gazing, and after awhile appear with a bucket +of honey. By watching the flight of the bees they find out in what +direction the hive is. A practised eye can see the rising and settling +of the bees above the hive from a great distance. + + + + +X + +FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS TO THE MAGALIES +MOUNTAINS + + +We went in a very different direction from that of General Ben Viljoen's +commando, which took the road to Pietersburg through Leydsdorp. +President Steyn celebrated the anniversary of his birthday at +Roossenekal, and addressed us in the same spirit as on the former +occasion at the Sabie. + +Roossenekal is famous for its caves, or grottos, in which the Mapochers +hid themselves so well during the Mapoch War. We made use of the +opportunity to visit the grottos, of whose formation I should like to +know more. What appeared on the outside to be an ordinary hill proved a +most wonderful natural building containing many rooms. The old kraal +walls and the peach-trees and 'Turkish figs', (prickly-pears), overgrown +by wild trees, and an occasional earthen vessel, were the remains of the +Kaffir city. Of course we cut our names into the rocks by way of +becoming immortal. We could not help speaking with great admiration of +the wild Kaffir tribe who from such a hiding-place fought for months for +a life of independence. We had no time to visit the grottos further +away. + +Although our horses were well fed during this time of rest, they +profited little, on account of the constant cold rains that fell. We +fortunately still had some tents, that we used only in case of rain. Our +Commandant was still always in doubt whether to proceed to Pietersburg, +for we were quite ignorant of the enemy's movements during the last few +weeks. Later on, when he got the information that the enemy were +stationed at Pinaars River bridge, and that we could not with safety +pass Warmbad and Pinaars River, we had to turn off at Kobaltmyn to the +right to cross Olifants River lower down. We had already passed +Kobaltmyn in the beginning of July on our journey after General de la +Rey. The latter part of our journey, along Olifants River, through +Zebedelsland to Pietersburg, was exhausting for man and horse. Some of +us often had nothing but a little rice and a small piece of meat for +several days in succession. There was scarcely any grass for our horses, +and yet we had to ride hard night and day. + +After a tiring journey of fully a month, President Steyn's commando +arrived at Pietersburg on October 11. Although we had always intended to +follow President Steyn to De Wet, my brother and I, with Malherbe, now +accepted an invitation from my uncle, Ignace Maré, to stay awhile on his +farm at Marabastad. President Steyn left with his commando for +Nylstroom. Our horses were worn out, and could not follow the commando. +Most of the men had a spare horse that was still in good condition, and +although my brother and I had only one horse apiece, we often had to do +the hardest work. + +My aunt and uncle did their best to make our stay a pleasant one, and +our horses were well fed. Soon General Ben Viljoen's commando arrived at +Marabastad, and stayed there a few weeks, so that we also experienced +the discomfort arising from a lager camped on one's farm. The Boer is +deprived by it of all necessaries, and all sorts and conditions of men +constantly visit his house. Some of them, the riff-raff of the commando, +are very unwelcome guests, for they do much mischief intentionally, and +thereby give the commando a very bad name. The poles to which the wire +is attached for camping at a farm were yet left undamaged. The burghers +were still accustomed to get plenty of dry wood in the Boschveld, and +were not yet so demoralized as to work damage without scruple. + +We stayed at my uncle's far longer than we at first intended. My saddle +had chafed the horse's back so severely that I could not ride it for +several months. My brother got an attack of malaria, and just as he was +recovering had a relapse, so that President Steyn was so far in advance +of us that there was no question of overtaking him. + +The commando had already left Marabastad when we started for +Tweefontein, near Warmbad, on our now strong, sleek horses. There we +joined Commandant Kemp, of the Krugersdorp commando, under Wyk III., who +had parted from Ben Viljoen at Marabastad because the latter had on a +Sunday afternoon during service fired off several cannon-shots for the +edification of a few fast women. + +Malherbe, my brother, and I formed a sort of comradeship under Corporal +Botman--or, to put it simply, we were 'chums.' At Warmbad we heard many +interesting things about the khakies, who had stayed there nineteen days +on their hunt after De Wet. We could not understand why they destroyed +the bathing-houses, unless it were to deprive our wounded of the chance +of recovery. + +The condition of the people in Zoutpansberg and in Waterberg, where the +enemy had been, was not very cheerful. Everyone complained that there +was no sugar to be had, that the meal was getting low, and that soon +there would be no clothes. Pietersburg was exhausted by the commandos, +and the courage of the inhabitants was nearly at an ebb. They would not +yet make the sacrifice that would part them from their families. The +enemy had not yet driven them to despair by the destruction of their +fields and goods. + +Every sensible person knew that the Republics would lose in the +long-run in a guerilla war unless something unforeseen happened. At the +time that we fled from Pretoria my mother said she would have hope as +long as her 'gorillas' remained in the veld. Even if we clung to a +straw, the possibility always remained that things might take a +favourable turn as long as a fair number of burghers remained in the +veld. + +The burghers from the different districts now in Waterberg were earnest +and full of courage. Noticeable changes for the better had been made. +Beyers, a man in whom the men had the utmost faith, was made +Assistant-Commandant-General, and was to lead a commando of 1,500 +horsemen from Waterberg, Zoutpansberg, Krugersdorp, etc., to the +Hoogeveld. The discipline was much stricter. Cooper and Fanie Grobler, +who had been accused of high treason, promised to keep a sharper +look-out for spies and traitors. And we still always hoped for an +eventual rebellion in Cape Colony. That hope was our life-buoy on which +we kept our eyes fixed. We felt that there our safety lay, and the +enthusiasm of the commando was heightened by the desire to celebrate +Paardekraal Day in Krugersdorp on December 15. As a sailor longs for the +sea, so we longed for a meeting with the khakies when we left for the +Magalies Mountains in the beginning of December. Our commando was light +and mobile, with provisions for a short time only. Such heavy cannon as +the Long Toms were of no use to us now. Hence-forward we were to live on +the produce of the surrounding country, as there was no basis from which +we were to operate. Besides this, the khakies very kindly made over some +of their provisions, arms, and ammunition to us in a skirmish or battle, +so that afterwards we had more Lee-Metfords than Mausers in our +possession. + +At Krokodil River I had the privilege of seeing how a honey-bird takes a +human being to a bees' nest. As we were lying under a tree, a honey-bird +settled close to us. Corporal Botman followed it as it flew chirping +from tree to tree, and called to it that he was following, until the +bird stopped at the hive. The grateful finder always rewards the bird +with a piece of honeycomb that he puts aside for it. But I have never +been able to discover whether the bird or the insects eat the honey. I +know that the 'bug-birds,' that are always seen on or near cattle, do +not feed on the bugs with which the cattle are covered, but on the +locusts that fly about the herd. Last week, when our guards took us for +a walk outside the fort, I noticed that a kind of sparrow in India has +the same trick of catching the locusts that are driven on ahead by the +cattle. + +I shall not try to give a description of the works of the machinery that +moved mechanically to the Magalies Mountains, for I should have to guess +at the particulars in this historical little tale. Mechanical I call the +journey, for there were days and nights in which we were numbed, body +and soul, exhausted by hunger and thirst and want of sleep. + +When we were at Bethany, a convoy of the enemy was seen moving in the +direction of Commandonek. When it noticed our guard, it dragged its +curved body with great zeal through the pass. I think the khakies also +must have been bored to death on those long, fruitless journeys. We left +Bethany towards evening, and reached the Magalies Mountains the +following morning after a tiring journey in the night past Sterkstroom, +through the Kromriverskloof to the foot of Onuapadnek, or +Boschfonteinnek. (I learnt the names from the inhabitants.) In the kloof +we passed the burnt remains of the convoy that was taken by Commandant +Boshoff--who joined De la Rey after having taken Steyn to his +destination--and his brave little troop of burghers. They were obliged +to abandon the convoy, however, on the arrival of reinforcements for the +enemy. A sickening stench came from the corpses that they had left +unburied in their flight. + +We rested a few hours at the top of the steep nek. On descending on the +other side we came, to our mutual surprise, upon De la Key's lager at +the foot of the mountain on Barnard's farm. + + + + +XI + +BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT + + +We were busy all evening baking vet-koek (a kind of scone fried in +lard), as we had received the order to be ready to leave the following +morning at one o'clock, and to take provisions sufficient for two +days. Although our officers were beginning to see the advisability of +keeping their plans secret, we were able to guess that we were going +to attack General Clements' camp, an hour's ride further east at +Nooitgedacht--particularly as the chances of success, in case of an +eventual attack, were being discussed by some of the officers. The +general opinion was that Clements' force was 5,000 strong. + +We left quite three-quarters of an hour later than the fixed time in the +early morning of December 13, 1900, and recrossed the steep, narrow +neck, took a way to our right in the Kromriverskloof, making a sharp +turn to Elandskrans, where a strong outpost had been placed by the enemy +on the Magalies Mountains. + +That was the crust through which we had to bite to get at the dainties +of the booty. It cannot be denied that victory and booty, in our +impoverished circumstances, were very close together in our thoughts. +The enemy's camp lay at the foot of the long, high cliff that forms a +precipice on that side of the mountain, while the slope of the mountain +on our side was not steep, and there were a great many footholds and +boulders. The artillery had been left in the neck of the pass to protect +the lagers. Beyers, with some Zoutpansbergers, turned away from us to +the right to reach Elandskrans along the mountain ridge. It appeared, +therefore, that Beyers and Kemp were going to make the attack from the +north, with 1,000 men, and that Kemp had the centre and the left wing. +We were again too late. The sun had risen when we began the attack. +Corporal Botman was ordered by Kemp to surround the extreme right of +the enemy's right wing, with thirty men. + +We had to storm the left to enclose the enemy in the half-circle. We +were exposed to a rain of bullets, and had to storm through ravines and +reefs, sometimes racing our horses, then leading them, and making use of +every cover. General Beyers, with his splendid sharp-shooters, was +already in hot action with the right wing, and Commandant Kemp in the +centre had forced his way close to the enemy. We tied our horses +together behind a reef, left them in charge of a few men, and advanced, +spreading ourselves in groups of three, four and five. A moment of +extreme anxiety followed. + +Not to expose ourselves unnecessarily, we had to peep from behind the +rocks, shoot the course clear, and run to the next cover. Malherbe and I +stayed as close as possible to our cool, collected, brave corporal, and +we had to gasp for breath sometimes if trying to keep up to him. The +others forced their way upwards more to the left, and so formed the +furthest left point of the half-moon. + +While the three of us were pushing our way from position to position +into the neighbourhood of the few khakies who already dared not raise +their heads from behind the rocks, I noticed, some 500 paces to our +front, a number of khakies moving in our direction. I warned Malherbe to +keep up his courage, as the enemy were getting reinforcements. A moment +later, while our corporal had again moved onwards, I noticed several +khakies on a stone ridge some 150 paces in front of us. It appeared that +they were driven on by part of the centre and right wing, for just then +two men made their appearance, whom I at once recognised as Boers from +the colour of their clothes and the quick way in which they aimed at me. +I stooped quick as a hare, and immediately rose again. The enemy now +surrendered, I believe to the number of two or three hundred of the +Northumberland Fusiliers, called the 'Fighting Fifth' on account of +their courage and bravery. We also took on the mountain a heliograph +that the enemy had broken. + +The khakies acknowledged that we had taken the position with the +greatest possible speed. We were in the majority. But it must not be +forgotten that we were the attacking party and had to expose ourselves, +and also that, although the battle on the mountain extended over a long +line, our right wing had still to reckon with the reinforcements that +were sent up through a narrow kloof from the camp. It was a repetition +of Selikatsnek. The khakies had the good positions, and we had good +cover behind the rocks on the mountain slope. In such a case he is no +match for us. + +We went on a few hundred paces over pretty level ground, and then looked +down upon the camp at the foot of the mountain, which consisted of +several hundreds of tents and many waggons. Some of these waggons were +inspanned, some were already retreating, but most of them were not yet +inspanned. The camp lay on the grounds and by the fields of a deserted +farm. + +Afterwards I heard that Commandant Badenhorst, of Pretoria (who had +attacked the enemy before our arrival, at the foot of the mountain, and +so suffered the greatest loss), was already retreating, but, hearing the +fighting on the mountain, had renewed his attack. + +The enemy could not stand the fire that we opened upon them, and had to +retreat from the camp in the direction of Commandonek. The inevitable +consequence was that the troops on the west, opposite De la Rey, had to +retreat hurriedly so as not to be cut off by the wedge that was forcing +its way along the mountains into the camp. They were far beyond reach of +our bullets. Where De la Rey's cannon were, and why they did not make +themselves heard, I do not know. Neither do I know why General Smuts did +not cut off the retreat of the enemy to the south-east. They had placed +a few cannon to our left in the valley, and bombarded us fiercely on the +mountain without much result. The balls of a small Maxim flew past us +with a hissing sound and hindered us in our aim. + +The waggons that were inspanned fled in the direction of Commandonek, +and halted in the valley at a respectful distance from us. Although the +camp appeared to be almost deserted, a continual firing was heard below +us. I could not make out from where it came until I suddenly discovered +several small troops of horsemen who galloped at intervals from behind a +wall in the shade of some trees. They were in all probability left +there as cover for the waggons. The few shots we fired at them missed +their aim. We saw De la Rey's burghers capture a large herd of cattle. + +While Malherbe and I were peering from behind our hurriedly erected +entrenchment, and occasionally firing a few shots, I discovered four or +five brave khakies busy dragging along an ammunition waggon, or a gun; +from such a distance we could not distinguish which. We fired at them +with a sight of 800 paces, but did not hit them, as the horizontal +distance to the camp was not more than 400 paces, and we should have +used a sight of 600 paces, but the height of the mountain was very +misleading. Immediately afterwards a span of mules came in the direction +of the supposed gun, so Malherbe and I retreated as fast as we could, to +find a better cover more to the left. It is strange how in a battle one +always has an idea that all the threatened danger is aimed specially at +one's self. + +We had to be on the look-out not to fire at our own people, some of whom +were already in the camp. My brother, Malherbe, and I went to the narrow +kloof that I have already mentioned, after a fruitless search for our +horses, which had meanwhile been taken to the entrance of the kloof, and +I heard from my brother that our brave General had been wounded in the +leg by a shell. During the search for our horses we had noticed a long +dust-cloud at the end of Kromriverskloof, near Buffelspoort, moving from +Rustenburg in the direction of Commandonek--in all probability +reinforcements for the enemy, arriving too late. + +The Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers, who were most undisciplined, had +descended through the kloof in quest of booty. But the Krugersdorpers, +formerly notorious for their rough behaviour, were now the most orderly, +and did not descend before all the men were collected. The kloof was +strewn with bodies of khakies, who were sent up as reinforcement and +pitilessly shot down by the burghers. The little stream of water was red +with blood, so that we could not even quench our thirst. Some of the +khakies had fallen from the high cliffs, where they had to lie +unburied--like the soldiers on Amajuba in 1881. + +We led our horses to the opening of the kloof, and then galloped into +camp under the thundering noise of the shells that the enemy were +firing at us from the distance. There was no control possible among the +burghers. Each one loaded his horse with whatever he could lay his hands +on, and there was no thought of following up the retreating enemy. They +did not leave us undisturbed in our glory, but aimed lyddite at us, +which had the desired effect, that we in our disorder did not storm the +front positions, but retreated in the direction of our camp, a quarter +of a mile in among the trees. There Veld-Kornet Klaassen ordered his men +to off-saddle and give the horses a rest. Meanwhile the camp was burnt, +flames arose in all directions, and thousands of cartridges exploded. + +After we had watered our horses in a neighbouring spruit we lay down to +rest. But ere long General De la Rey came galloping into our midst with +a lash in his hand, calling to us whether we were not ashamed to lie +there doing nothing, instead of following up our advantage now that we +had the chance, when otherwise the enemy would ill-treat our women and +children and burn down our homes. One of our corporals rather +impertinently informed De la Rey that he served under another General, +and would obey no orders but his. De la Rey thereupon rode up to him and +gave him a heavy cut with his lash. I went up to the General, and told +him that we were quite willing to fight, and had only off-saddled for a +rest by order of our Field-Cornet. In his rage he lifted his lash, but, +recognising me, lowered it again. If I had aimed at getting a cut from +him, I might have called out like the Dutch farmers, who got a box on +the ear from Peter the Great for pressing too closely upon him while he +was building ships at Zaandam: 'I have had one too! I have had one too!' +We then rode with the General to the burnt camp. The enemy had not found +the game worth the candle, and had saved their shell for a more +favourable occasion. + +One can imagine De la Rey's indignation when he saw that waggons, +provisions, and ammunition were nearly all burnt. He pointed out to us +how ammunition and guns were required on every side. General Beyers, +whom we met there, excused himself by explaining that he had ordered +only those things to be burnt that we did not require. We then rode to +the other positions on the opposite side of the camp, but the enemy were +in full flight, followed by an occasional burgher. + +I do not consider myself able to criticise the manner in which our +officers organized this battle. But it was easy to see that a great +mistake had been made. We had much to be thankful for, but the result +might have been more advantageous to us. The whole camp with all its +cannon should have been taken with a smaller loss than eighty men killed +and wounded. + +I do not know the number of the enemy's killed and wounded. If our first +attack had been made unanimously and unexpectedly, we could easily have +crushed the enemy. The prisoners, as usual, pretended that they knew all +about our plans, but why, then, were their reinforcements too late, or, +rather, why did they never arrive? When General De la Rey organizes an +attack, and his instructions are well carried out, the burghers have so +much confidence in him, and like him so well, in spite of, or perhaps +because of his violent temper, that they never have any doubt as to his +ultimate success. + +The prisoners were released. In my presence they were always well +treated, and I have seen many khaki prisoners who have never on any +occasion been ill-treated. + + + + +XII + +PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN STATION + +From Onuapadnek our lagers went to the farm Rietfontein, near +Witwatersrandjes, where we celebrated Paardekraal Day on December +16--under sad circumstances, alas! + +Ds. Kriel, who constantly accompanied us in the most self-denying +manner, in all our battles and on all our long journeys, led us in +prayer that day. Halfway up the kopje, which we climbed in most solemn +earnest, he offered up a prayer to God, and then impressed upon us the +importance of the occasion. On the top of the kopje he held a short +service. It reminded me of that which my own father held for the +assembled burghers at Paardekraal in 1880. How true and faithful he was +in his position as preacher to the fighting men, and how well he served +his adopted country! + +After General De la Rey, Smuts, Kemp, and Mr. Naudé had all addressed +us, Ds. Kriel read out a document in which was expressed, in a few +words, the purpose each one of us should attach to his contribution of a +stone towards the monument to be erected there. He exhorted the burghers +not to add a stone to the pile unless they fully understood and were in +earnest about its meaning. So the old covenant was renewed in a +different place under different circumstances and in a different manner +from the Paardekraal Day of former years, and when the burghers +descended from the kopje they were strengthened by the renewing of an +ancient pledge in their resolution to fight to the last for their +country and their people. + +The place where the monument was erected was called Ebenhaëzer. + +Between the Magalies Mountains and the Witwatersranden stretches a long +valley called the Moat. In the centre runs a gray ridge or rand, +parallel to the mountains, and rising into kopjes to the east, near +Hekpoort. Thither our commando moved a few days later to meet the +enemy, who were approaching from Commandonek, most probably with +revengeful intentions. The Moat was well provided with corn, and asked +for our protection. We stayed over a day on the gray ridge. When the +enemy advanced towards us on the day following, General De la Rey had +taken up his position near Nooitgedacht, and so formed the left wing. +Commandant Kemp, with his men, was at the south on the foot of the +ridge, and Veld-Kornet van Tender, with a small troop of +Zoutpansbergers, was on the first kopje, while General Beyers, with the +Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers held the right wing to the west of +Hekpoort, in Witwatersrand. The whole of that forenoon the enemy were +ready to attack us, and we waited calmly. Towards afternoon their left +wing moved towards the first kopje, beyond the reach of the +Zoutpansbergers, who were on the Witwatersranden near Hekpoort. They +began firing at the position of Veld-Kornet Van Tonder, and when he fell +mortally wounded his Zoutpansbergers were obliged to retire from the +kopje. + +Our Veld-Kornet, Kruger, a fine, brave fellow, then led twenty-five of +our men towards Hekpoort, to try and stop the enemy in their forward +movement. As Malherbe, my brother, and I were among the twenty-five, I +cannot tell what happened to De la Rey on the other side of the gray +ridge. We pressed too far forward, and soon had to retreat some +distance. Our Veld-Kornet stayed behind with a few of us, on a small +rise, while our horses were taken some 300 paces further back, and the +rest of our little troop rode in the direction of Hekpoort. The enemy +already occupied the first kopje, and were firing at us from a distance. +We quickly made an entrenchment of stones and lay waiting. But our +people were retreating from the other kopjes, and we had to get to our +horses as quickly as possible. A few cowardly burghers on the ridge took +us for khakies and fired at us. Then I experienced the difference +between the aim of Boer and khaki. The latter's bullets always flew far +above our heads, but the former's fell terribly close to us. + +As yet we had retired in good order, but soon we fled in a panic. The +enemy had come from Krugersdorp in very large numbers, and already +occupied the high Witwatersranden behind us. + +Whoever has an incapable horse had better hide in a ditch or behind a +wall along with the poor, frightened women. More than once I have seen +poor frightened women holding their crying children by the hand, and +seeking a hiding-place near their houses during a battle. It is indeed a +tragic sight!--we men, with our weapons in our hands, not able to defend +them at such a time. And then a great feeling of shame came upon us. +These same women had only the day before called down God's blessing upon +us, and now they cried to us to hurry, or we would be surrounded. + +We rode at a flying gallop for fully half an hour--along the Magalies +Mountains, between the Witwatersranden and the many smaller banks, while +to the left the enemy were descending and firing at us. The Waterbergers +and Zoutpansbergers, who learnt later than we did that the enemy were +surrounding us, would all have been taken prisoners had they not forced +their way bravely through thick and thin. As far as we can tell, our +loss was, fortunately, only one killed. + +At the Manharen, a peculiar kind of kopje, we halted, but had to +retreat further towards evening. + +Beyers' commando moved in the direction of Gatsrand, but had to turn to +Zwartruggens, near Rustenburg, when it reached the farm Modderfontein, +where we celebrated Christmas. The enemy was constantly at our heels, +and made things hot for us; we often had to hurry most inconveniently +not to be surrounded or cut off. We got a few days' rest on the farm +Vlakhoek. We were camped near a small stream, and went from there to the +different farms in search of the first fruit of the season. + +On New Year's Eve General Beyers' commando moved on the wide hard +Krugersdorp road. The bullock waggon lager had been left behind, as it +prevented us from moving as quickly as was sometimes necessary. The +burghers still longed to attack Krugersdorp, and on New Year's Eve, as +we moved fast in the direction of the town, our hearts were cheered by +the thought of Jameson's failure, when five years ago he passed along +the same road in his notorious Raid. We all hoped to add an immortal +page to the annals of our history on the following New Year's Day. But +we were sadly disappointed in our expectations. The Jameson Raid was not +avenged, and we celebrated New Year's Day calmly and peacefully at +Cyferbult, on Pretorius' farm, with milie-pap (maize meal porridge) and +beef and--green fruit! + +Whenever we came to a farm we ate as much green fruit as possible by way +of a change in our diet. On other occasions it would have been very bad +for us, but now it seemed to have a very wholesome effect. As we moved +on past Zwartkop over the Krokodil River in the direction of the +railway, we realized that there was no chance of attacking Krugersdorp +for the present, for General Beyers had apparently changed his plans. We +were quite sure that it had originally been his intention, and some of +our officers talked of the attack on the town as if it were an open +secret. + +Our capable Veld-Kornet, Kruger, had remained behind at Zwartkop to get +the burghers of Wyk III. Krugersdorp from out of their hiding-places, as +the Generals wanted to concentrate all the small bands for some great +undertaking. We joined Wyk I. Krugersdorp under Veld-Kornet Klaassen. + +Near Hekpoort, as we were camped at Dwarsvlei, we attacked a convoy of +the enemy in the valley, and very nearly captured it before it was +reinforced. I was not present, so cannot give any account of the battle. +After a sharp trek of more than one night, we crossed the rails between +Kaalfontein and Zuurfontein Stations, just before sunrise one morning +towards the middle of January. We captured a few guards who seemed to +know nothing of our movements. Why General Beyers did not surprise one +or both stations that morning early is still a mystery to us, as our +movements were remarkably quick. It could not have been because he +thought us too tired, for some twenty minutes further on, while we were +resting on a farm, he ordered part of our lager to turn to the left and +attack Kaalfontein Station. + +Our corporal was unwilling to work us and our horses to death, so he +first got breakfast ready. But when our cannon began to roar and +Corporal Botman, who still limped from a wound, rode off without a word +in his own peculiar way, our conscience began to trouble us, and several +of our men followed him. My brother, whose horse's back was chafed, +remained in the lager with the rest of the burghers. + +When we reached our guns, we immediately saw that the station could be +taken only at the cost of many lives--more than the success would be +worth. Our guns had not the desired effect, and we should have had to +charge across an open space without any cover. The enemy had no guns. +They say our left wing very nearly succeeded in taking a small fort near +the station, but I cannot give any particulars, for our Veld-Kornet rode +with a small troop of burghers to the right of the station, and took +another small fort which the enemy had abandoned because it was too far +away from the station. What might have been expected happened. Towards +afternoon an armoured train came from Pretoria, and reinforcements +arrived from Johannesburg and scattered our left wing over the valley. I +happened to be with a few others on the outmost point of the right wing +of attack--or, rather, since the scene was changed, of the left wing of +flight. And as we were retreating at our ease an old man galloped +towards us and pointed out that we were retreating in the wrong +direction, as the enemy had captured our whole lager. He had never in +his life seen so many khakies. They seemed to be on all sides of us. The +only outlet for us was in the direction of Heidelberg. I asked him, +'Uncle, are you sure that our lager is in the hands of the khakies?' to +which he answered, 'Nephew, I saw with my own eyes how they rode up to +the waggons and made all our people "hands up!"' and he continued to +give us a minute description of the occurrence. + +If we had been greenhorns, we would have blindly followed the startled +old man right through the stream of retreating burghers and exploding +15-pounders. But, fortunately, the war had taught us, and we moved on +_with_ the stream, but a little more to the left, and, I cannot deny it, +with a feeling of great anxiety as to what was to become of us if the +old man had indeed told the truth. + +Fortunately, it appeared that fright had made the old man believe his +own imagination, and the lager was quite safe. My brother told me that +the slight attack made upon them by the enemy was easily beaten off. + +The opinion of the majority was that we should have left Kaalfontein +Station alone. We were thoroughly exhausted by our rapid journeys, +particularly by the journey of the preceding night, and besides that the +burghers were unwilling to make an attack of which they did not see the +advantage. We had several killed and wounded. + +The consequence was that we had to trek that night in a way that none of +us will ever forget, to get beyond the reach of the enemy. One cannot +imagine how terrible it is to sit for hours on horseback, dead tired and +overcome by sleep. We did not even guide our horses; they simply jogged +along mechanically, too tired even to object to ill-treatment. Our hands +rested on the bows of the saddles, and as we sat leaning forwards, +apparently lost in thought, but in reality suffering tortures from the +effort to keep awake, we forced ourselves to look up and about us, but +our eyes half closed in the effort, and everything about us took a +strange shape, and the sky became chaos; with a nod we half awoke, only +to dream again a second later that we were falling from our horses. + +Not a word was spoken, for everyone was dozing. Whenever we had to wait +for our guns or waggons, we simply flung ourselves on the grass with +one arm through our bridles, and soon we were unconscious of the pulling +and tugging of the horse, and if the order to mount woke us up, the +tugging had ceased, and our horses were calmly grazing some distance +from us. Then we lifted our bodies, loaded with cartridges and guns, +into the saddle at the risk of toppling over on the other side, like a +lizzard sliding down a bank, and rode on in silence, drowsily and +top-heavy. + + + + +XIII + +COMMANDO SUFFERINGS + + +The horsemen rode generally two by two, partly in front of the waggons +as advance-guard, and behind as rear-guard, each corporal with his men +in his place by his Veld-Kornet. The Krugersdorpers were no longer +allowed to leave their places before they had permission from their +corporal. Even those burghers who were most disorderly in the beginning +now saw the necessity of discipline, and were obedient to the commands +of their officers. + +It was a mixed crew of old and young. But the majority were still in the +prime of life, and proof against the privations of guerilla life. The +old men among us were all men whose powerful constitutions were yet +unbroken. It was praiseworthy of them that in their old age they were +willing to suffer the difficulties and dangers of a wandering life for +their country's sake, for although their constitutions were strong, they +were susceptible to cold and damp, the effects of which they could not +shake off. There were also many brave little boys, who were thus early +initiated into the privations of commando life; but they shared all +bravely, in a careless spirit of adventure. + +Here and there were some Uitlanders who had remained faithful to us. All +the others had gradually disappeared, either because they were taken +prisoners, or killed through their somewhat foolhardy courage, or +because they had left the country in disappointment. The townspeople +were by no means superior to the farmers. There were traitors and +'hands-uppers' among them as well. We have been bitterly disappointed in +people of all classes, but particularly in the so-called 'gentlemen.' + +Our condition and appearance were indeed striking. During the heat of +the day, when the dust lay thickly about us, we sat in our ragged +clothes, with shaggy, uncombed beards, on our poor, hardly-treated +ponies, meekly staring in front of us, seemingly indifferent to the +moral hurt that we were suffering and the physical pain that we felt in +all our limbs after a long, tiring ride. At the start of one of our +journeys an animated conversation sometimes helped to pass the time, but +it soon flagged, leaving us staring in front of us in the usual +dispirited, dull way. Our talk became daily more prosaic and +superficial. We had not the energy to express our deepest sentiments, +and things which were formerly pleasant were strange to us now. We had +no spur to enliven our thoughts in our monotonous life. To the careless +there was nothing startling in this moral numbness, but the more +sensitive among us grieved over it, and were humiliated by the +shallowness that had come into our lives. + +The small necessaries of our material existence had become essential to +our happiness. If we lost a knife, or if a pot or kettle broke, or a mug +was stolen from us, we were depressed for days, as if a heavy blow had +fallen upon us. It was not easy to fight against that bitter feeling of +depression. Our only safety lay in the fact that we were conscious of +the demoralizing effect of these small disappointments of commando life, +for to know one's self is always the first step towards conversion. + +Some qualities of our highest nature were systematically suppressed. We +prided ourselves on our fierce hatred of the enemy, and considered it a +mark of patriotism, and we rejoiced when he fell beneath our bullets or +when the plague broke out. We even wished that a great European war +might begin, if only we might keep our country, and as a consequence of +our righteous patriotism an inclination to cruelty became one of the +predominant traits in the character of the burghers. + +The commando life tended to make many of us melancholy. Wherever we came +the thought was forced upon us that our beloved country was deeply +injured, morally and materially. We ourselves saw everywhere homes and +fields destroyed, women and children taken away by force, and cattle +stolen; and rumours told of the most terrible outrages committed upon +helpless women and children. If it were not that one becomes hardened to +all outward impressions, our commando life would have been pitiful +indeed. So we became hardened to almost all these things, but the +thought of the ill-treatment of those dear to us, on whose happiness our +own happiness depends, was constantly with us, and to that we did not +become hardened. + +It is impossible to enter into the sufferings of the married men. Much +was suffered in silence. Some men got messages from their wives +imprisoned in refugee camps, bidding them surrender for the sake of +their wives, since fighting was of no avail and the country was already +lost. Who shall blame the man who rides away with an anxious heart to +his wife and children, no matter what the consequences may be to +himself? Another woman, with a different disposition and a different +heart, sends word secretly to her husband that life in the prison camp +is endurable, and that he must fight to the end. Then he stays, and +proves himself worthy of the courage of his wife. + +Some men gave the impression that they were indifferent to the suffering +of wife and child. These were the scum of our people, who in time of +peace were not of much importance, but were necessary for our fight. But +the majority, by far the greater majority, were men who, even in the +most troubled times, were faithful to the comrades with whom they began +this struggle, the struggle for our independence. + +Whenever we came to a 'uitspanplek' (a place where there is water to be +found for the horses), some of us had to seek hurriedly for wood to make +the fire, others to fetch water, and others to help in various ways. It +was a regular struggle for existence. Those who came first got the least +disagreeable work. Wood was scarce on the Hoogeveld where we happened to +be, and the water was muddied by the first water-carriers. When the sun +was very warm we made a shelter with our guns and our blankets. Our +meals were simple. They consisted of meat and 'mealie-pap' morning, +noon, and night, often for weeks without salt. We made coffee of burnt +grain ground in a coffee-mill. During the war we learnt to drink all +sorts of coffee--of wheat, oats, barley, sweet potatoes, maize, and even +of peaches. We became so accustomed to a simple mode of life that our +wants were few indeed. Even sugar we no longer missed. And we remained +healthy and strong. + +We lay in small groups round the fires, leaning against our saddles. Our +moods were brighter after our tired bodies had had the needful +refreshment and rest. The groups were often picturesque, some of us +lying at our ease with soiled books in hands, others grouped round the +fire, every now and again adding wood to the flames, and others, again, +picking mites out of the biltong with a pocket-knife. + +A shower had not much effect upon us. We were accustomed to letting our +clothes dry on our bodies. Nature is very kind to people who are day and +night in the open air. If the sun did not shine soon after a shower, we +made a very deplorable appearance in our dripping clothes. But we never +grumbled. We were generally cheerful, unless we were exhausted from +fatigue. + +We suffered most on those long nights when, for some reason or other, we +could not sleep, for many of the burghers were troubled with fears for +their dear ones. Often, after a long ride, we were too tired to prepare +a meal, but simply flung ourselves against our saddles and slept before +we had time to let our thoughts wander. But if the enemy were not at our +heels, we often passed the long nights in sleeplessness, gazing up at +the stars with the most bitter feelings in our hearts. No wonder that +many a burgher grew gray. We were often kept awake by the tethered +horses stumbling among the groups. Sometimes a man would jump up and +strike at them till all the others awoke, too, and then there was great +hilarity in the quiet of the night. + +Sometimes a constant rain cast a shadow over the sunny Hoogeveld and +made our lives sombre and almost unbearable. Then our tattered garments +could not dry on our bodies, and everything about us was wet and dirty. +Even in dry weather fuel was almost unattainable, for the treeless +Hoogeveld had been almost exhausted by the many large commandos which +had visited the 'uitspan' places. In wet weather it was almost an +impossibility to make a fire. + +Whoever had an ailment passed unpleasant nights then; each night meant a +nail in his coffin. Even the constant rain the burghers bore cheerfully, +and many a joke was passed along during an interval in the downpour. But +in the morning, as we dragged our weary limbs out of our mud-baths, +shivering from cold, we did not venture to put the conventional +question, 'Did you sleep well?' to each other. + +The spirit among the burghers was very different from what it had been. +No swearing was heard, and quarrelling was exceptional. Thefts, too, +were seldom committed. We called ourselves 'sifted'; traitors and +thieves had gone over to the stronger party. I do not believe that any +European army would have kept its moral tone so high under such +demoralizing circumstances as did that small army of Boers with the help +of their religion. Whereas in time of peace there was much difference in +churches, especially in the Transvaal (although no difference in +belief), now, during the war, the unity of belief in one Bible had +become the means of raising the moral tone of the burghers. + +During the last few months a plague had come amongst us that we had +heard much about, and now caused us much trouble--a plague of lice. It +is not an edifying subject, but anyone can understand how the itching +caused many a sleepless night. We were not to blame. When we no longer +were able to change our clothes, we could not guard against the vermin +that had become a plague among the huge wandering armies of the enemy. +Although we boiled our clothes, to our horror the nits appeared again. + + + + +XIV + +BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN + + +Fortunately, the enemy gave us a week's rest on the farm of Landdrost +Schotte. During that time Veld-Kornet Meyer, with his small troop of +Germans, blew up the electric factory at Brakpan. + +Then we stayed a few days on Mr. Brown's farm, where a great many little +commandos congregated that were camped on the banks of the river. Our +horses became quite sleek again from the abundance of mealies they got +there. On that farm we first used for fuel the poles that fenced in the +farm. I distinctly remember how, after we had received the order from +Commandant Kemp, we waited until after dark before pulling up the poles, +and how grieved we were at the necessity for doing it. Since that time +we have got over such scruples. Even if there were wood to be had on an +outspan place, there was always a race to procure the best poles. Of +course, when there was abundance of wood, the pulling up of poles was +strictly prohibited. + +At that time I made the acquaintance of a nephew of mine, Paul Maré, a +boy of fourteen, with a noble countenance, who, like so many others of +the same age, rode about with gun and bandolier, and was full of +courage. When the enemy approached his mother's house he prepared for +flight, but she took it for a joke. When she noticed that he was in +earnest, she forbade him to go, as his father had been killed already, +and he would in all probability be killed too. He merely answered, +'Because they have shot my father, I mean to shoot them now,' and rode +away. + +We did not like remaining long in one place doing nothing. We always +became impatient, and wished to know when we could move on. But the +Commandant always answered that he could not tell. And the more sensible +of us thought, 'It depends on khaki.' This was really the case now. On +the evening of January 28 we got the order to be in readiness. While +General Beyers, with 400 or 500 men, passed to the rear of the enemy to +destroy the Boksburg mines, our commando of horsemen moved rapidly in +the direction of Boesmanskop in the Heidelberg district, to cut off the +enemy who were pushing on to our part of the Hoogeveld. We arrived at +Boesmanskop the following morning. + +The parts of the country that we now passed through had not yet been +destroyed by the enemy, but everywhere else the houses and farms were +burnt and ruined in the most barbarous way. We were very anxious, +therefore, to cut off the enemy's advance. They were camped to the +north-west of Boesmanskop. A strong Boer guard occupied this kopje--the, +only one in the neighbourhood; for the rest, the surroundings were the +ordinary Hoogeveld with its mounds. We pushed up in a long line over a +'bult' that ran north-west of Boesmanskop. Our guns--only a few, as most +had been sent away to be repaired--stood on top of this mound without +any cover. Lieutenant Odendaal, a very brave gunner, did not like +kopjes, but always placed his cannon on a mound, as the enemy's guns +always fired too short or too long on account of the misleading +distances. They did so in this instance, and the bombs flew far beyond +us. Corporal Botman ordered me to stay with the horses at the foot of +the 'bult,' while the burghers crept on to the top a few hundred paces +further, expecting eventually to charge the enemy. Suddenly I heard, +twice over, a noise like that of a train in the distance. My brother +told me afterwards how he had seen a detachment of the enemy storming +Boesmanskop, and how the burghers waited until they were close by, and +then beat them back completely with a twice-repeated salvo. + +For some time the guns of the enemy ceased firing, because, as I heard +later on, Lieutenant Odendaal had shot down the gunners. When they made +themselves heard again, they were more accurate in their aim; I most +narrowly escaped the bombs. Four or five thundered around me in quick +succession, as I fell and stooped and grasped the bridles of the rearing +horses. Some of the horses pulled the bridles out of my hands and raced +down the valley. + +But the left wing of the enemy was surrounding us, and, like a swarm of +birds that rise on the wing, the burghers fled back in among the +tethered and the straying horses, and retreated as fast as they could. +The enemy now bombarded Boesmanskop, so that the retreating burghers in +the valley had a bad time of it with the bombs flying over their heads. + +Many waggons of Boer families, fleeing for their lives, were pushing +along the sides of the long mounds, and the enemy's bombs burst in their +midst more than once--perhaps accidentally, perhaps because they knew +that 'the Boer nation must be swept off the face of the earth.' + +The women seemed to be in a panic. From all sides families came in carts +and waggons--long rows of vehicles filled with poor, terror-stricken +women and children; large herds of cattle were driven along by the +Kaffir servants, but many of them fell into the enemy's hands. The +burghers did their best to make a stand in order to give the waggons a +good start, but retreated in good order when they saw no chance of +checking the enemy's forward movement. Fortunately, a heavy shower fell +in the afternoon and hindered the enemy in their advance, else many a +waggon would have fallen into their hands. + +It was no longer necessary for the burghers to resist for the sake of +the waggons. The enemy had camped and left us, with the exception of the +guard, to plod our way shamefacedly through the mud. Our ponies, with +their quick, peculiar gait, soon caught up the heavily-laden waggons, +and we supplied ourselves with mealies, flour, fowls, etc., that had +been thrown overboard or left behind on a broken-down waggon. Such is +the fortune of war, and the things were better in our hands than in +those of the khakies. + +When we rode up alongside the waggons, many a meeting took place between +relatives and friends who had been parted for months. The women and +girls drove the horses, and many of them walked with the Kaffirs in the +mud next to the oxen. They did the work of the men in time of peace. +Many of them had been delicately nurtured, in spite of the simplicity of +their lives, and were not accustomed to the hard work. They were all +Transvaal women, and wives and daughters of the burghers who had to look +on helplessly at their sad flight. And, oh! the dear little heads of +the children that peeped at us from out of the waggons! It was a cruel +sight, and it moved us strangely. + +Although most of the women were drenched, they were all cheerful, and +seemed proud of taking an active part in the great struggle. And if a +young man asked a girl whether he should ride next to her to help her, +the answer was: 'No, thank you, we can manage; the men must fight now.' +There were many old men and boys who preferred the society of the women +to the danger of the bombs. Some of the women were not kind, and +reproached us for being the cause of all this misery, as our appearance +in the Hoogeveld had brought the enemy in its train. + +The waggons were heavily laden with furniture and grain, some even with +stoves, and they sank deep into the mud, as the roads were one mass of +mud after the numerous waggons and thousands of cattle that had already +passed along them. Long rows of vehicles were continually approaching +from all sides, all going in the same direction, and when we came to +Waterval River a sad but grand sight met our eyes. The river was full. +Hundreds of waggons had been outspanned on the banks on either side. +The women and children were doing their best to light the fires with the +wet wood, and to cook some food. It was just before sunset, but there +was no sun to cheer them on their way. + +Against the sides of the mounds (bulten) the cattle were moving in black +dense masses, making an almost deafening noise with their bleating and +lowing. As we rode through the full river, we saw in mid-stream a cart +that had stuck fast. A woman was standing in the water pushing at the +back, while a girl held the reins. A few of our men jumped down from +their horses and soon succeeded in getting the cart to the other side. +But we could not stay to help the poor women and children. We rode on, +inquiring everywhere after the trolleys and the commissariat. These were +higher up on the other side of the river, so we had to cross once more, +this time in the dark, at the risk of our lives. + +Two little girls were drowned that evening, and the wheel of a waggon +had passed over a girl's body. It had been better if the women had +stayed at home and depended on the mercy of the enemy. They should not +have undertaken this terrible journey. A woman cannot flee from place to +place like a man, and life in a 'refugee'(?) camp would have been +better; she should bear her sorrow bravely at home. And this was only +the beginning of the misery. If they had remained at home, they might +have saved their homes, but now the enemy was sure to destroy and burn +the deserted farms. + +During the day, when the flight was still a novelty, the women and girls +were cheerful enough, but who can describe their heartache and misery +during their enforced journey on the rainy nights? I do not know how all +those waggons and cattle got through the swollen river that night. +Twenty paces from where I lay a waggon was being inspanned; I heard the +voices of men and women. An old man was talking. He threatened to +off-load all the women on the first available place, as he had never in +his life had so much trouble. A small boy and a Kaffir had their turn +also; the boy was on horseback and led, or rather dragged, another horse +that refused to move. He had to collect the cattle, which seemed to me +almost an impossible task in the dark, among the many horses of the +burghers. When he had found Kindermeid, Witlies had disappeared, and +when Witlies was found, then Vaalpens was missing again. Kindermeid, a +gray ox, was the most troublesome. Repeatedly it passed by me, followed +by the boy dragging the unwilling horse. Then the boy exclaimed in sad, +shrill tones, 'See how the mare jibs!' When his father angrily asked, +'Have you found Kindermeid now?' he answered, 'Yes, father, but now +Vaalpens is missing; the mare jibs so, I can't get the cattle together!' +When he had found them all and the rumbling of their waggon was dying +away in the distance, I still heard him complain of the unwilling mare, +in his sad, shrill little voice. It was a small episode in my life that +I shall not easily forget. This was the last I saw of the flight of the +women, for we had to stay behind to fight as we were retreating. Later +on I heard many sad tales about it, which I cannot repeat in this little +book of mine. + +The poor women and children were indeed to be pitied, but we had no +sympathy with the men who fled in the winter with their cattle to the +Boschveld, and now sought our protection, though they had never fought +themselves. The flight with the cattle was necessary, as the enemy would +otherwise have exterminated them, but many of the men took advantage of +the necessity, and sometimes three or four strong, sturdy men went with +one waggon, where one man would have been ample. + + + + +XV. + +BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS + + +I will not describe our retreat, as nothing of importance occurred. We +were constantly on the alert to move before the cunning French entrapped +us within the circle that he was trying to draw around us. + +At Trichardsfontein Malherbe and I had to go in search of our horses, +which had strayed, so we were separated from our commando for some days. +When we found our horses we went to Ermelo, and stayed there until the +enemy were so close upon us that General Louis Botha, who happened to be +at Ermelo, and knew of our arrival, sent to say that we must leave the +town. We then joined his force and rode to Spion Kop. + +'In the land of the blind the one-eyed is king!' Even so it was with +Spion Kop of the Hoogeveld Ermelo. During the three years of my +University life in that distant little country that stands by us now so +well in our need, I often climbed a hill about the size of Spion Kop. +That hill is famed for its height throughout the whole country, and +bears the formidable name of 'the Amersfoort Mountain.' + +While the officers were holding a council of war, Malherbe and I rode +off to our commando. At Klipstapel we were allowed a few days' breathing +time, and there we prepared for the night attack on Smith-Dorrien's +camp, to the north of us. But our guide lost his way in the dark, and we +had to return. It was decided, nevertheless, to attempt the attack the +following night at Chrissiesmeer, where the camp was then. We had +everything in our favour. We were a strong force of many commandos, and +the enemy's force was not much larger. + +That evening we were placed in quite a different order from the usual +one. The men of each corporal's division rode next to each other. The +Commandant or Veld-Kornet at the head, followed by the corporal with his +ten or fifteen men riding abreast, was followed by the next corporal +riding abreast with his men, etc. On looking back from the top of the +hill in the moonlight, one saw a broad dark mass of fierce, determined +men. Nearly every burgher had one or two extra horses, mostly mares with +foals, that we had commandeered and trained during our retreat on the +Hoogeveld. At that time every horse, trained or untrained, was put to +use. It was a pity that the mares with their foals were not left behind, +as they made a terrible noise with their whinnying. We walked our +horses; we were not allowed to utter a word or to light our pipes--that +was reasonable; but the neighing of the horses was not exactly in +accordance with our silence. Every now and again, when the whinnying of +the mares was at its worst, some burgher or other would give vent to an +exclamation of impatience. Every now and again someone or other would +light his pipe, taking care that neither the Veld-Kornet nor the enemy +should see it. A dead silence reigned everywhere, broken only by the +mares and their foals. These beasts caused us great uneasiness, but so +did the order we received that we had to shoot sharp at the beginning +of the attack, but then slowly, until it became light, so as to save +some of our ammunition in case of need. We had to attack in the dark +then. But what if the enemy, prepared for our arrival, were to pepper at +us unexpectedly from a different direction, or to point their Maxims at +us? + +The greatest mistake of all was that we took our horses right up to the +hill on the other side of which the khakies were. The horses were tired +and had ceased neighing, but we should have left them some miles behind +and walked on to make the attack as soon as it was light. An uncle of +mine told me that he saw some men on horseback riding over the bull, +whom he took to be our spies, but they were of course the enemy's guard. + +When we had tethered our horses at the foot of the bult, we climbed up +slowly, but before we could fall into position the enemy opened a sharp +fire at us. We charged shouting 'Hurrah!' in wild enthusiasm, and fired +as fast as we could straight ahead. The sparks flew up some twenty paces +in front of us, and even after the fight we could not tell whether they +came from our own guns or from those of the enemy. At intervals we +heard the tick-tick-tick of a small Maxim, but owing to the dark we were +not mown down. Some of the burghers threw themselves down behind us, and +involuntarily one thought of the proverb, 'to hide in another's blood.' +Whenever the firing slackened a few of our brave men charged, shouting +out encouraging words, and again raised our enthusiasm. Both burghers on +my right and on my left were wounded. The latter had a most demoralizing +influence on the rest of the men, as he lay groaning and moaning in a +heart-rending way. He was only slightly wounded, and eventually escaped +on horseback. Our brave Commandant Botman went forward ten paces beyond +the rest in his enthusiasm, and served as a target for the enemy. He was +severely wounded, but walked back without a moan and fell down close +behind me. I did not even know that he was wounded. I turned round to +see if the burghers behind me would not take the initiative in the +inevitable flight, as I was ashamed to take it upon myself. I did not +take it at all amiss, therefore, when I saw several men looking round to +see if the way were clear, and darting like an arrow back to their +horses, for all round us our men were being shot down, and we did not +know where the enemy's camp was, nor could we tell the effect of our +shooting in the dark. A slight fog had arisen, through which the moon +occasionally succeeded in dimly appearing. The day had dawned; we +reached our horses in the greatest disorder, and heightened the +confusion by shouting inquiries to each other after friends and +relatives. Some did not wait to find their horses, but fled on foot; +others jumped on strange horses. Some even escaped on khaki horses that +had strayed from the camp. + +As my brother and I galloped off, a man fell wounded close behind us, +and the bullet struck the ground between us. The burghers rallied at a +farm in the neighbourhood of the enemy's camp. Some of our men fled on, +but most of them retreated with the guns to the commissariat trolleys, +many without saddle, mackintosh or blanket, more hopelessly impoverished +than ever, but not discouraged, for although the attack had been +repulsed we were not defeated. + +In this lay our strength, that we were not disheartened by our defeats, +but were able constantly to rally and to renew the attack. We kept on +exhausting the enemy by slight skirmishes that are not worth relating, +but their effect on the whole weakened him and strengthened us. + +On our side that day there were forty wounded, but only a few killed. It +grieved us all that Commandant Botman had remained behind on the +battle-field. He was universally liked for his bravery and for his +simple Christianity. To our great joy, we heard later on that he had +recovered, and had somehow succeeded in reaching Krugersdorp. +Fortunately, the fog prevented the enemy from doing us much harm, and +towards afternoon our cannon put a stop to their advance. + +The attack on Smith-Dorrien's camp was worthy of a better result. In +this, as well as in the Hekpoort and Boesmanskop battles, where also we +had no position, the burghers showed great courage and goodwill. In my +opinion, the officers should have given up the plan of attack after we +had missed our way the night before and been obliged to return. The +Kaffirs and traitors must have warned the enemy of our intention to +attack, so that they could be in readiness for us. + +The enemy were now all round us. We heard the firing of cannon on all +sides, but that same night we undertook a cunning backward movement, and +when the enemy closed their cordon an hour later the bird had flown. We +were careful to avoid a repetition of Cronje's experience. + +The burghers were very anxious about our lager. We had left it on +Brown's farm on the Wilgeriver, when our commando advanced towards +Boesmanskop. How the lager escaped I do not know, for we heard that the +enemy were advancing from all sides--Standerton, Middelburg, etc. But we +reached it in safety the very night that we slipped through the enemy's +cordon. + +We were now safely on our way back to Rustenburg, and had to leave +General French with his 30,000 or 40,000 men to drive along helpless +women and children, and all the cattle he could lay hands on. +Commandant-General Louis Botha had strictly forbidden the women to leave +their farms after the Battle of Boesmanskop, so that the enormous woman +lager received no new additions. + +Many of the farms were burned down, but some families had been left +unmolested, because they said the enemy were ill at ease, owing to a +rumour that General Beyers was going to attack them in the rear. The +partly-burned granaries bore evidence to the great hurry the enemy were +in. On some farms the very rooms that contained grain were set on fire. + +Our constant retreat had a most demoralizing influence. This was felt +even in our conversation and our expressions. We called this retreating +'kamping,'[A] and it became one of our most common expressions in our +daily life. For 'Let us go!' we said 'Let us kamp!' or for 'This evening +we start!' we said 'This evening we go on the kamp!' A typical +expression was 'kamping' for our independence, when we could no longer +withstand the enemy. If anyone boasted of his loyalty to his country and +people, he merely said that he had 'kamped' along with the burghers +wherever they had 'kamped.' We used in our conversation many military +terms; for instance, 'to change one's position' was 'to go and lie with +your saddle on another place.' 'I shall mauser you' meant 'I shall +strike you.' + +At Grootpan General Beyers again joined us, after having done the enemy +some harm at Boksburg. He addressed us and explained his reason for +countermanding the attack on Krugersdorp. He had told the secret to a +few of his officers, who made it public property, so that the enemy had +heard of it and were prepared for the attack. + +Moreover, a great fault of the burghers had come to light at +Nooitgedacht--namely, that they shirked their duty in their eagerness +for plunder. He was afraid that if they took the town their plundering +spirit would get the better of them and so give the enemy a chance of +catching them or putting them to flight. Lastly he said that he was +going to act in opposition to the orders received from the +Commandant-General, and would send the Zoutpansbergers and Waterbergers +home that evening, as it was impossible for them in their condition to +undertake any military operations. He himself also was going home, but +would return after a few weeks, as a large commando, led if possible by +himself, was to invade Cape Colony. + +Kemp was made fighting General; the Rev. Mr. Kriel left with General +Beyers; Klaassen took the place of Kemp, and Liebenberg was appointed +Field-Cornet of our commando. + +The return to their homes of the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers roused +a feeling of dissatisfaction in us. Owing to the horse-sickness in those +regions, and the home-sickness of the men themselves, we concluded that +we were not likely to see them again. We also thought it would have been +better to have invaded the Colony long ago, instead of aimlessly +wandering about the Hoogeveld as we had been doing. In all probability +our Generals put off the invasion as long as possible because many of +the men--nearly all the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers--were against +it. Such were the difficulties against which our Generals had to fight. + +In private, both Kemp and Beyers acknowledged to me that a march into +the Colony was strictly necessary. I do not mean to criticise, but only +to give an idea of the spirit reigning among the burghers at that time. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote A: 'Trappers.'] + + + + +XVI + +CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP + + +General Beyers' force was again split into small commandos, which it was +the intention of our officers to join into one large force, and so make +their way through the ranks of the enemy. But this plan was not a +success, for the enemy were too strong for us. + +The Krugersdorp and Pretoriadorp commandos one night crossed the railway +within sight of the khaki camp-lights at Irene Station--quite close to +our capital, in full view of khaki's warning, 'No admittance!' We passed +Zwartkop, crossed Dwarsvlei, and had to turn back to the right through +Hartleyskloof, as we came across a camp of the enemy. We then entered +the Moot district, dreaded for its terrible horse-sickness, and in the +beginning of March we arrived at Tafelkop, to the north-east of +Lichtenburg, near Mabaalstad. + +Once, as I lay resting against my saddle, I heard an old Boer telling of +the courage and hopefulness among the burghers from whom he came. They +talked of nothing but peace. It was their belief that a European +Sovereign on marriage may make a request which must be granted. He may +even ask a million pounds or somebody's head, and cannot be refused. So, +they said, Queen Wilhelmina had risen to make her speech at her wedding, +and had requested absolute independence for the Republics. The Kings and +Princes were against it, but could not break the old custom, and +therefore peace would soon reign over our country. But such talk of +'peace' was an exception, not the rule. After the terrible experience of +the last months, we had become resigned to our fate, and did not try to +anticipate the future. We knew that we must fight with courage and +energy, and the rest we left in God's hands. We had ceased to be curious +about the plans of our Generals, which were never made known to us. +Exhausted in body and spirit, we took no account of time. It was all +one to us whether it were morning, noon or night; whether we had to +march one, two, or three hours longer; whether we had to march at all, +or to remain where we were. But we were not demoralized, not unnerved. +An overworked horse allows himself to be caught and ill-treated afresh. +The enemy, had only to fire at us to rouse our slumbering energy, for we +suffered voluntarily, and were a support to each other, because of our +firm conviction that we were giving our lives for the sake of our +independence. + +It rained when we arrived at Tafelkop, and when we had been there a week +it still rained. The only clothes we possessed were beginning to rot on +our bodies. Some of the burghers had a change of clothes on the +trolleys; others made themselves trousers of their many-coloured +blankets, in which they cut a remarkable figure. Others, again, were in +tatters, and had to disappear on the few occasions that any lady visited +us. Most of the men had no mackintoshes, but always looked forward to +the sunshine that was sure to follow a heavy shower. But if the rain +continued, we made huts of grass, or clubbed together in the few +remaining tents, or if there happened to be an unburned farmhouse, we +made for that. + +When the rain continued at Tafelkop, and our limbs became stiffened with +the cold, some of us went to an outhouse belonging to a neighbouring +farm to seek shelter. During the day we sat there in our wet clothes +staring dismally out into the rain. At night we tried to warm our naked +bodies by covering ourselves with the dirty wool that happened to be +lying there. All the outhouses in the neighbourhood were crowded with +armed burghers in tatters. On the eighth day, when the welcome sun made +its appearance once more, our clothes were still dripping. + +Lately we had had fruit as a substitute for sugar; but the fruit season +was over now, and we had to go back to meat and mealie-porridge, or +mealie-porridge and meat. + +In the Moot our horses died in such numbers--particularly the 'unsalted' +mares--that many of our men had to walk. On March 10 my faithful brown +pony Steenbok died of horse-sickness. For over a year he had carried me +through thick and thin, and I could not bear to see his suffering. A few +weeks later we got another lot of horses; I will not mention how, as +the information might fall into the hands of the enemy. The people who +still lived on their farms often told us that the few remaining fowls +instinctively recognised khaki as an enemy, and made for the hedges and +shrubs whenever they caught sight of him. So here, also, Nature looked +after the survival of the species. The cows taken by the enemy also made +their way back to their calves that khaki stupidly left behind, and so +the little children could again have milk. Even the bees were not left +undisturbed; but the bee is an enemy of any nasty-smelling thing, and +therefore the dirty, perspiring khakies got many a sting, and the honey +usually remained in the hives. + +The enemy probably thought that we were helpless in our poverty. But a +Boer is not easily made helpless. We patched our own shoes and carried +the lasts about with us. Horseshoes and nails we made from the tires of +wheels and telegraph-wires. Instead of matches we used two stones. When +the enemy have burned and destroyed all our corn-mills, we will still +have coffee-mills, and when those are gone we will do as the Kaffirs do, +and grind our corn between two stones--and crushed and roasted maize is +very good to eat. + +The old Voortrekkers wore trousers made of untanned hide. We can do the +same if khaki does not supply us with sufficient clothes. Our wives and +children and our exiled men we cannot get out of khaki's hands, and that +is the greatest difficulty in our way. + +One of the greatest advantages we have over the enemy is that we are +among friends, and can move about in small troops without having to +depend on a base of operations, whereas they do well not to divide +themselves in too small groups, or to venture too far from their +base--even in large numbers. + +The services in our camp were held by the Rev. Mr. Naudé--a man who kept +the courage and the moral sense of the burghers up to the mark with his +meek Christian spirit. He also formed the debating club that was such a +welcome recreation to us. We often thought that the enemy would be +surprised if they could know of the debates we had--for instance, 'Must +the "hands-uppers" be allowed to vote after the war is over?' 'Must the +Kaffirs or natives have more rights?' 'Is intervention advisable under +the circumstances? etc. The men in the neighbourhood of Tafelkop were +mostly 'hands-uppers,' so we confiscated their property, and their grain +and cattle we took for the use of the lager, but we always left +sufficient for the use of the women and children. The future of a farm +on which a lager had camped for some time was dark indeed, for even the +grain in the fields was destroyed by the demon of war. If the owner of +the farm were not a 'hands-upper,' our officers usually succeeded in +preventing the destruction. Sometimes the pulling up of the fencing was +inevitable, as we were so short of fuel. The Boer women were sometimes +forced to accept the protection of the enemy, after their farms and +property had been destroyed by friend and enemy alike. + +The negotiation of February 7, between Kitchener and Louis Botha, was +read out to us at Tafelkop. The burghers were unanimous in condemnation +of Kitchener's conditions, and were fully satisfied with Botha's short, +vigorous answer. Had we indeed fought so long and so fiercely only to +become an English colony, and not to be allowed to carry arms unless we +had a license? And for the Kaffirs to be eventually allowed to vote? +The men who were attached to their families and farms, but preferred +losing all to becoming 'hands-uppers,' were unanimous in declaring +Kitchener's conditions unacceptable, and all were ready to fight to the +bitter end. We often spoke of the terrible suffering of our women and +children in the refugee camps, and sometimes doubted whether it were not +better for their sakes to give in. We did not know whether patriotism +were worth the shedding of so much innocent blood. It cost us more than +we can tell to remain firm and brave in our undertaking. + +At that time we also heard of De Wet's retreat from Cape Colony, but not +officially. It was broken to us gently, and at first as if he had been +successful, so that we all thought peace was to follow soon. + +How we rejoiced! + +But a few days later De Wet's official report was read out to us, and +then our courage sank indeed. What was the good of our fighting if the +Colony would not help us? + +The disappointment was not great enough to make us lay down our arms, +but we knew it would be many a long day before peace was in the land. +How long should we still be chased from place to place? When would there +be rest for our exhausted bodies? And how we longed for our dear ones, +if only we should find them alive! + + + + +CONCLUSION + +BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY + + +We stayed fully three weeks at Tafelkop. I was appointed commissary of +the Krugersdorp commando, and rode round to all the farms to procure the +needful for our commando. As General De la Rey had been camping close by +at Rietfontein for some time, there was not much left to commandeer, +unless we deprived the women whose husbands were in the veld of the +necessaries of life. + +Our lager was moved from Tafelkop to Rietpan, from whence a few hundred +of our horsemen started with some guns and a few trolleys for Groot +Kafferkraal, in Hartbeestfontein district. General De la Rey had come +over to organize the expedition in person, and accompanied General Kemp. +I went with a man called Jooste to the neighbourhood of Lichtenberg and +Klein Kafferkraal to commandeer cattle. There I heard many tales of the +enemy's behaviour as they passed through a week before. + +For some reason or other the houses there had not been burnt, perhaps +owing to the verbal negotiation between Botha and Kitchener. I know of +only one house that was burned down there. That was the finest house in +the neighbourhood and belonged to Willem Basson. Mrs. Basson herself +told me how it happened. Her husband had fled with the cattle when the +enemy came along. The soldiers asked her for money. They said such a +fine house must contain a great deal of money, and when she refused they +became most impertinent. The finding of a packet of dynamite in the +coach-house afforded a fine excuse. The dynamite was used by Basson for +the making of wells. On finding the packet they shouted 'Hurrah!' and +rushed off with it to the camp close to the house. They came back after +a while and stormed the house, smashing the windows with stones. Truly a +heroic storming of a fortress held by women! They destroyed everything +in the house, and the women and children were obliged to flee to Mrs. +Scheffers at Klein Kafferkraal, where I met them. + +We know of many cases of cruelty and violence, cases that have roused us +to a passion of hatred. + +I do not believe that the cases of violence, which are not spoken of +because of the horror, are tolerated by the military authorities, who +are probably ignorant of them. One can understand that the worst were +committed by isolated patrols who could give free vent to their evil +passions. We cannot always hold the chief officers responsible for acts +committed by individual soldiers, neither are our officers responsible +for the unlawful acts of individuals on our side. But if the English, +with their national pride and obstinacy, deny these acts of violence, we +can give them sufficient proof of more cases than one. + +I was not present when the Krugersdorpers attacked Babington's force +near Lensdenplaats, in the neighbourhood of Groot Kafferkraal. But the +following morning, when they were retreating, I joined them with some +cattle, and was present at the Battle of Stompies. The night before the +battle I heard De la Rey's order given to Kemp to march his men at four +o'clock the following morning in the direction of the enemy. He was told +to retreat fighting, in case the enemy attacked, so as to give our +reinforcements an opportunity of attacking in the rear. Kemp ordered the +lager, or, rather, the few waggons, to retire to Bodenstein's farm the +following morning. + +While we were busy inspanning we heard the enemy's bomb-Maxim, and +before the waggons had forded the dangerous drift of the donga near +Bodenstein's farm the bullets flew over our heads from the bult behind +us. The women fled into the house and the burghers retreated as fast as +they could. The enemy had surrounded us in the night, and each burgher +had to do his utmost to escape from out of the half-circle. The few who +stayed behind to defend the guns were soon obliged to fly after the +rest, and to abandon one gun still on the other side of the drift. The +others might have been saved if the women's lager had not impeded their +flight by obstructing the way. + +We retreated to Vetpan. Those of the burghers who retreated more to the +right in the direction of Stompies were the best off, as the right wing +of the enemy had to be on its guard not to enter the wood there. The +enemy fired at us from horseback to enhance our panic, which was clever +of them, as it was impossible for us to turn in any direction. My horse +was overworked, and had changed its pace into a heavy gallop, a sure +sign that it would not last much longer. When I looked round, I saw a +few khakies riding on ahead, making our burghers 'hands-up.' +Fortunately, someone released a spare horse; I mounted it without a +saddle and made good my escape, but was incapable of riding for several +days after. + +Our men made no attempt to check the enemy's progress. They all fled, +each one bent on saving himself. A Boer, if once he flies, is not easily +turned aside. But it must be remembered that our horses were terribly +overworked. They had to live on nothing but grass, and very little of +that. We all also recognised the impossibility of checking the enemy, as +we ran the risk of shooting our own men and women; so our only chance +lay in flight. + +The horses of the enemy were soon 'done up,' and they had to satisfy +themselves with our guns--two large ones that we had taken from them at +Colenso, a damaged bomb-Maxim and several smaller ones. They took 136 +prisoners, among whom were Lieutenant Odendaal, 32 artillerists, 13 +burghers, and for the rest women and children and some big, full-grown +cowardly men who were in the habit of fleeing with the women and +children. The greater part of the women's lager fell into their hands. +The few waggons of Generals Smuts and Kemp that they captured were of no +importance. Jooste and Malherbe were also taken prisoners. + +I rode with General De la Rey to Tafelkop, where our lager was +stationed. In a week's time I was back again at Stompies. I had been +there scarcely an hour, when the tidings came that the enemy were camped +on Willem Basson's farm. The following morning before daybreak I was on +my way to Rietfontein. There, too, I had been only about an hour, when +another column came down upon me from the direction of Ventersdorp. I +fled to Tivee Buffelgeschiet with two boiled mealies and a piece of +meat in my hands. Before I reached that farm, half an hour's ride, my +horse was done up. I crept behind an ant-hill and prepared to defend +myself against four scouts who seemed to be coming straight towards me. +Suddenly, however, they turned off in the direction of their main-guard, +because, as I afterwards heard, they were threatened by eight of our +scouts. + +But the khakies were nearing me, and I was obliged to lead my horse into +a mealie-veld and to lie down full length in the rain. They did not +appear, however, and I concluded that they had camped at Rietfontein, so +I walked my horse to the farm of Mrs. Jansen, one of the few hospitable +women in that sparsely inhabited country. She hastily informed me that +the khakies had been there. + +The eight burghers soon returned, among them a young man who was nursing +a wounded man on the farm. In the night we went into the veld with a +small brother of his, who rode a mule, and returned in the morning to +watch the enemy's movements from the roof of the house. My horse was so +ill with horse-sickness that it shook under me. The enemy suddenly +appeared on the long bult (hill) along which I had come the day before. +I carried my saddle into the house and fled into the veld. From behind +an ant-hill I watched the enemy shooting my poor sick horse. They passed +by me several times, but at last I was discovered, and had to give up my +beloved Mauser without a chance of defending myself. My two companions +escaped. This happened on April 3, 1901. + +Fortunately, I fell into the hands of decent khakies who did not insist +on examining my old veld-shoes that I was using as a money-box, so I was +able to keep my precious four pounds. They took from me only a few +trifles by way of curiosities, and said I was sure to be robbed of them +sooner or later by the soldiers in the camp. I was told that I could +congratulate myself that I was made prisoner, as many columns were +coming down upon us from all directions, so that we would be obliged to +surrender that very day. I answered that the war had given sufficient +proof that their expectations were not always realized. + +When the officers of the guard were told that I was taken under arms, a +curt order was given to 'Let him walk.' When I protested and pointed +out that I was a prisoner of war and not a criminal, I was treated with +consideration as an ordinary soldier. I was taken by Babington's force. + +The following day the waggon lager arrived at Tafelkop, and the cavalry +that had been sent on to capture our lager joined the camp _minus_ any +prisoners. When the enemy's lager arrived at Potchefstroom a week later, +it brought along seventeen or eighteen 'hands-uppers,' one ambulance +doctor, several families, and one prisoner of war. Six of the +'hands-uppers' told me that the whole month we were camped at Tafelkop +they had hidden from us in their bedrooms so as not to be obliged to +break their oath of neutrality. + +I came across an old acquaintance of mine in the lager--Phister, who had +served under Commandant Boshoff. I knew that he had been wounded in the +leg at the Battle of Stompies and taken by our men to Rietpan. On the +trek from Ventersdorp to Potchefstroom I discovered him lying on his +back in the blazing sun on an open trolley, near to Potchefstroom; he +shouted to me that he had had nothing to eat during the whole of the +eighteen hours' trek. + +In Potchefstroom our trolley, with the twelve 'hands-uppers,' the +ambulance doctor, and myself, was sent in the direction of the prison. +People came towards us from all directions. Some women called out to us: +'Why were you so stupid as to let yourselves be caught?' Others +inquired, weeping, after husbands and sons. + +When we got to the prison I alone was detained, and had the disagreeable +experience of being locked up. The ambulance doctor was dismissed, as he +was 'Not guilty'; and the 'hands-uppers' were taken to the refugee camp. + +The treatment that the prisoners of war receive varies, and depends very +much on the prisoners themselves and on the men into whose hands they +fall. I was allowed to see my mother and sister, who obtained a pass to +come from Pretoria to see me. But I have seen the guards roughly send +away weeping women who were begging to be allowed a few words only with +their dear ones. + +At Elandsfontein Station the Transvaal colours worn by some of the +prisoners of war were taken away by force. On the long journey to +Ladysmith we were packed like herrings in open trucks, with insufficient +covering for the cold nights. + +The Ladysmith camp contained chiefly burghers who had been 'tamed' by +the enemy, and were ready to take the oath of allegiance. They were well +treated. + +On April 3 I was taken prisoner, and on May 6 I was on board the +_Manila_, together with 490 other prisoners of war, on our way to India. + +The burghers, accustomed to a free, independent life, suffered horribly +from want of space and insufficient and bad food. They could not get +over the idea of having to appear twice daily for the roll-call, +although there was no escape possible. But their sense of humour did not +suffer. + +Our burghers acknowledge that travelling is an education in itself, but +they one and all prefer travelling as free men--first or second +class--and they even prefer the high walls and limited space of the +fortress to being a prisoner-of-war passenger on board the steamer. + +The long, galvanized-iron bungalows in which we live here have zinc +roofs to guard against the heat of the tropical sun, but at any rate the +wind can blow through the openings on either side. The burghers are kept +alive and in pretty good health by an extremely temperate manner of +life. Once a week they are taken by a strong guard for a walk an hour +beyond the fort. They never get out on parole. As far as we are +concerned, they might even take cannon along with them to guard us, if +only they would take us out oftener. + +Here, too, the moral tone of the burghers is kept up by religious +services, and by the great devotion of the Rev. Mr. Viljoen, clergyman +of Reitz, in the Orange Free State, who is a fellow-prisoner of ours. +The gaiety is kept up by sports and by the companionship of many +children. The sorrow is enhanced by the presence of many gray-headed old +men and by sad and heart-breaking tidings. 'Guard, is there any news +this morning?' + +We are grieving with the grief of the exile, but we are waiting +patiently, and hoping still that a dove will bring us a branch with our +colours--Orange, green, red, white and blue: peace and independence. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO*** + + +******* This file should be named 15160-8.txt or 15160-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/6/15160 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: On Commando</p> +<p>Author: Dietlof Van Warmelo</p> +<p>Release Date: February 24, 2005 [eBook #15160]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Garrett Alley,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h4> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<h1><a name="Page_-5" id="Page_-5" />ON COMMANDO</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>DIETLOF VAN WARMELO</h2> + + +<h4>WITH A PORTRAIT</h4> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/portrait.png" width="300" height="475" +alt="DIETLOF VAN WARMELO" title="" /><br /> +<span class="caption">DIETLOF VAN WARMELO</span> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="center">METHUEN & CO.<br /> +36 ESSEX STREET W.C.<br /> +LONDON<br /> +1902<br /> +<i>Colonial Library</i> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE" /><a name="Page_-4" id="Page_-4" /><a name="Page_-3" id="Page_-3" />PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>This book was written in 1901, while its author was a prisoner at +Ahmednagar. It was written in Dutch, and has been put into English by a +young lady from what was the Orange Free State.</p> + +<p>The author is a friend and relation of mine, son of a clergyman in the +Transvaal, and of old Afrikander stock on both sides. His book is the +more valuable because of the absence of all literary pretensions, and it +may be taken as truly representative of the Afrikander spirit, which has +been so much misconceived in England.</p> + +<p> +FREDERIK VAN EEDEN<br /> +<br /> +WALDEN, N. HOLLAND,<br /> +<i>July</i>, 1902<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS" /><a name="Page_-2" id="Page_-2" /><a name="Page_-1" id="Page_-1" />CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="centered"><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" summary="Table of Contents"> + +<tr><th align='right'> </th><th align='right'> </th><th align='left'> </th><th align='right'><span class="smcap">Page</span></th></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='left'> +<span class="smcap"><a href="#PREFACE">Preface</a></span></td><td align='right'> +<a href="#PREFACE">v</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='left'> +<span class="smcap"><a href="#CONTENTS">Contents</a></span></td><td align='right'> +<a href="#CONTENTS">vii</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='right'><br /></td><td align='left'> +<span class="smcap"><a href="#FOREWORD">Foreword</a></span></td><td align='right'> +<a href="#FOREWORD">1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#I">I</a></td> +<td align='left'><span class="smcap">AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_3">3</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#II">II</a></td> +<td align='left'><span class="smcap">SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING <br />UP OF THE CANNON</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#III">III</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK<br />OF INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF LADYSMITH</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#IV">IV</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#V">V</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#VI">VI</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE <br />OF PRESIDENT STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#VII">VII</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#VIII">VIII</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#IX">IX</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#X">X</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS <br />TO THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XI">XI</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XII">XII</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON<br />KAALFONTEIN STATION</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XIII">XIII</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">COMMANDO SUFFERINGS</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XIV">XIV</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XV">XV</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#XVI">XVI</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td align='right'><span class="smcap"><br /></span></td><td align='right'><a href="#CONCLUSION">CONCLUSION</a></td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan='4'></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MY_LIFE_ON_COMMANDO" id="MY_LIFE_ON_COMMANDO" /><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1" />MY LIFE ON COMMANDO</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="FOREWORD" id="FOREWORD" />FOREWORD</h2> + + +<p>Could I have known that the war would last so long, I might from the +beginning have taken notes. They would have brought back memories in a +way pleasant to me now, and perhaps also to those who have asked me to +write down my adventures.</p> + +<p>Often it occurred to me to keep a diary, but I was obliged to give up +the idea because my clothes were sometimes so thoroughly drenched that +the letters in my pocket were not readable. Later on, when clothes were +scarce and pockets past mending, I often made the unpleasant discovery +that caused the fool, on his journey from the land of Kokanje, to cry to +the King: 'We have ridden at such a breakneck pace, see, everything has +slipped <a name="Page_2" id="Page_2" />through this little hole!' Now I am obliged to write down my +adventures without any notes, so dates, numbers, and names of places +will occasionally be missing. It stands to reason that I—being an exile +in a strange country, in the fort of ... in ..., cut off from the world +outside and without any official reports—should simply limit myself to +my own personal experience. And, lastly, I must apologize to my readers +for so often speaking of myself and my friends; but that is inevitable +in this tale.</p> + +<p>I shall pass rapidly over the first part of my life on commando. If my +memory plays me false—which is not very probable, as I still have a +lively recollection of the events—I shall be grateful for correction.</p> + +<p><i>July</i>, 1901.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="I" id="I" /><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3" />I</h2> + +<p class="center">AT THE BOUNDARY—ENTRANCE INTO NATAL—DUNDEE—LADYSMITH</p> + + +<p>When that part of the Pretoria town commando to which my brother Frits +and I belonged left for the Natal boundary on September 30, 1899, we +were all very enthusiastic, as could be seen from the nice new suits, +the new shining guns, and the sleek horses. Many ladies had come to the +station to see us off, and we were proud of having the opportunity to +fight for our country. Our departure seemed then to us a great occasion, +we were inexperienced in war. We had not yet learnt that one could pass +unscathed through many a fierce battle. We knew nothing of 'retreating' +and we knew all about the enemy with whom we were to come in contact. We +imagined that several sharp engagements would take place—that these +would <a name="Page_4" id="Page_4" />be decisive battles in which many of our men would be killed, and +therefore the parting with relatives and friends was sad indeed.</p> + +<p>Our Field-Cornet, Melt Marais, had told us that we had nothing to see to +except provisions for a day or two, as Government would supply us with +all necessaries at Zandspruit, where the commandos were to concentrate; +so many of us took neither pots, pans, nor mugs.</p> + +<p>What a disillusion it was to find on our arrival at Zandspruit that +there were no tents, and as yet no provisions of any kind! So we were +initiated by having to pass the first nights of our commando life on the +open veld with insufficient food. And in the daytime our work was cut +out for us, as every other minute our horses disappeared—lost among the +thousands of horses that all looked exactly alike in the eyes of an +inexperienced townsman. Then it meant a running and seeking, an +examining of marks and tokens, until the stupid among us were obliged to +tie ribbons to our horses as a means of recognising them. And one, the +story goes, even tied a nosebag, with a bundle of forage, to his mount +so that it should not run away.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5" />At length the provisions began to arrive, but the pots and pans were +still scarce and we could not even drink a cup of coffee till a tin of +jam or meat had been emptied.</p> + +<p>We were just beginning to feel comfortable, when the time stated in the +ultimatum expired, and we had to cross the boundary of Natal. General +Erasmus was at the head of our commando. We spent the night near +Volksrust in a cold hail storm and rain. Those first days we are not +likely to forget. They were wet, cold days, and we were still +unaccustomed to preparing our own food and looking after ourselves. +Fortunately, we had the opportunity, a few days later, of supplying +ourselves with all necessaries at Newcastle.</p> + +<p>Before we crossed the boundary General Erasmus had addressed us and told +us the news of our first victory—the taking of an armoured train at +Kraaipan; at that time we still made a fuss about such a trifle. Also, +in those days, we still looked up with respect to our leaders.</p> + +<p>Ds. Postma, who accompanied us everywhere, led us in prayer. Not one of +the burghers seems to have known where the <a name="Page_6" id="Page_6" />enemy were. We advanced +slowly and carefully, as we expected <i>to meet with the enemy at any +moment</i>; but we saw no signs of them until we came to Dundee. After a +rest of a few days we undertook the momentous expedition to the +mountains of Dundee, to the north of the town.</p> + +<p>Towards evening we got the order to 'prepare for three days.' For three +days! And we had not even provisions enough for one. But we understood +that there could not yet be a proper commissariat, and we fought for our +country willingly, convinced of the justice of our cause; so we +'prepared' cheerfully.</p> + +<p>Before the commando started, a terrible thunderstorm came on that slowly +passed over and was followed by a gentle rain. We rode hard in the dark, +through dongas, past farms and houses, zigzagging in a half-circle, to +the mountains of Dundee. No sound was to be heard except the dull thud +of the hoofs of the galloping horses. Now and again we whispered to each +other how delightfully we were going to surprise the enemy. When the +horses came to a sudden pause, and an inexperienced rider, owing to a +presentiment of <a name="Page_7" id="Page_7" />evil, involuntarily uttered his wish to 'halt,' we +turned upon him angrily and called him 'traitor.' We did not then know +that we were far beyond earshot of the enemy. It stopped raining, and +towards morning we reached the mountains; and after we had with great +difficulty got our horses on to the mountains, we had to await the dawn +in the cold, drenched to the skin. A mackintosh is of small service in +such a rain. When the day dawned we led our horses higher up. A thick +fog had come on. General Lucas Meyer was to begin the attack on the +west, and we were to surprise the enemy from the heights.</p> + +<p>When the roar of cannon announced the battle, we were full of +enthusiasm, but General Erasmus forbade anyone to move on before the fog +lifted. It was quite possible that the fog might be only on the +mountain-tops, because of their great height, and that we would have +clear weather as soon as we began to descend, therefore several of our +men begged General Erasmus to be allowed to go on ahead as scouts. But +he was very much against it, and said that the enemy might cut off our +retreat, and 'if the enemy surround us it is all up with <a name="Page_8" id="Page_8" />us,' said he. +As soon as the roar of the cannon ceased, we withdrew some distance into +the mountains to let our horses graze. But we had only just off-saddled, +when from all sides came the cry of 'Saddle! saddle!' and from our left, +in the valley, came the sound of firing. A detachment of 250 khakies, +probably knowing nothing of our whereabouts, and intending to pass round +the mountains and attack Lucas Meyer in the rear, was compelled to +surrender in a few moments, after first having sought cover in a kraal +near a house.</p> + +<p>We remained three days on the Dundee mountains, and during all that time +there was a steady drizzle, with intervals of hail and wind. Once when +it cleared up for a few hours we got the order to attack the town, but +it began to rain again, and that night we had to keep our positions in +the intense cold, without any covering. Fortunately, the enemy abandoned +their camp that night, and when we looked down upon the town next +morning the khakies had vanished. We had only the preceding day placed +our cannon in a position to command the camp.</p> + +<p>When we returned to our saddles, the horses <a name="Page_9" id="Page_9" />had strayed so far that it +took us almost all day to get them back. My uncle, Paul Maré, formerly +Volksraad member for Zoutpansberg, treated us to kaboe-mealies (roasted +maize), the first we had on commando, and we ate with great relish.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the commando had left. We followed, and entered Dundee, where +we helped ourselves hungrily to the good things from the shops placed at +the disposal of the commandos.</p> + +<p>In an unorganized army looting is a necessary evil. There are always +some of the lower classes who are the ringleaders, and when the +commandos reach a house or farm that has already been looted, they join +in the looting 'because the burghers are on commando, and they must be +well supplied with all necessaries, so as to be able to fight well.' So +we reasoned, and we joined in the looting. I can affirm, to the honour +of our burghers, that it was not our intention to plunder, and in the +beginning much was done to prevent it. The lower class Uitlander, who +joined us for the sake of booty, and not for love and sympathy towards +us, was largely responsible for the bad name we got <a name="Page_10" id="Page_10" />among right-minded +people who did not know the facts of the case. It was the same as +regards theft. If anyone missed his horse, he had but to look for it +among the 'Irish corps,' or some other Uitlander corps, and unless he +knew his beast well he would fail to recognise it, as both mane and tail +would have been cut short by the thief. I do not wish to pretend that +<i>we</i> were always free from blame. It has happened that the Uitlander got +a very poor horse in exchange for his thoroughbred because a Boer had +tied the token of recognition to his own horse and made off with the +better one. The truth is that very few men are proof against the +demoralizing influence of war, and I will not deny that this war has +shown up our many faults; but in my tale I shall be able to take up the +cudgels for my people in cases where the rest of the world turned from +us because they were disappointed in their expectations of us.</p> + +<p>After our departure from Dundee the looting went on freely. Then we +began to witness the devastation that is the irremediable consequence of +war. Here and there a house had been completely plundered. At Glencoe +Junction <a name="Page_11" id="Page_11" />I entered the stationmaster's house, a well-furnished house +with beautiful pictures, books, and mirrors. Some massive silver mugs +and other articles of value were lying about. The family had only just +dined, for the cloth was still laid. I ate of the food on the table, +wrote a letter home with pen and ink, and left the house. Later on, when +I returned, it had been thoroughly looted and some of the mirrors +smashed. There were many of the riff-raff, Kaffirs and coolies in the +neighbourhood, and in all probability they had done the mischief.</p> + +<p>When our commando left Dundee to move in the direction of Ladysmith, +part of the Pretoria town commando was sent to reinforce Lucas Meyer, +who was to follow the troops fleeing from Dundee with his commando. My +brother and I went with it. A terrible thunderstorm came on just then, +and during the whole march to Ladysmith it rained heavily. Every moment +we expected to come up with the troops, but they had too great a start, +and we did not overtake them at all. We were too late again. An English +General has said that 'the Boers are brave, and make good plans, but are +always twenty-four hours <a name="Page_12" id="Page_12" />late.' That can be explained in this way. We +were accustomed to fighting against Kaffirs, who hid in woods and +mountains, and against whom we had to advance with the utmost +precaution, so as to lose as few lives as possible. So we were too +cautious in the beginning of the war. We would not make a great +sacrifice to win a battle.</p> + +<p>On October 30 we were present, under Lucas Meyer, at the battle near +Ladysmith, but we did not come into action, as we belonged to a part of +the commando that had to hold a position to prevent attack in the rear. +The enemy did not attack our position at all, except with a few bombs, +because they suffered a great defeat near Modderspruit, and had to +retreat hurriedly. From our positions we could see how every time the +bombs burst among them the fleeing troops seemed to get 'mazed' for a +moment, and then went forward again.</p> + +<p>At that time we were often in want of food. One must have suffered +hunger to know what it means. In a few linen bags I had some biscuits +that had first been reduced to crumbs through the riding, and then to a +kind of pap <a name="Page_13" id="Page_13" />by the rain and perspiration of the horse. Often when I +felt the pangs of famine I added some sugar to this mess and ate it with +relish.</p> + +<p>Some days later we left Lucas Meyer and returned to our commando, which +had meanwhile gone to the north of Ladysmith. During our absence +Zeederberg had taken the place of Melt Marais as Veld-Cornet.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="II" id="II" /><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14" />II</h2> + +<p class="center">SIEGE OF LADYSMITH—BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES—BLOWING UP OF THE CANNON</p> + + +<p>When we surrounded the town and the siege began, all talk of the bananas +that we were to eat in the south of Natal came to an end.</p> + +<p>Ladysmith ought never to have been besieged. On October 30 we should +have made use of our advantage. If we had at once followed the enemy +when they fled in disorder, we should in all probability easily have +taken those positions that would have involved the immediate surrender +of Ladysmith. Many lives would have been sacrificed, but not so many as +were sacrificed during the whole siege. And we might have used those men +who were necessary to maintain the siege elsewhere as an attacking +force. Instead of following up <a name="Page_15" id="Page_15" />our advantage, we deliberately prepared +for a siege. The enemy meanwhile made use of the opportunity to entrench +themselves well. Most of our burghers were against our attempting to +take the town by assault when once it was thoroughly entrenched.</p> + +<p>The Pretoria town commando and that from Krokodil River in the Pretoria +district occupied the position nearest to Ladysmith. This was a hill to +the north of the town, flat at the top, and surrounded by a stone wall. +In all probability the enclosed depression of about 500 paces in circuit +had been used as a cattle-kraal. Against that kopje (hill) we gradually +put up our tents. From our camp we looked on to a large flat mountain +that we called Little Amajuba, because on October 30 the first large +capture of prisoners had been made there. In front of our kopje, near +the foot, ran a donga, and at a distance of about 1,000 paces, parallel +to us, lay another oblong kopje occupied by the enemy. This kopje we +called Rooirandjes.</p> + +<p>On November 8 we received the order from our General to attack the +Rooirandjes the following day. We were about 250 strong, <a name="Page_16" id="Page_16" />and very +willing, as that position had not yet been entrenched. On a mountain to +our right a cannon had been placed that was to begin firing on the +enemy's position towards dawn. Distinct orders were given that our +Veld-Cornet was to be at the foot of Rooirandjes with his men before +daybreak. But something went wrong again, and it was already quite light +when we reached the donga. We found ourselves at a distance of about 700 +paces from the Rooirandjes, and we had to cross an open space if we +still wished to storm the position. The enemy's watch already began +shooting at us.</p> + +<p>The corporals let their men advance in groups of four from the donga to +the kopje, using the ant-hills as cover when they lay down. Our turn +came last, but meanwhile the enemy had received reinforcements, and the +nearest ant-hills were nearly all occupied, so that only three men could +go at a time. Such a shower of bullets fell that it was a miracle that +we came out of it alive. Fortunately I found a free ant-hill. My brother +had to share one with a comrade.</p> + +<p>At last the cannon from the mountain fired a <a name="Page_17" id="Page_17" />few shots, but stopped +again almost immediately—why, I do not yet know. So we were obliged to +lie in our positions. It was terribly hot, and not a cloud in the sky. +We suffered horribly from thirst, and scarcely dared move to get at our +water-bags. One of our comrades lay groaning behind me. He was shot +through both legs. The bullets kept flying over our heads to the kopje +behind us, where some of our burghers lay firing at the enemy. Every now +and again a bullet exploded in our neighbourhood with the noise of a +pistol-shot. I fancy only Dum-Dums make that peculiar noise. We had +already seen many such bullets taken from the enemy by our burghers in +the Battle of Modderspruit. Another burgher, Mulder, ran past me with a +smile on his lips, threw himself behind an ant-hill, immediately rose +again with the intention of joining some of our burghers in the front +ranks, who sat calmly smoking behind some rocks under a tree, but had +not gone two paces when he was shot in the thigh. There he had to lie +groaning until our brave Reineke, who was killed later on at Spion Kop, +saw a chance of carrying him away.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18" />Some of us fell asleep from fatigue. One of our men on waking heard the +hiss of a bullet over his head at regular intervals, and thought that a +khaki had got closer up to him, and was firing at him from the side. +When he lifted his head he found that he had rolled away from all cover. +One, two, three, back he was again behind his ant-hill, and the +scoundrel stopped firing at him. It was lucky for us that the enemy were +such bad shots, or not many of us would have lived to tell the tale.</p> + +<p>When our cannon at last, towards evening, condescended to bombard the +enemy, the firing almost wholly ceased, and we made use of that +favourable opportunity to get back to the donga. We had lain nine hours +behind those ant-hills, and, strange to say, there were only two wounded +on our side. We decided not to run the same risk again. In this way we +lost our confidence in men like the brothers Erasmus, General and +Commandant, who, in the first place, were incapable of organizing a good +plan of attack, and, secondly, never took part in a battle.</p> + +<p>The months spent near Ladysmith were to most of us the most tedious of +the whole war. <a name="Page_19" id="Page_19" />We had so little to do, and the heat between the glowing +rocks of the kopjes was awful. The little work we had was anything but +pleasant; it consisted chiefly in keeping guard either by day or by +night. In the beginning a very bad watch was kept. Later on we had to +climb the kopje at least every alternate evening to pass the long nights +in our positions, while not far behind us stood our empty tents.</p> + +<p>When we got back in the morning with our bundles on our backs, dead +tired, we simply 'flopped' on to a stone, and sat waiting for our cup of +coffee, either gazing at the lovely landscape or at the dirty camp, +according to the mood we were in, or exchanging loud jokes with our +neighbours. Constantly being on guard and constantly being in danger +wears one out. We much prefer active service on patrol or in a skirmish +to lying in our positions. It is not in the nature of the Boer to lie +inactive far from his home. He soon wants to go 'huis-toe' (home), and +very soon the 'leave-plague' broke out in our camp. That plague was one +of the causes why the enemy succeeded in breaking through our lines.</p> + +<p>Through unfairness on the part of the officers, <a name="Page_20" id="Page_20" />some burghers often got +leave, others never, and the consequence, of course, was a constant +quarrelling. Many burghers got leave and never returned—either with or +without the knowledge of the officers. No wonder we never had a proper +fighting force in the field.</p> + +<p>The difficulties we had to contend with through want of organization +prevented the Generals from putting their plans into execution.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, many burghers were very willing, and if there was to be a +fight they always went voluntarily. It was noticeable that those under a +capable General fought well, while those under a bad or incapable +General were very weak indeed. Sometimes wonders were done at the +initiative of some of the burghers. We had a few games in the camp to +pass the time, but we were kept busy in a different way also. Sometimes, +when we were all just comfortably lazy, the order would be given to +'mount.' That meant a hurried search for our horses and snatching up our +guns and bandoliers. But after a while we had had enough of those false +alarms, and they failed to make any impression on us. The call of 'The +English are coming! saddle, saddle!' became proverbial.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21" />When we did not keep such constant guard, we sat or lay listening of an +evening to a most discordant noise caused by the singing of psalms and +hymns at the same time at different farms. We sometimes joined in. As a +people we are not very musical.</p> + +<p>The day-watch we liked best. Then we often got a chance of firing a shot +at a careless khaki on the Rooirandjes. To some of our young men there +was something very exciting in the idea that they were in constant +danger. Every now and again a bomb, too, would come flying over the +camp, and the whole commando would make for the rocks amid shouts of +laughter.</p> + +<p>At that time we still felt rather down when there was a fight in +prospect. When, some time after our attack on the Rooirandjes, we went +to the west of Ladysmith to attack Platrand, we did not feel at all +comfortable, although we went voluntarily. It was a lovely ride in the +dark at a flying gallop, but when we found on our arrival at Platrand +that the promised number of men was not there, we rode away again quite +satisfied that we had not to attempt the attack. For had we not <a name="Page_22" id="Page_22" />made up +our minds not to risk a repetition of the attack on Rooirandjes?</p> + +<p>The blowing-up of the cannon at Ladysmith is one of the episodes of the +war that we look back upon with a feeling of shame. A few days after a +Long Tom had been blown up on Umbulwana Kop, east of Ladysmith, I warned +our Field-Cornet that the enemy were busy spying in our neighbourhood at +night. While on guard, we could distinctly hear the flapping of the +saddles and the neighing of the horses in front of us. I foretold a +repetition of what had happened on Umbulwana Kop. The Field-Cornet +promised that the guard would be doubled that night. Towards morning +those of us who were not on guard were waked out of our sleep by a loud +cry of 'Hurrah!' from the throats of a few hundred Englishmen who were +blowing up two cannon on a mountain to our right, close to us. We sprang +towards our positions, stumbling and falling over stones, not knowing +what was going on, and expecting the khakies at any moment. It was the +first time that we had heard a fight at night, and it gave us a creepy +feeling. We saw the flames of the guns and <a name="Page_23" id="Page_23" />from the exploding bullets, +and heard the rattling of the shots and the shouting, but we could not +join in the fight, as we—eight of us—were not allowed to leave our +positions. Now and again a bullet fell in our neighbourhood, and the +Free State Artillery, who were on the mountains to the right, fired some +bombs at the enemy, nearly hitting us in the dark.</p> + +<p>When it got lighter we went to look at the dead and wounded, perhaps +from a feeling of bravado, perhaps to accustom ourselves to the sight. +The enemy had paid dearly for their brave deed. They know the number of +their dead and wounded better than we do, for they had opportunity +enough to carry them away. On our side only four were killed and a few +wounded. Niemeyer, Van Zyl and Villiers were among the killed. Pott was +severely wounded. Niemeyer had several bayonet wounds.</p> + +<p>After that we were, of course, doubly careful. We have never been able +to discover who failed in their duty on guard. Cooper and Tossel were +suspected and accused. They were sent to Pretoria under arrest, but <a name="Page_24" id="Page_24" />the +investigation never led to any result. We have every reason to believe +that our burghers were guilty of treachery more than once near +Ladysmith. Government ought from the start to have taken strict measures +against traitors and spies.</p> + +<p>Some days after the blowing up of the cannon I sprained my left knee, +which I had already hurt before the war began. General Erasmus gave me +leave to go home for an unlimited time. On my way home I passed my +brother Willem without being aware of it. He had come from Holland, +where he was studying, to take part in the war.</p> + +<p>What a meeting with relatives and friends! How much there was to tell! +Even then we had not experienced very much, and how much more will our +burghers have to tell their dear ones on returning from their exile in +strange countries! There will, alas! be much sorrow, too; for many of +our friends and relatives have been killed in this war, and many more +will have yet to give their lives for their country!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III" id="III" /><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25" />III</h2> + +<p class="center">THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA—TALK OF INTERVENTION—RELIEF OF +LADYSMITH</p> + + +<p>Before my knee was quite cured I returned to Ladysmith. The first thing +that caught my eye on my return to the camp was the balloon above +Ladysmith. It looked just like a large crocodile-eye as it followed all +my movements. When I went to look for my horse or to fetch water or +wood, there it stood, high up in the sky, and I felt as if it kept its +eye specially fixed on me, and as if I might expect a bomb at any +moment.</p> + +<p>We had never in all our lives seen so many flies as at Ladysmith. We had +to hurry over our meals as they made eating almost an impossibility to +us. Fortunately, I was only a short time there, as towards the end of +January, 1900, part of our commando, including my brother <a name="Page_26" id="Page_26" />and myself, +was sent to the Tugela as reinforcement. We had a distance of four and a +half hours to ride, and we had to ride hard, as the enemy were +determined to force their way through. We arrived the same day, just two +days after the enemy had tried to force their way through to the right +of Spion Kop and had been defeated. On nearing the high Tugela mountains +we heard more and more distinctly the constant rattling of bullets, +interrupted by the roar of the cannon and the bom-bom-bom of our saucy +bomb-Maxim, that made our hearts expand and those of the enemy shrink. +As we raced on to the foot of the mountains, the bullets that the enemy +were sending over the mountains to find the Boers raised the dust around +us.</p> + +<p>The following morning we went to lie in a trench that had been dug by +our men on a rise to the right of Spion Kop. The previous day eight +burghers had been wounded there. Red Danie Opperman was Field-Cornet. +Not far from us, to our left, stood a few of our cannon, and facing us, +to our left, on the long mountain slope, we could see fourteen guns of +the enemy's. In front of us was a large wood, and close <a name="Page_27" id="Page_27" />to that the +English camp. We could see the enemy moving in great close square +masses. It was a terribly hot day; we had to lie in the trenches, as all +day long the enemy fired at us from the smaller positions facing us, at +a distance of 15,000 paces; and constantly the bombs burst over our +heads. At regular intervals a lyddite bomb—that gave us a shock through +our whole body—came from the wood towards the cannon on our left. Once +only part of our entrenchment, where, fortunately, no one happened to +be, was blown to bits.</p> + +<p>Whenever there was a moment's pause, we lifted our heads above the +trenches to have a look at the lovely landscape and at the positions of +our enemy. That day not one of us was wounded. Only the artillery +suffered. If our few cannon ventured to make themselves heard, eight or +more bombs followed in quick succession to silence them. Next to me lay +a man whose servant, a restless, impatient Bushman, most amicably +addressed him as Johnny. The Bushman went to and fro continually to a +'chum' of his who lay hidden behind a rock close to us. Once, on one of +his visits to his 'chum,' a bullet struck the ground close to his +<a name="Page_28" id="Page_28" />heels; he stood still, looked slowly and defiantly from his heels to +the enemy, and said in a most emphatic tone, 'You confounded +Englishman!' and calmly proceeded on his way to his chum.</p> + +<p>To the right of this position was an open space, almost level with the +immediate surroundings, but ending in a steep decline some 900 paces +further on. There we went towards evening with a reinforcement of the +Pretoria town commando that had followed us. The Field-Cornet made us +stand in rows, and told off forty men to dig a trench that night. The +rest of the men would relieve us the following night. My brother and I +were in the first shift. Towards morning, while we were still digging at +the trenches, fire was opened across the whole line of battle. We +imagined that we were being attacked, and jammed ourselves in the narrow +trench. But as the attack did not come off, and the bullets flew high +over our heads, we went on digging until daybreak. Then we noticed that +the enemy were lying in a trench about 800 paces ahead of us. We fired a +few shots at them, but saved our ammunition for an eventual storming.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29" />The whole of that day and the two succeeding days there was a constant +salvo over our heads. The bullets flew over our heads like finches, and +did us no harm, but we had to be on our guard against the sharpshooters, +who occasionally fired close to us. That day (January 24), the heroic +Battle of Spion Kop took place, where our burghers, after having been +surprised in the night by the enemy and driven off the kop, obliged +them, after a stubborn fight, to abandon it again. The Pretoria men, who +were to have relieved us in the trench, took a great part in that +battle. Reineke, Yeppe, Malherbe, De Villiers, and Olivier were killed. +Ihrige was severely wounded.</p> + +<p>All day long we lay listening to the fighting, for we could not sleep. +We had to stay in the trench three days and four nights before we were +relieved. Water and food were brought to us, or fetched by our men at +night, as we did not venture to leave the trench by day. We were safe +enough, for the bombs had not much effect on the sand-walls of our +trench, and there was always time to stoop to avoid them. The following +morning news was brought to us that the enemy had abandoned the whole +line of <a name="Page_30" id="Page_30" />battle and were retreating in the direction of Chieveley.</p> + +<p>The battle of the Tugela had lasted eight days.</p> + +<p>I had again hurt my knee, and had to leave Ladysmith for Pretoria, from +whence I went to Warmbad at Waterberg to stay for a few weeks with Mrs. +Klein-Frikkie Grobler, who received me most kindly. My brother Frits got +leave for the first time then, too, and Willem remained at Ladysmith. +During my absence the English broke through at Pieter's Heights, where +Willem was made prisoner and Lüttig, Malherbe and Stuart de Villiers +were killed. Meanwhile Frits had gone, with some other Pretoria men, to +the Orange Free State, where the enemy had surrounded General Cronje.</p> + +<p>Since the beginning of the siege our burghers always thought the town +would fall soon. 'The khakies cannot hold out any longer! They have no +provisions, and their ammunition must be coming to an end! Buller can +never cross the Tugela, our positions are too good! What does it matter +if <i>I</i> do go on leave? The khakies cannot get through!' That was the +<a name="Page_31" id="Page_31" />opinion of most of the burghers. And if anyone ventured to point out +that the enemy <i>might</i> force their way through because we did not all do +our duty, he was either not believed or looked upon as a traitor. +Meanwhile enthusiasm was dying out. The burghers lay in their lagers or +went home, trusting to the few willing ones, who ultimately proved not +strong enough to withstand the overwhelming force that Buller brought to +bear upon one point of our positions when he was obliged to force his +way through at no matter what cost.</p> + +<p>No leave should have been given during the war, and here I may as well +mention—although this tale does not pretend to be a history of the +war—that it has been carried on with far too great laxity, owing to the +ignorance of our Generals and the demoralizing influence of +self-interest and nepotism. We should have sent our forces far into the +Cape Colony to get help from our brothers in a war that had been forced +upon us by England. The Colonial Afrikanders never had the opportunity +of standing by us, because we did not supply them with the necessary +ammunition or stretch out our hands towards them. Unless they had help +<a name="Page_32" id="Page_32" />from our invading forces, they dared not risk a rising, because of the +confiscation of their property in case of failure.</p> + +<p>We have had to suffer—to suffer cruelly for our sins. Our enemy forced +his way through the dyke that surrounded us, and like a stormy sea he +ruined our homes, devastated our fields, and caused us endless +suffering. Besides this, the talk of intervention had an enervating +effecton the commandos. In our commando, which was largely composed of +ignorant men, the strangest stories went round. One was that the +Russians had landed somewhere in South Africa with 100 cannon. There was +always talk of a great European War having broken out; and the +consequence was that the Boers counted on intervention or help from the +Powers, instead of depending on their own strength and perseverance. The +most sensible among us recognised the improbability of intervention. It +was not to the interest of any foreign Power to intervene in South +Africa where it had no firm footing, particularly as Chamberlain had, by +most cunning artifices, forced us to be the aggressors.</p> + +<p>War was inevitable. Sooner or later it had <a name="Page_33" id="Page_33" />to come. After the Jameson +Raid, which was really the beginning of the war, the Transvaal +Government recognised the dangerous position in which it stood, as an +isolated Republic, and was therefore obliged to arm itself with the most +modern of military equipments. Before the Jameson Raid race hatred was +dying out rapidly. The consequence of the raid was that the gap between +Boer and Englishman widened, the sympathy of the Uitlanders for us grew +deeper, and the Afrikander Bond grew stronger. England's prestige in +South Africa was threatened, and with it her rank as first Power in the +world. She had to maintain her supremacy in South Africa; while for us +it had become a question of all or nothing. England has evidently +succeeded in keeping up such friendly relations with the other Powers +that no intervention seems possible.</p> + +<p>The relief of Ladysmith took place on February 28—a Majuba Day—a day +that had been marked as a red-letter day in our calendars. For nineteen +years the enemy have longed to wipe out the remembrance of that day, and +they have done so brilliantly and malignantly. Since that time we have +<a name="Page_34" id="Page_34" />been humiliated and belittled. Our fall was great. For the first time +there was a general panic. The two Republics, being forced to venture on +war against a powerful kingdom, felt themselves staggering under the +heavy blow.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV" /><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35" />IV</h2> + +<p class="center">DEWETSDRIFT—RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA</p> + + +<p>After the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith we imagined that the +decisive battles would soon follow. Although my knee was not yet cured, +I went to Glencoe, whither our commandos had retreated. I was not five +days there when I had to leave, being unfit for active service. Again I +went to Warmbad for some weeks with Mr. Burgemeester Potgieter and his +family, and on my return to Pretoria remained in my office until the +beginning of May.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Frits had returned from the Free State, and my knee was cured. +We each bought ourselves a sturdy pony, and left, with some other +burghers, by train for Klerksdorp, from where we went on to Dewetsdrift, +on the <a name="Page_36" id="Page_36" />Vaal River. General Viljoen was guarding the drift there with +some hundreds of burghers. We rode from there some four or five hours +into the Free State to spy the movements of the enemy.</p> + +<p>From Dewetsdrift we went, under Commandant Boshoff, to Schoemansdrift, +Venterskroon, and Lindequidrift. Our division formed part of the escort +for the guns. Our route lay through beautiful scenery. The Vaal twists +and bends between two high mountains that curve on either side like the +roads the khaki makes with his double row of waggons over the hills of +the Hoogeveld. In every opening of the mountains lies a farm, a mean +little house, but among well-cultivated fields. In nearly every farm the +family was grieving for one of its members who had been taken prisoner +along with Cronje, and of whose fate they were in ignorance. The people +received us very kindly. Everywhere we got milk and biscuits, and we +found afterwards that those people were the kindest who had suffered the +most from the war.</p> + +<p>As the enemy were already on their way to Johannesburg, we had to +retreat as rapidly as <a name="Page_37" id="Page_37" />possible, first to Bank Station, near +Potchefstroom, and then by train to Langlaagte. To the north-west of +Johannesburg we had a skirmish with the enemy, who attacked us as we +were feeding our horses. It appeared that our guard was not on duty. I +have never seen horses saddled so quickly. Most of the burghers rode off +and left us behind with the guns. One ammunition waggon stuck in the +mud, and was left behind, but was brought in safety to Pretoria by Frans +Lottering, a comrade of mine, who rode back for it with some gunners +when we had fled. Lottering was given a sword by General de la Rey for +his brave conduct. Through negligence on the part of our officers we +lost on that occasion one gun, several waggons, and some of our men.</p> + +<p>Almost all night long we retreated with our guns to Pretoria. We had not +lost courage. We all spoke of the thorough way in which our Government +would have fortified Pretoria, and of the great battle that would take +place there. We had all made up our minds to a stubborn resistance at +our capital. What a bitter disappointment it was to find that our +Government had decided not to defend the town! The <a name="Page_38" id="Page_38" />causes that led to +such a decision will be brought to light by historians. The consequences +were that many of the burghers were discouraged, and rode 'huis-toe,' +and nothing came of the great battle that was to have been fought.</p> + +<p>Frits and I decided to give our horses a few days' rest in their stables +before going to meet the enemy.</p> + +<p>On June 4, at about twelve o'clock, while we were at luncheon, a lyddite +bomb fell close to the fort, raising a cloud of dust. My mother went +outside, and came back quickly to tell us that it was not a shot <i>from</i> +the fort, but from the enemy. The bombs followed in quick succession. +They flew over Schanskop fort, and fell close to our house at Sunnyside. +As the ground was rocky they exploded well. My mother and sister fled +with our neighbours to the town, and my brother and I saddled our horses +and rode off to Quaggaspoort.</p> + +<p>From over the mountains, to the south of the town, the bombs came flying +as a gentle warning from the khakies that it would be better to +surrender in order to avoid a great calamity.</p> + +<p>It was sad to see how few horses there were at the foot of the mountain. +Here a group of <a name="Page_39" id="Page_39" />four, there of ten—a sign that the number of burghers +in the positions was very small indeed. When the enemy appeared at +Quaggaspoort, we noticed that the burghers from the direction of +Krokodil River were retreating, and a moment later they were all in full +flight. One of my comrades, a brother of Lottering, was wounded in the +arm by a shell as he fled, and had to remain behind in Pretoria. That +night my brother and I spent in our own home, but we left the town the +following morning in the direction of Silverton, just before the enemy +entered.</p> + +<p>It would be well to try and understand the condition of our country and +the temper of our burghers.</p> + +<p>As the capital was in the hands of the enemy, it was easy enough to +convince our simple-minded men that our country was irretrievably lost +to us. Therefore a period of discouragement and demoralization followed. +Many burghers, also, who had all along fought bravely now remained +behind in the towns or on their farms, not daring to leave their wives +and daughters at the mercy of the soldiers. We may not judge those men, +neither need we <a name="Page_40" id="Page_40" />consider it to our credit that we, either from a sense +of duty or from a spirit of adventure, acted differently. There were +many also who argued that the Government was corrupt, and that the war +should have been prevented, or that the Boers did not want to fight. So +they also became unfaithful to the cause, and to those along with whom +they began the war. And the name of 'hands-upper' was earned by those +burghers who of their own free will surrendered to the enemy. The chaff +was divided from the grain; cowards and traitors remained behind, and +the willing ones went to the veld, even though it were in a retreating +direction. We were still very hopeful. There were still the good +positions in the Lydenberg district, and we had heard that De Wet had +cut the line of communication behind the enemy. We also still had an +intact line to Delagoa Bay.</p> + +<p>My brother and I met our old comrade Frans Loitering, and the three of +us went in search of General Grobler of Waterberg, who lay with his +commando to the east of Pretoria at Franspoort, near Donkerhoek. There +we joined his commando. Our camp was put up <a name="Page_41" id="Page_41" />near a Kaffir location, and +as the Kaffirs were clean, we often bought boiled sweet potatoes and +crushed maize from them.</p> + +<p>Nothing particular happened at Franspoort. To the right and left of us +some desperate fighting went on for several days, and at Donkerhoek a +fierce battle took place, but we were not attacked.</p> + +<p>When the news came that the enemy had broken through our lines at +Donkerhoek, and that we had to retreat, my brother and I left Grobler's +commando. Thinking that the commandos would fall back upon the positions +of Belfast, we went to Middelburg to an uncle of ours, the missionary +Jan Maré, in order to give our horses a rest. We had lost sight of our +comrade Frans. On our way we bought bread at the farms, or had it given +us, cut a piece off an ox that had been slaughtered for the commando, +and slept either in a manger or, as was more often the case, in the open +air of the cold Hoogeveld. We arrived at Middelburg completely +exhausted, and are not likely to forget our uncle's great hospitality.</p> + +<p>We accidentally met our former Commandant, Boshoff, who told us that he +was on <a name="Page_42" id="Page_42" />his way with ten men to join General de la Rey, who had gone in +the direction of Rustenburg to cut the enemy's line of communication +between Mafeking and Pretoria, and we very willingly joined him, after a +delightful rest of ten days.</p> + +<p>The commando of Commandant Boshoff consisted of nine burghers with an +ambulance waggon—that was used for the commissariat and for our +bedding—a French doctor, two Kaffirs and two tents. It seemed as if we +were going for a picnic. But it was necessary that we should be well +provided with all sorts of things, as our journey would be through the +Boschland, where fever and horse-sickness play havoc with man and horse +in summer. In winter it is endurable for a few months only, so the +country is very scarcely populated and almost uncultivated, and in +winter the Boers trek there with their cattle from the bare, chill +Hoogeveld. I had always longed to see that part of the Transvaal.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="V" id="V" /><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43" />V</h2> + +<p class="center">TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG—BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK</p> + + +<p>Some hours north of Middelburg one suddenly leaves the high plateau of +the Boschveld for a difficult road that curves steadily downwards +between two high mountains until it reaches a wide, thickly-wooded +valley. In the kloof (mountain-pass) a swiftly-flowing river cuts the +road that goes along its banks, in several places, before it loses +itself in the Olifants River. There the song of many birds, not to be +found on the Hoogeveld, can be heard, and there it was delightfully +warm, in comparison with the chilly air of the Hoogeveld. Of an evening +we made large fires, as there was plenty of dry wood. We sat round the +fire, chatting or listening to the comic songs which one of our comrades +sang. It was a happy <a name="Page_44" id="Page_44" />time—away from khaki, far beyond reach of the +roar of cannon—a time of rest in preparation for the evil days that +awaited us.</p> + +<p>Everywhere we saw flocks of sheep and herds of cattle grazing among the +bushes—always a sign that we should find a waggon or two with tents +close to them, under the nearest trees. Sometimes, near a drift or a +good place to uitspan, quite a small lager had been formed of the trek +Boers, or, rather, of their wives, for the husbands and sons of many had +gone to the war. The Boers who fled with their cattle in that way we +called 'Bush-lancers.' We came up with De la Rey's lager near the Elands +River, and later on made the acquaintance of Captain Kirsten's scouts, +to whom we offered our services. In those days it was very pleasant to +belong to the reconnoitring corps. When we went to reconnoitre our +horses got plenty of forage on the farms, and as we were few in number +and always ahead of the lager, there were always eggs, bread, and milk +to be had. We had enough to do, also, as we had to keep a sharp +look-out, and we were in constant danger, but not at all afraid of the +patrols of khakies, which, being <a name="Page_45" id="Page_45" />small in number and without their +guns, were pretty harmless. We advanced almost parallel to the Magalies +Mountains, that stretch from Pretoria to Rustenburg, until we came to +the neighbourhood of Selikatsnek. Unless one was well acquainted with +the highways and byways of that part of the country, one was in constant +danger of losing the way; it is a long stretch of bush, consisting of +the well-known thorn-bushes of the Hoogeveld, for a distance of about +ten miles deep. The principal passes of the Magalies Mountains were +occupied by the enemy—Wonderboompoort, Hornsnek, Selikatsnek, +Commandonek, Olifantsnek. General de la Rey had made up his mind to take +Selikatsnek, and on July 11 he succeeded, by his strong will and +military talent.</p> + +<p>While we were reconnoitring with Captain Kirsten's party we got the news +that De la Rey had attacked Selikatsnek—about an hour's ride from where +we were—and that the battle was still going on. We all rode to the +scene of action, but my brother and I, with a few other men, remained +behind to wait for Captain Kirsten, who was absent at the time. As soon +as he arrived we rode off, and arrived at Seli<a name="Page_46" id="Page_46" />katsnek at about nine +o'clock. Our burghers had already taken two of the enemy's guns.</p> + +<p>Selikatsnek (or Moselikatsnek) is a narrow opening in the Magalies +Mountains, with high shoulders on either side, that slope gradually to a +white kopje in the centre. If an attacking party once occupies the +shoulders, it can easily keep the enemy on the kopje or on the two +slopes. When we arrived our burghers already occupied the principal +positions—both shoulders and the smaller positions to the front of the +kopje. The enemy had been obliged to draw in their clipped wings, and to +concentrate on and in the neighbourhood of the white kopje.</p> + +<p>But as the shoulders of the pass were very steep on the other side, our +men could not surround the enemy or attack them in the rear; and as +there was not sufficient cover for them to go down the slope without +great loss, in order to drive the enemy by force from their positions, +the burghers remained 'rock-fast' in their positions, and made no +progress at all. Thus, the enemy would either get reinforcements from +Pretoria or escape when it got dark. Both our flanks kept up a constant +fire <a name="Page_47" id="Page_47" />on the slopes, and on the white kopje, but the shoulders were too +high for a proper aim, and the khakies lay fast behind the boulders and +in the clefts of the rocks.</p> + +<p>Captain Kirsten, with about ten men, was ordered by General Coetzee to +hold a position to the right of the white kopje, and prevent the enemy +from taking it. This position consisted of a small rise, from which we +could fire at the kopje with a sight of 550 paces. To the right of this +rise, at a distance of 80 paces, was a small kloof overgrown with +bushes, and on the other side of the kloof ran a reef of rocks in the +direction of the white kopje. Here some of the burghers had before our +arrival forced eleven khakies to surrender, but they had not succeeded +in occupying the position, as some khakies had remained in the kloof, +and had shouted to them that they would not surrender. We were therefore +warned against that kloof. But while the others were shooting at the +enemy on the white kopje, one of our men went by himself to see if there +really were any khakies left there. He kept under cover wherever he +could—behind the rocks and behind the walls of an old kraal—and <a name="Page_48" id="Page_48" />came +close up to the kloof without being fired at. On the other side, at a +distance of fifty paces, he heard a wounded man groaning and begging for +water; but, as he was alone, he did not venture to cross the kloof. He +returned to his comrades, but they would pay no attention to his request +to cross, as they thought the enemy were only waiting until more men +came under fire before they began firing.</p> + +<p>We continued shooting at the white kopje, from which the enemy were +firing at us. The Captain had a good telescope, through which he could +distinctly see the faces of the enemy on the kopje. If a khaki showed +himself from behind a rock, the Captain pointed him out to one of our +marksmen, Alec Boshoff, who studied the position through the telescope, +and took such good aim that the Captain declared he could see the blood +on the wounded man's face.</p> + +<p>The burgher who had gone to the kloof tried to persuade the rest to +cross with him to the other side, as he was sure the enemy were not +inclined to make any resistance there. At length, after twelve, he went +with two others to the opposite side, but first told a few of the <a name="Page_49" id="Page_49" />best +marksmen to keep an eye on the reef. They crossed the kloof very +cautiously. It was dangerous work, as a shot might come at any moment +from behind one of the numerous shrubs or boulders. But they did not +advance in an unbroken line. Every time they sought cover behind a rock, +from which they watched to see whether the enemy would make their +appearance. They did not all three advance at the same time, either, but +first one and then the other. Whenever they had advanced a few steps, +they stopped to ask the wounded man, who lay groaning there, whether he +was alone. When they reached him they put some grass under his head, and +gave him some brandy from a flask that they always carried with them. +The poor man lay in a pool of blood on a rock under some shrubs. He had +been shot through the leg. His name was Lieutenant Pilkington.</p> + +<p>The wounded man took hold of the hands of one of the burghers and begged +him to stay with him. He, however, considered it his duty to advance, +but first assured the poor man that the burghers who were following +could also speak English, and would look after him. <a name="Page_50" id="Page_50" />Most of our men +followed the three. The rocks and boulders on the reef that we were +climbing afforded us splendid cover from the enemy on the white kopje.</p> + +<p>To our left we found some more wounded. My brother took charge of one +with a ghastly wound in his head. We made some prisoners there, who were +too cowardly to defend themselves. A few of our comrades took them down. +We could notice by the guns and rugs that were lying about that the +enemy had fled in a panic, or else we should never have ventured to do +what we did later on.</p> + +<p>We could fire at the enemy from a much shorter distance now, but were +not yet in their rear. It was necessary that we should occupy the next +position—a reef running parallel to the reef we were climbing, at a +distance of eighty paces. But it was impossible to take that position, +as our guns were firing bomb after bomb from the valley at our back, +somewhat to the left of us, so that the stones flew up in the air. We +also ran the risk of being taken for khakies, as our men knew nothing of +our venture. The Captain sent down a message to tell them to stop +shelling that position, as <a name="Page_51" id="Page_51" />we wished to take it. Meanwhile, we kept on +firing at the white kopje, and the khakies kept on firing at us.</p> + +<p>I went back to the wounded officer, who was being looked after by the +Captain. While we were standing talking, he died from loss of blood. Oh +the cruel brutality of war! The poor man was not dead five minutes when +we sat smoking his cigarettes.</p> + +<p>We moved slightly more to the left towards the boulders. Khaki was on +the one side, we on the other. Some of our men had a most original and +amusing way of getting at the khakies. 'Come out, you rabbits, come out +of your holes, else we'll shoot down the lot of you!' Then the poor +things answered: 'We're afraid to come out. You'll kill us!' They really +thought we would shoot them down if they surrendered. The officers had +lost all control over the soldiers. Later on, at Nooit Gedacht, where +<i>we</i> had cover as well as the enemy, it was proved that as soon as the +officers lose control over the men they remain lying behind the rocks +without firing a shot, as they are too frightened to expose themselves. +Most of them still had their bando<a name="Page_52" id="Page_52" />liers full of cartridges—there, too, +when they surrendered.</p> + +<p>Before the war the English used to say they would fight us in our own +way, from behind rocks; but they forgot that as soon as an officer, +having to seek cover himself, fails to keep his eye on his men, they are +too cowardly to lift their heads from behind the rocks, as they are not +fighting for their independence. On a field like Selikatsnek we are by +far the better men.</p> + +<p>To get the khakies from behind the rocks, one of our men ran as hard as +he could to a rock in their neighbourhood, and aimed at them. Then some +of them threw down their guns and put up their hands. Others surrendered +more calmly. So he sometimes made five or six of them surrender without +their having fired a single shot at him. A shower of bullets always came +from the white kopje, but, as his movements were quick and unexpected, +they could not take proper aim at him. One of the khakies said as he +surrendered: 'It is better to surrender than to be a dead man.' Another: +'Just fancy, in the hands of the Boers! I wonder what poor mother 'll +say!'</p> + +<p><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53" />Meanwhile the gunners had received the Captain's report, and ceased +bombarding the reef that we wanted to storm. As it was getting late and +there was no other means, one of our men ran forward as hard as he +could, making use of every small covering, while the rest kept firing at +the white kopje to prevent the enemy from taking a proper aim at him. +There were not many khakies behind that reef, neither did they fire at +him. The rest of us followed at intervals, while those who arrived at +the reef again fired at the white kopje to cover the others.</p> + +<p>The few khakies who surrendered at the reef we first disarmed, and then +we allowed them to seek cover behind the rocks from the bullets of their +friends. From that position we could see the enemy from the rear. In the +narrow road, at a distance of about 150 paces from us, stood an +ammunition waggon with splendid horses harnessed in it; there was no +room for them to turn to draw away the waggon. A few khakies showed +themselves next to the waggon, but were immediately shot down. A little +further on an ambulance waggon, also inspanned, stood against the kopje; +one could <a name="Page_54" id="Page_54" />distinctly see how the empty litter was carried up and +brought down again with some of the wounded. Once a man walked next to +the litter as it was carried down; I pointed him out to my brother, as I +suspected his motive. I was right. Just by the ambulance waggon he +disappeared in a donga leading to the valley. My brother, who was a +little higher up the reef than I was, could not hit him, as he appeared +again only for a moment. He was most likely a despatch-rider who went to +warn the guard at Commandonek to retreat.</p> + +<p>Further on there were some horses to be seen, and a little further still +the small tents of which the camps consisted. We kept up a constant +fire, but the enemy seemed to have sufficient cover on the kopje—and +they were very obstinate. For some time the firing from the shoulders of +the pass ceased, and in the dark shadow between the high mountains we +for a moment had the feeling that we had been deserted by our men—only +for a moment, for we knew it could not be! The game was in our hands.</p> + +<p>The sun sank lower, and we felt if the enemy were not soon compelled, to +surrender they <a name="Page_55" id="Page_55" />would escape in the dark. There was still one position +which must be taken—the last reef, to which most of the enemy had +retired from the position we now occupied. One of our men, therefore, +let the other six fire a salvo at the kopje, and ran as hard as he could +to a rock at a distance of twenty-five paces ahead, about halfway to the +last reef. But now both the enemy and our own burghers, under Commandant +Coetzee, fired at him so persistently that he was thankful to reach the +rock. He lay there as still as possible, with his gaze fixed on the +reef—as he lay without cover on that side. It was a most critical +moment.</p> + +<p>Fortunately he heard, almost at once, one of his comrades, Van Zulch, +call out 'Oh, the white flag! Hullo, the white flag!' and he saw them +climbing down. He lay still a moment longer to convince himself of the +fact, and then calmly went to the last reef, where many khakies +surrendered—and he descended with them. Now the rest of the burghers +came running along from all directions to disarm the enemy in the +dusk—and to take what booty there was to be had. In their eagerness to +get as much <a name="Page_56" id="Page_56" />booty as possible, they allowed an officer, Major Scobel, +to escape.</p> + +<p>As I arrived rather late on the battlefield, I cannot give any account +of the order in which De la Rey placed his men, neither do I know the +number of the enemy's dead and wounded, nor how many lives our victory +cost us. I have never seen any official report concerning this battle. +Field-Cornet Van Zulch, who with Commandant Boshoff, took the officers +to Machadodorp, and who is at present a fellow-prisoner, tells me that +three officers—Colonel Roberts, Lieutenants Davis and Lyall—and 210 +soldiers of the Lincolnshire Regiment were taken prisoners, and that +four companies of the Scots Greys had early that morning escaped with +two guns. Our loss, both dead and wounded, was not more than thirteen or +fourteen men. The enemy had made a stubborn resistance, judging from the +number of dead and wounded that were lying on the field. Of the seven of +us who forced the enemy to surrender by attacking them in the rear, not +one was injured, although we were the attacking party. They say that the +khaki prisoners whom we left on the reef remained <a name="Page_57" id="Page_57" />there all night, and +came down the following morning with little white flags made of the +bandages that a soldier always carries with him, tied to twigs.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI" /><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58" />VI</h2> + +<p class="center">GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS—NARROW ESCAPE OF PRESIDENT +STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET.</p> + +<p>Commandant Boshoff had been ordered to take the prisoners to +Machadodorp. He left my brother and me with Captain Kirsten, who had to +reconnoitre in the direction of Rustenburg along the Magalies Mountains. +We first of all passed through Commandonek, and found that deserted by +the enemy. We had no adventures on our way to Rustenburg.</p> + +<p>The Rustenburgers, who had nearly all laid down their arms and taken the +oath of neutrality, took courage when they saw De la Rey's big commando, +and joined us one and all.</p> + +<p>Then we recognised a great fault in the character of our people. Without +the slightest <a name="Page_59" id="Page_59" />compunction, they first fail in loyalty to their own +country, and then break the oath of neutrality, although the enemy had +in no single respect violated their part of the contract. Some of them +we, in a way, forced to join us, as we took the guns and horses of the +unwilling ones or of those who acted at all in a suspicious way. We also +called them traitors. But most of the burghers joined us of their own +free will. Many had not taken the oath of neutrality, as they had been +beyond the reach of the enemy; others had, after Lord Roberts' +threatening proclamations, ridden over to the enemy to give up their +arms, but had given up their old rifles and kept the Mausers for +'eventualities,' to use the now historical word of Sir Alfred Milner.</p> + +<p>A few of the oath-breakers tried to excuse themselves by the Jesuit plea +that either they did not mean what they swore or else they had purposely +changed the form of the oath. In judging those who broke the oath of +neutrality later on, we must remember that the enemy did not keep to +their part of the contract, and so our men were justified in considering +it as null and void, and, according to William Stead, <a name="Page_60" id="Page_60" />their forcing us +to take the oath of neutrality was against the Geneva Convention. But it +is too difficult a question for me to discuss.</p> + +<p>When the enemy, a few days later, drove us from Olifantsnek, General de +la Rey sent Captain Kirsten with twenty men to the neighbouring kopjes +to prevent the enemy from going on a plundering expedition. Then I for +the first time saw a farm-house burnt down by the enemy. From a high +kopje, by the aid of a telescope, we could distinctly see the movements +of the khakies. The bitter feeling that was roused in us in our +helplessness is not to be described.</p> + +<p>General Baden-Powell was in Rustenburg, and Magatonek was also in +possession of the enemy.</p> + +<p>It was a most interesting and adventurous time that we spent near the +Magalies Mountains. By day we went reconnoitring along the hills near +the mountains in the direction of Olifantsnek, and towards evening we +withdrew into the thick woods of the kloofs, where it was delightfully +warm both for ourselves and for our horses. When a small number of the +enemy came in our direction, we fired at them <a name="Page_61" id="Page_61" />unexpectedly from the +hills, and so protected the farm-houses on the mountain-sides. +Occasionally the khakies ventured a little nearer, but always had to +retreat in disorder.</p> + +<p>I once nearly fell into the hands of the enemy. As we were reconnoitring +on one of the kopjes, I suggested to a friend that we should go to the +farm in front of us, where none of us had been since Olifantsnek was in +possession of the enemy. We had to ford a donga closed in by barbed +wire. When we got to the farm, we were told that the enemy had not been +there, with the exception of a khaki who had lost his way. He had taken +six eggs from a nest in a kraal and swallowed them greedily, and had +then passed on to the garden without speaking a word to the harmless, +inquisitive women of the farm.</p> + +<p>For safety's sake I put the boys on guard and had the horses tied. The +view was so enclosed on all sides that the enemy could appear most +unexpectedly from Olifantsnek. We had been there only a short time, when +we were told that the enemy were coming in large numbers from the +direction of Rustenburg. We mounted at once and rode back, but could +<a name="Page_62" id="Page_62" />not get back to our comrades on the hills because of the barbed wire in +the donga. We had gone only about 250 paces along the drift, when the +enemy came riding along. Fortunately, they were intent on plunder and +did not see us, as they kept their eyes fixed in the direction of the +house. If we had been a few seconds later we should have fallen into +their hands. The few burghers on the kopjes began to fire at them, and +when I got to the top of one of the kopjes I saw the enemy—about 100 in +number—fleeing in great disorder. This expedition cost them several +dead and wounded, besides their plunder—meal, fowls, and other +things—that they dropped in their flight.</p> + +<p>When I went back to the farm later on, I was told that one of the girls +had clapped her hands with delight when the enemy fled past them. That +must have been the reason why she and her family were so cruelly +insulted and plundered by the khakies afterwards. We met with great +kindness during our stay in the Magalies Mountains. We always got +something to eat, and towards evening we bought some loaves of bread to +take back with us to <a name="Page_63" id="Page_63" />our hiding-place. In those days we could always +get forage for our horses, and they were in very good condition.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile General de la Rey had gone with a commando to the west of +Rustenburg, and had left two Commandants in the Zwartkoppen, to the +north-east of Rustenburg.</p> + +<p>When we got the tidings that the enemy had taken possession of +Selikatsnek, we went as rapidly as we could to the Zwartkoppen. We had +many adventures on our way. My brother and I rode on ahead, thinking +that the others would follow, but they went a round-about way, and so +did not catch us up. When we left the wide tract of wood that stretches +along the Magalies Mountains, we noticed that the enemy from Rustenburg +had come to meet the column from Selikatsnek. Fortunately, our horses +were good, and we escaped the danger by riding back into the wood to a +farm that I knew of. While we were giving our horses a rest there, a +despatch-rider came along looking for a reconnoitring corps. We rode +with him in the track of our comrades, who had taken a great circuit +round Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Zwartkoppen, and <a name="Page_64" id="Page_64" />immediately +joined Commandant Boshoff, who had just returned from Machadodorp.</p> + +<p>The Commandants now followed General de la Rey. We came up with his +commando to the west of Rustenburg, where he had surrounded a party of +the enemy. Commandant Boshoff, however, was immediately sent to +Olifantsnek, as the enemy had left Rustenburg and the pass was clear. +Our men were most changeable in their moods. The slightest favourable +tidings raised their spirits, but any unfavourable news made their +courage sink into their shoes. There was much talk about the retreating +movement of the enemy. Some spoke of intervention; others said the +English soldiers had refused to fight any longer, or that the whole of +the colony was in rebellion. This talk went the round even among the +officers, probably because they did not understand the enemy's +movements.</p> + +<p>Now we know the meaning of it all. It was De Wet who was being followed. +We were not two days at Olifantsnek, when, to our great surprise, De Wet +arrived with a commando of 2,800 men, followed by 40,000 English. He +<a name="Page_65" id="Page_65" />had been by treason separated along with Steyn from the chief commando, +and had been chased by the enemy a month already.</p> + +<p>It was a great lager that advanced through Olifantsnek—the largest +commando that we had seen yet, with numerous carts, waggons, beasts of +burden, and other belongings. And it was then I made the acquaintance of +President Steyn and De Wet. Our Commandant with his men accompanied +President Steyn to Machadodorp to President Kruger. We put up our tents +for the time being next to those of President Steyn, so that we had time +and opportunity enough to learn to know him. When the enemy a few days +later broke through at Magatonek, to the west of Rustenburg, General De +Wet sent for me one evening and ordered me to take a report to +Rustenburg, and gave me some instructions for the Commandants there.</p> + +<p>I had to take a message for President Steyn also, that the ambulance of +the Orange Free State was to follow the lager in the direction of the +Krokodil River.</p> + +<p>Late at night I arrived at Rustenburg, only to find that the lagers had +already taken flight. <a name="Page_66" id="Page_66" />The enemy were expected at any moment. But the +ambulance was there still, and all night long I led it in the direction +the General had told me the lagers would take.</p> + +<p>Late the following morning I arrived at De Wet's lager, which had moved +a few hours further on to Sterkstroom. The commando left there that +afternoon, and went along the Magalies Mountains to Commandonek. That +day and that night we had a first experience of the long tiresome +marches that enabled De Wet to mislead the enemy.</p> + +<p>That night President Steyn made a most favourable impression on us with +his talk. He did not try to encourage us with hopes of intervention, but +merely pointed out that the war might last a long time still, and that +we would have to enter the Colony.</p> + +<p>At Commandonek we rested a few hours while De Wet himself went to +reconnoitre. He sent a message to the English officer in charge of the +pass that he must surrender. The officer replied that he did not quite +understand <i>who</i> must surrender—he or De Wet. I think this was merely a +dodge on De Wet's part to find out by the signature of the <a name="Page_67" id="Page_67" />reply who +was in charge of the army at the pass, and so to make a guess at the +numbers of the enemy.</p> + +<p>He decided not to attack the pass, and before daybreak next day we were +on the move again. Some time afterwards at Warmbad I heard that an +English General had related this dodge of De Wet's, but he thought De +Wet had threatened him with a very small force, as his commando must +still have been at Olifantsnek. It is an example of the way we misled +the enemy by our mobility.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII" /><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68" />VII</h2> + +<p class="center">WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER</p> + + +<p>Near Krokodil River, on Carlyle's Farm, President Steyn and his +attendants separated from De Wet's commando, and went in the direction +of Zoutpan to Machadodorp. We were about seventy-five men in all. The +little commando consisted of carts, a few trolleys, and horsemen on +strong, well-conditioned horses. The Free Staters nearly all had one or +two spare horses. Our own commando still always consisted of twelve or +thirteen men, and the small ambulance waggon which we used for +provisions. The French doctor had remained behind with De la Rey. We +moved very fast. At Zoutpan—a sunken kopje like the mouth of a crater, +with a pan at the bottom, from which the salt is got—I met some old +acquaintances, <a name="Page_69" id="Page_69" />who pretended to have come there for salt. During our +talk my suspicions were roused by their curiosity, and by their +knowledge of President Steyn's arrival. I also doubted their tale that +their trolley stood behind a kopje, and not at Zoutpan, and I warned the +Commandant against them. He became very anxious, and made us move on as +rapidly as possible, for once we had crossed the Pienaars River all +danger from khaki would be past. It was a good thing that the Commandant +made us travel so fast, for we had only just outspanned at Pienaars +River the following morning when the khakies' bomb-Maxim began firing at +the outposts of General Grobler's Waterberg commando, which was +stationed there. We had only just time to inspan and ride off to the +Boschveld, towards the Olifants River, where we would be safe, while +General Grobler disappeared in the direction of Warmbad.</p> + +<p>At Pienaars River I made the acquaintance of General Celliers, who was +loudly proclaiming the way in which he would squash khaki if only the +burghers would fight. He is the exception to the rule that all braggarts +are <a name="Page_70" id="Page_70" />cowards. Most of the braggarts have gradually disappeared from the +scene, but the deeds of this hero were always in accordance with his +words.</p> + +<p>We heard afterwards that a detachment of the enemy had followed us, but +we had had too great a start, and had besides taken a short-cut of which +they knew nothing. It would not have been easy for the khakies to +overtake a well-mounted commando like President Steyn's.</p> + +<p>We were also told that the enemy knew of the arrival of President Steyn, +which strengthened my belief that the two suspicious characters at +Zoutpan were the informers. Whenever we, as the attacking party, made +prisoners, they always declared that they had known all about our plan +of attack—probably to discourage us with the thought that through the +treachery of our own people the enemy always knew all about our +movements.</p> + +<p>For a long way we followed the same road that we had taken with +Commandant Boshoff to Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Waterval-Boven +(President Kruger having already retreated from Machadodorp), where we +stayed a few days and heard the famous Battle of <a name="Page_71" id="Page_71" />Dalmanutha (August +27)—the most awful roar of cannon that I have ever heard.</p> + +<p>From Waterval-Boven we went to Nelspruit, to which President Kruger had +moved in his railway-home. We gave our horses a week's rest and passed +the time fishing and hunting. We were content there, as we got plenty to +eat, and our horses, too, were well fed—an important matter to us just +then. Circumstances were forcing us to attach much value to all sorts of +trifles that we would formerly not even have noticed.</p> + +<p>If once one has suffered the pangs of hunger, one learns to value the +comfort and luxury of home; and if one has wandered about for weeks +without seeing woman or child, one learns to appreciate their gentleness +and charm and to understand Schiller's Züchtige Hausfrau in 'Das Lied +von der Glocke.' How often in our wanderings we longed for good +literature during our long, tiring, monotonous rides! And how terrible +was the thought of the moral hurt we were suffering—voluntarily in a +way, yet forced to it by a sense of honour and duty. For in this lay the +grievousness of the war, that a powerful nation—influenced by <a name="Page_72" id="Page_72" />a few +unscrupulous leaders—was trying to annihilate a small nation that +demanded the right of existence, and was therefore forced to defend that +right. It was a happy time for us when we had the opportunity of turning +our thoughts towards literature and other things than commando work.</p> + +<p>The privations that we had already endured were small indeed in +comparison to those which awaited us. It was well with the Uitlander +optimist who remained in our country while the Republics could give him +the comforts he demanded as his right, but who, as soon as things went +wrong, and he saw nothing but misery in the future, left for his own +country—there to sit in judgment on our peasant-nation. How I long for +the gift of being able to express myself, to give a true account of the +self-denial of our burghers and of the misery that we endured! How my +heart bleeds when I think of the great sorrow that has come upon my poor +people!</p> + +<p>When the enemy approached the Delagoa railway-line, President Steyn left +with his escort for Hectorspruit. I had to follow with a trolley for +which there was no room on the train. <a name="Page_73" id="Page_73" />Because of the disorder that +reigned everywhere I had to wait nearly three days before I could start. +I was pretty nearly famished on my arrival at Hectorspruit, and ate +greedily of the remains of the porridge left by some burghers, among +whom were two sons of State Secretary Reitz. President Steyn's lager had +in the meanwhile become 250 men strong, under Commandant Lategan, and +was then at Krokodil River.</p> + +<p>At Nelspruit I met a couple of old friends, Malherbe and Celliers, with +whom I left for the lager. They were both Transvaalers who had been +studying in Holland, but had returned before finishing their studies on +account of the war. The commando was well supplied with weapons and +ammunition, as the Delagoa Bay line brought plenty to our store. What +became of the rest I do not know, as President Steyn was in a hurry and +our commando left first for the North.</p> + +<p>The ford at Krokodil River was about fifty paces wide—made for the +occasion and difficult to cross. The trolleys and waggons that had to +cross to the lager on the opposite side gave us much trouble, as they +sank deep into the sand. We harnessed a double span of oxen to the +waggons, undressed ourselves, and had to swim alongside the animals to +get them through. Occasionally something dropped from one of the waggons +and had to be fished up in a hurry to save it from the strong current. +There was much shouting and laughter, and if any crocodile had been in +the neighborhood he would have suppressed his hunger until the storm was +over.</p> + +<p>On the banks of the river there was a constant shooting at fish and game, +and even at crocodiles, who showed themselves occasionally. There was +game in abundance. It seemed as if all the game of the Transvaal, that +is becoming so scarce, had fled to this part.</p> + +<p>We were on our way to Pietersburg through the Boschveld of South-East +Lydenburg, which might be called a desert in winter. It was a journey +difficult even for a trek Boer, and more than difficult for a large +commando. A man called Bester was our guide. Some two years before he +had made the same journey on a hunting expedition, and now he was able +to follow the ruts which the wheels of his waggon <a name="Page_74" id="Page_74" />had made then, and +which would be in all probability deepened by the summer rains. Our +means of transport were chiefly carts and trolleys, on which we also put +our bedding to lighten the burden of our riding horses<a name="Page_75" id="Page_75" />.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII" /><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76" />VIII</h2> + +<p class="center">WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD—LOST</p> + + +<p>On September 12 we left the Krokodil River early in the morning, after +first watering our cattle and filling our water-bags. Our guide did not +expect to come across any water before the Sabie—a river several days' +journey further on. There were several springs on the way, but as that +part of the country was so little known, because of its unhealthiness, +no one could tell when the last rains had fallen.</p> + +<p>The shrubs and bushes had grown high above the ruts made by the waggon +two years ago, and were a great hindrance to us. The road we followed +twisted and wound rather more than was agreeable, but it was certainly +easy to follow for the lagers that came after us. The horsemen rode next +to the lagers to shoot <a name="Page_77" id="Page_77" />bucks. We had no 'slaughter-cattle' with us, so +had to live on the game that we shot.</p> + +<p>In the neighbourhood of the river we still came across birds and +insects, but the further we went the more monotonous and <i>dead</i> Nature +became. I could never have pictured such a lifeless wood to myself. No +sound of insects was to be heard, no chirp or song of bird; and not even +the trail of a serpent was to be seen.</p> + +<p>There was a melancholy stillness. Traces of game were in abundance. It +seemed as if only those animals lived there which, accustomed to the +monotonous silence, withdrew noiselessly from the gaze of the +interloper, or, in their ignorant curiosity, stood still until a +hunter's bullet warned them or put an end to their lives. To them we +must have been strange disturbers of the peace. Shots fell in all +directions; sometimes a whole salvo was discharged when we came upon a +herd of bucks. There were many thornless trees growing in their stately +height far above the usual scrub of the Boschveld. Our horses often +grazed on the sweet buffalo grass that always grows under trees. Looked +at from a rise, the Boschveld <a name="Page_78" id="Page_78" />appeared to be nothing but trees—trees +as far as the eye could see. One shuddered at the thought of what would +become of anyone who lost his way there, since for miles and miles there +was no water to be seen and no trail to go by. It made one hurry back to +the safety of the lager, trusting to the capability of the guide.</p> + +<p>To our great joy, the first spring contained water. It was a large pool +surrounded by rocks, where the game was accustomed to drink. We arrived +there towards afternoon, rested a few hours, and continued our journey +with fresh courage. As the waggons moved too slowly for our liking, we +rode on ahead; but the consequence was that, when it got dark and we +off-saddled, we had no bedding, for nearly all the waggons were obliged +to outspan when darkness set in, as there was no road.</p> + +<p>We knee-haltered our horses in case there were lions about, and +collected a large quantity of wood to keep the fire going all night. +That night our talk, of course, ran upon lion-hunting and shooting +expeditions. Then we crept as close to the fire as possible, and were +soon in a troubled, or untroubled, sleep, dreaming of <a name="Page_79" id="Page_79" />lions and other +wild animals. But I felt the cold very much, and could not sleep without +my rug, and kept turning from side to side to get as much warmth from +the fire as possible. If only I had made two fires! In a battle I have +been between two fires, and did not find it at all agreeable, but in +this case it would have been different.</p> + +<p>I lay awake, waiting for the third fire, the red dawn, but not in a +poetical mood. There is a time for everything; that I learnt during the +war. Rain is lovely, and cold gives energy, but one must be warm to +appreciate it. As I lay thus, four mules, tethered together, came closer +and closer up to our fire, grazing all the while. I lay still, listening +to the peculiar noise made by the biting off of each mouthful of grass. +I seemed to expect a joke, and suddenly one of the mules fell on his +back. In a moment all our heroes were up and ready to defend themselves +against lions or khakies, according to their different dreams. I +laughed, and laughed again, so that the hyenas could hear me a mile off, +and the startled lion-hunters began to laugh also, so that we woke up +the whole camp. This little episode made my blood <a name="Page_80" id="Page_80" />circulate, so that I +very soon also was in the land of dreams.</p> + +<p>As the burghers chased all the game on ahead of the lager, the President +and Commandant Boshoff agreed to go in advance, so as to have a chance +of seeing the numerous kinds of wild buck and larger game. I went with +them. Greatly to my distress I forgot to ask our guide what direction we +would take that day with regard to the sun. An experienced hunter would +not have forgotten it, as he knows from experience that in the +excitement of the chase we often leave the beaten track. I had to pay +dearly for my forgetfulness. I rode some distance to the left of the +President, but took care to keep him in sight. But the Boer is +wonderfully disobedient to any authority, and not long after two men +made their appearance to my left, and I saw that if I did not look out +they would be ahead of me in no time, and chase all the game away from +me. As the donga next to which we rode seemed to be a favourite resort +for game, I took the same direction as they did, more to the left. The +dongas ran into each other with numerous bends and curves, and were +some<a name="Page_81" id="Page_81" />times overgrown with high grass, then again quite bare. I paid no +attention to the direction we took.</p> + +<p>After a while one of the men wounded a buck, and they both rode into the +donga after it. I rode on, to cross the donga a little further on, so as +not to have to follow in the track of the other two, and saw a red buck +on the other side, which I wounded so badly that it seemed unnecessary +to fire again, and I rode leisurely towards it. But when I had crossed +the donga the buck had disappeared, and I began to seek for the traces +of blood, but I soon had to give up the search, not to lose sight of the +other two men. They, however, seemed to be a great distance off, as I +did not overtake them, and I did not succeed in tracing them in the +direction that the wounded buck had led them, as the track in the grass +was invisible to my inexperienced eye.</p> + +<p>I rode back to the donga, and deliberated on the course to take. In all +directions I heard shots, right and left, but I stood irresolute. I had +no watch with me to find the four quarters of the wind, but the sun had +only just risen, and I made a guess with an imaginary compass. <a name="Page_82" id="Page_82" />It was +lucky for me that I made such a good guess, and had paid great attention +to the direction we had taken with regard to the sun. I was certain that +I should come upon the traces of the lager if only I kept within the +sides of a right angle, unless the lager had at the start taken a sharp +turn to the right or left.</p> + +<p>But it was possible that in our excitement we might have crossed the +waggon track which the lager was to follow; then the lager would be far +to the right. Standing thus like the ass between two bundles of hay, I +was not in the mood to think lightly of my case, but had to act at once, +so I chose the safest and more probable of the two sides of my right +angle—namely, the left, as I would then in any case not be moving +towards Portuguese territory, and could always turn to the Krokodil +River.</p> + +<p>I felt pretty certain now, as it was more probable that we had not +crossed the old waggon tract, and every moment I expected to hear the +switching of the long whips. But when I had gone some distance I was +obliged to return to the donga, and retrace my way to the place where we +had slept. A clever Boer would have succeeded in finding the way back, +<a name="Page_83" id="Page_83" />but I soon lost my way altogether. I lost the traces of the horse's +hoofs, and the dongas looked to me so different that in one place where +a donga branched off I did not know which to follow. An intense feeling +of desolation took possession of me. Lost in a wilderness without food +or water! I thought of the twelve or thirteen men who got lost in this +wood on a hunting expedition, and of whom only one was saved. A great +fear came upon me. Gradually I became calmer, and tried to form some +plan of action. I resolved to keep to the left, where I had already seen +a solitary mountain. Perhaps water was to be found there.</p> + +<p>My gun was loaded with Dum-Dum bullets, specially prepared for bucks. I +had filed through the steel to the lead, so that the bullet would expand +at once when it came into contact with bone. I found a buck tame in its +very wildness, but I missed it, for the aim of my gun, a fine sporting +Mauser, had been bent by the branches of the trees. It was a good thing +that I did not come across a lion, or, rather, that a lion did not come +across me.</p> + +<p>I had to ride under trees, through shrubs <a name="Page_84" id="Page_84" />and grass, and had to keep a +sharp look-out, as the king of beasts sometimes takes the lords of +creation unawares. And I had to look out for an opportunity to shoot a +buck—the only food within my reach. The nearer I came to the mountain, +the surer I was that I had lost my way completely, and the more I became +reconciled to my fate. I planned how I should build a large fire in the +night for myself and my horse, and how I should defend myself against a +lion with a burning piece of wood.</p> + +<p>Suddenly my horse went faster and pushed to the left. Greatly to my +astonishment, I saw that the attraction was a little stream of water +that he had scented in a donga. I off-saddled, and let my horse graze in +the luxuriant grass.</p> + +<p>Now I was strengthened in my belief that I had taken the wrong +direction, for we were all under the impression that we should not soon +reach water. I prepared some more Dum-Dum bullets with a small file that +I carried in my pocket, and did not let my horse graze long, but +hastened to the mountain to find a better shelter for the night. To my +great joy, I came upon the wide road about a thousand paces further on. +I followed the road along the <a name="Page_85" id="Page_85" />mountain for half an hour, when I came +upon the lager, camped near a stream—probably the same stream at which +I and my horse had quenched our thirst.</p> + +<p>As we sat round our fires that night we heard shots fired in the +distance from the direction that we had come. Some men were sent out +immediately, and returned after a while with a man quite exhausted from +hunger and thirst, and paralyzed with fear; he had been unable to +overtake the lager.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX" /><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86" />IX</h2> + +<p class="center">PRACTICAL HINTS—ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE—NORTH OF LYDENBURG</p> + + +<p>Experience teaches us. The knowledge that we have gained in this war we +must pass on to the coming generation. It may be of use in a war of the +future, or on some other occasion. Therefore Oom Dietlof will take this +opportunity to give his nephews in South Africa some practical hints +that may be of use to a burgher in his travels or in a war. If anyone +loses his way in the same way that I have just described, he must +remember the following way of finding the four quarters of the wind:</p> + +<p>The small hand of a watch describes a circle in twelve hours, while the +apparent movement of the sun round the earth is in twenty-four hours. +The movement of the small hand is <a name="Page_87" id="Page_87" />therefore twice as fast as that of +the sun. If one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying watch to the +sun at twelve o'clock, then the hands and the figure XII. lie in the +meridian as well as the sun.</p> + +<p>In the northern half-circle the sun and the hands move in the same +direction. In one hour's time the small hand goes a distance of 360°/12 += 30°, and the sun goes a distance of 360°/24 = 15°. If at one o'clock +one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying watch to the sun, the +line that divides the acute angle between the figures I. and XII. lies +in the meridian. So one can always find the meridian.</p> + +<p>In the southern half-circle the sun and hands move in opposite +directions, therefore one must point the figure XII. to the sun, and +then divide the acute angle between the figure XII. and the small hand +to find the meridian.</p> + +<p>In this way one can at any time find out the direction one has taken. +But everyone has not always a good watch, and the sun sometimes hides +behind the clouds. Then it is better to have a good compass—but better +still not to lose one's way.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88" />Besides such simple articles as a pocket-knife, a water-bag, etc., +which are indispensable to a traveller in our country, everyone ought to +carry with him a good plaster, a nosebag, and some snake poison; maize +(mealies) for his horse, the cheapest and most strengthening food that +we know of, can always be carried in the nosebag. Snake poison prepared +by a good Kaffir doctor is the only cure for snake-bites or the bite of +any poisonous insect. The Kaffirs prepare it from some (to us) unknown +shrub, and from the poison of the most venomous snake, which they make +into a powder. This powder is used as an antidote by swallowing a small +dose—enough to cover the point of a pocket-knife—and also by applying +some to the bite, after first having cut an opening into the bitten part +with a pocket-knife. Some people protect themselves against the poison +of a snake-bite by regularly swallowing some of the poison and +vaccinating themselves with it. One can even protect one's self in this +way against the bite of the poisonous file-snake of the Boschveld—a +snake the shape of a three-cornered file, sometimes from 3 to 4 feet +long. It is a fact that the person whose body is proof <a name="Page_89" id="Page_89" />against the +poison of a snake-bite is never bitten, as he is feared by snakes. +Formerly I doubted it, but I have myself seen people who have made +themselves proof against a bite in this way, and I have also heard it +from people in whom I have the utmost faith.</p> + +<p>Alcohol is also a good antidote, provided one takes it immediately and +in such quantities that it goes to the head. I would recommend everyone +always to take a small quantity of brandy with him on commando, if +experience had not taught me that some take even a mosquito-bite as an +excuse to 'take a drop,' and I am against that on principle.</p> + +<p>Often while loading my horse the thought struck me whether the poor +brute ever had a wish to protest, 'Surely this is becoming too bad!' and +that reminds me that one must be very careful not to overload. The +knapsack must not be filled with kaboe mealies (roasted maize) for one's +self, while the nosebag of the poor horse remains empty.</p> + +<p>More than one prisoner of war has bitterly regretted that he did not +take his horse's power of endurance into greater consideration. Now I +must take up the thread of my tale.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90" />The following morning the lager would start at three o'clock, and, as +my horse was in good condition, the owner of the horse that had been +left behind asked me to fetch it before the lager left. He explained to +me where I would find it tied to a tree about half an hour's ride from +the lager, so I started with a friend at about two o'clock at night. On +the way we came across a mule that had wandered away while grazing, +ignorant of all the danger he was exposing himself to in the uninhabited +Boschveld. The creature gave us much trouble by refusing to be caught +and constantly dodging behind a tree, so we lost a great deal of time. +On our way back, close to the lager, we heard the whine of the wild-dog, +the well-known feared wolf. We thought it very interesting to come +across a wild animal of which we had no fear just then. But when we +reached the camping-ground of the lager, where only the trolley stood to +which the wandering mule belonged, we found to our surprise that both +white men and Kaffirs had given up the search for the mule for fear of +the wild-dog. They had all congregated round large fires. The wild-dog, +however, is harmless by himself; like <a name="Page_91" id="Page_91" />the khakies, his strength lies in +numbers. We had to leave the sick horse to join the bucks of the +Boschveld on its recovery, until the horse-sickness came. After a long, +tiring, but very interesting ride we arrived at the Sabie, where the +rest of the lager was already encamped. The Sabie is about the size of +the Krokodil River, and its scenery of woods and valleys formed a sharp +contrast to the deadly monotony of the Boschveld that lay behind us. We +had crossed the bare desert and were now in a part of the country +inhabited by Kaffirs. The following day the lager was removed half an +hour further on, and there we remained a few days.</p> + +<p>At night four of us were persuaded to go eel-catching in a +crocodile-pool that we had discovered a little further on. We made a +large fire to entice the eels, and, as we were none of us great lovers +of angling, we made a splendid bonfire, as there was plenty of dry wood +to be had.</p> + +<p>There was something particularly attractive in these large fires on +those quiet, dark nights of the wilderness. The glow threw a sombre +light on the water that gave one a creepy feeling, as if a crocodile +were on the watch for <a name="Page_92" id="Page_92" />us in the water, and lions at our back between +the large trees. What must they have thought of us?</p> + +<p>The bank of the river seemed to be about 6 feet high, and not very +steep. We made the fire closer and closer to what seemed the bank. I saw +someone lift up a huge branch, walk to the bank with it, and plant his +left foot firmly on the ground. The reeds gave way beneath him. What +seemed a firm bank, by the glow of the fire, proved to be a mass of +reeds and grass, and the poor man fell down a height of 6 feet, his fall +being hastened by the heavy branch he held. For a moment we stood +irresolute. To jump after him into a crocodile-pool! But he called for +help, and we had to act immediately. Fortunately, one acts almost +instinctively in such cases. One of the others slid down the bank—the +thought striking him: 'If only there are not two crocodiles!' Landing on +a horizontal branch, he stretched out his hand to the drowning man, +someone else took hold of his left hand, and so they were both saved. If +a crocodile had been in the neighbourhood, he would probably have stood +on the defensive. Such a queer, two-legged animal <a name="Page_93" id="Page_93" />who led the attack in +such a strange but decided way must have roused his respect.</p> + +<p>This piece of fun put an end to our eel-fishing. We had caught only one +eel—and a man.</p> + +<p>The following morning there was parade for President Steyn. His speech +to us was touching and to the point, and showed that he believed in a +good ending to the war, if the burghers were capable of enduring such +hardships as at present. Then he also told us in what a hurry he was to +reach his burghers, as he was afraid that the enemy were doing all in +their power to make them turn against him. We all liked President Steyn +very much.</p> + +<p>On our journey through the Selatie Goldfields, past the Marietje River +to Pilgrim's Rest, we crossed the steepest mountain that I have ever +seen. A double span of oxen was harnessed to each waggon. The oxen were +lent us for the occasion by the Boers living on the plateau in front of +us. After every few steps upwards we had to put stones under the wheels +to prevent the waggons from slipping back. It took our little lager +nearly all day to reach the plateau. Then we had a most mag<a name="Page_94" id="Page_94" />nificent +view of the Boschveld that lay behind us. In the distance the Lobombo +Mountains were visible on the boundary of the Portuguese and Transvaal +territory. The first rains had fallen on the plateau, so the green grass +was a refreshing change for our eyes. The horses would be able to graze +well, and the good feeding would soon make them lose their old coats, +and then they would be sleek and glossy again.</p> + +<p>From the high plateau we descended, over a 'lumpy' veld, with an oasis +here and there in a hole or valley, or on the top of a hill, to +Pilgrim's Rest. Some miles before we reached this little town we passed +beside the water-works that supply a strong stream of water for the +machinery of the gold-mines. We simply stormed the shops, that were +still well supplied with provisions, and bought all sorts of luxuries +and necessaries for our journey. From Pilgrim's Rest we once more +crossed a steep mountain, along a road that for length and height has +not its equal. In the neighbourhood of Ohrigstad, a little town that we +left to our right, I asked a Boer woman whether the fever did not make +one's life impossible there, <a name="Page_95" id="Page_95" />and I got a very naïf reply: 'No; this +year the fever was not so bad. We all got ill, but not one of us died.'</p> + +<p>The rest of our journey to the north of Lydenburg, over Spekstroom +River, along Watervalop, over Steenkampsberg to Roossenekal, was very +tedious. The uninhabited Boschveld was very interesting, and we had +sufficient provisions then, but the poor, uncivilized Boer inhabitants +of the Lydenburg district were unable to supply us with necessaries, the +want of which we were beginning to feel. We could not buy a loaf of +bread anywhere. And it is anything but pleasant in a time of war to come +across such lax and unenergetic people as they proved to be. The men +were nearly always at home, and appeared to be discouraged and unwilling +to fight. We had all lost our sweet tooth. That one could tell by such +expressions as: 'Even if you give me sugar:—' But occasionally we got a +more desirable substitute, when a beehive was discovered in a cleft of a +rock. Some of our men are particularly clever at discovering a hive. I +have often seen a man stand gazing up at the sky, walk on a short +distance, and <a name="Page_96" id="Page_96" />again stand gazing, and after awhile appear with a bucket +of honey. By watching the flight of the bees they find out in what +direction the hive is. A practised eye can see the rising and settling +of the bees above the hive from a great distance.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="X" id="X" /><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97" />X</h2> + +<p class="center">FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG—WITH GENERAL BEYERS TO THE MAGALIES +MOUNTAINS</p> + + +<p>We went in a very different direction from that of General Ben Viljoen's +commando, which took the road to Pietersburg through Leydsdorp. +President Steyn celebrated the anniversary of his birthday at +Roossenekal, and addressed us in the same spirit as on the former +occasion at the Sabie.</p> + +<p>Roossenekal is famous for its caves, or grottos, in which the Mapochers +hid themselves so well during the Mapoch War. We made use of the +opportunity to visit the grottos, of whose formation I should like to +know more. What appeared on the outside to be an ordinary hill proved a +most wonderful natural building containing many rooms. The <a name="Page_98" id="Page_98" />old kraal +walls and the peach-trees and 'Turkish figs', (prickly-pears), overgrown +by wild trees, and an occasional earthen vessel, were the remains of the +Kaffir city. Of course we cut our names into the rocks by way of +becoming immortal. We could not help speaking with great admiration of +the wild Kaffir tribe who from such a hiding-place fought for months for +a life of independence. We had no time to visit the grottos further +away.</p> + +<p>Although our horses were well fed during this time of rest, they +profited little, on account of the constant cold rains that fell. We +fortunately still had some tents, that we used only in case of rain. Our +Commandant was still always in doubt whether to proceed to Pietersburg, +for we were quite ignorant of the enemy's movements during the last few +weeks. Later on, when he got the information that the enemy were +stationed at Pinaars River bridge, and that we could not with safety +pass Warmbad and Pinaars River, we had to turn off at Kobaltmyn to the +right to cross Olifants River lower down. We had already passed +Kobaltmyn in the beginning of July on our journey after General de la +Rey. The latter part of <a name="Page_99" id="Page_99" />our journey, along Olifants River, through +Zebedelsland to Pietersburg, was exhausting for man and horse. Some of +us often had nothing but a little rice and a small piece of meat for +several days in succession. There was scarcely any grass for our horses, +and yet we had to ride hard night and day.</p> + +<p>After a tiring journey of fully a month, President Steyn's commando +arrived at Pietersburg on October 11. Although we had always intended to +follow President Steyn to De Wet, my brother and I, with Malherbe, now +accepted an invitation from my uncle, Ignace Maré, to stay awhile on his +farm at Marabastad. President Steyn left with his commando for +Nylstroom. Our horses were worn out, and could not follow the commando. +Most of the men had a spare horse that was still in good condition, and +although my brother and I had only one horse apiece, we often had to do +the hardest work.</p> + +<p>My aunt and uncle did their best to make our stay a pleasant one, and +our horses were well fed. Soon General Ben Viljoen's commando arrived at +Marabastad, and stayed there a few weeks, so that we also experienced +<a name="Page_100" id="Page_100" />the discomfort arising from a lager camped on one's farm. The Boer is +deprived by it of all necessaries, and all sorts and conditions of men +constantly visit his house. Some of them, the riff-raff of the commando, +are very unwelcome guests, for they do much mischief intentionally, and +thereby give the commando a very bad name. The poles to which the wire +is attached for camping at a farm were yet left undamaged. The burghers +were still accustomed to get plenty of dry wood in the Boschveld, and +were not yet so demoralized as to work damage without scruple.</p> + +<p>We stayed at my uncle's far longer than we at first intended. My saddle +had chafed the horse's back so severely that I could not ride it for +several months. My brother got an attack of malaria, and just as he was +recovering had a relapse, so that President Steyn was so far in advance +of us that there was no question of overtaking him.</p> + +<p>The commando had already left Marabastad when we started for +Tweefontein, near Warmbad, on our now strong, sleek horses. There we +joined Commandant Kemp, of the Krugersdorp commando, under Wyk III., who +had <a name="Page_101" id="Page_101" />parted from Ben Viljoen at Marabastad because the latter had on a +Sunday afternoon during service fired off several cannon-shots for the +edification of a few fast women.</p> + +<p>Malherbe, my brother, and I formed a sort of comradeship under Corporal +Botman—or, to put it simply, we were 'chums.' At Warmbad we heard many +interesting things about the khakies, who had stayed there nineteen days +on their hunt after De Wet. We could not understand why they destroyed +the bathing-houses, unless it were to deprive our wounded of the chance +of recovery.</p> + +<p>The condition of the people in Zoutpansberg and in Waterberg, where the +enemy had been, was not very cheerful. Everyone complained that there +was no sugar to be had, that the meal was getting low, and that soon +there would be no clothes. Pietersburg was exhausted by the commandos, +and the courage of the inhabitants was nearly at an ebb. They would not +yet make the sacrifice that would part them from their families. The +enemy had not yet driven them to despair by the destruction of their +fields and goods.</p> + +<p>Every sensible person knew that the Re<a name="Page_102" id="Page_102" />publics would lose in the +long-run in a guerilla war unless something unforeseen happened. At the +time that we fled from Pretoria my mother said she would have hope as +long as her 'gorillas' remained in the veld. Even if we clung to a +straw, the possibility always remained that things might take a +favourable turn as long as a fair number of burghers remained in the +veld.</p> + +<p>The burghers from the different districts now in Waterberg were earnest +and full of courage. Noticeable changes for the better had been made. +Beyers, a man in whom the men had the utmost faith, was made +Assistant-Commandant-General, and was to lead a commando of 1,500 +horsemen from Waterberg, Zoutpansberg, Krugersdorp, etc., to the +Hoogeveld. The discipline was much stricter. Cooper and Fanie Grobler, +who had been accused of high treason, promised to keep a sharper +look-out for spies and traitors. And we still always hoped for an +eventual rebellion in Cape Colony. That hope was our life-buoy on which +we kept our eyes fixed. We felt that there our safety lay, and the +enthusiasm of the commando was heightened by the desire to <a name="Page_103" id="Page_103" />celebrate +Paardekraal Day in Krugersdorp on December 15. As a sailor longs for the +sea, so we longed for a meeting with the khakies when we left for the +Magalies Mountains in the beginning of December. Our commando was light +and mobile, with provisions for a short time only. Such heavy cannon as +the Long Toms were of no use to us now. Hence-forward we were to live on +the produce of the surrounding country, as there was no basis from which +we were to operate. Besides this, the khakies very kindly made over some +of their provisions, arms, and ammunition to us in a skirmish or battle, +so that afterwards we had more Lee-Metfords than Mausers in our +possession.</p> + +<p>At Krokodil River I had the privilege of seeing how a honey-bird takes a +human being to a bees' nest. As we were lying under a tree, a honey-bird +settled close to us. Corporal Botman followed it as it flew chirping +from tree to tree, and called to it that he was following, until the +bird stopped at the hive. The grateful finder always rewards the bird +with a piece of honeycomb that he puts aside for it. But I have never +been able to discover whether <a name="Page_104" id="Page_104" />the bird or the insects eat the honey. I +know that the 'bug-birds,' that are always seen on or near cattle, do +not feed on the bugs with which the cattle are covered, but on the +locusts that fly about the herd. Last week, when our guards took us for +a walk outside the fort, I noticed that a kind of sparrow in India has +the same trick of catching the locusts that are driven on ahead by the +cattle.</p> + +<p>I shall not try to give a description of the works of the machinery that +moved mechanically to the Magalies Mountains, for I should have to guess +at the particulars in this historical little tale. Mechanical I call the +journey, for there were days and nights in which we were numbed, body +and soul, exhausted by hunger and thirst and want of sleep.</p> + +<p>When we were at Bethany, a convoy of the enemy was seen moving in the +direction of Commandonek. When it noticed our guard, it dragged its +curved body with great zeal through the pass. I think the khakies also +must have been bored to death on those long, fruitless journeys. We left +Bethany towards evening, and reached the Magalies Mountains the +following morning after a tiring journey in <a name="Page_105" id="Page_105" />the night past Sterkstroom, +through the Kromriverskloof to the foot of Onuapadnek, or +Boschfonteinnek. (I learnt the names from the inhabitants.) In the kloof +we passed the burnt remains of the convoy that was taken by Commandant +Boshoff—who joined De la Rey after having taken Steyn to his +destination—and his brave little troop of burghers. They were obliged +to abandon the convoy, however, on the arrival of reinforcements for the +enemy. A sickening stench came from the corpses that they had left +unburied in their flight.</p> + +<p>We rested a few hours at the top of the steep nek. On descending on the +other side we came, to our mutual surprise, upon De la Key's lager at +the foot of the mountain on Barnard's farm.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI" /><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106" />XI</h2> + +<p class="center">BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT</p> + + +<p>We were busy all evening baking vet-koek (a kind of scone fried in +lard), as we had received the order to be ready to leave the following +morning at one o'clock, and to take provisions sufficient for two days. +Although our officers were beginning to see the advisability of keeping +their plans secret, we were able to guess that we were going to attack +General Clements' camp, an hour's ride further east at +Nooitgedacht—particularly as the chances of success, in case of an +eventual attack, were being discussed by some of the officers. The +general opinion was that Clements' force was 5,000 strong.</p> + +<p>We left quite three-quarters of an hour later than the fixed time in the +early morning of <a name="Page_107" id="Page_107" />December 13, 1900, and recrossed the steep, narrow +neck, took a way to our right in the Kromriverskloof, making a sharp +turn to Elandskrans, where a strong outpost had been placed by the enemy +on the Magalies Mountains.</p> + +<p>That was the crust through which we had to bite to get at the dainties +of the booty. It cannot be denied that victory and booty, in our +impoverished circumstances, were very close together in our thoughts. +The enemy's camp lay at the foot of the long, high cliff that forms a +precipice on that side of the mountain, while the slope of the mountain +on our side was not steep, and there were a great many footholds and +boulders. The artillery had been left in the neck of the pass to protect +the lagers. Beyers, with some Zoutpansbergers, turned away from us to +the right to reach Elandskrans along the mountain ridge. It appeared, +therefore, that Beyers and Kemp were going to make the attack from the +north, with 1,000 men, and that Kemp had the centre and the left wing. +We were again too late. The sun had risen when we began the attack. +Corporal Botman was ordered by Kemp to <a name="Page_108" id="Page_108" />surround the extreme right of +the enemy's right wing, with thirty men.</p> + +<p>We had to storm the left to enclose the enemy in the half-circle. We +were exposed to a rain of bullets, and had to storm through ravines and +reefs, sometimes racing our horses, then leading them, and making use of +every cover. General Beyers, with his splendid sharp-shooters, was +already in hot action with the right wing, and Commandant Kemp in the +centre had forced his way close to the enemy. We tied our horses +together behind a reef, left them in charge of a few men, and advanced, +spreading ourselves in groups of three, four and five. A moment of +extreme anxiety followed.</p> + +<p>Not to expose ourselves unnecessarily, we had to peep from behind the +rocks, shoot the course clear, and run to the next cover. Malherbe and I +stayed as close as possible to our cool, collected, brave corporal, and +we had to gasp for breath sometimes if trying to keep up to him. The +others forced their way upwards more to the left, and so formed the +furthest left point of the half-moon.</p> + +<p>While the three of us were pushing our way <a name="Page_109" id="Page_109" />from position to position +into the neighbourhood of the few khakies who already dared not raise +their heads from behind the rocks, I noticed, some 500 paces to our +front, a number of khakies moving in our direction. I warned Malherbe to +keep up his courage, as the enemy were getting reinforcements. A moment +later, while our corporal had again moved onwards, I noticed several +khakies on a stone ridge some 150 paces in front of us. It appeared that +they were driven on by part of the centre and right wing, for just then +two men made their appearance, whom I at once recognised as Boers from +the colour of their clothes and the quick way in which they aimed at me. +I stooped quick as a hare, and immediately rose again. The enemy now +surrendered, I believe to the number of two or three hundred of the +Northumberland Fusiliers, called the 'Fighting Fifth' on account of +their courage and bravery. We also took on the mountain a heliograph +that the enemy had broken.</p> + +<p>The khakies acknowledged that we had taken the position with the +greatest possible speed. We were in the majority. But it must <a name="Page_110" id="Page_110" />not be +forgotten that we were the attacking party and had to expose ourselves, +and also that, although the battle on the mountain extended over a long +line, our right wing had still to reckon with the reinforcements that +were sent up through a narrow kloof from the camp. It was a repetition +of Selikatsnek. The khakies had the good positions, and we had good +cover behind the rocks on the mountain slope. In such a case he is no +match for us.</p> + +<p>We went on a few hundred paces over pretty level ground, and then looked +down upon the camp at the foot of the mountain, which consisted of +several hundreds of tents and many waggons. Some of these waggons were +inspanned, some were already retreating, but most of them were not yet +inspanned. The camp lay on the grounds and by the fields of a deserted +farm.</p> + +<p>Afterwards I heard that Commandant Badenhorst, of Pretoria (who had +attacked the enemy before our arrival, at the foot of the mountain, and +so suffered the greatest loss), was already retreating, but, hearing the +fighting on the mountain, had renewed his attack.</p> + +<p>The enemy could not stand the fire that we <a name="Page_111" id="Page_111" />opened upon them, and had to +retreat from the camp in the direction of Commandonek. The inevitable +consequence was that the troops on the west, opposite De la Rey, had to +retreat hurriedly so as not to be cut off by the wedge that was forcing +its way along the mountains into the camp. They were far beyond reach of +our bullets. Where De la Rey's cannon were, and why they did not make +themselves heard, I do not know. Neither do I know why General Smuts did +not cut off the retreat of the enemy to the south-east. They had placed +a few cannon to our left in the valley, and bombarded us fiercely on the +mountain without much result. The balls of a small Maxim flew past us +with a hissing sound and hindered us in our aim.</p> + +<p>The waggons that were inspanned fled in the direction of Commandonek, +and halted in the valley at a respectful distance from us. Although the +camp appeared to be almost deserted, a continual firing was heard below +us. I could not make out from where it came until I suddenly discovered +several small troops of horsemen who galloped at intervals from behind a +wall in the shade of some trees. They were <a name="Page_112" id="Page_112" />in all probability left +there as cover for the waggons. The few shots we fired at them missed +their aim. We saw De la Rey's burghers capture a large herd of cattle.</p> + +<p>While Malherbe and I were peering from behind our hurriedly erected +entrenchment, and occasionally firing a few shots, I discovered four or +five brave khakies busy dragging along an ammunition waggon, or a gun; +from such a distance we could not distinguish which. We fired at them +with a sight of 800 paces, but did not hit them, as the horizontal +distance to the camp was not more than 400 paces, and we should have +used a sight of 600 paces, but the height of the mountain was very +misleading. Immediately afterwards a span of mules came in the direction +of the supposed gun, so Malherbe and I retreated as fast as we could, to +find a better cover more to the left. It is strange how in a battle one +always has an idea that all the threatened danger is aimed specially at +one's self.</p> + +<p>We had to be on the look-out not to fire at our own people, some of whom +were already in the camp. My brother, Malherbe, and I went to the narrow +kloof that I have already <a name="Page_113" id="Page_113" />mentioned, after a fruitless search for our +horses, which had meanwhile been taken to the entrance of the kloof, and +I heard from my brother that our brave General had been wounded in the +leg by a shell. During the search for our horses we had noticed a long +dust-cloud at the end of Kromriverskloof, near Buffelspoort, moving from +Rustenburg in the direction of Commandonek—in all probability +reinforcements for the enemy, arriving too late.</p> + +<p>The Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers, who were most undisciplined, had +descended through the kloof in quest of booty. But the Krugersdorpers, +formerly notorious for their rough behaviour, were now the most orderly, +and did not descend before all the men were collected. The kloof was +strewn with bodies of khakies, who were sent up as reinforcement and +pitilessly shot down by the burghers. The little stream of water was red +with blood, so that we could not even quench our thirst. Some of the +khakies had fallen from the high cliffs, where they had to lie +unburied—like the soldiers on Amajuba in 1881.</p> + +<p>We led our horses to the opening of the kloof, and then galloped into +camp under the <a name="Page_114" id="Page_114" />thundering noise of the shells that the enemy were +firing at us from the distance. There was no control possible among the +burghers. Each one loaded his horse with whatever he could lay his hands +on, and there was no thought of following up the retreating enemy. They +did not leave us undisturbed in our glory, but aimed lyddite at us, +which had the desired effect, that we in our disorder did not storm the +front positions, but retreated in the direction of our camp, a quarter +of a mile in among the trees. There Veld-Kornet Klaassen ordered his men +to off-saddle and give the horses a rest. Meanwhile the camp was burnt, +flames arose in all directions, and thousands of cartridges exploded.</p> + +<p>After we had watered our horses in a neighbouring spruit we lay down to +rest. But ere long General De la Rey came galloping into our midst with +a lash in his hand, calling to us whether we were not ashamed to lie +there doing nothing, instead of following up our advantage now that we +had the chance, when otherwise the enemy would ill-treat our women and +children and burn down our homes. One of our corporals rather +impertinently informed De la Rey that <a name="Page_115" id="Page_115" />he served under another General, +and would obey no orders but his. De la Rey thereupon rode up to him and +gave him a heavy cut with his lash. I went up to the General, and told +him that we were quite willing to fight, and had only off-saddled for a +rest by order of our Field-Cornet. In his rage he lifted his lash, but, +recognising me, lowered it again. If I had aimed at getting a cut from +him, I might have called out like the Dutch farmers, who got a box on +the ear from Peter the Great for pressing too closely upon him while he +was building ships at Zaandam: 'I have had one too! I have had one too!' +We then rode with the General to the burnt camp. The enemy had not found +the game worth the candle, and had saved their shell for a more +favourable occasion.</p> + +<p>One can imagine De la Rey's indignation when he saw that waggons, +provisions, and ammunition were nearly all burnt. He pointed out to us +how ammunition and guns were required on every side. General Beyers, +whom we met there, excused himself by explaining that he had ordered +only those things to be burnt that we did not require. We then rode <a name="Page_116" id="Page_116" />to +the other positions on the opposite side of the camp, but the enemy were +in full flight, followed by an occasional burgher.</p> + +<p>I do not consider myself able to criticise the manner in which our +officers organized this battle. But it was easy to see that a great +mistake had been made. We had much to be thankful for, but the result +might have been more advantageous to us. The whole camp with all its +cannon should have been taken with a smaller loss than eighty men killed +and wounded.</p> + +<p>I do not know the number of the enemy's killed and wounded. If our first +attack had been made unanimously and unexpectedly, we could easily have +crushed the enemy. The prisoners, as usual, pretended that they knew all +about our plans, but why, then, were their reinforcements too late, or, +rather, why did they never arrive? When General De la Rey organizes an +attack, and his instructions are well carried out, the burghers have so +much confidence in him, and like him so well, in spite of, or perhaps +because of his violent temper, that they never have any doubt as to his +ultimate success.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117" />The prisoners were released. In my presence they were always well +treated, and I have seen many khaki prisoners who have never on any +occasion been ill-treated.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII" /><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118" />XII</h2> + +<p class="center">PAARDEKRAAL DAY—BATTLE IN THE MOAT—ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN STATION</p> + +<p>From Onuapadnek our lagers went to the farm Rietfontein, near +Witwatersrandjes, where we celebrated Paardekraal Day on December +16—under sad circumstances, alas!</p> + +<p>Ds. Kriel, who constantly accompanied us in the most self-denying +manner, in all our battles and on all our long journeys, led us in +prayer that day. Halfway up the kopje, which we climbed in most solemn +earnest, he offered up a prayer to God, and then impressed upon us the +importance of the occasion. On the top of the kopje he held a short +service. It reminded me of that which my own father held for the +assembled burghers at Paardekraal in 1880. How true and faithful he was +in his position as <a name="Page_119" id="Page_119" />preacher to the fighting men, and how well he served +his adopted country!</p> + +<p>After General De la Rey, Smuts, Kemp, and Mr. Naudé had all addressed +us, Ds. Kriel read out a document in which was expressed, in a few +words, the purpose each one of us should attach to his contribution of a +stone towards the monument to be erected there. He exhorted the burghers +not to add a stone to the pile unless they fully understood and were in +earnest about its meaning. So the old covenant was renewed in a +different place under different circumstances and in a different manner +from the Paardekraal Day of former years, and when the burghers +descended from the kopje they were strengthened by the renewing of an +ancient pledge in their resolution to fight to the last for their +country and their people.</p> + +<p>The place where the monument was erected was called Ebenhaëzer.</p> + +<p>Between the Magalies Mountains and the Witwatersranden stretches a long +valley called the Moat. In the centre runs a gray ridge or rand, +parallel to the mountains, and rising into kopjes to the east, near +Hekpoort. Thither <a name="Page_120" id="Page_120" />our commando moved a few days later to meet the +enemy, who were approaching from Commandonek, most probably with +revengeful intentions. The Moat was well provided with corn, and asked +for our protection. We stayed over a day on the gray ridge. When the +enemy advanced towards us on the day following, General De la Rey had +taken up his position near Nooitgedacht, and so formed the left wing. +Commandant Kemp, with his men, was at the south on the foot of the +ridge, and Veld-Kornet van Tender, with a small troop of +Zoutpansbergers, was on the first kopje, while General Beyers, with the +Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers held the right wing to the west of +Hekpoort, in Witwatersrand. The whole of that forenoon the enemy were +ready to attack us, and we waited calmly. Towards afternoon their left +wing moved towards the first kopje, beyond the reach of the +Zoutpansbergers, who were on the Witwatersranden near Hekpoort. They +began firing at the position of Veld-Kornet Van Tonder, and when he fell +mortally wounded his Zoutpansbergers were obliged to retire from the +kopje.</p> + +<p>Our Veld-Kornet, Kruger, a fine, brave <a name="Page_121" id="Page_121" />fellow, then led twenty-five of +our men towards Hekpoort, to try and stop the enemy in their forward +movement. As Malherbe, my brother, and I were among the twenty-five, I +cannot tell what happened to De la Rey on the other side of the gray +ridge. We pressed too far forward, and soon had to retreat some +distance. Our Veld-Kornet stayed behind with a few of us, on a small +rise, while our horses were taken some 300 paces further back, and the +rest of our little troop rode in the direction of Hekpoort. The enemy +already occupied the first kopje, and were firing at us from a distance. +We quickly made an entrenchment of stones and lay waiting. But our +people were retreating from the other kopjes, and we had to get to our +horses as quickly as possible. A few cowardly burghers on the ridge took +us for khakies and fired at us. Then I experienced the difference +between the aim of Boer and khaki. The latter's bullets always flew far +above our heads, but the former's fell terribly close to us.</p> + +<p>As yet we had retired in good order, but soon we fled in a panic. The +enemy had come from Krugersdorp in very large numbers, and <a name="Page_122" id="Page_122" />already +occupied the high Witwatersranden behind us.</p> + +<p>Whoever has an incapable horse had better hide in a ditch or behind a +wall along with the poor, frightened women. More than once I have seen +poor frightened women holding their crying children by the hand, and +seeking a hiding-place near their houses during a battle. It is indeed a +tragic sight!—we men, with our weapons in our hands, not able to defend +them at such a time. And then a great feeling of shame came upon us. +These same women had only the day before called down God's blessing upon +us, and now they cried to us to hurry, or we would be surrounded.</p> + +<p>We rode at a flying gallop for fully half an hour—along the Magalies +Mountains, between the Witwatersranden and the many smaller banks, while +to the left the enemy were descending and firing at us. The Waterbergers +and Zoutpansbergers, who learnt later than we did that the enemy were +surrounding us, would all have been taken prisoners had they not forced +their way bravely through thick and thin. As far as we can tell, our +loss was, fortunately, only one killed.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123" />At the Manharen, a peculiar kind of kopje, we halted, but had to +retreat further towards evening.</p> + +<p>Beyers' commando moved in the direction of Gatsrand, but had to turn to +Zwartruggens, near Rustenburg, when it reached the farm Modderfontein, +where we celebrated Christmas. The enemy was constantly at our heels, +and made things hot for us; we often had to hurry most inconveniently +not to be surrounded or cut off. We got a few days' rest on the farm +Vlakhoek. We were camped near a small stream, and went from there to the +different farms in search of the first fruit of the season.</p> + +<p>On New Year's Eve General Beyers' commando moved on the wide hard +Krugersdorp road. The bullock waggon lager had been left behind, as it +prevented us from moving as quickly as was sometimes necessary. The +burghers still longed to attack Krugersdorp, and on New Year's Eve, as +we moved fast in the direction of the town, our hearts were cheered by +the thought of Jameson's failure, when five years ago he passed along +the same road in his notorious Raid. We all hoped to add an immortal +page to the annals of our history on <a name="Page_124" id="Page_124" />the following New Year's Day. But +we were sadly disappointed in our expectations. The Jameson Raid was not +avenged, and we celebrated New Year's Day calmly and peacefully at +Cyferbult, on Pretorius' farm, with milie-pap (maize meal porridge) and +beef and—green fruit!</p> + +<p>Whenever we came to a farm we ate as much green fruit as possible by way +of a change in our diet. On other occasions it would have been very bad +for us, but now it seemed to have a very wholesome effect. As we moved +on past Zwartkop over the Krokodil River in the direction of the +railway, we realized that there was no chance of attacking Krugersdorp +for the present, for General Beyers had apparently changed his plans. We +were quite sure that it had originally been his intention, and some of +our officers talked of the attack on the town as if it were an open +secret.</p> + +<p>Our capable Veld-Kornet, Kruger, had remained behind at Zwartkop to get +the burghers of Wyk III. Krugersdorp from out of their hiding-places, as +the Generals wanted to concentrate all the small bands for some great +undertaking. We joined Wyk I. Krugersdorp under Veld-Kornet Klaassen.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125" />Near Hekpoort, as we were camped at Dwarsvlei, we attacked a convoy of +the enemy in the valley, and very nearly captured it before it was +reinforced. I was not present, so cannot give any account of the battle. +After a sharp trek of more than one night, we crossed the rails between +Kaalfontein and Zuurfontein Stations, just before sunrise one morning +towards the middle of January. We captured a few guards who seemed to +know nothing of our movements. Why General Beyers did not surprise one +or both stations that morning early is still a mystery to us, as our +movements were remarkably quick. It could not have been because he +thought us too tired, for some twenty minutes further on, while we were +resting on a farm, he ordered part of our lager to turn to the left and +attack Kaalfontein Station.</p> + +<p>Our corporal was unwilling to work us and our horses to death, so he +first got breakfast ready. But when our cannon began to roar and +Corporal Botman, who still limped from a wound, rode off without a word +in his own peculiar way, our conscience began to trouble us, and several +of our men followed him. My brother, <a name="Page_126" id="Page_126" />whose horse's back was chafed, +remained in the lager with the rest of the burghers.</p> + +<p>When we reached our guns, we immediately saw that the station could be +taken only at the cost of many lives—more than the success would be +worth. Our guns had not the desired effect, and we should have had to +charge across an open space without any cover. The enemy had no guns. +They say our left wing very nearly succeeded in taking a small fort near +the station, but I cannot give any particulars, for our Veld-Kornet rode +with a small troop of burghers to the right of the station, and took +another small fort which the enemy had abandoned because it was too far +away from the station. What might have been expected happened. Towards +afternoon an armoured train came from Pretoria, and reinforcements +arrived from Johannesburg and scattered our left wing over the valley. I +happened to be with a few others on the outmost point of the right wing +of attack—or, rather, since the scene was changed, of the left wing of +flight. And as we were retreating at our ease an old man galloped +towards us and pointed out that we were retreating in the wrong +direction, as the <a name="Page_127" id="Page_127" />enemy had captured our whole lager. He had never in +his life seen so many khakies. They seemed to be on all sides of us. The +only outlet for us was in the direction of Heidelberg. I asked him, +'Uncle, are you sure that our lager is in the hands of the khakies?' to +which he answered, 'Nephew, I saw with my own eyes how they rode up to +the waggons and made all our people "hands up!"' and he continued to +give us a minute description of the occurrence.</p> + +<p>If we had been greenhorns, we would have blindly followed the startled +old man right through the stream of retreating burghers and exploding +15-pounders. But, fortunately, the war had taught us, and we moved on +<i>with</i> the stream, but a little more to the left, and, I cannot deny it, +with a feeling of great anxiety as to what was to become of us if the +old man had indeed told the truth.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, it appeared that fright had made the old man believe his +own imagination, and the lager was quite safe. My brother told me that +the slight attack made upon them by the enemy was easily beaten off.</p> + +<p>The opinion of the majority was that we should have left Kaalfontein +Station alone. <a name="Page_128" id="Page_128" />We were thoroughly exhausted by our rapid journeys, +particularly by the journey of the preceding night, and besides that the +burghers were unwilling to make an attack of which they did not see the +advantage. We had several killed and wounded.</p> + +<p>The consequence was that we had to trek that night in a way that none of +us will ever forget, to get beyond the reach of the enemy. One cannot +imagine how terrible it is to sit for hours on horseback, dead tired and +overcome by sleep. We did not even guide our horses; they simply jogged +along mechanically, too tired even to object to ill-treatment. Our hands +rested on the bows of the saddles, and as we sat leaning forwards, +apparently lost in thought, but in reality suffering tortures from the +effort to keep awake, we forced ourselves to look up and about us, but +our eyes half closed in the effort, and everything about us took a +strange shape, and the sky became chaos; with a nod we half awoke, only +to dream again a second later that we were falling from our horses.</p> + +<p>Not a word was spoken, for everyone was dozing. Whenever we had to wait +for our <a name="Page_129" id="Page_129" />guns or waggons, we simply flung ourselves on the grass with +one arm through our bridles, and soon we were unconscious of the pulling +and tugging of the horse, and if the order to mount woke us up, the +tugging had ceased, and our horses were calmly grazing some distance +from us. Then we lifted our bodies, loaded with cartridges and guns, +into the saddle at the risk of toppling over on the other side, like a +lizzard sliding down a bank, and rode on in silence, drowsily and +top-heavy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII" /><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130" />XIII</h2> + +<p class="center">COMMANDO SUFFERINGS</p> + + +<p>The horsemen rode generally two by two, partly in front of the waggons +as advance-guard, and behind as rear-guard, each corporal with his men +in his place by his Veld-Kornet. The Krugersdorpers were no longer +allowed to leave their places before they had permission from their +corporal. Even those burghers who were most disorderly in the beginning +now saw the necessity of discipline, and were obedient to the commands +of their officers.</p> + +<p>It was a mixed crew of old and young. But the majority were still in the +prime of life, and proof against the privations of guerilla life. The +old men among us were all men whose powerful constitutions were yet +unbroken. It was praiseworthy of them that in their old age they were +willing to suffer the difficulties and <a name="Page_131" id="Page_131" />dangers of a wandering life for +their country's sake, for although their constitutions were strong, they +were susceptible to cold and damp, the effects of which they could not +shake off. There were also many brave little boys, who were thus early +initiated into the privations of commando life; but they shared all +bravely, in a careless spirit of adventure.</p> + +<p>Here and there were some Uitlanders who had remained faithful to us. All +the others had gradually disappeared, either because they were taken +prisoners, or killed through their somewhat foolhardy courage, or +because they had left the country in disappointment. The townspeople +were by no means superior to the farmers. There were traitors and +'hands-uppers' among them as well. We have been bitterly disappointed in +people of all classes, but particularly in the so-called 'gentlemen.'</p> + +<p>Our condition and appearance were indeed striking. During the heat of +the day, when the dust lay thickly about us, we sat in our ragged +clothes, with shaggy, uncombed beards, on our poor, hardly-treated +ponies, meekly staring in front of us, seemingly indifferent to the +moral hurt that we were suffering and the <a name="Page_132" id="Page_132" />physical pain that we felt in +all our limbs after a long, tiring ride. At the start of one of our +journeys an animated conversation sometimes helped to pass the time, but +it soon flagged, leaving us staring in front of us in the usual +dispirited, dull way. Our talk became daily more prosaic and +superficial. We had not the energy to express our deepest sentiments, +and things which were formerly pleasant were strange to us now. We had +no spur to enliven our thoughts in our monotonous life. To the careless +there was nothing startling in this moral numbness, but the more +sensitive among us grieved over it, and were humiliated by the +shallowness that had come into our lives.</p> + +<p>The small necessaries of our material existence had become essential to +our happiness. If we lost a knife, or if a pot or kettle broke, or a mug +was stolen from us, we were depressed for days, as if a heavy blow had +fallen upon us. It was not easy to fight against that bitter feeling of +depression. Our only safety lay in the fact that we were conscious of +the demoralizing effect of these small disappointments of commando life, +for to know one's self is always the first step towards conversion.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133" />Some qualities of our highest nature were systematically suppressed. We +prided ourselves on our fierce hatred of the enemy, and considered it a +mark of patriotism, and we rejoiced when he fell beneath our bullets or +when the plague broke out. We even wished that a great European war +might begin, if only we might keep our country, and as a consequence of +our righteous patriotism an inclination to cruelty became one of the +predominant traits in the character of the burghers.</p> + +<p>The commando life tended to make many of us melancholy. Wherever we came +the thought was forced upon us that our beloved country was deeply +injured, morally and materially. We ourselves saw everywhere homes and +fields destroyed, women and children taken away by force, and cattle +stolen; and rumours told of the most terrible outrages committed upon +helpless women and children. If it were not that one becomes hardened to +all outward impressions, our commando life would have been pitiful +indeed. So we became hardened to almost all these things, but the +thought of the ill-treatment of those dear to us, on whose happiness our +own happiness depends, was <a name="Page_134" id="Page_134" />constantly with us, and to that we did not +become hardened.</p> + +<p>It is impossible to enter into the sufferings of the married men. Much +was suffered in silence. Some men got messages from their wives +imprisoned in refugee camps, bidding them surrender for the sake of +their wives, since fighting was of no avail and the country was already +lost. Who shall blame the man who rides away with an anxious heart to +his wife and children, no matter what the consequences may be to +himself? Another woman, with a different disposition and a different +heart, sends word secretly to her husband that life in the prison camp +is endurable, and that he must fight to the end. Then he stays, and +proves himself worthy of the courage of his wife.</p> + +<p>Some men gave the impression that they were indifferent to the suffering +of wife and child. These were the scum of our people, who in time of +peace were not of much importance, but were necessary for our fight. But +the majority, by far the greater majority, were men who, even in the +most troubled times, were faithful to the comrades with whom they <a name="Page_135" id="Page_135" />began +this struggle, the struggle for our independence.</p> + +<p>Whenever we came to a 'uitspanplek' (a place where there is water to be +found for the horses), some of us had to seek hurriedly for wood to make +the fire, others to fetch water, and others to help in various ways. It +was a regular struggle for existence. Those who came first got the least +disagreeable work. Wood was scarce on the Hoogeveld where we happened to +be, and the water was muddied by the first water-carriers. When the sun +was very warm we made a shelter with our guns and our blankets. Our +meals were simple. They consisted of meat and 'mealie-pap' morning, +noon, and night, often for weeks without salt. We made coffee of burnt +grain ground in a coffee-mill. During the war we learnt to drink all +sorts of coffee—of wheat, oats, barley, sweet potatoes, maize, and even +of peaches. We became so accustomed to a simple mode of life that our +wants were few indeed. Even sugar we no longer missed. And we remained +healthy and strong.</p> + +<p>We lay in small groups round the fires, leaning against our saddles. Our +moods were <a name="Page_136" id="Page_136" />brighter after our tired bodies had had the needful +refreshment and rest. The groups were often picturesque, some of us +lying at our ease with soiled books in hands, others grouped round the +fire, every now and again adding wood to the flames, and others, again, +picking mites out of the biltong with a pocket-knife.</p> + +<p>A shower had not much effect upon us. We were accustomed to letting our +clothes dry on our bodies. Nature is very kind to people who are day and +night in the open air. If the sun did not shine soon after a shower, we +made a very deplorable appearance in our dripping clothes. But we never +grumbled. We were generally cheerful, unless we were exhausted from +fatigue.</p> + +<p>We suffered most on those long nights when, for some reason or other, we +could not sleep, for many of the burghers were troubled with fears for +their dear ones. Often, after a long ride, we were too tired to prepare +a meal, but simply flung ourselves against our saddles and slept before +we had time to let our thoughts wander. But if the enemy were not at our +heels, we often passed the long nights <a name="Page_137" id="Page_137" />in sleeplessness, gazing up at +the stars with the most bitter feelings in our hearts. No wonder that +many a burgher grew gray. We were often kept awake by the tethered +horses stumbling among the groups. Sometimes a man would jump up and +strike at them till all the others awoke, too, and then there was great +hilarity in the quiet of the night.</p> + +<p>Sometimes a constant rain cast a shadow over the sunny Hoogeveld and +made our lives sombre and almost unbearable. Then our tattered garments +could not dry on our bodies, and everything about us was wet and dirty. +Even in dry weather fuel was almost unattainable, for the treeless +Hoogeveld had been almost exhausted by the many large commandos which +had visited the 'uitspan' places. In wet weather it was almost an +impossibility to make a fire.</p> + +<p>Whoever had an ailment passed unpleasant nights then; each night meant a +nail in his coffin. Even the constant rain the burghers bore cheerfully, +and many a joke was passed along during an interval in the downpour. But +in the morning, as we dragged our weary limbs out of our mud-baths, +shivering from <a name="Page_138" id="Page_138" />cold, we did not venture to put the conventional +question, 'Did you sleep well?' to each other.</p> + +<p>The spirit among the burghers was very different from what it had been. +No swearing was heard, and quarrelling was exceptional. Thefts, too, +were seldom committed. We called ourselves 'sifted'; traitors and +thieves had gone over to the stronger party. I do not believe that any +European army would have kept its moral tone so high under such +demoralizing circumstances as did that small army of Boers with the help +of their religion. Whereas in time of peace there was much difference in +churches, especially in the Transvaal (although no difference in +belief), now, during the war, the unity of belief in one Bible had +become the means of raising the moral tone of the burghers.</p> + +<p>During the last few months a plague had come amongst us that we had +heard much about, and now caused us much trouble—a plague of lice. It +is not an edifying subject, but anyone can understand how the itching +caused many a sleepless night. We were not to blame. When we no longer +were able to <a name="Page_139" id="Page_139" />change our clothes, we could not guard against the vermin +that had become a plague among the huge wandering armies of the enemy. +Although we boiled our clothes, to our horror the nits appeared again.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV" /><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140" />XIV</h2> + +<p class="center">BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP—FLIGHT OF WOMEN</p> + + +<p>Fortunately, the enemy gave us a week's rest on the farm of Landdrost +Schotte. During that time Veld-Kornet Meyer, with his small troop of +Germans, blew up the electric factory at Brakpan.</p> + +<p>Then we stayed a few days on Mr. Brown's farm, where a great many little +commandos congregated that were camped on the banks of the river. Our +horses became quite sleek again from the abundance of mealies they got +there. On that farm we first used for fuel the poles that fenced in the +farm. I distinctly remember how, after we had received the order from +Commandant Kemp, we waited until after dark before pulling up the poles, +and how grieved we were at the necessity for doing it. Since that time +we have got over <a name="Page_141" id="Page_141" />such scruples. Even if there were wood to be had on an +outspan place, there was always a race to procure the best poles. Of +course, when there was abundance of wood, the pulling up of poles was +strictly prohibited.</p> + +<p>At that time I made the acquaintance of a nephew of mine, Paul Maré, a +boy of fourteen, with a noble countenance, who, like so many others of +the same age, rode about with gun and bandolier, and was full of +courage. When the enemy approached his mother's house he prepared for +flight, but she took it for a joke. When she noticed that he was in +earnest, she forbade him to go, as his father had been killed already, +and he would in all probability be killed too. He merely answered, +'Because they have shot my father, I mean to shoot them now,' and rode +away.</p> + +<p>We did not like remaining long in one place doing nothing. We always +became impatient, and wished to know when we could move on. But the +Commandant always answered that he could not tell. And the more sensible +of us thought, 'It depends on khaki.' This was really the case now. On +the evening of January 28 we got the order to be in readi<a name="Page_142" id="Page_142" />ness. While +General Beyers, with 400 or 500 men, passed to the rear of the enemy to +destroy the Boksburg mines, our commando of horsemen moved rapidly in +the direction of Boesmanskop in the Heidelberg district, to cut off the +enemy who were pushing on to our part of the Hoogeveld. We arrived at +Boesmanskop the following morning.</p> + +<p>The parts of the country that we now passed through had not yet been +destroyed by the enemy, but everywhere else the houses and farms were +burnt and ruined in the most barbarous way. We were very anxious, +therefore, to cut off the enemy's advance. They were camped to the +north-west of Boesmanskop. A strong Boer guard occupied this kopje—the, +only one in the neighbourhood; for the rest, the surroundings were the +ordinary Hoogeveld with its mounds. We pushed up in a long line over a +'bult' that ran north-west of Boesmanskop. Our guns—only a few, as most +had been sent away to be repaired—stood on top of this mound without +any cover. Lieutenant Odendaal, a very brave gunner, did not like +kopjes, but always placed his cannon on a mound, as the enemy's guns +always fired <a name="Page_143" id="Page_143" />too short or too long on account of the misleading +distances. They did so in this instance, and the bombs flew far beyond +us. Corporal Botman ordered me to stay with the horses at the foot of +the 'bult,' while the burghers crept on to the top a few hundred paces +further, expecting eventually to charge the enemy. Suddenly I heard, +twice over, a noise like that of a train in the distance. My brother +told me afterwards how he had seen a detachment of the enemy storming +Boesmanskop, and how the burghers waited until they were close by, and +then beat them back completely with a twice-repeated salvo.</p> + +<p>For some time the guns of the enemy ceased firing, because, as I heard +later on, Lieutenant Odendaal had shot down the gunners. When they made +themselves heard again, they were more accurate in their aim; I most +narrowly escaped the bombs. Four or five thundered around me in quick +succession, as I fell and stooped and grasped the bridles of the rearing +horses. Some of the horses pulled the bridles out of my hands and raced +down the valley.</p> + +<p>But the left wing of the enemy was surround<a name="Page_144" id="Page_144" />ing us, and, like a swarm of +birds that rise on the wing, the burghers fled back in among the +tethered and the straying horses, and retreated as fast as they could. +The enemy now bombarded Boesmanskop, so that the retreating burghers in +the valley had a bad time of it with the bombs flying over their heads.</p> + +<p>Many waggons of Boer families, fleeing for their lives, were pushing +along the sides of the long mounds, and the enemy's bombs burst in their +midst more than once—perhaps accidentally, perhaps because they knew +that 'the Boer nation must be swept off the face of the earth.'</p> + +<p>The women seemed to be in a panic. From all sides families came in carts +and waggons—long rows of vehicles filled with poor, terror-stricken +women and children; large herds of cattle were driven along by the +Kaffir servants, but many of them fell into the enemy's hands. The +burghers did their best to make a stand in order to give the waggons a +good start, but retreated in good order when they saw no chance of +checking the enemy's forward movement. Fortunately, a heavy shower fell +in the afternoon and hindered the enemy in their <a name="Page_145" id="Page_145" />advance, else many a +waggon would have fallen into their hands.</p> + +<p>It was no longer necessary for the burghers to resist for the sake of +the waggons. The enemy had camped and left us, with the exception of the +guard, to plod our way shamefacedly through the mud. Our ponies, with +their quick, peculiar gait, soon caught up the heavily-laden waggons, +and we supplied ourselves with mealies, flour, fowls, etc., that had +been thrown overboard or left behind on a broken-down waggon. Such is +the fortune of war, and the things were better in our hands than in +those of the khakies.</p> + +<p>When we rode up alongside the waggons, many a meeting took place between +relatives and friends who had been parted for months. The women and +girls drove the horses, and many of them walked with the Kaffirs in the +mud next to the oxen. They did the work of the men in time of peace. +Many of them had been delicately nurtured, in spite of the simplicity of +their lives, and were not accustomed to the hard work. They were all +Transvaal women, and wives and daughters of the burghers who had to look +on helplessly at their sad flight. <a name="Page_146" id="Page_146" />And, oh! the dear little heads of +the children that peeped at us from out of the waggons! It was a cruel +sight, and it moved us strangely.</p> + +<p>Although most of the women were drenched, they were all cheerful, and +seemed proud of taking an active part in the great struggle. And if a +young man asked a girl whether he should ride next to her to help her, +the answer was: 'No, thank you, we can manage; the men must fight now.' +There were many old men and boys who preferred the society of the women +to the danger of the bombs. Some of the women were not kind, and +reproached us for being the cause of all this misery, as our appearance +in the Hoogeveld had brought the enemy in its train.</p> + +<p>The waggons were heavily laden with furniture and grain, some even with +stoves, and they sank deep into the mud, as the roads were one mass of +mud after the numerous waggons and thousands of cattle that had already +passed along them. Long rows of vehicles were continually approaching +from all sides, all going in the same direction, and when we came to +Waterval River a sad but grand sight met our eyes. The river was full. +<a name="Page_147" id="Page_147" />Hundreds of waggons had been outspanned on the banks on either side. +The women and children were doing their best to light the fires with the +wet wood, and to cook some food. It was just before sunset, but there +was no sun to cheer them on their way.</p> + +<p>Against the sides of the mounds (bulten) the cattle were moving in black +dense masses, making an almost deafening noise with their bleating and +lowing. As we rode through the full river, we saw in mid-stream a cart +that had stuck fast. A woman was standing in the water pushing at the +back, while a girl held the reins. A few of our men jumped down from +their horses and soon succeeded in getting the cart to the other side. +But we could not stay to help the poor women and children. We rode on, +inquiring everywhere after the trolleys and the commissariat. These were +higher up on the other side of the river, so we had to cross once more, +this time in the dark, at the risk of our lives.</p> + +<p>Two little girls were drowned that evening, and the wheel of a waggon +had passed over a girl's body. It had been better if the women had +stayed at home and depended on the <a name="Page_148" id="Page_148" />mercy of the enemy. They should not +have undertaken this terrible journey. A woman cannot flee from place to +place like a man, and life in a 'refugee'(?) camp would have been +better; she should bear her sorrow bravely at home. And this was only +the beginning of the misery. If they had remained at home, they might +have saved their homes, but now the enemy was sure to destroy and burn +the deserted farms.</p> + +<p>During the day, when the flight was still a novelty, the women and girls +were cheerful enough, but who can describe their heartache and misery +during their enforced journey on the rainy nights? I do not know how all +those waggons and cattle got through the swollen river that night. +Twenty paces from where I lay a waggon was being inspanned; I heard the +voices of men and women. An old man was talking. He threatened to +off-load all the women on the first available place, as he had never in +his life had so much trouble. A small boy and a Kaffir had their turn +also; the boy was on horseback and led, or rather dragged, another horse +that refused to move. He had to collect the cattle, which seemed to me +<a name="Page_149" id="Page_149" />almost an impossible task in the dark, among the many horses of the +burghers. When he had found Kindermeid, Witlies had disappeared, and +when Witlies was found, then Vaalpens was missing again. Kindermeid, a +gray ox, was the most troublesome. Repeatedly it passed by me, followed +by the boy dragging the unwilling horse. Then the boy exclaimed in sad, +shrill tones, 'See how the mare jibs!' When his father angrily asked, +'Have you found Kindermeid now?' he answered, 'Yes, father, but now +Vaalpens is missing; the mare jibs so, I can't get the cattle together!' +When he had found them all and the rumbling of their waggon was dying +away in the distance, I still heard him complain of the unwilling mare, +in his sad, shrill little voice. It was a small episode in my life that +I shall not easily forget. This was the last I saw of the flight of the +women, for we had to stay behind to fight as we were retreating. Later +on I heard many sad tales about it, which I cannot repeat in this little +book of mine.</p> + +<p>The poor women and children were indeed to be pitied, but we had no +sympathy with the men who fled in the winter with their cattle to <a name="Page_150" id="Page_150" />the +Boschveld, and now sought our protection, though they had never fought +themselves. The flight with the cattle was necessary, as the enemy would +otherwise have exterminated them, but many of the men took advantage of +the necessity, and sometimes three or four strong, sturdy men went with +one waggon, where one man would have been ample.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV" /><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151" />XV</h2> + +<p class="center">BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER—REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS</p> + + +<p>I will not describe our retreat, as nothing of importance occurred. We +were constantly on the alert to move before the cunning French entrapped +us within the circle that he was trying to draw around us.</p> + +<p>At Trichardsfontein Malherbe and I had to go in search of our horses, +which had strayed, so we were separated from our commando for some days. +When we found our horses we went to Ermelo, and stayed there until the +enemy were so close upon us that General Louis Botha, who happened to be +at Ermelo, and knew of our arrival, sent to say that we must leave the +town. We then joined his force and rode to Spion Kop.</p> + +<p>'In the land of the blind the one-eyed is <a name="Page_152" id="Page_152" />king!' Even so it was with +Spion Kop of the Hoogeveld Ermelo. During the three years of my +University life in that distant little country that stands by us now so +well in our need, I often climbed a hill about the size of Spion Kop. +That hill is famed for its height throughout the whole country, and +bears the formidable name of 'the Amersfoort Mountain.'</p> + +<p>While the officers were holding a council of war, Malherbe and I rode +off to our commando. At Klipstapel we were allowed a few days' breathing +time, and there we prepared for the night attack on Smith-Dorrien's +camp, to the north of us. But our guide lost his way in the dark, and we +had to return. It was decided, nevertheless, to attempt the attack the +following night at Chrissiesmeer, where the camp was then. We had +everything in our favour. We were a strong force of many commandos, and +the enemy's force was not much larger.</p> + +<p>That evening we were placed in quite a different order from the usual +one. The men of each corporal's division rode next to each other. The +Commandant or Veld-Kornet at the head, followed by the corporal with his +ten <a name="Page_153" id="Page_153" />or fifteen men riding abreast, was followed by the next corporal +riding abreast with his men, etc. On looking back from the top of the +hill in the moonlight, one saw a broad dark mass of fierce, determined +men. Nearly every burgher had one or two extra horses, mostly mares with +foals, that we had commandeered and trained during our retreat on the +Hoogeveld. At that time every horse, trained or untrained, was put to +use. It was a pity that the mares with their foals were not left behind, +as they made a terrible noise with their whinnying. We walked our +horses; we were not allowed to utter a word or to light our pipes—that +was reasonable; but the neighing of the horses was not exactly in +accordance with our silence. Every now and again, when the whinnying of +the mares was at its worst, some burgher or other would give vent to an +exclamation of impatience. Every now and again someone or other would +light his pipe, taking care that neither the Veld-Kornet nor the enemy +should see it. A dead silence reigned everywhere, broken only by the +mares and their foals. These beasts caused us great uneasiness, but so +did the order we received <a name="Page_154" id="Page_154" />that we had to shoot sharp at the beginning +of the attack, but then slowly, until it became light, so as to save +some of our ammunition in case of need. We had to attack in the dark +then. But what if the enemy, prepared for our arrival, were to pepper at +us unexpectedly from a different direction, or to point their Maxims at +us?</p> + +<p>The greatest mistake of all was that we took our horses right up to the +hill on the other side of which the khakies were. The horses were tired +and had ceased neighing, but we should have left them some miles behind +and walked on to make the attack as soon as it was light. An uncle of +mine told me that he saw some men on horseback riding over the bull, +whom he took to be our spies, but they were of course the enemy's guard.</p> + +<p>When we had tethered our horses at the foot of the bult, we climbed up +slowly, but before we could fall into position the enemy opened a sharp +fire at us. We charged shouting 'Hurrah!' in wild enthusiasm, and fired +as fast as we could straight ahead. The sparks flew up some twenty paces +in front of us, and even after the fight we could not tell whether they +<a name="Page_155" id="Page_155" />came from our own guns or from those of the enemy. At intervals we +heard the tick-tick-tick of a small Maxim, but owing to the dark we were +not mown down. Some of the burghers threw themselves down behind us, and +involuntarily one thought of the proverb, 'to hide in another's blood.' +Whenever the firing slackened a few of our brave men charged, shouting +out encouraging words, and again raised our enthusiasm. Both burghers on +my right and on my left were wounded. The latter had a most demoralizing +influence on the rest of the men, as he lay groaning and moaning in a +heart-rending way. He was only slightly wounded, and eventually escaped +on horseback. Our brave Commandant Botman went forward ten paces beyond +the rest in his enthusiasm, and served as a target for the enemy. He was +severely wounded, but walked back without a moan and fell down close +behind me. I did not even know that he was wounded. I turned round to +see if the burghers behind me would not take the initiative in the +inevitable flight, as I was ashamed to take it upon myself. I did not +take it at all amiss, therefore, when I saw several men looking round to +see if the way <a name="Page_156" id="Page_156" />were clear, and darting like an arrow back to their +horses, for all round us our men were being shot down, and we did not +know where the enemy's camp was, nor could we tell the effect of our +shooting in the dark. A slight fog had arisen, through which the moon +occasionally succeeded in dimly appearing. The day had dawned; we +reached our horses in the greatest disorder, and heightened the +confusion by shouting inquiries to each other after friends and +relatives. Some did not wait to find their horses, but fled on foot; +others jumped on strange horses. Some even escaped on khaki horses that +had strayed from the camp.</p> + +<p>As my brother and I galloped off, a man fell wounded close behind us, +and the bullet struck the ground between us. The burghers rallied at a +farm in the neighbourhood of the enemy's camp. Some of our men fled on, +but most of them retreated with the guns to the commissariat trolleys, +many without saddle, mackintosh or blanket, more hopelessly impoverished +than ever, but not discouraged, for although the attack had been +repulsed we were not defeated.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157" />In this lay our strength, that we were not disheartened by our defeats, +but were able constantly to rally and to renew the attack. We kept on +exhausting the enemy by slight skirmishes that are not worth relating, +but their effect on the whole weakened him and strengthened us.</p> + +<p>On our side that day there were forty wounded, but only a few killed. It +grieved us all that Commandant Botman had remained behind on the +battle-field. He was universally liked for his bravery and for his +simple Christianity. To our great joy, we heard later on that he had +recovered, and had somehow succeeded in reaching Krugersdorp. +Fortunately, the fog prevented the enemy from doing us much harm, and +towards afternoon our cannon put a stop to their advance.</p> + +<p>The attack on Smith-Dorrien's camp was worthy of a better result. In +this, as well as in the Hekpoort and Boesmanskop battles, where also we +had no position, the burghers showed great courage and goodwill. In my +opinion, the officers should have given up the plan of attack after we +had missed our way the night before and been obliged to return. The +<a name="Page_158" id="Page_158" />Kaffirs and traitors must have warned the enemy of our intention to +attack, so that they could be in readiness for us.</p> + +<p>The enemy were now all round us. We heard the firing of cannon on all +sides, but that same night we undertook a cunning backward movement, and +when the enemy closed their cordon an hour later the bird had flown. We +were careful to avoid a repetition of Cronje's experience.</p> + +<p>The burghers were very anxious about our lager. We had left it on +Brown's farm on the Wilgeriver, when our commando advanced towards +Boesmanskop. How the lager escaped I do not know, for we heard that the +enemy were advancing from all sides—Standerton, Middelburg, etc. But we +reached it in safety the very night that we slipped through the enemy's +cordon.</p> + +<p>We were now safely on our way back to Rustenburg, and had to leave +General French with his 30,000 or 40,000 men to drive along helpless +women and children, and all the cattle he could lay hands on. +Commandant-General Louis Botha had strictly forbidden the women to leave +their farms after the Battle of Boes<a name="Page_159" id="Page_159" />manskop, so that the enormous woman +lager received no new additions.</p> + +<p>Many of the farms were burned down, but some families had been left +unmolested, because they said the enemy were ill at ease, owing to a +rumour that General Beyers was going to attack them in the rear. The +partly-burned granaries bore evidence to the great hurry the enemy were +in. On some farms the very rooms that contained grain were set on fire.</p> + +<p>Our constant retreat had a most demoralizing influence. This was felt +even in our conversation and our expressions. We called this retreating +'kamping,'<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1" /><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> and it became one of our most common expressions in our +daily life. For 'Let us go!' we said 'Let us kamp!' or for 'This evening +we start!' we said 'This evening we go on the kamp!' A typical +expression was 'kamping' for our independence, when we could no longer +withstand the enemy. If anyone boasted of his loyalty to his country and +people, he merely said that he had 'kamped' along with the burghers +wherever they had 'kamped.' We used in our conversation many military +terms; for instance, 'to change one's position' was 'to go and lie with +your saddle <a name="Page_160" id="Page_160" />on another place.' 'I shall mauser you' meant 'I shall +strike you.'</p> + +<p>At Grootpan General Beyers again joined us, after having done the enemy +some harm at Boksburg. He addressed us and explained his reason for +countermanding the attack on Krugersdorp. He had told the secret to a +few of his officers, who made it public property, so that the enemy had +heard of it and were prepared for the attack.</p> + +<p>Moreover, a great fault of the burghers had come to light at +Nooitgedacht—namely, that they shirked their duty in their eagerness +for plunder. He was afraid that if they took the town their plundering +spirit would get the better of them and so give the enemy a chance of +catching them or putting them to flight. Lastly he said that he was +going to act in opposition to the orders received from the +Commandant-General, and would send the Zoutpansbergers and Waterbergers +home that evening, as it was impossible for them in their condition to +undertake any military operations. He himself also was going home, but +would return after a few weeks, as a large commando, led if possible by +himself, was to invade Cape Colony.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161" />Kemp was made fighting General; the Rev. Mr. Kriel left with General +Beyers; Klaassen took the place of Kemp, and Liebenberg was appointed +Field-Cornet of our commando.</p> + +<p>The return to their homes of the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers roused +a feeling of dissatisfaction in us. Owing to the horse-sickness in those +regions, and the home-sickness of the men themselves, we concluded that +we were not likely to see them again. We also thought it would have been +better to have invaded the Colony long ago, instead of aimlessly +wandering about the Hoogeveld as we had been doing. In all probability +our Generals put off the invasion as long as possible because many of +the men—nearly all the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers—were against +it. Such were the difficulties against which our Generals had to fight.</p> + +<p>In private, both Kemp and Beyers acknowledged to me that a march into +the Colony was strictly necessary. I do not mean to criticise, but only +to give an idea of the spirit reigning among the burghers at that time.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> 'Trappers.'</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI" /><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162" />XVI</h2> + +<p class="center">CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP</p> + + +<p>General Beyers' force was again split into small commandos, which it was +the intention of our officers to join into one large force, and so make +their way through the ranks of the enemy. But this plan was not a +success, for the enemy were too strong for us.</p> + +<p>The Krugersdorp and Pretoriadorp commandos one night crossed the railway +within sight of the khaki camp-lights at Irene Station—quite close to +our capital, in full view of khaki's warning, 'No admittance!' We passed +Zwartkop, crossed Dwarsvlei, and had to turn back to the right through +Hartleyskloof, as we came across a camp of the enemy. We then entered +the Moot district, dreaded for its terrible horse-sickness, and in the +beginning of <a name="Page_163" id="Page_163" />March we arrived at Tafelkop, to the north-east of +Lichtenburg, near Mabaalstad.</p> + +<p>Once, as I lay resting against my saddle, I heard an old Boer telling of +the courage and hopefulness among the burghers from whom he came. They +talked of nothing but peace. It was their belief that a European +Sovereign on marriage may make a request which must be granted. He may +even ask a million pounds or somebody's head, and cannot be refused. So, +they said, Queen Wilhelmina had risen to make her speech at her wedding, +and had requested absolute independence for the Republics. The Kings and +Princes were against it, but could not break the old custom, and +therefore peace would soon reign over our country. But such talk of +'peace' was an exception, not the rule. After the terrible experience of +the last months, we had become resigned to our fate, and did not try to +anticipate the future. We knew that we must fight with courage and +energy, and the rest we left in God's hands. We had ceased to be curious +about the plans of our Generals, which were never made known to us. +Exhausted in body and spirit, we took no account of time. It <a name="Page_164" id="Page_164" />was all +one to us whether it were morning, noon or night; whether we had to +march one, two, or three hours longer; whether we had to march at all, +or to remain where we were. But we were not demoralized, not unnerved. +An overworked horse allows himself to be caught and ill-treated afresh. +The enemy, had only to fire at us to rouse our slumbering energy, for we +suffered voluntarily, and were a support to each other, because of our +firm conviction that we were giving our lives for the sake of our +independence.</p> + +<p>It rained when we arrived at Tafelkop, and when we had been there a week +it still rained. The only clothes we possessed were beginning to rot on +our bodies. Some of the burghers had a change of clothes on the +trolleys; others made themselves trousers of their many-coloured +blankets, in which they cut a remarkable figure. Others, again, were in +tatters, and had to disappear on the few occasions that any lady visited +us. Most of the men had no mackintoshes, but always looked forward to +the sunshine that was sure to follow a heavy shower. But if the rain +continued, we made huts of grass, or clubbed together in the few +<a name="Page_165" id="Page_165" />remaining tents, or if there happened to be an unburned farmhouse, we +made for that.</p> + +<p>When the rain continued at Tafelkop, and our limbs became stiffened with +the cold, some of us went to an outhouse belonging to a neighbouring +farm to seek shelter. During the day we sat there in our wet clothes +staring dismally out into the rain. At night we tried to warm our naked +bodies by covering ourselves with the dirty wool that happened to be +lying there. All the outhouses in the neighbourhood were crowded with +armed burghers in tatters. On the eighth day, when the welcome sun made +its appearance once more, our clothes were still dripping.</p> + +<p>Lately we had had fruit as a substitute for sugar; but the fruit season +was over now, and we had to go back to meat and mealie-porridge, or +mealie-porridge and meat.</p> + +<p>In the Moot our horses died in such numbers—particularly the 'unsalted' +mares—that many of our men had to walk. On March 10 my faithful brown +pony Steenbok died of horse-sickness. For over a year he had carried me +through thick and thin, and I could not bear to see his suffering. A few +weeks later we got <a name="Page_166" id="Page_166" />another lot of horses; I will not mention how, as +the information might fall into the hands of the enemy. The people who +still lived on their farms often told us that the few remaining fowls +instinctively recognised khaki as an enemy, and made for the hedges and +shrubs whenever they caught sight of him. So here, also, Nature looked +after the survival of the species. The cows taken by the enemy also made +their way back to their calves that khaki stupidly left behind, and so +the little children could again have milk. Even the bees were not left +undisturbed; but the bee is an enemy of any nasty-smelling thing, and +therefore the dirty, perspiring khakies got many a sting, and the honey +usually remained in the hives.</p> + +<p>The enemy probably thought that we were helpless in our poverty. But a +Boer is not easily made helpless. We patched our own shoes and carried +the lasts about with us. Horseshoes and nails we made from the tires of +wheels and telegraph-wires. Instead of matches we used two stones. When +the enemy have burned and destroyed all our corn-mills, we will still +have coffee-mills, and when those are gone we will do as the Kaffirs do, +and grind <a name="Page_167" id="Page_167" />our corn between two stones—and crushed and roasted maize is +very good to eat.</p> + +<p>The old Voortrekkers wore trousers made of untanned hide. We can do the +same if khaki does not supply us with sufficient clothes. Our wives and +children and our exiled men we cannot get out of khaki's hands, and that +is the greatest difficulty in our way.</p> + +<p>One of the greatest advantages we have over the enemy is that we are +among friends, and can move about in small troops without having to +depend on a base of operations, whereas they do well not to divide +themselves in too small groups, or to venture too far from their +base—even in large numbers.</p> + +<p>The services in our camp were held by the Rev. Mr. Naudé—a man who kept +the courage and the moral sense of the burghers up to the mark with his +meek Christian spirit. He also formed the debating club that was such a +welcome recreation to us. We often thought that the enemy would be +surprised if they could know of the debates we had—for instance, 'Must +the "hands-uppers" be allowed to vote after the war is over?' 'Must the +Kaffirs or natives have more rights?' 'Is intervention advisable <a name="Page_168" id="Page_168" />under +the circumstances? etc. The men in the neighbourhood of Tafelkop were +mostly 'hands-uppers,' so we confiscated their property, and their grain +and cattle we took for the use of the lager, but we always left +sufficient for the use of the women and children. The future of a farm +on which a lager had camped for some time was dark indeed, for even the +grain in the fields was destroyed by the demon of war. If the owner of +the farm were not a 'hands-upper,' our officers usually succeeded in +preventing the destruction. Sometimes the pulling up of the fencing was +inevitable, as we were so short of fuel. The Boer women were sometimes +forced to accept the protection of the enemy, after their farms and +property had been destroyed by friend and enemy alike.</p> + +<p>The negotiation of February 7, between Kitchener and Louis Botha, was +read out to us at Tafelkop. The burghers were unanimous in condemnation +of Kitchener's conditions, and were fully satisfied with Botha's short, +vigorous answer. Had we indeed fought so long and so fiercely only to +become an English colony, and not to be allowed to carry arms unless we +had a license? And for the Kaffirs to be <a name="Page_169" id="Page_169" />eventually allowed to vote? +The men who were attached to their families and farms, but preferred +losing all to becoming 'hands-uppers,' were unanimous in declaring +Kitchener's conditions unacceptable, and all were ready to fight to the +bitter end. We often spoke of the terrible suffering of our women and +children in the refugee camps, and sometimes doubted whether it were not +better for their sakes to give in. We did not know whether patriotism +were worth the shedding of so much innocent blood. It cost us more than +we can tell to remain firm and brave in our undertaking.</p> + +<p>At that time we also heard of De Wet's retreat from Cape Colony, but not +officially. It was broken to us gently, and at first as if he had been +successful, so that we all thought peace was to follow soon.</p> + +<p>How we rejoiced!</p> + +<p>But a few days later De Wet's official report was read out to us, and +then our courage sank indeed. What was the good of our fighting if the +Colony would not help us?</p> + +<p>The disappointment was not great enough to make us lay down our arms, +but we knew it would be many a long day before peace was in <a name="Page_170" id="Page_170" />the land. +How long should we still be chased from place to place? When would there +be rest for our exhausted bodies? And how we longed for our dear ones, +if only we should find them alive!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONCLUSION" id="CONCLUSION" /><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171" />CONCLUSION</h2> + +<p class="center">BATTLE OF STOMPIES—IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY</p> + + +<p>We stayed fully three weeks at Tafelkop. I was appointed commissary of +the Krugersdorp commando, and rode round to all the farms to procure the +needful for our commando. As General De la Rey had been camping close by +at Rietfontein for some time, there was not much left to commandeer, +unless we deprived the women whose husbands were in the veld of the +necessaries of life.</p> + +<p>Our lager was moved from Tafelkop to Rietpan, from whence a few hundred +of our horsemen started with some guns and a few trolleys for Groot +Kafferkraal, in Hartbeestfontein district. General De la Rey had come +over to organize the expedition in person, and accompanied General Kemp. +I went with a man <a name="Page_172" id="Page_172" />called Jooste to the neighbourhood of Lichtenberg and +Klein Kafferkraal to commandeer cattle. There I heard many tales of the +enemy's behaviour as they passed through a week before.</p> + +<p>For some reason or other the houses there had not been burnt, perhaps +owing to the verbal negotiation between Botha and Kitchener. I know of +only one house that was burned down there. That was the finest house in +the neighbourhood and belonged to Willem Basson. Mrs. Basson herself +told me how it happened. Her husband had fled with the cattle when the +enemy came along. The soldiers asked her for money. They said such a +fine house must contain a great deal of money, and when she refused they +became most impertinent. The finding of a packet of dynamite in the +coach-house afforded a fine excuse. The dynamite was used by Basson for +the making of wells. On finding the packet they shouted 'Hurrah!' and +rushed off with it to the camp close to the house. They came back after +a while and stormed the house, smashing the windows with stones. Truly a +heroic storming of a fortress held by women! They destroyed everything +<a name="Page_173" id="Page_173" />in the house, and the women and children were obliged to flee to Mrs. +Scheffers at Klein Kafferkraal, where I met them.</p> + +<p>We know of many cases of cruelty and violence, cases that have roused us +to a passion of hatred.</p> + +<p>I do not believe that the cases of violence, which are not spoken of +because of the horror, are tolerated by the military authorities, who +are probably ignorant of them. One can understand that the worst were +committed by isolated patrols who could give free vent to their evil +passions. We cannot always hold the chief officers responsible for acts +committed by individual soldiers, neither are our officers responsible +for the unlawful acts of individuals on our side. But if the English, +with their national pride and obstinacy, deny these acts of violence, we +can give them sufficient proof of more cases than one.</p> + +<p>I was not present when the Krugersdorpers attacked Babington's force +near Lensdenplaats, in the neighbourhood of Groot Kafferkraal. But the +following morning, when they were retreating, I joined them with some +cattle, and was present at the Battle of Stompies. The night before the +battle I heard De <a name="Page_174" id="Page_174" />la Rey's order given to Kemp to march his men at four +o'clock the following morning in the direction of the enemy. He was told +to retreat fighting, in case the enemy attacked, so as to give our +reinforcements an opportunity of attacking in the rear. Kemp ordered the +lager, or, rather, the few waggons, to retire to Bodenstein's farm the +following morning.</p> + +<p>While we were busy inspanning we heard the enemy's bomb-Maxim, and +before the waggons had forded the dangerous drift of the donga near +Bodenstein's farm the bullets flew over our heads from the bult behind +us. The women fled into the house and the burghers retreated as fast as +they could. The enemy had surrounded us in the night, and each burgher +had to do his utmost to escape from out of the half-circle. The few who +stayed behind to defend the guns were soon obliged to fly after the +rest, and to abandon one gun still on the other side of the drift. The +others might have been saved if the women's lager had not impeded their +flight by obstructing the way.</p> + +<p>We retreated to Vetpan. Those of the burghers who retreated more to the +right in <a name="Page_175" id="Page_175" />the direction of Stompies were the best off, as the right wing +of the enemy had to be on its guard not to enter the wood there. The +enemy fired at us from horseback to enhance our panic, which was clever +of them, as it was impossible for us to turn in any direction. My horse +was overworked, and had changed its pace into a heavy gallop, a sure +sign that it would not last much longer. When I looked round, I saw a +few khakies riding on ahead, making our burghers 'hands-up.' +Fortunately, someone released a spare horse; I mounted it without a +saddle and made good my escape, but was incapable of riding for several +days after.</p> + +<p>Our men made no attempt to check the enemy's progress. They all fled, +each one bent on saving himself. A Boer, if once he flies, is not easily +turned aside. But it must be remembered that our horses were terribly +overworked. They had to live on nothing but grass, and very little of +that. We all also recognised the impossibility of checking the enemy, as +we ran the risk of shooting our own men and women; so our only chance +lay in flight.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176" />The horses of the enemy were soon 'done up,' and they had to satisfy +themselves with our guns—two large ones that we had taken from them at +Colenso, a damaged bomb-Maxim and several smaller ones. They took 136 +prisoners, among whom were Lieutenant Odendaal, 32 artillerists, 13 +burghers, and for the rest women and children and some big, full-grown +cowardly men who were in the habit of fleeing with the women and +children. The greater part of the women's lager fell into their hands. +The few waggons of Generals Smuts and Kemp that they captured were of no +importance. Jooste and Malherbe were also taken prisoners.</p> + +<p>I rode with General De la Rey to Tafelkop, where our lager was +stationed. In a week's time I was back again at Stompies. I had been +there scarcely an hour, when the tidings came that the enemy were camped +on Willem Basson's farm. The following morning before daybreak I was on +my way to Rietfontein. There, too, I had been only about an hour, when +another column came down upon me from the direction of Ventersdorp. I +fled to Tivee Buffelgeschiet with two boiled mealies and <a name="Page_177" id="Page_177" />a piece of +meat in my hands. Before I reached that farm, half an hour's ride, my +horse was done up. I crept behind an ant-hill and prepared to defend +myself against four scouts who seemed to be coming straight towards me. +Suddenly, however, they turned off in the direction of their main-guard, +because, as I afterwards heard, they were threatened by eight of our +scouts.</p> + +<p>But the khakies were nearing me, and I was obliged to lead my horse into +a mealie-veld and to lie down full length in the rain. They did not +appear, however, and I concluded that they had camped at Rietfontein, so +I walked my horse to the farm of Mrs. Jansen, one of the few hospitable +women in that sparsely inhabited country. She hastily informed me that +the khakies had been there.</p> + +<p>The eight burghers soon returned, among them a young man who was nursing +a wounded man on the farm. In the night we went into the veld with a +small brother of his, who rode a mule, and returned in the morning to +watch the enemy's movements from the roof of the house. My horse was so +ill with horse-sickness that it shook under me. The enemy suddenly +<a name="Page_178" id="Page_178" />appeared on the long bult (hill) along which I had come the day before. +I carried my saddle into the house and fled into the veld. From behind +an ant-hill I watched the enemy shooting my poor sick horse. They passed +by me several times, but at last I was discovered, and had to give up my +beloved Mauser without a chance of defending myself. My two companions +escaped. This happened on April 3, 1901.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, I fell into the hands of decent khakies who did not insist +on examining my old veld-shoes that I was using as a money-box, so I was +able to keep my precious four pounds. They took from me only a few +trifles by way of curiosities, and said I was sure to be robbed of them +sooner or later by the soldiers in the camp. I was told that I could +congratulate myself that I was made prisoner, as many columns were +coming down upon us from all directions, so that we would be obliged to +surrender that very day. I answered that the war had given sufficient +proof that their expectations were not always realized.</p> + +<p>When the officers of the guard were told that I was taken under arms, a +curt order was <a name="Page_179" id="Page_179" />given to 'Let him walk.' When I protested and pointed +out that I was a prisoner of war and not a criminal, I was treated with +consideration as an ordinary soldier. I was taken by Babington's force.</p> + +<p>The following day the waggon lager arrived at Tafelkop, and the cavalry +that had been sent on to capture our lager joined the camp <i>minus</i> any +prisoners. When the enemy's lager arrived at Potchefstroom a week later, +it brought along seventeen or eighteen 'hands-uppers,' one ambulance +doctor, several families, and one prisoner of war. Six of the +'hands-uppers' told me that the whole month we were camped at Tafelkop +they had hidden from us in their bedrooms so as not to be obliged to +break their oath of neutrality.</p> + +<p>I came across an old acquaintance of mine in the lager—Phister, who had +served under Commandant Boshoff. I knew that he had been wounded in the +leg at the Battle of Stompies and taken by our men to Rietpan. On the +trek from Ventersdorp to Potchefstroom I discovered him lying on his +back in the blazing sun on an open trolley, near to Potchefstroom; he +shouted to me that he had had <a name="Page_180" id="Page_180" />nothing to eat during the whole of the +eighteen hours' trek.</p> + +<p>In Potchefstroom our trolley, with the twelve 'hands-uppers,' the +ambulance doctor, and myself, was sent in the direction of the prison. +People came towards us from all directions. Some women called out to us: +'Why were you so stupid as to let yourselves be caught?' Others +inquired, weeping, after husbands and sons.</p> + +<p>When we got to the prison I alone was detained, and had the disagreeable +experience of being locked up. The ambulance doctor was dismissed, as he +was 'Not guilty'; and the 'hands-uppers' were taken to the refugee camp.</p> + +<p>The treatment that the prisoners of war receive varies, and depends very +much on the prisoners themselves and on the men into whose hands they +fall. I was allowed to see my mother and sister, who obtained a pass to +come from Pretoria to see me. But I have seen the guards roughly send +away weeping women who were begging to be allowed a few words only with +their dear ones.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181" />At Elandsfontein Station the Transvaal colours worn by some of the +prisoners of war were taken away by force. On the long journey to +Ladysmith we were packed like herrings in open trucks, with insufficient +covering for the cold nights.</p> + +<p>The Ladysmith camp contained chiefly burghers who had been 'tamed' by +the enemy, and were ready to take the oath of allegiance. They were well +treated.</p> + +<p>On April 3 I was taken prisoner, and on May 6 I was on board the +<i>Manila</i>, together with 490 other prisoners of war, on our way to India.</p> + +<p>The burghers, accustomed to a free, independent life, suffered horribly +from want of space and insufficient and bad food. They could not get +over the idea of having to appear twice daily for the roll-call, +although there was no escape possible. But their sense of humour did not +suffer.</p> + +<p>Our burghers acknowledge that travelling is an education in itself, but +they one and all prefer travelling as free men—first or second +class—and they even prefer the high walls and <a name="Page_182" id="Page_182" />limited space of the +fortress to being a prisoner-of-war passenger on board the steamer.</p> + +<p>The long, galvanized-iron bungalows in which we live here have zinc +roofs to guard against the heat of the tropical sun, but at any rate the +wind can blow through the openings on either side. The burghers are kept +alive and in pretty good health by an extremely temperate manner of +life. Once a week they are taken by a strong guard for a walk an hour +beyond the fort. They never get out on parole. As far as we are +concerned, they might even take cannon along with them to guard us, if +only they would take us out oftener.</p> + +<p>Here, too, the moral tone of the burghers is kept up by religious +services, and by the great devotion of the Rev. Mr. Viljoen, clergyman +of Reitz, in the Orange Free State, who is a fellow-prisoner of ours. +The gaiety is kept up by sports and by the companionship of many +children. The sorrow is enhanced by the presence of many gray-headed old +men and by sad and heart-breaking tidings. 'Guard, is there any news +this morning?'</p> + +<p>We are grieving with the grief of the exile, <a name="Page_183" id="Page_183" />but we are waiting +patiently, and hoping still that a dove will bring us a branch with our +colours—Orange, green, red, white and blue: peace and independence.</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 15160-h.txt or 15160-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/6/15160">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/1/6/15160</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL">https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL</a> + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** +</pre> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/15160-h/images/portrait.png b/15160-h/images/portrait.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2890c34 --- /dev/null +++ b/15160-h/images/portrait.png diff --git a/15160.txt b/15160.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..288b2ce --- /dev/null +++ b/15160.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3715 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, On Commando, by Dietlof Van Warmelo + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: On Commando + +Author: Dietlof Van Warmelo + +Release Date: February 24, 2005 [eBook #15160] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO*** + + +E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Garrett Alley, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +ON COMMANDO + +by + +DIETLOF VAN WARMELO + +With a Portrait + +Methuen & Co. +36 Essex Street W.C. +London +Colonial Library + +1902 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: DIETLOF VAN WARMELO] + + + + +PREFACE + + +This book was written in 1901, while its author was a prisoner at +Ahmednagar. It was written in Dutch, and has been put into English by a +young lady from what was the Orange Free State. + +The author is a friend and relation of mine, son of a clergyman in the +Transvaal, and of old Afrikander stock on both sides. His book is the +more valuable because of the absence of all literary pretensions, and it +may be taken as truly representative of the Afrikander spirit, which has +been so much misconceived in England. + +FREDERIK VAN EEDEN + +WALDEN, N. HOLLAND, +_July_, 1902 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +FOREWORD + + I. AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH + + II. SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING + UP OF THE CANNON + + III. THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF + INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF LADYSMITH + + IV. DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA + + V. TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK + + VI. GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE + OF PRESIDENT STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET + + VII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER + + VIII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST + + IX. PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG + + X. FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS + TO THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS + + XI. BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT + + XII. PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN + STATION + + XIII. COMMANDO SUFFERINGS + + XIV. BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN + + XV. BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS + + XVI. CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP + +CONCLUSION: BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY + + + + +MY LIFE ON COMMANDO + +FOREWORD + + +Could I have known that the war would last so long, I might from the +beginning have taken notes. They would have brought back memories in a +way pleasant to me now, and perhaps also to those who have asked me to +write down my adventures. + +Often it occurred to me to keep a diary, but I was obliged to give up +the idea because my clothes were sometimes so thoroughly drenched that +the letters in my pocket were not readable. Later on, when clothes were +scarce and pockets past mending, I often made the unpleasant discovery +that caused the fool, on his journey from the land of Kokanje, to cry to +the King: 'We have ridden at such a breakneck pace, see, everything has +slipped through this little hole!' Now I am obliged to write down my +adventures without any notes, so dates, numbers, and names of places +will occasionally be missing. It stands to reason that I--being an exile +in a strange country, in the fort of ... in ..., cut off from the world +outside and without any official reports--should simply limit myself to +my own personal experience. And, lastly, I must apologize to my readers +for so often speaking of myself and my friends; but that is inevitable +in this tale. + +I shall pass rapidly over the first part of my life on commando. If my +memory plays me false--which is not very probable, as I still have a +lively recollection of the events--I shall be grateful for correction. + +_July_, 1901. + + + + +I + +AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH + + +When that part of the Pretoria town commando to which my brother Frits +and I belonged left for the Natal boundary on September 30, 1899, we +were all very enthusiastic, as could be seen from the nice new suits, +the new shining guns, and the sleek horses. Many ladies had come to the +station to see us off, and we were proud of having the opportunity to +fight for our country. Our departure seemed then to us a great occasion, +we were inexperienced in war. We had not yet learnt that one could pass +unscathed through many a fierce battle. We knew nothing of 'retreating' +and we knew all about the enemy with whom we were to come in contact. We +imagined that several sharp engagements would take place--that these +would be decisive battles in which many of our men would be killed, and +therefore the parting with relatives and friends was sad indeed. + +Our Field-Cornet, Melt Marais, had told us that we had nothing to see to +except provisions for a day or two, as Government would supply us with +all necessaries at Zandspruit, where the commandos were to concentrate; +so many of us took neither pots, pans, nor mugs. + +What a disillusion it was to find on our arrival at Zandspruit that +there were no tents, and as yet no provisions of any kind! So we were +initiated by having to pass the first nights of our commando life on the +open veld with insufficient food. And in the daytime our work was cut +out for us, as every other minute our horses disappeared--lost among the +thousands of horses that all looked exactly alike in the eyes of an +inexperienced townsman. Then it meant a running and seeking, an +examining of marks and tokens, until the stupid among us were obliged to +tie ribbons to our horses as a means of recognising them. And one, the +story goes, even tied a nosebag, with a bundle of forage, to his mount +so that it should not run away. + +At length the provisions began to arrive, but the pots and pans were +still scarce and we could not even drink a cup of coffee till a tin of +jam or meat had been emptied. + +We were just beginning to feel comfortable, when the time stated in the +ultimatum expired, and we had to cross the boundary of Natal. General +Erasmus was at the head of our commando. We spent the night near +Volksrust in a cold hail storm and rain. Those first days we are not +likely to forget. They were wet, cold days, and we were still +unaccustomed to preparing our own food and looking after ourselves. +Fortunately, we had the opportunity, a few days later, of supplying +ourselves with all necessaries at Newcastle. + +Before we crossed the boundary General Erasmus had addressed us and told +us the news of our first victory--the taking of an armoured train at +Kraaipan; at that time we still made a fuss about such a trifle. Also, +in those days, we still looked up with respect to our leaders. + +Ds. Postma, who accompanied us everywhere, led us in prayer. Not one of +the burghers seems to have known where the enemy were. We advanced +slowly and carefully, as we expected _to meet with the enemy at any +moment_; but we saw no signs of them until we came to Dundee. After a +rest of a few days we undertook the momentous expedition to the +mountains of Dundee, to the north of the town. + +Towards evening we got the order to 'prepare for three days.' For three +days! And we had not even provisions enough for one. But we understood +that there could not yet be a proper commissariat, and we fought for our +country willingly, convinced of the justice of our cause; so we +'prepared' cheerfully. + +Before the commando started, a terrible thunderstorm came on that slowly +passed over and was followed by a gentle rain. We rode hard in the dark, +through dongas, past farms and houses, zigzagging in a half-circle, to +the mountains of Dundee. No sound was to be heard except the dull thud +of the hoofs of the galloping horses. Now and again we whispered to each +other how delightfully we were going to surprise the enemy. When the +horses came to a sudden pause, and an inexperienced rider, owing to a +presentiment of evil, involuntarily uttered his wish to 'halt,' we +turned upon him angrily and called him 'traitor.' We did not then know +that we were far beyond earshot of the enemy. It stopped raining, and +towards morning we reached the mountains; and after we had with great +difficulty got our horses on to the mountains, we had to await the dawn +in the cold, drenched to the skin. A mackintosh is of small service in +such a rain. When the day dawned we led our horses higher up. A thick +fog had come on. General Lucas Meyer was to begin the attack on the +west, and we were to surprise the enemy from the heights. + +When the roar of cannon announced the battle, we were full of +enthusiasm, but General Erasmus forbade anyone to move on before the fog +lifted. It was quite possible that the fog might be only on the +mountain-tops, because of their great height, and that we would have +clear weather as soon as we began to descend, therefore several of our +men begged General Erasmus to be allowed to go on ahead as scouts. But +he was very much against it, and said that the enemy might cut off our +retreat, and 'if the enemy surround us it is all up with us,' said he. +As soon as the roar of the cannon ceased, we withdrew some distance into +the mountains to let our horses graze. But we had only just off-saddled, +when from all sides came the cry of 'Saddle! saddle!' and from our left, +in the valley, came the sound of firing. A detachment of 250 khakies, +probably knowing nothing of our whereabouts, and intending to pass round +the mountains and attack Lucas Meyer in the rear, was compelled to +surrender in a few moments, after first having sought cover in a kraal +near a house. + +We remained three days on the Dundee mountains, and during all that time +there was a steady drizzle, with intervals of hail and wind. Once when +it cleared up for a few hours we got the order to attack the town, but +it began to rain again, and that night we had to keep our positions in +the intense cold, without any covering. Fortunately, the enemy abandoned +their camp that night, and when we looked down upon the town next +morning the khakies had vanished. We had only the preceding day placed +our cannon in a position to command the camp. + +When we returned to our saddles, the horses had strayed so far that it +took us almost all day to get them back. My uncle, Paul Mare, formerly +Volksraad member for Zoutpansberg, treated us to kaboe-mealies (roasted +maize), the first we had on commando, and we ate with great relish. + +Meanwhile the commando had left. We followed, and entered Dundee, where +we helped ourselves hungrily to the good things from the shops placed at +the disposal of the commandos. + +In an unorganized army looting is a necessary evil. There are always +some of the lower classes who are the ringleaders, and when the +commandos reach a house or farm that has already been looted, they join +in the looting 'because the burghers are on commando, and they must be +well supplied with all necessaries, so as to be able to fight well.' So +we reasoned, and we joined in the looting. I can affirm, to the honour +of our burghers, that it was not our intention to plunder, and in the +beginning much was done to prevent it. The lower class Uitlander, who +joined us for the sake of booty, and not for love and sympathy towards +us, was largely responsible for the bad name we got among right-minded +people who did not know the facts of the case. It was the same as +regards theft. If anyone missed his horse, he had but to look for it +among the 'Irish corps,' or some other Uitlander corps, and unless he +knew his beast well he would fail to recognise it, as both mane and tail +would have been cut short by the thief. I do not wish to pretend that +_we_ were always free from blame. It has happened that the Uitlander got +a very poor horse in exchange for his thoroughbred because a Boer had +tied the token of recognition to his own horse and made off with the +better one. The truth is that very few men are proof against the +demoralizing influence of war, and I will not deny that this war has +shown up our many faults; but in my tale I shall be able to take up the +cudgels for my people in cases where the rest of the world turned from +us because they were disappointed in their expectations of us. + +After our departure from Dundee the looting went on freely. Then we +began to witness the devastation that is the irremediable consequence of +war. Here and there a house had been completely plundered. At Glencoe +Junction I entered the stationmaster's house, a well-furnished house +with beautiful pictures, books, and mirrors. Some massive silver mugs +and other articles of value were lying about. The family had only just +dined, for the cloth was still laid. I ate of the food on the table, +wrote a letter home with pen and ink, and left the house. Later on, when +I returned, it had been thoroughly looted and some of the mirrors +smashed. There were many of the riff-raff, Kaffirs and coolies in the +neighbourhood, and in all probability they had done the mischief. + +When our commando left Dundee to move in the direction of Ladysmith, +part of the Pretoria town commando was sent to reinforce Lucas Meyer, +who was to follow the troops fleeing from Dundee with his commando. My +brother and I went with it. A terrible thunderstorm came on just then, +and during the whole march to Ladysmith it rained heavily. Every moment +we expected to come up with the troops, but they had too great a start, +and we did not overtake them at all. We were too late again. An English +General has said that 'the Boers are brave, and make good plans, but are +always twenty-four hours late.' That can be explained in this way. We +were accustomed to fighting against Kaffirs, who hid in woods and +mountains, and against whom we had to advance with the utmost +precaution, so as to lose as few lives as possible. So we were too +cautious in the beginning of the war. We would not make a great +sacrifice to win a battle. + +On October 30 we were present, under Lucas Meyer, at the battle near +Ladysmith, but we did not come into action, as we belonged to a part of +the commando that had to hold a position to prevent attack in the rear. +The enemy did not attack our position at all, except with a few bombs, +because they suffered a great defeat near Modderspruit, and had to +retreat hurriedly. From our positions we could see how every time the +bombs burst among them the fleeing troops seemed to get 'mazed' for a +moment, and then went forward again. + +At that time we were often in want of food. One must have suffered +hunger to know what it means. In a few linen bags I had some biscuits +that had first been reduced to crumbs through the riding, and then to a +kind of pap by the rain and perspiration of the horse. Often when I +felt the pangs of famine I added some sugar to this mess and ate it with +relish. + +Some days later we left Lucas Meyer and returned to our commando, which +had meanwhile gone to the north of Ladysmith. During our absence +Zeederberg had taken the place of Melt Marais as Veld-Cornet. + + + + +II + +SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING UP OF THE CANNON + + +When we surrounded the town and the siege began, all talk of the bananas +that we were to eat in the south of Natal came to an end. + +Ladysmith ought never to have been besieged. On October 30 we should +have made use of our advantage. If we had at once followed the enemy +when they fled in disorder, we should in all probability easily have +taken those positions that would have involved the immediate surrender +of Ladysmith. Many lives would have been sacrificed, but not so many as +were sacrificed during the whole siege. And we might have used those men +who were necessary to maintain the siege elsewhere as an attacking +force. Instead of following up our advantage, we deliberately prepared +for a siege. The enemy meanwhile made use of the opportunity to entrench +themselves well. Most of our burghers were against our attempting to +take the town by assault when once it was thoroughly entrenched. + +The Pretoria town commando and that from Krokodil River in the Pretoria +district occupied the position nearest to Ladysmith. This was a hill to +the north of the town, flat at the top, and surrounded by a stone wall. +In all probability the enclosed depression of about 500 paces in circuit +had been used as a cattle-kraal. Against that kopje (hill) we gradually +put up our tents. From our camp we looked on to a large flat mountain +that we called Little Amajuba, because on October 30 the first large +capture of prisoners had been made there. In front of our kopje, near +the foot, ran a donga, and at a distance of about 1,000 paces, parallel +to us, lay another oblong kopje occupied by the enemy. This kopje we +called Rooirandjes. + +On November 8 we received the order from our General to attack the +Rooirandjes the following day. We were about 250 strong, and very +willing, as that position had not yet been entrenched. On a mountain to +our right a cannon had been placed that was to begin firing on the +enemy's position towards dawn. Distinct orders were given that our +Veld-Cornet was to be at the foot of Rooirandjes with his men before +daybreak. But something went wrong again, and it was already quite light +when we reached the donga. We found ourselves at a distance of about 700 +paces from the Rooirandjes, and we had to cross an open space if we +still wished to storm the position. The enemy's watch already began +shooting at us. + +The corporals let their men advance in groups of four from the donga to +the kopje, using the ant-hills as cover when they lay down. Our turn +came last, but meanwhile the enemy had received reinforcements, and the +nearest ant-hills were nearly all occupied, so that only three men could +go at a time. Such a shower of bullets fell that it was a miracle that +we came out of it alive. Fortunately I found a free ant-hill. My brother +had to share one with a comrade. + +At last the cannon from the mountain fired a few shots, but stopped +again almost immediately--why, I do not yet know. So we were obliged to +lie in our positions. It was terribly hot, and not a cloud in the sky. +We suffered horribly from thirst, and scarcely dared move to get at our +water-bags. One of our comrades lay groaning behind me. He was shot +through both legs. The bullets kept flying over our heads to the kopje +behind us, where some of our burghers lay firing at the enemy. Every now +and again a bullet exploded in our neighbourhood with the noise of a +pistol-shot. I fancy only Dum-Dums make that peculiar noise. We had +already seen many such bullets taken from the enemy by our burghers in +the Battle of Modderspruit. Another burgher, Mulder, ran past me with a +smile on his lips, threw himself behind an ant-hill, immediately rose +again with the intention of joining some of our burghers in the front +ranks, who sat calmly smoking behind some rocks under a tree, but had +not gone two paces when he was shot in the thigh. There he had to lie +groaning until our brave Reineke, who was killed later on at Spion Kop, +saw a chance of carrying him away. + +Some of us fell asleep from fatigue. One of our men on waking heard the +hiss of a bullet over his head at regular intervals, and thought that a +khaki had got closer up to him, and was firing at him from the side. +When he lifted his head he found that he had rolled away from all cover. +One, two, three, back he was again behind his ant-hill, and the +scoundrel stopped firing at him. It was lucky for us that the enemy were +such bad shots, or not many of us would have lived to tell the tale. + +When our cannon at last, towards evening, condescended to bombard the +enemy, the firing almost wholly ceased, and we made use of that +favourable opportunity to get back to the donga. We had lain nine hours +behind those ant-hills, and, strange to say, there were only two wounded +on our side. We decided not to run the same risk again. In this way we +lost our confidence in men like the brothers Erasmus, General and +Commandant, who, in the first place, were incapable of organizing a good +plan of attack, and, secondly, never took part in a battle. + +The months spent near Ladysmith were to most of us the most tedious of +the whole war. We had so little to do, and the heat between the glowing +rocks of the kopjes was awful. The little work we had was anything but +pleasant; it consisted chiefly in keeping guard either by day or by +night. In the beginning a very bad watch was kept. Later on we had to +climb the kopje at least every alternate evening to pass the long nights +in our positions, while not far behind us stood our empty tents. + +When we got back in the morning with our bundles on our backs, dead +tired, we simply 'flopped' on to a stone, and sat waiting for our cup of +coffee, either gazing at the lovely landscape or at the dirty camp, +according to the mood we were in, or exchanging loud jokes with our +neighbours. Constantly being on guard and constantly being in danger +wears one out. We much prefer active service on patrol or in a skirmish +to lying in our positions. It is not in the nature of the Boer to lie +inactive far from his home. He soon wants to go 'huis-toe' (home), and +very soon the 'leave-plague' broke out in our camp. That plague was one +of the causes why the enemy succeeded in breaking through our lines. + +Through unfairness on the part of the officers, some burghers often got +leave, others never, and the consequence, of course, was a constant +quarrelling. Many burghers got leave and never returned--either with or +without the knowledge of the officers. No wonder we never had a proper +fighting force in the field. + +The difficulties we had to contend with through want of organization +prevented the Generals from putting their plans into execution. + +Fortunately, many burghers were very willing, and if there was to be a +fight they always went voluntarily. It was noticeable that those under a +capable General fought well, while those under a bad or incapable +General were very weak indeed. Sometimes wonders were done at the +initiative of some of the burghers. We had a few games in the camp to +pass the time, but we were kept busy in a different way also. Sometimes, +when we were all just comfortably lazy, the order would be given to +'mount.' That meant a hurried search for our horses and snatching up our +guns and bandoliers. But after a while we had had enough of those false +alarms, and they failed to make any impression on us. The call of 'The +English are coming! saddle, saddle!' became proverbial. + +When we did not keep such constant guard, we sat or lay listening of an +evening to a most discordant noise caused by the singing of psalms and +hymns at the same time at different farms. We sometimes joined in. As a +people we are not very musical. + +The day-watch we liked best. Then we often got a chance of firing a shot +at a careless khaki on the Rooirandjes. To some of our young men there +was something very exciting in the idea that they were in constant +danger. Every now and again a bomb, too, would come flying over the +camp, and the whole commando would make for the rocks amid shouts of +laughter. + +At that time we still felt rather down when there was a fight in +prospect. When, some time after our attack on the Rooirandjes, we went +to the west of Ladysmith to attack Platrand, we did not feel at all +comfortable, although we went voluntarily. It was a lovely ride in the +dark at a flying gallop, but when we found on our arrival at Platrand +that the promised number of men was not there, we rode away again quite +satisfied that we had not to attempt the attack. For had we not made up +our minds not to risk a repetition of the attack on Rooirandjes? + +The blowing-up of the cannon at Ladysmith is one of the episodes of the +war that we look back upon with a feeling of shame. A few days after a +Long Tom had been blown up on Umbulwana Kop, east of Ladysmith, I warned +our Field-Cornet that the enemy were busy spying in our neighbourhood at +night. While on guard, we could distinctly hear the flapping of the +saddles and the neighing of the horses in front of us. I foretold a +repetition of what had happened on Umbulwana Kop. The Field-Cornet +promised that the guard would be doubled that night. Towards morning +those of us who were not on guard were waked out of our sleep by a loud +cry of 'Hurrah!' from the throats of a few hundred Englishmen who were +blowing up two cannon on a mountain to our right, close to us. We sprang +towards our positions, stumbling and falling over stones, not knowing +what was going on, and expecting the khakies at any moment. It was the +first time that we had heard a fight at night, and it gave us a creepy +feeling. We saw the flames of the guns and from the exploding bullets, +and heard the rattling of the shots and the shouting, but we could not +join in the fight, as we--eight of us--were not allowed to leave our +positions. Now and again a bullet fell in our neighbourhood, and the +Free State Artillery, who were on the mountains to the right, fired some +bombs at the enemy, nearly hitting us in the dark. + +When it got lighter we went to look at the dead and wounded, perhaps +from a feeling of bravado, perhaps to accustom ourselves to the sight. +The enemy had paid dearly for their brave deed. They know the number of +their dead and wounded better than we do, for they had opportunity +enough to carry them away. On our side only four were killed and a few +wounded. Niemeyer, Van Zyl and Villiers were among the killed. Pott was +severely wounded. Niemeyer had several bayonet wounds. + +After that we were, of course, doubly careful. We have never been able +to discover who failed in their duty on guard. Cooper and Tossel were +suspected and accused. They were sent to Pretoria under arrest, but the +investigation never led to any result. We have every reason to believe +that our burghers were guilty of treachery more than once near +Ladysmith. Government ought from the start to have taken strict measures +against traitors and spies. + +Some days after the blowing up of the cannon I sprained my left knee, +which I had already hurt before the war began. General Erasmus gave me +leave to go home for an unlimited time. On my way home I passed my +brother Willem without being aware of it. He had come from Holland, +where he was studying, to take part in the war. + +What a meeting with relatives and friends! How much there was to tell! +Even then we had not experienced very much, and how much more will our +burghers have to tell their dear ones on returning from their exile in +strange countries! There will, alas! be much sorrow, too; for many of +our friends and relatives have been killed in this war, and many more +will have yet to give their lives for their country! + + + + +III + +THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF +LADYSMITH + + +Before my knee was quite cured I returned to Ladysmith. The first thing +that caught my eye on my return to the camp was the balloon above +Ladysmith. It looked just like a large crocodile-eye as it followed all +my movements. When I went to look for my horse or to fetch water or +wood, there it stood, high up in the sky, and I felt as if it kept its +eye specially fixed on me, and as if I might expect a bomb at any +moment. + +We had never in all our lives seen so many flies as at Ladysmith. We had +to hurry over our meals as they made eating almost an impossibility to +us. Fortunately, I was only a short time there, as towards the end of +January, 1900, part of our commando, including my brother and myself, +was sent to the Tugela as reinforcement. We had a distance of four and a +half hours to ride, and we had to ride hard, as the enemy were +determined to force their way through. We arrived the same day, just two +days after the enemy had tried to force their way through to the right +of Spion Kop and had been defeated. On nearing the high Tugela mountains +we heard more and more distinctly the constant rattling of bullets, +interrupted by the roar of the cannon and the bom-bom-bom of our saucy +bomb-Maxim, that made our hearts expand and those of the enemy shrink. +As we raced on to the foot of the mountains, the bullets that the enemy +were sending over the mountains to find the Boers raised the dust around +us. + +The following morning we went to lie in a trench that had been dug by +our men on a rise to the right of Spion Kop. The previous day eight +burghers had been wounded there. Red Danie Opperman was Field-Cornet. +Not far from us, to our left, stood a few of our cannon, and facing us, +to our left, on the long mountain slope, we could see fourteen guns of +the enemy's. In front of us was a large wood, and close to that the +English camp. We could see the enemy moving in great close square +masses. It was a terribly hot day; we had to lie in the trenches, as all +day long the enemy fired at us from the smaller positions facing us, at +a distance of 15,000 paces; and constantly the bombs burst over our +heads. At regular intervals a lyddite bomb--that gave us a shock through +our whole body--came from the wood towards the cannon on our left. Once +only part of our entrenchment, where, fortunately, no one happened to +be, was blown to bits. + +Whenever there was a moment's pause, we lifted our heads above the +trenches to have a look at the lovely landscape and at the positions of +our enemy. That day not one of us was wounded. Only the artillery +suffered. If our few cannon ventured to make themselves heard, eight or +more bombs followed in quick succession to silence them. Next to me lay +a man whose servant, a restless, impatient Bushman, most amicably +addressed him as Johnny. The Bushman went to and fro continually to a +'chum' of his who lay hidden behind a rock close to us. Once, on one of +his visits to his 'chum,' a bullet struck the ground close to his +heels; he stood still, looked slowly and defiantly from his heels to +the enemy, and said in a most emphatic tone, 'You confounded +Englishman!' and calmly proceeded on his way to his chum. + +To the right of this position was an open space, almost level with the +immediate surroundings, but ending in a steep decline some 900 paces +further on. There we went towards evening with a reinforcement of the +Pretoria town commando that had followed us. The Field-Cornet made us +stand in rows, and told off forty men to dig a trench that night. The +rest of the men would relieve us the following night. My brother and I +were in the first shift. Towards morning, while we were still digging at +the trenches, fire was opened across the whole line of battle. We +imagined that we were being attacked, and jammed ourselves in the narrow +trench. But as the attack did not come off, and the bullets flew high +over our heads, we went on digging until daybreak. Then we noticed that +the enemy were lying in a trench about 800 paces ahead of us. We fired a +few shots at them, but saved our ammunition for an eventual storming. + +The whole of that day and the two succeeding days there was a constant +salvo over our heads. The bullets flew over our heads like finches, and +did us no harm, but we had to be on our guard against the sharpshooters, +who occasionally fired close to us. That day (January 24), the heroic +Battle of Spion Kop took place, where our burghers, after having been +surprised in the night by the enemy and driven off the kop, obliged +them, after a stubborn fight, to abandon it again. The Pretoria men, who +were to have relieved us in the trench, took a great part in that +battle. Reineke, Yeppe, Malherbe, De Villiers, and Olivier were killed. +Ihrige was severely wounded. + +All day long we lay listening to the fighting, for we could not sleep. +We had to stay in the trench three days and four nights before we were +relieved. Water and food were brought to us, or fetched by our men at +night, as we did not venture to leave the trench by day. We were safe +enough, for the bombs had not much effect on the sand-walls of our +trench, and there was always time to stoop to avoid them. The following +morning news was brought to us that the enemy had abandoned the whole +line of battle and were retreating in the direction of Chieveley. + +The battle of the Tugela had lasted eight days. + +I had again hurt my knee, and had to leave Ladysmith for Pretoria, from +whence I went to Warmbad at Waterberg to stay for a few weeks with Mrs. +Klein-Frikkie Grobler, who received me most kindly. My brother Frits got +leave for the first time then, too, and Willem remained at Ladysmith. +During my absence the English broke through at Pieter's Heights, where +Willem was made prisoner and Luettig, Malherbe and Stuart de Villiers +were killed. Meanwhile Frits had gone, with some other Pretoria men, to +the Orange Free State, where the enemy had surrounded General Cronje. + +Since the beginning of the siege our burghers always thought the town +would fall soon. 'The khakies cannot hold out any longer! They have no +provisions, and their ammunition must be coming to an end! Buller can +never cross the Tugela, our positions are too good! What does it matter +if _I_ do go on leave? The khakies cannot get through!' That was the +opinion of most of the burghers. And if anyone ventured to point out +that the enemy _might_ force their way through because we did not all do +our duty, he was either not believed or looked upon as a traitor. +Meanwhile enthusiasm was dying out. The burghers lay in their lagers or +went home, trusting to the few willing ones, who ultimately proved not +strong enough to withstand the overwhelming force that Buller brought to +bear upon one point of our positions when he was obliged to force his +way through at no matter what cost. + +No leave should have been given during the war, and here I may as well +mention--although this tale does not pretend to be a history of the +war--that it has been carried on with far too great laxity, owing to the +ignorance of our Generals and the demoralizing influence of +self-interest and nepotism. We should have sent our forces far into the +Cape Colony to get help from our brothers in a war that had been forced +upon us by England. The Colonial Afrikanders never had the opportunity +of standing by us, because we did not supply them with the necessary +ammunition or stretch out our hands towards them. Unless they had help +from our invading forces, they dared not risk a rising, because of the +confiscation of their property in case of failure. + +We have had to suffer--to suffer cruelly for our sins. Our enemy forced +his way through the dyke that surrounded us, and like a stormy sea he +ruined our homes, devastated our fields, and caused us endless +suffering. Besides this, the talk of intervention had an enervating +effecton the commandos. In our commando, which was largely composed of +ignorant men, the strangest stories went round. One was that the +Russians had landed somewhere in South Africa with 100 cannon. There was +always talk of a great European War having broken out; and the +consequence was that the Boers counted on intervention or help from the +Powers, instead of depending on their own strength and perseverance. The +most sensible among us recognised the improbability of intervention. It +was not to the interest of any foreign Power to intervene in South +Africa where it had no firm footing, particularly as Chamberlain had, by +most cunning artifices, forced us to be the aggressors. + +War was inevitable. Sooner or later it had to come. After the Jameson +Raid, which was really the beginning of the war, the Transvaal +Government recognised the dangerous position in which it stood, as an +isolated Republic, and was therefore obliged to arm itself with the most +modern of military equipments. Before the Jameson Raid race hatred was +dying out rapidly. The consequence of the raid was that the gap between +Boer and Englishman widened, the sympathy of the Uitlanders for us grew +deeper, and the Afrikander Bond grew stronger. England's prestige in +South Africa was threatened, and with it her rank as first Power in the +world. She had to maintain her supremacy in South Africa; while for us +it had become a question of all or nothing. England has evidently +succeeded in keeping up such friendly relations with the other Powers +that no intervention seems possible. + +The relief of Ladysmith took place on February 28--a Majuba Day--a day +that had been marked as a red-letter day in our calendars. For nineteen +years the enemy have longed to wipe out the remembrance of that day, and +they have done so brilliantly and malignantly. Since that time we have +been humiliated and belittled. Our fall was great. For the first time +there was a general panic. The two Republics, being forced to venture on +war against a powerful kingdom, felt themselves staggering under the +heavy blow. + + + + +IV + +DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA + + +After the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith we imagined that the +decisive battles would soon follow. Although my knee was not yet cured, +I went to Glencoe, whither our commandos had retreated. I was not five +days there when I had to leave, being unfit for active service. Again I +went to Warmbad for some weeks with Mr. Burgemeester Potgieter and his +family, and on my return to Pretoria remained in my office until the +beginning of May. + +Meanwhile Frits had returned from the Free State, and my knee was cured. +We each bought ourselves a sturdy pony, and left, with some other +burghers, by train for Klerksdorp, from where we went on to Dewetsdrift, +on the Vaal River. General Viljoen was guarding the drift there with +some hundreds of burghers. We rode from there some four or five hours +into the Free State to spy the movements of the enemy. + +From Dewetsdrift we went, under Commandant Boshoff, to Schoemansdrift, +Venterskroon, and Lindequidrift. Our division formed part of the escort +for the guns. Our route lay through beautiful scenery. The Vaal twists +and bends between two high mountains that curve on either side like the +roads the khaki makes with his double row of waggons over the hills of +the Hoogeveld. In every opening of the mountains lies a farm, a mean +little house, but among well-cultivated fields. In nearly every farm the +family was grieving for one of its members who had been taken prisoner +along with Cronje, and of whose fate they were in ignorance. The people +received us very kindly. Everywhere we got milk and biscuits, and we +found afterwards that those people were the kindest who had suffered the +most from the war. + +As the enemy were already on their way to Johannesburg, we had to +retreat as rapidly as possible, first to Bank Station, near +Potchefstroom, and then by train to Langlaagte. To the north-west of +Johannesburg we had a skirmish with the enemy, who attacked us as we +were feeding our horses. It appeared that our guard was not on duty. I +have never seen horses saddled so quickly. Most of the burghers rode off +and left us behind with the guns. One ammunition waggon stuck in the +mud, and was left behind, but was brought in safety to Pretoria by Frans +Lottering, a comrade of mine, who rode back for it with some gunners +when we had fled. Lottering was given a sword by General de la Rey for +his brave conduct. Through negligence on the part of our officers we +lost on that occasion one gun, several waggons, and some of our men. + +Almost all night long we retreated with our guns to Pretoria. We had not +lost courage. We all spoke of the thorough way in which our Government +would have fortified Pretoria, and of the great battle that would take +place there. We had all made up our minds to a stubborn resistance at +our capital. What a bitter disappointment it was to find that our +Government had decided not to defend the town! The causes that led to +such a decision will be brought to light by historians. The consequences +were that many of the burghers were discouraged, and rode 'huis-toe,' +and nothing came of the great battle that was to have been fought. + +Frits and I decided to give our horses a few days' rest in their stables +before going to meet the enemy. + +On June 4, at about twelve o'clock, while we were at luncheon, a lyddite +bomb fell close to the fort, raising a cloud of dust. My mother went +outside, and came back quickly to tell us that it was not a shot _from_ +the fort, but from the enemy. The bombs followed in quick succession. +They flew over Schanskop fort, and fell close to our house at Sunnyside. +As the ground was rocky they exploded well. My mother and sister fled +with our neighbours to the town, and my brother and I saddled our horses +and rode off to Quaggaspoort. + +From over the mountains, to the south of the town, the bombs came flying +as a gentle warning from the khakies that it would be better to +surrender in order to avoid a great calamity. + +It was sad to see how few horses there were at the foot of the mountain. +Here a group of four, there of ten--a sign that the number of burghers +in the positions was very small indeed. When the enemy appeared at +Quaggaspoort, we noticed that the burghers from the direction of +Krokodil River were retreating, and a moment later they were all in full +flight. One of my comrades, a brother of Lottering, was wounded in the +arm by a shell as he fled, and had to remain behind in Pretoria. That +night my brother and I spent in our own home, but we left the town the +following morning in the direction of Silverton, just before the enemy +entered. + +It would be well to try and understand the condition of our country and +the temper of our burghers. + +As the capital was in the hands of the enemy, it was easy enough to +convince our simple-minded men that our country was irretrievably lost +to us. Therefore a period of discouragement and demoralization followed. +Many burghers, also, who had all along fought bravely now remained +behind in the towns or on their farms, not daring to leave their wives +and daughters at the mercy of the soldiers. We may not judge those men, +neither need we consider it to our credit that we, either from a sense +of duty or from a spirit of adventure, acted differently. There were +many also who argued that the Government was corrupt, and that the war +should have been prevented, or that the Boers did not want to fight. So +they also became unfaithful to the cause, and to those along with whom +they began the war. And the name of 'hands-upper' was earned by those +burghers who of their own free will surrendered to the enemy. The chaff +was divided from the grain; cowards and traitors remained behind, and +the willing ones went to the veld, even though it were in a retreating +direction. We were still very hopeful. There were still the good +positions in the Lydenberg district, and we had heard that De Wet had +cut the line of communication behind the enemy. We also still had an +intact line to Delagoa Bay. + +My brother and I met our old comrade Frans Loitering, and the three of +us went in search of General Grobler of Waterberg, who lay with his +commando to the east of Pretoria at Franspoort, near Donkerhoek. There +we joined his commando. Our camp was put up near a Kaffir location, and +as the Kaffirs were clean, we often bought boiled sweet potatoes and +crushed maize from them. + +Nothing particular happened at Franspoort. To the right and left of us +some desperate fighting went on for several days, and at Donkerhoek a +fierce battle took place, but we were not attacked. + +When the news came that the enemy had broken through our lines at +Donkerhoek, and that we had to retreat, my brother and I left Grobler's +commando. Thinking that the commandos would fall back upon the positions +of Belfast, we went to Middelburg to an uncle of ours, the missionary +Jan Mare, in order to give our horses a rest. We had lost sight of our +comrade Frans. On our way we bought bread at the farms, or had it given +us, cut a piece off an ox that had been slaughtered for the commando, +and slept either in a manger or, as was more often the case, in the open +air of the cold Hoogeveld. We arrived at Middelburg completely +exhausted, and are not likely to forget our uncle's great hospitality. + +We accidentally met our former Commandant, Boshoff, who told us that he +was on his way with ten men to join General de la Rey, who had gone in +the direction of Rustenburg to cut the enemy's line of communication +between Mafeking and Pretoria, and we very willingly joined him, after a +delightful rest of ten days. + +The commando of Commandant Boshoff consisted of nine burghers with an +ambulance waggon--that was used for the commissariat and for our +bedding--a French doctor, two Kaffirs and two tents. It seemed as if we +were going for a picnic. But it was necessary that we should be well +provided with all sorts of things, as our journey would be through the +Boschland, where fever and horse-sickness play havoc with man and horse +in summer. In winter it is endurable for a few months only, so the +country is very scarcely populated and almost uncultivated, and in +winter the Boers trek there with their cattle from the bare, chill +Hoogeveld. I had always longed to see that part of the Transvaal. + + + + +V + +TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK + + +Some hours north of Middelburg one suddenly leaves the high plateau of +the Boschveld for a difficult road that curves steadily downwards +between two high mountains until it reaches a wide, thickly-wooded +valley. In the kloof (mountain-pass) a swiftly-flowing river cuts the +road that goes along its banks, in several places, before it loses +itself in the Olifants River. There the song of many birds, not to be +found on the Hoogeveld, can be heard, and there it was delightfully +warm, in comparison with the chilly air of the Hoogeveld. Of an evening +we made large fires, as there was plenty of dry wood. We sat round the +fire, chatting or listening to the comic songs which one of our comrades +sang. It was a happy time--away from khaki, far beyond reach of the +roar of cannon--a time of rest in preparation for the evil days that +awaited us. + +Everywhere we saw flocks of sheep and herds of cattle grazing among the +bushes--always a sign that we should find a waggon or two with tents +close to them, under the nearest trees. Sometimes, near a drift or a +good place to uitspan, quite a small lager had been formed of the trek +Boers, or, rather, of their wives, for the husbands and sons of many had +gone to the war. The Boers who fled with their cattle in that way we +called 'Bush-lancers.' We came up with De la Rey's lager near the Elands +River, and later on made the acquaintance of Captain Kirsten's scouts, +to whom we offered our services. In those days it was very pleasant to +belong to the reconnoitring corps. When we went to reconnoitre our +horses got plenty of forage on the farms, and as we were few in number +and always ahead of the lager, there were always eggs, bread, and milk +to be had. We had enough to do, also, as we had to keep a sharp +look-out, and we were in constant danger, but not at all afraid of the +patrols of khakies, which, being small in number and without their +guns, were pretty harmless. We advanced almost parallel to the Magalies +Mountains, that stretch from Pretoria to Rustenburg, until we came to +the neighbourhood of Selikatsnek. Unless one was well acquainted with +the highways and byways of that part of the country, one was in constant +danger of losing the way; it is a long stretch of bush, consisting of +the well-known thorn-bushes of the Hoogeveld, for a distance of about +ten miles deep. The principal passes of the Magalies Mountains were +occupied by the enemy--Wonderboompoort, Hornsnek, Selikatsnek, +Commandonek, Olifantsnek. General de la Rey had made up his mind to take +Selikatsnek, and on July 11 he succeeded, by his strong will and +military talent. + +While we were reconnoitring with Captain Kirsten's party we got the news +that De la Rey had attacked Selikatsnek--about an hour's ride from where +we were--and that the battle was still going on. We all rode to the +scene of action, but my brother and I, with a few other men, remained +behind to wait for Captain Kirsten, who was absent at the time. As soon +as he arrived we rode off, and arrived at Selikatsnek at about nine +o'clock. Our burghers had already taken two of the enemy's guns. + +Selikatsnek (or Moselikatsnek) is a narrow opening in the Magalies +Mountains, with high shoulders on either side, that slope gradually to a +white kopje in the centre. If an attacking party once occupies the +shoulders, it can easily keep the enemy on the kopje or on the two +slopes. When we arrived our burghers already occupied the principal +positions--both shoulders and the smaller positions to the front of the +kopje. The enemy had been obliged to draw in their clipped wings, and to +concentrate on and in the neighbourhood of the white kopje. + +But as the shoulders of the pass were very steep on the other side, our +men could not surround the enemy or attack them in the rear; and as +there was not sufficient cover for them to go down the slope without +great loss, in order to drive the enemy by force from their positions, +the burghers remained 'rock-fast' in their positions, and made no +progress at all. Thus, the enemy would either get reinforcements from +Pretoria or escape when it got dark. Both our flanks kept up a constant +fire on the slopes, and on the white kopje, but the shoulders were too +high for a proper aim, and the khakies lay fast behind the boulders and +in the clefts of the rocks. + +Captain Kirsten, with about ten men, was ordered by General Coetzee to +hold a position to the right of the white kopje, and prevent the enemy +from taking it. This position consisted of a small rise, from which we +could fire at the kopje with a sight of 550 paces. To the right of this +rise, at a distance of 80 paces, was a small kloof overgrown with +bushes, and on the other side of the kloof ran a reef of rocks in the +direction of the white kopje. Here some of the burghers had before our +arrival forced eleven khakies to surrender, but they had not succeeded +in occupying the position, as some khakies had remained in the kloof, +and had shouted to them that they would not surrender. We were therefore +warned against that kloof. But while the others were shooting at the +enemy on the white kopje, one of our men went by himself to see if there +really were any khakies left there. He kept under cover wherever he +could--behind the rocks and behind the walls of an old kraal--and came +close up to the kloof without being fired at. On the other side, at a +distance of fifty paces, he heard a wounded man groaning and begging for +water; but, as he was alone, he did not venture to cross the kloof. He +returned to his comrades, but they would pay no attention to his request +to cross, as they thought the enemy were only waiting until more men +came under fire before they began firing. + +We continued shooting at the white kopje, from which the enemy were +firing at us. The Captain had a good telescope, through which he could +distinctly see the faces of the enemy on the kopje. If a khaki showed +himself from behind a rock, the Captain pointed him out to one of our +marksmen, Alec Boshoff, who studied the position through the telescope, +and took such good aim that the Captain declared he could see the blood +on the wounded man's face. + +The burgher who had gone to the kloof tried to persuade the rest to +cross with him to the other side, as he was sure the enemy were not +inclined to make any resistance there. At length, after twelve, he went +with two others to the opposite side, but first told a few of the best +marksmen to keep an eye on the reef. They crossed the kloof very +cautiously. It was dangerous work, as a shot might come at any moment +from behind one of the numerous shrubs or boulders. But they did not +advance in an unbroken line. Every time they sought cover behind a rock, +from which they watched to see whether the enemy would make their +appearance. They did not all three advance at the same time, either, but +first one and then the other. Whenever they had advanced a few steps, +they stopped to ask the wounded man, who lay groaning there, whether he +was alone. When they reached him they put some grass under his head, and +gave him some brandy from a flask that they always carried with them. +The poor man lay in a pool of blood on a rock under some shrubs. He had +been shot through the leg. His name was Lieutenant Pilkington. + +The wounded man took hold of the hands of one of the burghers and begged +him to stay with him. He, however, considered it his duty to advance, +but first assured the poor man that the burghers who were following +could also speak English, and would look after him. Most of our men +followed the three. The rocks and boulders on the reef that we were +climbing afforded us splendid cover from the enemy on the white kopje. + +To our left we found some more wounded. My brother took charge of one +with a ghastly wound in his head. We made some prisoners there, who were +too cowardly to defend themselves. A few of our comrades took them down. +We could notice by the guns and rugs that were lying about that the +enemy had fled in a panic, or else we should never have ventured to do +what we did later on. + +We could fire at the enemy from a much shorter distance now, but were +not yet in their rear. It was necessary that we should occupy the next +position--a reef running parallel to the reef we were climbing, at a +distance of eighty paces. But it was impossible to take that position, +as our guns were firing bomb after bomb from the valley at our back, +somewhat to the left of us, so that the stones flew up in the air. We +also ran the risk of being taken for khakies, as our men knew nothing of +our venture. The Captain sent down a message to tell them to stop +shelling that position, as we wished to take it. Meanwhile, we kept on +firing at the white kopje, and the khakies kept on firing at us. + +I went back to the wounded officer, who was being looked after by the +Captain. While we were standing talking, he died from loss of blood. Oh +the cruel brutality of war! The poor man was not dead five minutes when +we sat smoking his cigarettes. + +We moved slightly more to the left towards the boulders. Khaki was on +the one side, we on the other. Some of our men had a most original and +amusing way of getting at the khakies. 'Come out, you rabbits, come out +of your holes, else we'll shoot down the lot of you!' Then the poor +things answered: 'We're afraid to come out. You'll kill us!' They really +thought we would shoot them down if they surrendered. The officers had +lost all control over the soldiers. Later on, at Nooit Gedacht, where +_we_ had cover as well as the enemy, it was proved that as soon as the +officers lose control over the men they remain lying behind the rocks +without firing a shot, as they are too frightened to expose themselves. +Most of them still had their bandoliers full of cartridges--there, too, +when they surrendered. + +Before the war the English used to say they would fight us in our own +way, from behind rocks; but they forgot that as soon as an officer, +having to seek cover himself, fails to keep his eye on his men, they are +too cowardly to lift their heads from behind the rocks, as they are not +fighting for their independence. On a field like Selikatsnek we are by +far the better men. + +To get the khakies from behind the rocks, one of our men ran as hard as +he could to a rock in their neighbourhood, and aimed at them. Then some +of them threw down their guns and put up their hands. Others surrendered +more calmly. So he sometimes made five or six of them surrender without +their having fired a single shot at him. A shower of bullets always came +from the white kopje, but, as his movements were quick and unexpected, +they could not take proper aim at him. One of the khakies said as he +surrendered: 'It is better to surrender than to be a dead man.' Another: +'Just fancy, in the hands of the Boers! I wonder what poor mother 'll +say!' + +Meanwhile the gunners had received the Captain's report, and ceased +bombarding the reef that we wanted to storm. As it was getting late and +there was no other means, one of our men ran forward as hard as he +could, making use of every small covering, while the rest kept firing at +the white kopje to prevent the enemy from taking a proper aim at him. +There were not many khakies behind that reef, neither did they fire at +him. The rest of us followed at intervals, while those who arrived at +the reef again fired at the white kopje to cover the others. + +The few khakies who surrendered at the reef we first disarmed, and then +we allowed them to seek cover behind the rocks from the bullets of their +friends. From that position we could see the enemy from the rear. In the +narrow road, at a distance of about 150 paces from us, stood an +ammunition waggon with splendid horses harnessed in it; there was no +room for them to turn to draw away the waggon. A few khakies showed +themselves next to the waggon, but were immediately shot down. A little +further on an ambulance waggon, also inspanned, stood against the kopje; +one could distinctly see how the empty litter was carried up and +brought down again with some of the wounded. Once a man walked next to +the litter as it was carried down; I pointed him out to my brother, as I +suspected his motive. I was right. Just by the ambulance waggon he +disappeared in a donga leading to the valley. My brother, who was a +little higher up the reef than I was, could not hit him, as he appeared +again only for a moment. He was most likely a despatch-rider who went to +warn the guard at Commandonek to retreat. + +Further on there were some horses to be seen, and a little further still +the small tents of which the camps consisted. We kept up a constant +fire, but the enemy seemed to have sufficient cover on the kopje--and +they were very obstinate. For some time the firing from the shoulders of +the pass ceased, and in the dark shadow between the high mountains we +for a moment had the feeling that we had been deserted by our men--only +for a moment, for we knew it could not be! The game was in our hands. + +The sun sank lower, and we felt if the enemy were not soon compelled, to +surrender they would escape in the dark. There was still one position +which must be taken--the last reef, to which most of the enemy had +retired from the position we now occupied. One of our men, therefore, +let the other six fire a salvo at the kopje, and ran as hard as he could +to a rock at a distance of twenty-five paces ahead, about halfway to the +last reef. But now both the enemy and our own burghers, under Commandant +Coetzee, fired at him so persistently that he was thankful to reach the +rock. He lay there as still as possible, with his gaze fixed on the +reef--as he lay without cover on that side. It was a most critical +moment. + +Fortunately he heard, almost at once, one of his comrades, Van Zulch, +call out 'Oh, the white flag! Hullo, the white flag!' and he saw them +climbing down. He lay still a moment longer to convince himself of the +fact, and then calmly went to the last reef, where many khakies +surrendered--and he descended with them. Now the rest of the burghers +came running along from all directions to disarm the enemy in the +dusk--and to take what booty there was to be had. In their eagerness to +get as much booty as possible, they allowed an officer, Major Scobel, +to escape. + +As I arrived rather late on the battlefield, I cannot give any account +of the order in which De la Rey placed his men, neither do I know the +number of the enemy's dead and wounded, nor how many lives our victory +cost us. I have never seen any official report concerning this battle. +Field-Cornet Van Zulch, who with Commandant Boshoff, took the officers +to Machadodorp, and who is at present a fellow-prisoner, tells me that +three officers--Colonel Roberts, Lieutenants Davis and Lyall--and 210 +soldiers of the Lincolnshire Regiment were taken prisoners, and that +four companies of the Scots Greys had early that morning escaped with +two guns. Our loss, both dead and wounded, was not more than thirteen or +fourteen men. The enemy had made a stubborn resistance, judging from the +number of dead and wounded that were lying on the field. Of the seven of +us who forced the enemy to surrender by attacking them in the rear, not +one was injured, although we were the attacking party. They say that the +khaki prisoners whom we left on the reef remained there all night, and +came down the following morning with little white flags made of the +bandages that a soldier always carries with him, tied to twigs. + + + + +VI + +GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE OF PRESIDENT +STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET. + +Commandant Boshoff had been ordered to take the prisoners to +Machadodorp. He left my brother and me with Captain Kirsten, who had to +reconnoitre in the direction of Rustenburg along the Magalies Mountains. +We first of all passed through Commandonek, and found that deserted by +the enemy. We had no adventures on our way to Rustenburg. + +The Rustenburgers, who had nearly all laid down their arms and taken the +oath of neutrality, took courage when they saw De la Rey's big commando, +and joined us one and all. + +Then we recognised a great fault in the character of our people. Without +the slightest compunction, they first fail in loyalty to their own +country, and then break the oath of neutrality, although the enemy had +in no single respect violated their part of the contract. Some of them +we, in a way, forced to join us, as we took the guns and horses of the +unwilling ones or of those who acted at all in a suspicious way. We also +called them traitors. But most of the burghers joined us of their own +free will. Many had not taken the oath of neutrality, as they had been +beyond the reach of the enemy; others had, after Lord Roberts' +threatening proclamations, ridden over to the enemy to give up their +arms, but had given up their old rifles and kept the Mausers for +'eventualities,' to use the now historical word of Sir Alfred Milner. + +A few of the oath-breakers tried to excuse themselves by the Jesuit plea +that either they did not mean what they swore or else they had purposely +changed the form of the oath. In judging those who broke the oath of +neutrality later on, we must remember that the enemy did not keep to +their part of the contract, and so our men were justified in considering +it as null and void, and, according to William Stead, their forcing us +to take the oath of neutrality was against the Geneva Convention. But it +is too difficult a question for me to discuss. + +When the enemy, a few days later, drove us from Olifantsnek, General de +la Rey sent Captain Kirsten with twenty men to the neighbouring kopjes +to prevent the enemy from going on a plundering expedition. Then I for +the first time saw a farm-house burnt down by the enemy. From a high +kopje, by the aid of a telescope, we could distinctly see the movements +of the khakies. The bitter feeling that was roused in us in our +helplessness is not to be described. + +General Baden-Powell was in Rustenburg, and Magatonek was also in +possession of the enemy. + +It was a most interesting and adventurous time that we spent near the +Magalies Mountains. By day we went reconnoitring along the hills near +the mountains in the direction of Olifantsnek, and towards evening we +withdrew into the thick woods of the kloofs, where it was delightfully +warm both for ourselves and for our horses. When a small number of the +enemy came in our direction, we fired at them unexpectedly from the +hills, and so protected the farm-houses on the mountain-sides. +Occasionally the khakies ventured a little nearer, but always had to +retreat in disorder. + +I once nearly fell into the hands of the enemy. As we were reconnoitring +on one of the kopjes, I suggested to a friend that we should go to the +farm in front of us, where none of us had been since Olifantsnek was in +possession of the enemy. We had to ford a donga closed in by barbed +wire. When we got to the farm, we were told that the enemy had not been +there, with the exception of a khaki who had lost his way. He had taken +six eggs from a nest in a kraal and swallowed them greedily, and had +then passed on to the garden without speaking a word to the harmless, +inquisitive women of the farm. + +For safety's sake I put the boys on guard and had the horses tied. The +view was so enclosed on all sides that the enemy could appear most +unexpectedly from Olifantsnek. We had been there only a short time, when +we were told that the enemy were coming in large numbers from the +direction of Rustenburg. We mounted at once and rode back, but could +not get back to our comrades on the hills because of the barbed wire in +the donga. We had gone only about 250 paces along the drift, when the +enemy came riding along. Fortunately, they were intent on plunder and +did not see us, as they kept their eyes fixed in the direction of the +house. If we had been a few seconds later we should have fallen into +their hands. The few burghers on the kopjes began to fire at them, and +when I got to the top of one of the kopjes I saw the enemy--about 100 in +number--fleeing in great disorder. This expedition cost them several +dead and wounded, besides their plunder--meal, fowls, and other +things--that they dropped in their flight. + +When I went back to the farm later on, I was told that one of the girls +had clapped her hands with delight when the enemy fled past them. That +must have been the reason why she and her family were so cruelly +insulted and plundered by the khakies afterwards. We met with great +kindness during our stay in the Magalies Mountains. We always got +something to eat, and towards evening we bought some loaves of bread to +take back with us to our hiding-place. In those days we could always +get forage for our horses, and they were in very good condition. + +Meanwhile General de la Rey had gone with a commando to the west of +Rustenburg, and had left two Commandants in the Zwartkoppen, to the +north-east of Rustenburg. + +When we got the tidings that the enemy had taken possession of +Selikatsnek, we went as rapidly as we could to the Zwartkoppen. We had +many adventures on our way. My brother and I rode on ahead, thinking +that the others would follow, but they went a round-about way, and so +did not catch us up. When we left the wide tract of wood that stretches +along the Magalies Mountains, we noticed that the enemy from Rustenburg +had come to meet the column from Selikatsnek. Fortunately, our horses +were good, and we escaped the danger by riding back into the wood to a +farm that I knew of. While we were giving our horses a rest there, a +despatch-rider came along looking for a reconnoitring corps. We rode +with him in the track of our comrades, who had taken a great circuit +round Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Zwartkoppen, and immediately +joined Commandant Boshoff, who had just returned from Machadodorp. + +The Commandants now followed General de la Rey. We came up with his +commando to the west of Rustenburg, where he had surrounded a party of +the enemy. Commandant Boshoff, however, was immediately sent to +Olifantsnek, as the enemy had left Rustenburg and the pass was clear. +Our men were most changeable in their moods. The slightest favourable +tidings raised their spirits, but any unfavourable news made their +courage sink into their shoes. There was much talk about the retreating +movement of the enemy. Some spoke of intervention; others said the +English soldiers had refused to fight any longer, or that the whole of +the colony was in rebellion. This talk went the round even among the +officers, probably because they did not understand the enemy's +movements. + +Now we know the meaning of it all. It was De Wet who was being followed. +We were not two days at Olifantsnek, when, to our great surprise, De Wet +arrived with a commando of 2,800 men, followed by 40,000 English. He +had been by treason separated along with Steyn from the chief commando, +and had been chased by the enemy a month already. + +It was a great lager that advanced through Olifantsnek--the largest +commando that we had seen yet, with numerous carts, waggons, beasts of +burden, and other belongings. And it was then I made the acquaintance of +President Steyn and De Wet. Our Commandant with his men accompanied +President Steyn to Machadodorp to President Kruger. We put up our tents +for the time being next to those of President Steyn, so that we had time +and opportunity enough to learn to know him. When the enemy a few days +later broke through at Magatonek, to the west of Rustenburg, General De +Wet sent for me one evening and ordered me to take a report to +Rustenburg, and gave me some instructions for the Commandants there. + +I had to take a message for President Steyn also, that the ambulance of +the Orange Free State was to follow the lager in the direction of the +Krokodil River. + +Late at night I arrived at Rustenburg, only to find that the lagers had +already taken flight. The enemy were expected at any moment. But the +ambulance was there still, and all night long I led it in the direction +the General had told me the lagers would take. + +Late the following morning I arrived at De Wet's lager, which had moved +a few hours further on to Sterkstroom. The commando left there that +afternoon, and went along the Magalies Mountains to Commandonek. That +day and that night we had a first experience of the long tiresome +marches that enabled De Wet to mislead the enemy. + +That night President Steyn made a most favourable impression on us with +his talk. He did not try to encourage us with hopes of intervention, but +merely pointed out that the war might last a long time still, and that +we would have to enter the Colony. + +At Commandonek we rested a few hours while De Wet himself went to +reconnoitre. He sent a message to the English officer in charge of the +pass that he must surrender. The officer replied that he did not quite +understand _who_ must surrender--he or De Wet. I think this was merely a +dodge on De Wet's part to find out by the signature of the reply who +was in charge of the army at the pass, and so to make a guess at the +numbers of the enemy. + +He decided not to attack the pass, and before daybreak next day we were +on the move again. Some time afterwards at Warmbad I heard that an +English General had related this dodge of De Wet's, but he thought De +Wet had threatened him with a very small force, as his commando must +still have been at Olifantsnek. It is an example of the way we misled +the enemy by our mobility. + + + + +VII + +WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER + + +Near Krokodil River, on Carlyle's Farm, President Steyn and his +attendants separated from De Wet's commando, and went in the direction +of Zoutpan to Machadodorp. We were about seventy-five men in all. The +little commando consisted of carts, a few trolleys, and horsemen on +strong, well-conditioned horses. The Free Staters nearly all had one or +two spare horses. Our own commando still always consisted of twelve or +thirteen men, and the small ambulance waggon which we used for +provisions. The French doctor had remained behind with De la Rey. We +moved very fast. At Zoutpan--a sunken kopje like the mouth of a crater, +with a pan at the bottom, from which the salt is got--I met some old +acquaintances, who pretended to have come there for salt. During our +talk my suspicions were roused by their curiosity, and by their +knowledge of President Steyn's arrival. I also doubted their tale that +their trolley stood behind a kopje, and not at Zoutpan, and I warned the +Commandant against them. He became very anxious, and made us move on as +rapidly as possible, for once we had crossed the Pienaars River all +danger from khaki would be past. It was a good thing that the Commandant +made us travel so fast, for we had only just outspanned at Pienaars +River the following morning when the khakies' bomb-Maxim began firing at +the outposts of General Grobler's Waterberg commando, which was +stationed there. We had only just time to inspan and ride off to the +Boschveld, towards the Olifants River, where we would be safe, while +General Grobler disappeared in the direction of Warmbad. + +At Pienaars River I made the acquaintance of General Celliers, who was +loudly proclaiming the way in which he would squash khaki if only the +burghers would fight. He is the exception to the rule that all braggarts +are cowards. Most of the braggarts have gradually disappeared from the +scene, but the deeds of this hero were always in accordance with his +words. + +We heard afterwards that a detachment of the enemy had followed us, but +we had had too great a start, and had besides taken a short-cut of which +they knew nothing. It would not have been easy for the khakies to +overtake a well-mounted commando like President Steyn's. + +We were also told that the enemy knew of the arrival of President Steyn, +which strengthened my belief that the two suspicious characters at +Zoutpan were the informers. Whenever we, as the attacking party, made +prisoners, they always declared that they had known all about our plan +of attack--probably to discourage us with the thought that through the +treachery of our own people the enemy always knew all about our +movements. + +For a long way we followed the same road that we had taken with +Commandant Boshoff to Rustenburg. We arrived safely at Waterval-Boven +(President Kruger having already retreated from Machadodorp), where we +stayed a few days and heard the famous Battle of Dalmanutha (August +27)--the most awful roar of cannon that I have ever heard. + +From Waterval-Boven we went to Nelspruit, to which President Kruger had +moved in his railway-home. We gave our horses a week's rest and passed +the time fishing and hunting. We were content there, as we got plenty to +eat, and our horses, too, were well fed--an important matter to us just +then. Circumstances were forcing us to attach much value to all sorts of +trifles that we would formerly not even have noticed. + +If once one has suffered the pangs of hunger, one learns to value the +comfort and luxury of home; and if one has wandered about for weeks +without seeing woman or child, one learns to appreciate their gentleness +and charm and to understand Schiller's Zuechtige Hausfrau in 'Das Lied +von der Glocke.' How often in our wanderings we longed for good +literature during our long, tiring, monotonous rides! And how terrible +was the thought of the moral hurt we were suffering--voluntarily in a +way, yet forced to it by a sense of honour and duty. For in this lay the +grievousness of the war, that a powerful nation--influenced by a few +unscrupulous leaders--was trying to annihilate a small nation that +demanded the right of existence, and was therefore forced to defend that +right. It was a happy time for us when we had the opportunity of turning +our thoughts towards literature and other things than commando work. + +The privations that we had already endured were small indeed in +comparison to those which awaited us. It was well with the Uitlander +optimist who remained in our country while the Republics could give him +the comforts he demanded as his right, but who, as soon as things went +wrong, and he saw nothing but misery in the future, left for his own +country--there to sit in judgment on our peasant-nation. How I long for +the gift of being able to express myself, to give a true account of the +self-denial of our burghers and of the misery that we endured! How my +heart bleeds when I think of the great sorrow that has come upon my poor +people! + +When the enemy approached the Delagoa railway-line, President Steyn left +with his escort for Hectorspruit. I had to follow with a trolley for +which there was no room on the train. Because of the disorder that +reigned everywhere I had to wait nearly three days before I could start. +I was pretty nearly famished on my arrival at Hectorspruit, and ate +greedily of the remains of the porridge left by some burghers, among +whom were two sons of State Secretary Reitz. President Steyn's lager had +in the meanwhile become 250 men strong, under Commandant Lategan, and +was then at Krokodil River. + +At Nelspruit I met a couple of old friends, Malherbe and Celliers, with +whom I left for the lager. They were both Transvaalers who had been +studying in Holland, but had returned before finishing their studies on +account of the war. The commando was well supplied with weapons and +ammunition, as the Delagoa Bay line brought plenty to our store. What +became of the rest I do not know, as President Steyn was in a hurry and +our commando left first for the North. + +The ford at Krokodil River was about fifty paces wide--made for the +occasion and difficult to cross. The trolleys and waggons that had to +cross to the lager on the opposite side gave us much trouble, as they +sank deep into the sand. We harnessed a double span of oxen to the +waggons, undressed ourselves, and had to swim alongside the animals to +get them through. Occasionally something dropped from one of the waggons +and had to be fished up in a hurry to save it from the strong current. +There was much shouting and laughter, and if any crocodile had been in +the neighborhood he would have suppressed his hunger until the storm was +over. + +On the banks of the river there was a constant shooting at fish and game, +and even at crocodiles, who showed themselves occasionally. There was +game in abundance. It seemed as if all the game of the Transvaal, that +is becoming so scarce, had fled to this part. + +We were on our way to Pietersburg through the Boschveld of South-East +Lydenburg, which might be called a desert in winter. It was a journey +difficult even for a trek Boer, and more than difficult for a large +commando. A man called Bester was our guide. Some two years before he +had made the same journey on a hunting expedition, and now he was able +to follow the ruts which the wheels of his waggon had made then, and +which would be in all probability deepened by the summer rains. Our +means of transport were chiefly carts and trolleys, on which we also put +our bedding to lighten the burden of our riding horses. + + + + +VIII + +WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST + + +On September 12 we left the Krokodil River early in the morning, after +first watering our cattle and filling our water-bags. Our guide did not +expect to come across any water before the Sabie--a river several days' +journey further on. There were several springs on the way, but as that +part of the country was so little known, because of its unhealthiness, +no one could tell when the last rains had fallen. + +The shrubs and bushes had grown high above the ruts made by the waggon +two years ago, and were a great hindrance to us. The road we followed +twisted and wound rather more than was agreeable, but it was certainly +easy to follow for the lagers that came after us. The horsemen rode next +to the lagers to shoot bucks. We had no 'slaughter-cattle' with us, so +had to live on the game that we shot. + +In the neighbourhood of the river we still came across birds and +insects, but the further we went the more monotonous and _dead_ Nature +became. I could never have pictured such a lifeless wood to myself. No +sound of insects was to be heard, no chirp or song of bird; and not even +the trail of a serpent was to be seen. + +There was a melancholy stillness. Traces of game were in abundance. It +seemed as if only those animals lived there which, accustomed to the +monotonous silence, withdrew noiselessly from the gaze of the +interloper, or, in their ignorant curiosity, stood still until a +hunter's bullet warned them or put an end to their lives. To them we +must have been strange disturbers of the peace. Shots fell in all +directions; sometimes a whole salvo was discharged when we came upon a +herd of bucks. There were many thornless trees growing in their stately +height far above the usual scrub of the Boschveld. Our horses often +grazed on the sweet buffalo grass that always grows under trees. Looked +at from a rise, the Boschveld appeared to be nothing but trees--trees +as far as the eye could see. One shuddered at the thought of what would +become of anyone who lost his way there, since for miles and miles there +was no water to be seen and no trail to go by. It made one hurry back to +the safety of the lager, trusting to the capability of the guide. + +To our great joy, the first spring contained water. It was a large pool +surrounded by rocks, where the game was accustomed to drink. We arrived +there towards afternoon, rested a few hours, and continued our journey +with fresh courage. As the waggons moved too slowly for our liking, we +rode on ahead; but the consequence was that, when it got dark and we +off-saddled, we had no bedding, for nearly all the waggons were obliged +to outspan when darkness set in, as there was no road. + +We knee-haltered our horses in case there were lions about, and +collected a large quantity of wood to keep the fire going all night. +That night our talk, of course, ran upon lion-hunting and shooting +expeditions. Then we crept as close to the fire as possible, and were +soon in a troubled, or untroubled, sleep, dreaming of lions and other +wild animals. But I felt the cold very much, and could not sleep without +my rug, and kept turning from side to side to get as much warmth from +the fire as possible. If only I had made two fires! In a battle I have +been between two fires, and did not find it at all agreeable, but in +this case it would have been different. + +I lay awake, waiting for the third fire, the red dawn, but not in a +poetical mood. There is a time for everything; that I learnt during the +war. Rain is lovely, and cold gives energy, but one must be warm to +appreciate it. As I lay thus, four mules, tethered together, came closer +and closer up to our fire, grazing all the while. I lay still, listening +to the peculiar noise made by the biting off of each mouthful of grass. +I seemed to expect a joke, and suddenly one of the mules fell on his +back. In a moment all our heroes were up and ready to defend themselves +against lions or khakies, according to their different dreams. I +laughed, and laughed again, so that the hyenas could hear me a mile off, +and the startled lion-hunters began to laugh also, so that we woke up +the whole camp. This little episode made my blood circulate, so that I +very soon also was in the land of dreams. + +As the burghers chased all the game on ahead of the lager, the President +and Commandant Boshoff agreed to go in advance, so as to have a chance +of seeing the numerous kinds of wild buck and larger game. I went with +them. Greatly to my distress I forgot to ask our guide what direction we +would take that day with regard to the sun. An experienced hunter would +not have forgotten it, as he knows from experience that in the +excitement of the chase we often leave the beaten track. I had to pay +dearly for my forgetfulness. I rode some distance to the left of the +President, but took care to keep him in sight. But the Boer is +wonderfully disobedient to any authority, and not long after two men +made their appearance to my left, and I saw that if I did not look out +they would be ahead of me in no time, and chase all the game away from +me. As the donga next to which we rode seemed to be a favourite resort +for game, I took the same direction as they did, more to the left. The +dongas ran into each other with numerous bends and curves, and were +sometimes overgrown with high grass, then again quite bare. I paid no +attention to the direction we took. + +After a while one of the men wounded a buck, and they both rode into the +donga after it. I rode on, to cross the donga a little further on, so as +not to have to follow in the track of the other two, and saw a red buck +on the other side, which I wounded so badly that it seemed unnecessary +to fire again, and I rode leisurely towards it. But when I had crossed +the donga the buck had disappeared, and I began to seek for the traces +of blood, but I soon had to give up the search, not to lose sight of the +other two men. They, however, seemed to be a great distance off, as I +did not overtake them, and I did not succeed in tracing them in the +direction that the wounded buck had led them, as the track in the grass +was invisible to my inexperienced eye. + +I rode back to the donga, and deliberated on the course to take. In all +directions I heard shots, right and left, but I stood irresolute. I had +no watch with me to find the four quarters of the wind, but the sun had +only just risen, and I made a guess with an imaginary compass. It was +lucky for me that I made such a good guess, and had paid great attention +to the direction we had taken with regard to the sun. I was certain that +I should come upon the traces of the lager if only I kept within the +sides of a right angle, unless the lager had at the start taken a sharp +turn to the right or left. + +But it was possible that in our excitement we might have crossed the +waggon track which the lager was to follow; then the lager would be far +to the right. Standing thus like the ass between two bundles of hay, I +was not in the mood to think lightly of my case, but had to act at once, +so I chose the safest and more probable of the two sides of my right +angle--namely, the left, as I would then in any case not be moving +towards Portuguese territory, and could always turn to the Krokodil +River. + +I felt pretty certain now, as it was more probable that we had not +crossed the old waggon tract, and every moment I expected to hear the +switching of the long whips. But when I had gone some distance I was +obliged to return to the donga, and retrace my way to the place where we +had slept. A clever Boer would have succeeded in finding the way back, +but I soon lost my way altogether. I lost the traces of the horse's +hoofs, and the dongas looked to me so different that in one place where +a donga branched off I did not know which to follow. An intense feeling +of desolation took possession of me. Lost in a wilderness without food +or water! I thought of the twelve or thirteen men who got lost in this +wood on a hunting expedition, and of whom only one was saved. A great +fear came upon me. Gradually I became calmer, and tried to form some +plan of action. I resolved to keep to the left, where I had already seen +a solitary mountain. Perhaps water was to be found there. + +My gun was loaded with Dum-Dum bullets, specially prepared for bucks. I +had filed through the steel to the lead, so that the bullet would expand +at once when it came into contact with bone. I found a buck tame in its +very wildness, but I missed it, for the aim of my gun, a fine sporting +Mauser, had been bent by the branches of the trees. It was a good thing +that I did not come across a lion, or, rather, that a lion did not come +across me. + +I had to ride under trees, through shrubs and grass, and had to keep a +sharp look-out, as the king of beasts sometimes takes the lords of +creation unawares. And I had to look out for an opportunity to shoot a +buck--the only food within my reach. The nearer I came to the mountain, +the surer I was that I had lost my way completely, and the more I became +reconciled to my fate. I planned how I should build a large fire in the +night for myself and my horse, and how I should defend myself against a +lion with a burning piece of wood. + +Suddenly my horse went faster and pushed to the left. Greatly to my +astonishment, I saw that the attraction was a little stream of water +that he had scented in a donga. I off-saddled, and let my horse graze in +the luxuriant grass. + +Now I was strengthened in my belief that I had taken the wrong +direction, for we were all under the impression that we should not soon +reach water. I prepared some more Dum-Dum bullets with a small file that +I carried in my pocket, and did not let my horse graze long, but +hastened to the mountain to find a better shelter for the night. To my +great joy, I came upon the wide road about a thousand paces further on. +I followed the road along the mountain for half an hour, when I came +upon the lager, camped near a stream--probably the same stream at which +I and my horse had quenched our thirst. + +As we sat round our fires that night we heard shots fired in the +distance from the direction that we had come. Some men were sent out +immediately, and returned after a while with a man quite exhausted from +hunger and thirst, and paralyzed with fear; he had been unable to +overtake the lager. + + + + +IX + +PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG + + +Experience teaches us. The knowledge that we have gained in this war we +must pass on to the coming generation. It may be of use in a war of the +future, or on some other occasion. Therefore Oom Dietlof will take this +opportunity to give his nephews in South Africa some practical hints +that may be of use to a burgher in his travels or in a war. If anyone +loses his way in the same way that I have just described, he must +remember the following way of finding the four quarters of the wind: + +The small hand of a watch describes a circle in twelve hours, while the +apparent movement of the sun round the earth is in twenty-four hours. +The movement of the small hand is therefore twice as fast as that of +the sun. If one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying watch to the +sun at twelve o'clock, then the hands and the figure XII. lie in the +meridian as well as the sun. + +In the northern half-circle the sun and the hands move in the same +direction. In one hour's time the small hand goes a distance of +360 deg./12 = 30 deg., and the sun goes a distance of 360 deg./24 = 15 +deg. If at one o'clock one points the small hand of a horizontal-lying +watch to the sun, the line that divides the acute angle between the +figures I. and XII. lies in the meridian. So one can always find the +meridian. + +In the southern half-circle the sun and hands move in opposite +directions, therefore one must point the figure XII. to the sun, and +then divide the acute angle between the figure XII. and the small hand +to find the meridian. + +In this way one can at any time find out the direction one has taken. +But everyone has not always a good watch, and the sun sometimes hides +behind the clouds. Then it is better to have a good compass--but better +still not to lose one's way. + +Besides such simple articles as a pocket-knife, a water-bag, etc., +which are indispensable to a traveller in our country, everyone ought to +carry with him a good plaster, a nosebag, and some snake poison; maize +(mealies) for his horse, the cheapest and most strengthening food that +we know of, can always be carried in the nosebag. Snake poison prepared +by a good Kaffir doctor is the only cure for snake-bites or the bite of +any poisonous insect. The Kaffirs prepare it from some (to us) unknown +shrub, and from the poison of the most venomous snake, which they make +into a powder. This powder is used as an antidote by swallowing a small +dose--enough to cover the point of a pocket-knife--and also by applying +some to the bite, after first having cut an opening into the bitten part +with a pocket-knife. Some people protect themselves against the poison +of a snake-bite by regularly swallowing some of the poison and +vaccinating themselves with it. One can even protect one's self in this +way against the bite of the poisonous file-snake of the Boschveld--a +snake the shape of a three-cornered file, sometimes from 3 to 4 feet +long. It is a fact that the person whose body is proof against the +poison of a snake-bite is never bitten, as he is feared by snakes. +Formerly I doubted it, but I have myself seen people who have made +themselves proof against a bite in this way, and I have also heard it +from people in whom I have the utmost faith. + +Alcohol is also a good antidote, provided one takes it immediately and +in such quantities that it goes to the head. I would recommend everyone +always to take a small quantity of brandy with him on commando, if +experience had not taught me that some take even a mosquito-bite as an +excuse to 'take a drop,' and I am against that on principle. + +Often while loading my horse the thought struck me whether the poor +brute ever had a wish to protest, 'Surely this is becoming too bad!' and +that reminds me that one must be very careful not to overload. The +knapsack must not be filled with kaboe mealies (roasted maize) for one's +self, while the nosebag of the poor horse remains empty. + +More than one prisoner of war has bitterly regretted that he did not +take his horse's power of endurance into greater consideration. Now I +must take up the thread of my tale. + +The following morning the lager would start at three o'clock, and, as +my horse was in good condition, the owner of the horse that had been +left behind asked me to fetch it before the lager left. He explained to +me where I would find it tied to a tree about half an hour's ride from +the lager, so I started with a friend at about two o'clock at night. On +the way we came across a mule that had wandered away while grazing, +ignorant of all the danger he was exposing himself to in the uninhabited +Boschveld. The creature gave us much trouble by refusing to be caught +and constantly dodging behind a tree, so we lost a great deal of time. +On our way back, close to the lager, we heard the whine of the wild-dog, +the well-known feared wolf. We thought it very interesting to come +across a wild animal of which we had no fear just then. But when we +reached the camping-ground of the lager, where only the trolley stood to +which the wandering mule belonged, we found to our surprise that both +white men and Kaffirs had given up the search for the mule for fear of +the wild-dog. They had all congregated round large fires. The wild-dog, +however, is harmless by himself; like the khakies, his strength lies in +numbers. We had to leave the sick horse to join the bucks of the +Boschveld on its recovery, until the horse-sickness came. After a long, +tiring, but very interesting ride we arrived at the Sabie, where the +rest of the lager was already encamped. The Sabie is about the size of +the Krokodil River, and its scenery of woods and valleys formed a sharp +contrast to the deadly monotony of the Boschveld that lay behind us. We +had crossed the bare desert and were now in a part of the country +inhabited by Kaffirs. The following day the lager was removed half an +hour further on, and there we remained a few days. + +At night four of us were persuaded to go eel-catching in a +crocodile-pool that we had discovered a little further on. We made a +large fire to entice the eels, and, as we were none of us great lovers +of angling, we made a splendid bonfire, as there was plenty of dry wood +to be had. + +There was something particularly attractive in these large fires on +those quiet, dark nights of the wilderness. The glow threw a sombre +light on the water that gave one a creepy feeling, as if a crocodile +were on the watch for us in the water, and lions at our back between +the large trees. What must they have thought of us? + +The bank of the river seemed to be about 6 feet high, and not very +steep. We made the fire closer and closer to what seemed the bank. I saw +someone lift up a huge branch, walk to the bank with it, and plant his +left foot firmly on the ground. The reeds gave way beneath him. What +seemed a firm bank, by the glow of the fire, proved to be a mass of +reeds and grass, and the poor man fell down a height of 6 feet, his fall +being hastened by the heavy branch he held. For a moment we stood +irresolute. To jump after him into a crocodile-pool! But he called for +help, and we had to act immediately. Fortunately, one acts almost +instinctively in such cases. One of the others slid down the bank--the +thought striking him: 'If only there are not two crocodiles!' Landing on +a horizontal branch, he stretched out his hand to the drowning man, +someone else took hold of his left hand, and so they were both saved. If +a crocodile had been in the neighbourhood, he would probably have stood +on the defensive. Such a queer, two-legged animal who led the attack in +such a strange but decided way must have roused his respect. + +This piece of fun put an end to our eel-fishing. We had caught only one +eel--and a man. + +The following morning there was parade for President Steyn. His speech +to us was touching and to the point, and showed that he believed in a +good ending to the war, if the burghers were capable of enduring such +hardships as at present. Then he also told us in what a hurry he was to +reach his burghers, as he was afraid that the enemy were doing all in +their power to make them turn against him. We all liked President Steyn +very much. + +On our journey through the Selatie Goldfields, past the Marietje River +to Pilgrim's Rest, we crossed the steepest mountain that I have ever +seen. A double span of oxen was harnessed to each waggon. The oxen were +lent us for the occasion by the Boers living on the plateau in front of +us. After every few steps upwards we had to put stones under the wheels +to prevent the waggons from slipping back. It took our little lager +nearly all day to reach the plateau. Then we had a most magnificent +view of the Boschveld that lay behind us. In the distance the Lobombo +Mountains were visible on the boundary of the Portuguese and Transvaal +territory. The first rains had fallen on the plateau, so the green grass +was a refreshing change for our eyes. The horses would be able to graze +well, and the good feeding would soon make them lose their old coats, +and then they would be sleek and glossy again. + +From the high plateau we descended, over a 'lumpy' veld, with an oasis +here and there in a hole or valley, or on the top of a hill, to +Pilgrim's Rest. Some miles before we reached this little town we passed +beside the water-works that supply a strong stream of water for the +machinery of the gold-mines. We simply stormed the shops, that were +still well supplied with provisions, and bought all sorts of luxuries +and necessaries for our journey. From Pilgrim's Rest we once more +crossed a steep mountain, along a road that for length and height has +not its equal. In the neighbourhood of Ohrigstad, a little town that we +left to our right, I asked a Boer woman whether the fever did not make +one's life impossible there, and I got a very naif reply: 'No; this +year the fever was not so bad. We all got ill, but not one of us died.' + +The rest of our journey to the north of Lydenburg, over Spekstroom +River, along Watervalop, over Steenkampsberg to Roossenekal, was very +tedious. The uninhabited Boschveld was very interesting, and we had +sufficient provisions then, but the poor, uncivilized Boer inhabitants +of the Lydenburg district were unable to supply us with necessaries, the +want of which we were beginning to feel. We could not buy a loaf of +bread anywhere. And it is anything but pleasant in a time of war to come +across such lax and unenergetic people as they proved to be. The men +were nearly always at home, and appeared to be discouraged and unwilling +to fight. We had all lost our sweet tooth. That one could tell by such +expressions as: 'Even if you give me sugar:--' But occasionally we got a +more desirable substitute, when a beehive was discovered in a cleft of a +rock. Some of our men are particularly clever at discovering a hive. I +have often seen a man stand gazing up at the sky, walk on a short +distance, and again stand gazing, and after awhile appear with a bucket +of honey. By watching the flight of the bees they find out in what +direction the hive is. A practised eye can see the rising and settling +of the bees above the hive from a great distance. + + + + +X + +FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS TO THE MAGALIES +MOUNTAINS + + +We went in a very different direction from that of General Ben Viljoen's +commando, which took the road to Pietersburg through Leydsdorp. +President Steyn celebrated the anniversary of his birthday at +Roossenekal, and addressed us in the same spirit as on the former +occasion at the Sabie. + +Roossenekal is famous for its caves, or grottos, in which the Mapochers +hid themselves so well during the Mapoch War. We made use of the +opportunity to visit the grottos, of whose formation I should like to +know more. What appeared on the outside to be an ordinary hill proved a +most wonderful natural building containing many rooms. The old kraal +walls and the peach-trees and 'Turkish figs', (prickly-pears), overgrown +by wild trees, and an occasional earthen vessel, were the remains of the +Kaffir city. Of course we cut our names into the rocks by way of +becoming immortal. We could not help speaking with great admiration of +the wild Kaffir tribe who from such a hiding-place fought for months for +a life of independence. We had no time to visit the grottos further +away. + +Although our horses were well fed during this time of rest, they +profited little, on account of the constant cold rains that fell. We +fortunately still had some tents, that we used only in case of rain. Our +Commandant was still always in doubt whether to proceed to Pietersburg, +for we were quite ignorant of the enemy's movements during the last few +weeks. Later on, when he got the information that the enemy were +stationed at Pinaars River bridge, and that we could not with safety +pass Warmbad and Pinaars River, we had to turn off at Kobaltmyn to the +right to cross Olifants River lower down. We had already passed +Kobaltmyn in the beginning of July on our journey after General de la +Rey. The latter part of our journey, along Olifants River, through +Zebedelsland to Pietersburg, was exhausting for man and horse. Some of +us often had nothing but a little rice and a small piece of meat for +several days in succession. There was scarcely any grass for our horses, +and yet we had to ride hard night and day. + +After a tiring journey of fully a month, President Steyn's commando +arrived at Pietersburg on October 11. Although we had always intended to +follow President Steyn to De Wet, my brother and I, with Malherbe, now +accepted an invitation from my uncle, Ignace Mare, to stay awhile on his +farm at Marabastad. President Steyn left with his commando for +Nylstroom. Our horses were worn out, and could not follow the commando. +Most of the men had a spare horse that was still in good condition, and +although my brother and I had only one horse apiece, we often had to do +the hardest work. + +My aunt and uncle did their best to make our stay a pleasant one, and +our horses were well fed. Soon General Ben Viljoen's commando arrived at +Marabastad, and stayed there a few weeks, so that we also experienced +the discomfort arising from a lager camped on one's farm. The Boer is +deprived by it of all necessaries, and all sorts and conditions of men +constantly visit his house. Some of them, the riff-raff of the commando, +are very unwelcome guests, for they do much mischief intentionally, and +thereby give the commando a very bad name. The poles to which the wire +is attached for camping at a farm were yet left undamaged. The burghers +were still accustomed to get plenty of dry wood in the Boschveld, and +were not yet so demoralized as to work damage without scruple. + +We stayed at my uncle's far longer than we at first intended. My saddle +had chafed the horse's back so severely that I could not ride it for +several months. My brother got an attack of malaria, and just as he was +recovering had a relapse, so that President Steyn was so far in advance +of us that there was no question of overtaking him. + +The commando had already left Marabastad when we started for +Tweefontein, near Warmbad, on our now strong, sleek horses. There we +joined Commandant Kemp, of the Krugersdorp commando, under Wyk III., who +had parted from Ben Viljoen at Marabastad because the latter had on a +Sunday afternoon during service fired off several cannon-shots for the +edification of a few fast women. + +Malherbe, my brother, and I formed a sort of comradeship under Corporal +Botman--or, to put it simply, we were 'chums.' At Warmbad we heard many +interesting things about the khakies, who had stayed there nineteen days +on their hunt after De Wet. We could not understand why they destroyed +the bathing-houses, unless it were to deprive our wounded of the chance +of recovery. + +The condition of the people in Zoutpansberg and in Waterberg, where the +enemy had been, was not very cheerful. Everyone complained that there +was no sugar to be had, that the meal was getting low, and that soon +there would be no clothes. Pietersburg was exhausted by the commandos, +and the courage of the inhabitants was nearly at an ebb. They would not +yet make the sacrifice that would part them from their families. The +enemy had not yet driven them to despair by the destruction of their +fields and goods. + +Every sensible person knew that the Republics would lose in the +long-run in a guerilla war unless something unforeseen happened. At the +time that we fled from Pretoria my mother said she would have hope as +long as her 'gorillas' remained in the veld. Even if we clung to a +straw, the possibility always remained that things might take a +favourable turn as long as a fair number of burghers remained in the +veld. + +The burghers from the different districts now in Waterberg were earnest +and full of courage. Noticeable changes for the better had been made. +Beyers, a man in whom the men had the utmost faith, was made +Assistant-Commandant-General, and was to lead a commando of 1,500 +horsemen from Waterberg, Zoutpansberg, Krugersdorp, etc., to the +Hoogeveld. The discipline was much stricter. Cooper and Fanie Grobler, +who had been accused of high treason, promised to keep a sharper +look-out for spies and traitors. And we still always hoped for an +eventual rebellion in Cape Colony. That hope was our life-buoy on which +we kept our eyes fixed. We felt that there our safety lay, and the +enthusiasm of the commando was heightened by the desire to celebrate +Paardekraal Day in Krugersdorp on December 15. As a sailor longs for the +sea, so we longed for a meeting with the khakies when we left for the +Magalies Mountains in the beginning of December. Our commando was light +and mobile, with provisions for a short time only. Such heavy cannon as +the Long Toms were of no use to us now. Hence-forward we were to live on +the produce of the surrounding country, as there was no basis from which +we were to operate. Besides this, the khakies very kindly made over some +of their provisions, arms, and ammunition to us in a skirmish or battle, +so that afterwards we had more Lee-Metfords than Mausers in our +possession. + +At Krokodil River I had the privilege of seeing how a honey-bird takes a +human being to a bees' nest. As we were lying under a tree, a honey-bird +settled close to us. Corporal Botman followed it as it flew chirping +from tree to tree, and called to it that he was following, until the +bird stopped at the hive. The grateful finder always rewards the bird +with a piece of honeycomb that he puts aside for it. But I have never +been able to discover whether the bird or the insects eat the honey. I +know that the 'bug-birds,' that are always seen on or near cattle, do +not feed on the bugs with which the cattle are covered, but on the +locusts that fly about the herd. Last week, when our guards took us for +a walk outside the fort, I noticed that a kind of sparrow in India has +the same trick of catching the locusts that are driven on ahead by the +cattle. + +I shall not try to give a description of the works of the machinery that +moved mechanically to the Magalies Mountains, for I should have to guess +at the particulars in this historical little tale. Mechanical I call the +journey, for there were days and nights in which we were numbed, body +and soul, exhausted by hunger and thirst and want of sleep. + +When we were at Bethany, a convoy of the enemy was seen moving in the +direction of Commandonek. When it noticed our guard, it dragged its +curved body with great zeal through the pass. I think the khakies also +must have been bored to death on those long, fruitless journeys. We left +Bethany towards evening, and reached the Magalies Mountains the +following morning after a tiring journey in the night past Sterkstroom, +through the Kromriverskloof to the foot of Onuapadnek, or +Boschfonteinnek. (I learnt the names from the inhabitants.) In the kloof +we passed the burnt remains of the convoy that was taken by Commandant +Boshoff--who joined De la Rey after having taken Steyn to his +destination--and his brave little troop of burghers. They were obliged +to abandon the convoy, however, on the arrival of reinforcements for the +enemy. A sickening stench came from the corpses that they had left +unburied in their flight. + +We rested a few hours at the top of the steep nek. On descending on the +other side we came, to our mutual surprise, upon De la Key's lager at +the foot of the mountain on Barnard's farm. + + + + +XI + +BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT + + +We were busy all evening baking vet-koek (a kind of scone fried in +lard), as we had received the order to be ready to leave the following +morning at one o'clock, and to take provisions sufficient for two +days. Although our officers were beginning to see the advisability of +keeping their plans secret, we were able to guess that we were going +to attack General Clements' camp, an hour's ride further east at +Nooitgedacht--particularly as the chances of success, in case of an +eventual attack, were being discussed by some of the officers. The +general opinion was that Clements' force was 5,000 strong. + +We left quite three-quarters of an hour later than the fixed time in the +early morning of December 13, 1900, and recrossed the steep, narrow +neck, took a way to our right in the Kromriverskloof, making a sharp +turn to Elandskrans, where a strong outpost had been placed by the enemy +on the Magalies Mountains. + +That was the crust through which we had to bite to get at the dainties +of the booty. It cannot be denied that victory and booty, in our +impoverished circumstances, were very close together in our thoughts. +The enemy's camp lay at the foot of the long, high cliff that forms a +precipice on that side of the mountain, while the slope of the mountain +on our side was not steep, and there were a great many footholds and +boulders. The artillery had been left in the neck of the pass to protect +the lagers. Beyers, with some Zoutpansbergers, turned away from us to +the right to reach Elandskrans along the mountain ridge. It appeared, +therefore, that Beyers and Kemp were going to make the attack from the +north, with 1,000 men, and that Kemp had the centre and the left wing. +We were again too late. The sun had risen when we began the attack. +Corporal Botman was ordered by Kemp to surround the extreme right of +the enemy's right wing, with thirty men. + +We had to storm the left to enclose the enemy in the half-circle. We +were exposed to a rain of bullets, and had to storm through ravines and +reefs, sometimes racing our horses, then leading them, and making use of +every cover. General Beyers, with his splendid sharp-shooters, was +already in hot action with the right wing, and Commandant Kemp in the +centre had forced his way close to the enemy. We tied our horses +together behind a reef, left them in charge of a few men, and advanced, +spreading ourselves in groups of three, four and five. A moment of +extreme anxiety followed. + +Not to expose ourselves unnecessarily, we had to peep from behind the +rocks, shoot the course clear, and run to the next cover. Malherbe and I +stayed as close as possible to our cool, collected, brave corporal, and +we had to gasp for breath sometimes if trying to keep up to him. The +others forced their way upwards more to the left, and so formed the +furthest left point of the half-moon. + +While the three of us were pushing our way from position to position +into the neighbourhood of the few khakies who already dared not raise +their heads from behind the rocks, I noticed, some 500 paces to our +front, a number of khakies moving in our direction. I warned Malherbe to +keep up his courage, as the enemy were getting reinforcements. A moment +later, while our corporal had again moved onwards, I noticed several +khakies on a stone ridge some 150 paces in front of us. It appeared that +they were driven on by part of the centre and right wing, for just then +two men made their appearance, whom I at once recognised as Boers from +the colour of their clothes and the quick way in which they aimed at me. +I stooped quick as a hare, and immediately rose again. The enemy now +surrendered, I believe to the number of two or three hundred of the +Northumberland Fusiliers, called the 'Fighting Fifth' on account of +their courage and bravery. We also took on the mountain a heliograph +that the enemy had broken. + +The khakies acknowledged that we had taken the position with the +greatest possible speed. We were in the majority. But it must not be +forgotten that we were the attacking party and had to expose ourselves, +and also that, although the battle on the mountain extended over a long +line, our right wing had still to reckon with the reinforcements that +were sent up through a narrow kloof from the camp. It was a repetition +of Selikatsnek. The khakies had the good positions, and we had good +cover behind the rocks on the mountain slope. In such a case he is no +match for us. + +We went on a few hundred paces over pretty level ground, and then looked +down upon the camp at the foot of the mountain, which consisted of +several hundreds of tents and many waggons. Some of these waggons were +inspanned, some were already retreating, but most of them were not yet +inspanned. The camp lay on the grounds and by the fields of a deserted +farm. + +Afterwards I heard that Commandant Badenhorst, of Pretoria (who had +attacked the enemy before our arrival, at the foot of the mountain, and +so suffered the greatest loss), was already retreating, but, hearing the +fighting on the mountain, had renewed his attack. + +The enemy could not stand the fire that we opened upon them, and had to +retreat from the camp in the direction of Commandonek. The inevitable +consequence was that the troops on the west, opposite De la Rey, had to +retreat hurriedly so as not to be cut off by the wedge that was forcing +its way along the mountains into the camp. They were far beyond reach of +our bullets. Where De la Rey's cannon were, and why they did not make +themselves heard, I do not know. Neither do I know why General Smuts did +not cut off the retreat of the enemy to the south-east. They had placed +a few cannon to our left in the valley, and bombarded us fiercely on the +mountain without much result. The balls of a small Maxim flew past us +with a hissing sound and hindered us in our aim. + +The waggons that were inspanned fled in the direction of Commandonek, +and halted in the valley at a respectful distance from us. Although the +camp appeared to be almost deserted, a continual firing was heard below +us. I could not make out from where it came until I suddenly discovered +several small troops of horsemen who galloped at intervals from behind a +wall in the shade of some trees. They were in all probability left +there as cover for the waggons. The few shots we fired at them missed +their aim. We saw De la Rey's burghers capture a large herd of cattle. + +While Malherbe and I were peering from behind our hurriedly erected +entrenchment, and occasionally firing a few shots, I discovered four or +five brave khakies busy dragging along an ammunition waggon, or a gun; +from such a distance we could not distinguish which. We fired at them +with a sight of 800 paces, but did not hit them, as the horizontal +distance to the camp was not more than 400 paces, and we should have +used a sight of 600 paces, but the height of the mountain was very +misleading. Immediately afterwards a span of mules came in the direction +of the supposed gun, so Malherbe and I retreated as fast as we could, to +find a better cover more to the left. It is strange how in a battle one +always has an idea that all the threatened danger is aimed specially at +one's self. + +We had to be on the look-out not to fire at our own people, some of whom +were already in the camp. My brother, Malherbe, and I went to the narrow +kloof that I have already mentioned, after a fruitless search for our +horses, which had meanwhile been taken to the entrance of the kloof, and +I heard from my brother that our brave General had been wounded in the +leg by a shell. During the search for our horses we had noticed a long +dust-cloud at the end of Kromriverskloof, near Buffelspoort, moving from +Rustenburg in the direction of Commandonek--in all probability +reinforcements for the enemy, arriving too late. + +The Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers, who were most undisciplined, had +descended through the kloof in quest of booty. But the Krugersdorpers, +formerly notorious for their rough behaviour, were now the most orderly, +and did not descend before all the men were collected. The kloof was +strewn with bodies of khakies, who were sent up as reinforcement and +pitilessly shot down by the burghers. The little stream of water was red +with blood, so that we could not even quench our thirst. Some of the +khakies had fallen from the high cliffs, where they had to lie +unburied--like the soldiers on Amajuba in 1881. + +We led our horses to the opening of the kloof, and then galloped into +camp under the thundering noise of the shells that the enemy were +firing at us from the distance. There was no control possible among the +burghers. Each one loaded his horse with whatever he could lay his hands +on, and there was no thought of following up the retreating enemy. They +did not leave us undisturbed in our glory, but aimed lyddite at us, +which had the desired effect, that we in our disorder did not storm the +front positions, but retreated in the direction of our camp, a quarter +of a mile in among the trees. There Veld-Kornet Klaassen ordered his men +to off-saddle and give the horses a rest. Meanwhile the camp was burnt, +flames arose in all directions, and thousands of cartridges exploded. + +After we had watered our horses in a neighbouring spruit we lay down to +rest. But ere long General De la Rey came galloping into our midst with +a lash in his hand, calling to us whether we were not ashamed to lie +there doing nothing, instead of following up our advantage now that we +had the chance, when otherwise the enemy would ill-treat our women and +children and burn down our homes. One of our corporals rather +impertinently informed De la Rey that he served under another General, +and would obey no orders but his. De la Rey thereupon rode up to him and +gave him a heavy cut with his lash. I went up to the General, and told +him that we were quite willing to fight, and had only off-saddled for a +rest by order of our Field-Cornet. In his rage he lifted his lash, but, +recognising me, lowered it again. If I had aimed at getting a cut from +him, I might have called out like the Dutch farmers, who got a box on +the ear from Peter the Great for pressing too closely upon him while he +was building ships at Zaandam: 'I have had one too! I have had one too!' +We then rode with the General to the burnt camp. The enemy had not found +the game worth the candle, and had saved their shell for a more +favourable occasion. + +One can imagine De la Rey's indignation when he saw that waggons, +provisions, and ammunition were nearly all burnt. He pointed out to us +how ammunition and guns were required on every side. General Beyers, +whom we met there, excused himself by explaining that he had ordered +only those things to be burnt that we did not require. We then rode to +the other positions on the opposite side of the camp, but the enemy were +in full flight, followed by an occasional burgher. + +I do not consider myself able to criticise the manner in which our +officers organized this battle. But it was easy to see that a great +mistake had been made. We had much to be thankful for, but the result +might have been more advantageous to us. The whole camp with all its +cannon should have been taken with a smaller loss than eighty men killed +and wounded. + +I do not know the number of the enemy's killed and wounded. If our first +attack had been made unanimously and unexpectedly, we could easily have +crushed the enemy. The prisoners, as usual, pretended that they knew all +about our plans, but why, then, were their reinforcements too late, or, +rather, why did they never arrive? When General De la Rey organizes an +attack, and his instructions are well carried out, the burghers have so +much confidence in him, and like him so well, in spite of, or perhaps +because of his violent temper, that they never have any doubt as to his +ultimate success. + +The prisoners were released. In my presence they were always well +treated, and I have seen many khaki prisoners who have never on any +occasion been ill-treated. + + + + +XII + +PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN STATION + +From Onuapadnek our lagers went to the farm Rietfontein, near +Witwatersrandjes, where we celebrated Paardekraal Day on December +16--under sad circumstances, alas! + +Ds. Kriel, who constantly accompanied us in the most self-denying +manner, in all our battles and on all our long journeys, led us in +prayer that day. Halfway up the kopje, which we climbed in most solemn +earnest, he offered up a prayer to God, and then impressed upon us the +importance of the occasion. On the top of the kopje he held a short +service. It reminded me of that which my own father held for the +assembled burghers at Paardekraal in 1880. How true and faithful he was +in his position as preacher to the fighting men, and how well he served +his adopted country! + +After General De la Rey, Smuts, Kemp, and Mr. Naude had all addressed +us, Ds. Kriel read out a document in which was expressed, in a few +words, the purpose each one of us should attach to his contribution of a +stone towards the monument to be erected there. He exhorted the burghers +not to add a stone to the pile unless they fully understood and were in +earnest about its meaning. So the old covenant was renewed in a +different place under different circumstances and in a different manner +from the Paardekraal Day of former years, and when the burghers +descended from the kopje they were strengthened by the renewing of an +ancient pledge in their resolution to fight to the last for their +country and their people. + +The place where the monument was erected was called Ebenhaezer. + +Between the Magalies Mountains and the Witwatersranden stretches a long +valley called the Moat. In the centre runs a gray ridge or rand, +parallel to the mountains, and rising into kopjes to the east, near +Hekpoort. Thither our commando moved a few days later to meet the +enemy, who were approaching from Commandonek, most probably with +revengeful intentions. The Moat was well provided with corn, and asked +for our protection. We stayed over a day on the gray ridge. When the +enemy advanced towards us on the day following, General De la Rey had +taken up his position near Nooitgedacht, and so formed the left wing. +Commandant Kemp, with his men, was at the south on the foot of the +ridge, and Veld-Kornet van Tender, with a small troop of +Zoutpansbergers, was on the first kopje, while General Beyers, with the +Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers held the right wing to the west of +Hekpoort, in Witwatersrand. The whole of that forenoon the enemy were +ready to attack us, and we waited calmly. Towards afternoon their left +wing moved towards the first kopje, beyond the reach of the +Zoutpansbergers, who were on the Witwatersranden near Hekpoort. They +began firing at the position of Veld-Kornet Van Tonder, and when he fell +mortally wounded his Zoutpansbergers were obliged to retire from the +kopje. + +Our Veld-Kornet, Kruger, a fine, brave fellow, then led twenty-five of +our men towards Hekpoort, to try and stop the enemy in their forward +movement. As Malherbe, my brother, and I were among the twenty-five, I +cannot tell what happened to De la Rey on the other side of the gray +ridge. We pressed too far forward, and soon had to retreat some +distance. Our Veld-Kornet stayed behind with a few of us, on a small +rise, while our horses were taken some 300 paces further back, and the +rest of our little troop rode in the direction of Hekpoort. The enemy +already occupied the first kopje, and were firing at us from a distance. +We quickly made an entrenchment of stones and lay waiting. But our +people were retreating from the other kopjes, and we had to get to our +horses as quickly as possible. A few cowardly burghers on the ridge took +us for khakies and fired at us. Then I experienced the difference +between the aim of Boer and khaki. The latter's bullets always flew far +above our heads, but the former's fell terribly close to us. + +As yet we had retired in good order, but soon we fled in a panic. The +enemy had come from Krugersdorp in very large numbers, and already +occupied the high Witwatersranden behind us. + +Whoever has an incapable horse had better hide in a ditch or behind a +wall along with the poor, frightened women. More than once I have seen +poor frightened women holding their crying children by the hand, and +seeking a hiding-place near their houses during a battle. It is indeed a +tragic sight!--we men, with our weapons in our hands, not able to defend +them at such a time. And then a great feeling of shame came upon us. +These same women had only the day before called down God's blessing upon +us, and now they cried to us to hurry, or we would be surrounded. + +We rode at a flying gallop for fully half an hour--along the Magalies +Mountains, between the Witwatersranden and the many smaller banks, while +to the left the enemy were descending and firing at us. The Waterbergers +and Zoutpansbergers, who learnt later than we did that the enemy were +surrounding us, would all have been taken prisoners had they not forced +their way bravely through thick and thin. As far as we can tell, our +loss was, fortunately, only one killed. + +At the Manharen, a peculiar kind of kopje, we halted, but had to +retreat further towards evening. + +Beyers' commando moved in the direction of Gatsrand, but had to turn to +Zwartruggens, near Rustenburg, when it reached the farm Modderfontein, +where we celebrated Christmas. The enemy was constantly at our heels, +and made things hot for us; we often had to hurry most inconveniently +not to be surrounded or cut off. We got a few days' rest on the farm +Vlakhoek. We were camped near a small stream, and went from there to the +different farms in search of the first fruit of the season. + +On New Year's Eve General Beyers' commando moved on the wide hard +Krugersdorp road. The bullock waggon lager had been left behind, as it +prevented us from moving as quickly as was sometimes necessary. The +burghers still longed to attack Krugersdorp, and on New Year's Eve, as +we moved fast in the direction of the town, our hearts were cheered by +the thought of Jameson's failure, when five years ago he passed along +the same road in his notorious Raid. We all hoped to add an immortal +page to the annals of our history on the following New Year's Day. But +we were sadly disappointed in our expectations. The Jameson Raid was not +avenged, and we celebrated New Year's Day calmly and peacefully at +Cyferbult, on Pretorius' farm, with milie-pap (maize meal porridge) and +beef and--green fruit! + +Whenever we came to a farm we ate as much green fruit as possible by way +of a change in our diet. On other occasions it would have been very bad +for us, but now it seemed to have a very wholesome effect. As we moved +on past Zwartkop over the Krokodil River in the direction of the +railway, we realized that there was no chance of attacking Krugersdorp +for the present, for General Beyers had apparently changed his plans. We +were quite sure that it had originally been his intention, and some of +our officers talked of the attack on the town as if it were an open +secret. + +Our capable Veld-Kornet, Kruger, had remained behind at Zwartkop to get +the burghers of Wyk III. Krugersdorp from out of their hiding-places, as +the Generals wanted to concentrate all the small bands for some great +undertaking. We joined Wyk I. Krugersdorp under Veld-Kornet Klaassen. + +Near Hekpoort, as we were camped at Dwarsvlei, we attacked a convoy of +the enemy in the valley, and very nearly captured it before it was +reinforced. I was not present, so cannot give any account of the battle. +After a sharp trek of more than one night, we crossed the rails between +Kaalfontein and Zuurfontein Stations, just before sunrise one morning +towards the middle of January. We captured a few guards who seemed to +know nothing of our movements. Why General Beyers did not surprise one +or both stations that morning early is still a mystery to us, as our +movements were remarkably quick. It could not have been because he +thought us too tired, for some twenty minutes further on, while we were +resting on a farm, he ordered part of our lager to turn to the left and +attack Kaalfontein Station. + +Our corporal was unwilling to work us and our horses to death, so he +first got breakfast ready. But when our cannon began to roar and +Corporal Botman, who still limped from a wound, rode off without a word +in his own peculiar way, our conscience began to trouble us, and several +of our men followed him. My brother, whose horse's back was chafed, +remained in the lager with the rest of the burghers. + +When we reached our guns, we immediately saw that the station could be +taken only at the cost of many lives--more than the success would be +worth. Our guns had not the desired effect, and we should have had to +charge across an open space without any cover. The enemy had no guns. +They say our left wing very nearly succeeded in taking a small fort near +the station, but I cannot give any particulars, for our Veld-Kornet rode +with a small troop of burghers to the right of the station, and took +another small fort which the enemy had abandoned because it was too far +away from the station. What might have been expected happened. Towards +afternoon an armoured train came from Pretoria, and reinforcements +arrived from Johannesburg and scattered our left wing over the valley. I +happened to be with a few others on the outmost point of the right wing +of attack--or, rather, since the scene was changed, of the left wing of +flight. And as we were retreating at our ease an old man galloped +towards us and pointed out that we were retreating in the wrong +direction, as the enemy had captured our whole lager. He had never in +his life seen so many khakies. They seemed to be on all sides of us. The +only outlet for us was in the direction of Heidelberg. I asked him, +'Uncle, are you sure that our lager is in the hands of the khakies?' to +which he answered, 'Nephew, I saw with my own eyes how they rode up to +the waggons and made all our people "hands up!"' and he continued to +give us a minute description of the occurrence. + +If we had been greenhorns, we would have blindly followed the startled +old man right through the stream of retreating burghers and exploding +15-pounders. But, fortunately, the war had taught us, and we moved on +_with_ the stream, but a little more to the left, and, I cannot deny it, +with a feeling of great anxiety as to what was to become of us if the +old man had indeed told the truth. + +Fortunately, it appeared that fright had made the old man believe his +own imagination, and the lager was quite safe. My brother told me that +the slight attack made upon them by the enemy was easily beaten off. + +The opinion of the majority was that we should have left Kaalfontein +Station alone. We were thoroughly exhausted by our rapid journeys, +particularly by the journey of the preceding night, and besides that the +burghers were unwilling to make an attack of which they did not see the +advantage. We had several killed and wounded. + +The consequence was that we had to trek that night in a way that none of +us will ever forget, to get beyond the reach of the enemy. One cannot +imagine how terrible it is to sit for hours on horseback, dead tired and +overcome by sleep. We did not even guide our horses; they simply jogged +along mechanically, too tired even to object to ill-treatment. Our hands +rested on the bows of the saddles, and as we sat leaning forwards, +apparently lost in thought, but in reality suffering tortures from the +effort to keep awake, we forced ourselves to look up and about us, but +our eyes half closed in the effort, and everything about us took a +strange shape, and the sky became chaos; with a nod we half awoke, only +to dream again a second later that we were falling from our horses. + +Not a word was spoken, for everyone was dozing. Whenever we had to wait +for our guns or waggons, we simply flung ourselves on the grass with +one arm through our bridles, and soon we were unconscious of the pulling +and tugging of the horse, and if the order to mount woke us up, the +tugging had ceased, and our horses were calmly grazing some distance +from us. Then we lifted our bodies, loaded with cartridges and guns, +into the saddle at the risk of toppling over on the other side, like a +lizzard sliding down a bank, and rode on in silence, drowsily and +top-heavy. + + + + +XIII + +COMMANDO SUFFERINGS + + +The horsemen rode generally two by two, partly in front of the waggons +as advance-guard, and behind as rear-guard, each corporal with his men +in his place by his Veld-Kornet. The Krugersdorpers were no longer +allowed to leave their places before they had permission from their +corporal. Even those burghers who were most disorderly in the beginning +now saw the necessity of discipline, and were obedient to the commands +of their officers. + +It was a mixed crew of old and young. But the majority were still in the +prime of life, and proof against the privations of guerilla life. The +old men among us were all men whose powerful constitutions were yet +unbroken. It was praiseworthy of them that in their old age they were +willing to suffer the difficulties and dangers of a wandering life for +their country's sake, for although their constitutions were strong, they +were susceptible to cold and damp, the effects of which they could not +shake off. There were also many brave little boys, who were thus early +initiated into the privations of commando life; but they shared all +bravely, in a careless spirit of adventure. + +Here and there were some Uitlanders who had remained faithful to us. All +the others had gradually disappeared, either because they were taken +prisoners, or killed through their somewhat foolhardy courage, or +because they had left the country in disappointment. The townspeople +were by no means superior to the farmers. There were traitors and +'hands-uppers' among them as well. We have been bitterly disappointed in +people of all classes, but particularly in the so-called 'gentlemen.' + +Our condition and appearance were indeed striking. During the heat of +the day, when the dust lay thickly about us, we sat in our ragged +clothes, with shaggy, uncombed beards, on our poor, hardly-treated +ponies, meekly staring in front of us, seemingly indifferent to the +moral hurt that we were suffering and the physical pain that we felt in +all our limbs after a long, tiring ride. At the start of one of our +journeys an animated conversation sometimes helped to pass the time, but +it soon flagged, leaving us staring in front of us in the usual +dispirited, dull way. Our talk became daily more prosaic and +superficial. We had not the energy to express our deepest sentiments, +and things which were formerly pleasant were strange to us now. We had +no spur to enliven our thoughts in our monotonous life. To the careless +there was nothing startling in this moral numbness, but the more +sensitive among us grieved over it, and were humiliated by the +shallowness that had come into our lives. + +The small necessaries of our material existence had become essential to +our happiness. If we lost a knife, or if a pot or kettle broke, or a mug +was stolen from us, we were depressed for days, as if a heavy blow had +fallen upon us. It was not easy to fight against that bitter feeling of +depression. Our only safety lay in the fact that we were conscious of +the demoralizing effect of these small disappointments of commando life, +for to know one's self is always the first step towards conversion. + +Some qualities of our highest nature were systematically suppressed. We +prided ourselves on our fierce hatred of the enemy, and considered it a +mark of patriotism, and we rejoiced when he fell beneath our bullets or +when the plague broke out. We even wished that a great European war +might begin, if only we might keep our country, and as a consequence of +our righteous patriotism an inclination to cruelty became one of the +predominant traits in the character of the burghers. + +The commando life tended to make many of us melancholy. Wherever we came +the thought was forced upon us that our beloved country was deeply +injured, morally and materially. We ourselves saw everywhere homes and +fields destroyed, women and children taken away by force, and cattle +stolen; and rumours told of the most terrible outrages committed upon +helpless women and children. If it were not that one becomes hardened to +all outward impressions, our commando life would have been pitiful +indeed. So we became hardened to almost all these things, but the +thought of the ill-treatment of those dear to us, on whose happiness our +own happiness depends, was constantly with us, and to that we did not +become hardened. + +It is impossible to enter into the sufferings of the married men. Much +was suffered in silence. Some men got messages from their wives +imprisoned in refugee camps, bidding them surrender for the sake of +their wives, since fighting was of no avail and the country was already +lost. Who shall blame the man who rides away with an anxious heart to +his wife and children, no matter what the consequences may be to +himself? Another woman, with a different disposition and a different +heart, sends word secretly to her husband that life in the prison camp +is endurable, and that he must fight to the end. Then he stays, and +proves himself worthy of the courage of his wife. + +Some men gave the impression that they were indifferent to the suffering +of wife and child. These were the scum of our people, who in time of +peace were not of much importance, but were necessary for our fight. But +the majority, by far the greater majority, were men who, even in the +most troubled times, were faithful to the comrades with whom they began +this struggle, the struggle for our independence. + +Whenever we came to a 'uitspanplek' (a place where there is water to be +found for the horses), some of us had to seek hurriedly for wood to make +the fire, others to fetch water, and others to help in various ways. It +was a regular struggle for existence. Those who came first got the least +disagreeable work. Wood was scarce on the Hoogeveld where we happened to +be, and the water was muddied by the first water-carriers. When the sun +was very warm we made a shelter with our guns and our blankets. Our +meals were simple. They consisted of meat and 'mealie-pap' morning, +noon, and night, often for weeks without salt. We made coffee of burnt +grain ground in a coffee-mill. During the war we learnt to drink all +sorts of coffee--of wheat, oats, barley, sweet potatoes, maize, and even +of peaches. We became so accustomed to a simple mode of life that our +wants were few indeed. Even sugar we no longer missed. And we remained +healthy and strong. + +We lay in small groups round the fires, leaning against our saddles. Our +moods were brighter after our tired bodies had had the needful +refreshment and rest. The groups were often picturesque, some of us +lying at our ease with soiled books in hands, others grouped round the +fire, every now and again adding wood to the flames, and others, again, +picking mites out of the biltong with a pocket-knife. + +A shower had not much effect upon us. We were accustomed to letting our +clothes dry on our bodies. Nature is very kind to people who are day and +night in the open air. If the sun did not shine soon after a shower, we +made a very deplorable appearance in our dripping clothes. But we never +grumbled. We were generally cheerful, unless we were exhausted from +fatigue. + +We suffered most on those long nights when, for some reason or other, we +could not sleep, for many of the burghers were troubled with fears for +their dear ones. Often, after a long ride, we were too tired to prepare +a meal, but simply flung ourselves against our saddles and slept before +we had time to let our thoughts wander. But if the enemy were not at our +heels, we often passed the long nights in sleeplessness, gazing up at +the stars with the most bitter feelings in our hearts. No wonder that +many a burgher grew gray. We were often kept awake by the tethered +horses stumbling among the groups. Sometimes a man would jump up and +strike at them till all the others awoke, too, and then there was great +hilarity in the quiet of the night. + +Sometimes a constant rain cast a shadow over the sunny Hoogeveld and +made our lives sombre and almost unbearable. Then our tattered garments +could not dry on our bodies, and everything about us was wet and dirty. +Even in dry weather fuel was almost unattainable, for the treeless +Hoogeveld had been almost exhausted by the many large commandos which +had visited the 'uitspan' places. In wet weather it was almost an +impossibility to make a fire. + +Whoever had an ailment passed unpleasant nights then; each night meant a +nail in his coffin. Even the constant rain the burghers bore cheerfully, +and many a joke was passed along during an interval in the downpour. But +in the morning, as we dragged our weary limbs out of our mud-baths, +shivering from cold, we did not venture to put the conventional +question, 'Did you sleep well?' to each other. + +The spirit among the burghers was very different from what it had been. +No swearing was heard, and quarrelling was exceptional. Thefts, too, +were seldom committed. We called ourselves 'sifted'; traitors and +thieves had gone over to the stronger party. I do not believe that any +European army would have kept its moral tone so high under such +demoralizing circumstances as did that small army of Boers with the help +of their religion. Whereas in time of peace there was much difference in +churches, especially in the Transvaal (although no difference in +belief), now, during the war, the unity of belief in one Bible had +become the means of raising the moral tone of the burghers. + +During the last few months a plague had come amongst us that we had +heard much about, and now caused us much trouble--a plague of lice. It +is not an edifying subject, but anyone can understand how the itching +caused many a sleepless night. We were not to blame. When we no longer +were able to change our clothes, we could not guard against the vermin +that had become a plague among the huge wandering armies of the enemy. +Although we boiled our clothes, to our horror the nits appeared again. + + + + +XIV + +BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN + + +Fortunately, the enemy gave us a week's rest on the farm of Landdrost +Schotte. During that time Veld-Kornet Meyer, with his small troop of +Germans, blew up the electric factory at Brakpan. + +Then we stayed a few days on Mr. Brown's farm, where a great many little +commandos congregated that were camped on the banks of the river. Our +horses became quite sleek again from the abundance of mealies they got +there. On that farm we first used for fuel the poles that fenced in the +farm. I distinctly remember how, after we had received the order from +Commandant Kemp, we waited until after dark before pulling up the poles, +and how grieved we were at the necessity for doing it. Since that time +we have got over such scruples. Even if there were wood to be had on an +outspan place, there was always a race to procure the best poles. Of +course, when there was abundance of wood, the pulling up of poles was +strictly prohibited. + +At that time I made the acquaintance of a nephew of mine, Paul Mare, a +boy of fourteen, with a noble countenance, who, like so many others of +the same age, rode about with gun and bandolier, and was full of +courage. When the enemy approached his mother's house he prepared for +flight, but she took it for a joke. When she noticed that he was in +earnest, she forbade him to go, as his father had been killed already, +and he would in all probability be killed too. He merely answered, +'Because they have shot my father, I mean to shoot them now,' and rode +away. + +We did not like remaining long in one place doing nothing. We always +became impatient, and wished to know when we could move on. But the +Commandant always answered that he could not tell. And the more sensible +of us thought, 'It depends on khaki.' This was really the case now. On +the evening of January 28 we got the order to be in readiness. While +General Beyers, with 400 or 500 men, passed to the rear of the enemy to +destroy the Boksburg mines, our commando of horsemen moved rapidly in +the direction of Boesmanskop in the Heidelberg district, to cut off the +enemy who were pushing on to our part of the Hoogeveld. We arrived at +Boesmanskop the following morning. + +The parts of the country that we now passed through had not yet been +destroyed by the enemy, but everywhere else the houses and farms were +burnt and ruined in the most barbarous way. We were very anxious, +therefore, to cut off the enemy's advance. They were camped to the +north-west of Boesmanskop. A strong Boer guard occupied this kopje--the, +only one in the neighbourhood; for the rest, the surroundings were the +ordinary Hoogeveld with its mounds. We pushed up in a long line over a +'bult' that ran north-west of Boesmanskop. Our guns--only a few, as most +had been sent away to be repaired--stood on top of this mound without +any cover. Lieutenant Odendaal, a very brave gunner, did not like +kopjes, but always placed his cannon on a mound, as the enemy's guns +always fired too short or too long on account of the misleading +distances. They did so in this instance, and the bombs flew far beyond +us. Corporal Botman ordered me to stay with the horses at the foot of +the 'bult,' while the burghers crept on to the top a few hundred paces +further, expecting eventually to charge the enemy. Suddenly I heard, +twice over, a noise like that of a train in the distance. My brother +told me afterwards how he had seen a detachment of the enemy storming +Boesmanskop, and how the burghers waited until they were close by, and +then beat them back completely with a twice-repeated salvo. + +For some time the guns of the enemy ceased firing, because, as I heard +later on, Lieutenant Odendaal had shot down the gunners. When they made +themselves heard again, they were more accurate in their aim; I most +narrowly escaped the bombs. Four or five thundered around me in quick +succession, as I fell and stooped and grasped the bridles of the rearing +horses. Some of the horses pulled the bridles out of my hands and raced +down the valley. + +But the left wing of the enemy was surrounding us, and, like a swarm of +birds that rise on the wing, the burghers fled back in among the +tethered and the straying horses, and retreated as fast as they could. +The enemy now bombarded Boesmanskop, so that the retreating burghers in +the valley had a bad time of it with the bombs flying over their heads. + +Many waggons of Boer families, fleeing for their lives, were pushing +along the sides of the long mounds, and the enemy's bombs burst in their +midst more than once--perhaps accidentally, perhaps because they knew +that 'the Boer nation must be swept off the face of the earth.' + +The women seemed to be in a panic. From all sides families came in carts +and waggons--long rows of vehicles filled with poor, terror-stricken +women and children; large herds of cattle were driven along by the +Kaffir servants, but many of them fell into the enemy's hands. The +burghers did their best to make a stand in order to give the waggons a +good start, but retreated in good order when they saw no chance of +checking the enemy's forward movement. Fortunately, a heavy shower fell +in the afternoon and hindered the enemy in their advance, else many a +waggon would have fallen into their hands. + +It was no longer necessary for the burghers to resist for the sake of +the waggons. The enemy had camped and left us, with the exception of the +guard, to plod our way shamefacedly through the mud. Our ponies, with +their quick, peculiar gait, soon caught up the heavily-laden waggons, +and we supplied ourselves with mealies, flour, fowls, etc., that had +been thrown overboard or left behind on a broken-down waggon. Such is +the fortune of war, and the things were better in our hands than in +those of the khakies. + +When we rode up alongside the waggons, many a meeting took place between +relatives and friends who had been parted for months. The women and +girls drove the horses, and many of them walked with the Kaffirs in the +mud next to the oxen. They did the work of the men in time of peace. +Many of them had been delicately nurtured, in spite of the simplicity of +their lives, and were not accustomed to the hard work. They were all +Transvaal women, and wives and daughters of the burghers who had to look +on helplessly at their sad flight. And, oh! the dear little heads of +the children that peeped at us from out of the waggons! It was a cruel +sight, and it moved us strangely. + +Although most of the women were drenched, they were all cheerful, and +seemed proud of taking an active part in the great struggle. And if a +young man asked a girl whether he should ride next to her to help her, +the answer was: 'No, thank you, we can manage; the men must fight now.' +There were many old men and boys who preferred the society of the women +to the danger of the bombs. Some of the women were not kind, and +reproached us for being the cause of all this misery, as our appearance +in the Hoogeveld had brought the enemy in its train. + +The waggons were heavily laden with furniture and grain, some even with +stoves, and they sank deep into the mud, as the roads were one mass of +mud after the numerous waggons and thousands of cattle that had already +passed along them. Long rows of vehicles were continually approaching +from all sides, all going in the same direction, and when we came to +Waterval River a sad but grand sight met our eyes. The river was full. +Hundreds of waggons had been outspanned on the banks on either side. +The women and children were doing their best to light the fires with the +wet wood, and to cook some food. It was just before sunset, but there +was no sun to cheer them on their way. + +Against the sides of the mounds (bulten) the cattle were moving in black +dense masses, making an almost deafening noise with their bleating and +lowing. As we rode through the full river, we saw in mid-stream a cart +that had stuck fast. A woman was standing in the water pushing at the +back, while a girl held the reins. A few of our men jumped down from +their horses and soon succeeded in getting the cart to the other side. +But we could not stay to help the poor women and children. We rode on, +inquiring everywhere after the trolleys and the commissariat. These were +higher up on the other side of the river, so we had to cross once more, +this time in the dark, at the risk of our lives. + +Two little girls were drowned that evening, and the wheel of a waggon +had passed over a girl's body. It had been better if the women had +stayed at home and depended on the mercy of the enemy. They should not +have undertaken this terrible journey. A woman cannot flee from place to +place like a man, and life in a 'refugee'(?) camp would have been +better; she should bear her sorrow bravely at home. And this was only +the beginning of the misery. If they had remained at home, they might +have saved their homes, but now the enemy was sure to destroy and burn +the deserted farms. + +During the day, when the flight was still a novelty, the women and girls +were cheerful enough, but who can describe their heartache and misery +during their enforced journey on the rainy nights? I do not know how all +those waggons and cattle got through the swollen river that night. +Twenty paces from where I lay a waggon was being inspanned; I heard the +voices of men and women. An old man was talking. He threatened to +off-load all the women on the first available place, as he had never in +his life had so much trouble. A small boy and a Kaffir had their turn +also; the boy was on horseback and led, or rather dragged, another horse +that refused to move. He had to collect the cattle, which seemed to me +almost an impossible task in the dark, among the many horses of the +burghers. When he had found Kindermeid, Witlies had disappeared, and +when Witlies was found, then Vaalpens was missing again. Kindermeid, a +gray ox, was the most troublesome. Repeatedly it passed by me, followed +by the boy dragging the unwilling horse. Then the boy exclaimed in sad, +shrill tones, 'See how the mare jibs!' When his father angrily asked, +'Have you found Kindermeid now?' he answered, 'Yes, father, but now +Vaalpens is missing; the mare jibs so, I can't get the cattle together!' +When he had found them all and the rumbling of their waggon was dying +away in the distance, I still heard him complain of the unwilling mare, +in his sad, shrill little voice. It was a small episode in my life that +I shall not easily forget. This was the last I saw of the flight of the +women, for we had to stay behind to fight as we were retreating. Later +on I heard many sad tales about it, which I cannot repeat in this little +book of mine. + +The poor women and children were indeed to be pitied, but we had no +sympathy with the men who fled in the winter with their cattle to the +Boschveld, and now sought our protection, though they had never fought +themselves. The flight with the cattle was necessary, as the enemy would +otherwise have exterminated them, but many of the men took advantage of +the necessity, and sometimes three or four strong, sturdy men went with +one waggon, where one man would have been ample. + + + + +XV. + +BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS + + +I will not describe our retreat, as nothing of importance occurred. We +were constantly on the alert to move before the cunning French entrapped +us within the circle that he was trying to draw around us. + +At Trichardsfontein Malherbe and I had to go in search of our horses, +which had strayed, so we were separated from our commando for some days. +When we found our horses we went to Ermelo, and stayed there until the +enemy were so close upon us that General Louis Botha, who happened to be +at Ermelo, and knew of our arrival, sent to say that we must leave the +town. We then joined his force and rode to Spion Kop. + +'In the land of the blind the one-eyed is king!' Even so it was with +Spion Kop of the Hoogeveld Ermelo. During the three years of my +University life in that distant little country that stands by us now so +well in our need, I often climbed a hill about the size of Spion Kop. +That hill is famed for its height throughout the whole country, and +bears the formidable name of 'the Amersfoort Mountain.' + +While the officers were holding a council of war, Malherbe and I rode +off to our commando. At Klipstapel we were allowed a few days' breathing +time, and there we prepared for the night attack on Smith-Dorrien's +camp, to the north of us. But our guide lost his way in the dark, and we +had to return. It was decided, nevertheless, to attempt the attack the +following night at Chrissiesmeer, where the camp was then. We had +everything in our favour. We were a strong force of many commandos, and +the enemy's force was not much larger. + +That evening we were placed in quite a different order from the usual +one. The men of each corporal's division rode next to each other. The +Commandant or Veld-Kornet at the head, followed by the corporal with his +ten or fifteen men riding abreast, was followed by the next corporal +riding abreast with his men, etc. On looking back from the top of the +hill in the moonlight, one saw a broad dark mass of fierce, determined +men. Nearly every burgher had one or two extra horses, mostly mares with +foals, that we had commandeered and trained during our retreat on the +Hoogeveld. At that time every horse, trained or untrained, was put to +use. It was a pity that the mares with their foals were not left behind, +as they made a terrible noise with their whinnying. We walked our +horses; we were not allowed to utter a word or to light our pipes--that +was reasonable; but the neighing of the horses was not exactly in +accordance with our silence. Every now and again, when the whinnying of +the mares was at its worst, some burgher or other would give vent to an +exclamation of impatience. Every now and again someone or other would +light his pipe, taking care that neither the Veld-Kornet nor the enemy +should see it. A dead silence reigned everywhere, broken only by the +mares and their foals. These beasts caused us great uneasiness, but so +did the order we received that we had to shoot sharp at the beginning +of the attack, but then slowly, until it became light, so as to save +some of our ammunition in case of need. We had to attack in the dark +then. But what if the enemy, prepared for our arrival, were to pepper at +us unexpectedly from a different direction, or to point their Maxims at +us? + +The greatest mistake of all was that we took our horses right up to the +hill on the other side of which the khakies were. The horses were tired +and had ceased neighing, but we should have left them some miles behind +and walked on to make the attack as soon as it was light. An uncle of +mine told me that he saw some men on horseback riding over the bull, +whom he took to be our spies, but they were of course the enemy's guard. + +When we had tethered our horses at the foot of the bult, we climbed up +slowly, but before we could fall into position the enemy opened a sharp +fire at us. We charged shouting 'Hurrah!' in wild enthusiasm, and fired +as fast as we could straight ahead. The sparks flew up some twenty paces +in front of us, and even after the fight we could not tell whether they +came from our own guns or from those of the enemy. At intervals we +heard the tick-tick-tick of a small Maxim, but owing to the dark we were +not mown down. Some of the burghers threw themselves down behind us, and +involuntarily one thought of the proverb, 'to hide in another's blood.' +Whenever the firing slackened a few of our brave men charged, shouting +out encouraging words, and again raised our enthusiasm. Both burghers on +my right and on my left were wounded. The latter had a most demoralizing +influence on the rest of the men, as he lay groaning and moaning in a +heart-rending way. He was only slightly wounded, and eventually escaped +on horseback. Our brave Commandant Botman went forward ten paces beyond +the rest in his enthusiasm, and served as a target for the enemy. He was +severely wounded, but walked back without a moan and fell down close +behind me. I did not even know that he was wounded. I turned round to +see if the burghers behind me would not take the initiative in the +inevitable flight, as I was ashamed to take it upon myself. I did not +take it at all amiss, therefore, when I saw several men looking round to +see if the way were clear, and darting like an arrow back to their +horses, for all round us our men were being shot down, and we did not +know where the enemy's camp was, nor could we tell the effect of our +shooting in the dark. A slight fog had arisen, through which the moon +occasionally succeeded in dimly appearing. The day had dawned; we +reached our horses in the greatest disorder, and heightened the +confusion by shouting inquiries to each other after friends and +relatives. Some did not wait to find their horses, but fled on foot; +others jumped on strange horses. Some even escaped on khaki horses that +had strayed from the camp. + +As my brother and I galloped off, a man fell wounded close behind us, +and the bullet struck the ground between us. The burghers rallied at a +farm in the neighbourhood of the enemy's camp. Some of our men fled on, +but most of them retreated with the guns to the commissariat trolleys, +many without saddle, mackintosh or blanket, more hopelessly impoverished +than ever, but not discouraged, for although the attack had been +repulsed we were not defeated. + +In this lay our strength, that we were not disheartened by our defeats, +but were able constantly to rally and to renew the attack. We kept on +exhausting the enemy by slight skirmishes that are not worth relating, +but their effect on the whole weakened him and strengthened us. + +On our side that day there were forty wounded, but only a few killed. It +grieved us all that Commandant Botman had remained behind on the +battle-field. He was universally liked for his bravery and for his +simple Christianity. To our great joy, we heard later on that he had +recovered, and had somehow succeeded in reaching Krugersdorp. +Fortunately, the fog prevented the enemy from doing us much harm, and +towards afternoon our cannon put a stop to their advance. + +The attack on Smith-Dorrien's camp was worthy of a better result. In +this, as well as in the Hekpoort and Boesmanskop battles, where also we +had no position, the burghers showed great courage and goodwill. In my +opinion, the officers should have given up the plan of attack after we +had missed our way the night before and been obliged to return. The +Kaffirs and traitors must have warned the enemy of our intention to +attack, so that they could be in readiness for us. + +The enemy were now all round us. We heard the firing of cannon on all +sides, but that same night we undertook a cunning backward movement, and +when the enemy closed their cordon an hour later the bird had flown. We +were careful to avoid a repetition of Cronje's experience. + +The burghers were very anxious about our lager. We had left it on +Brown's farm on the Wilgeriver, when our commando advanced towards +Boesmanskop. How the lager escaped I do not know, for we heard that the +enemy were advancing from all sides--Standerton, Middelburg, etc. But we +reached it in safety the very night that we slipped through the enemy's +cordon. + +We were now safely on our way back to Rustenburg, and had to leave +General French with his 30,000 or 40,000 men to drive along helpless +women and children, and all the cattle he could lay hands on. +Commandant-General Louis Botha had strictly forbidden the women to leave +their farms after the Battle of Boesmanskop, so that the enormous woman +lager received no new additions. + +Many of the farms were burned down, but some families had been left +unmolested, because they said the enemy were ill at ease, owing to a +rumour that General Beyers was going to attack them in the rear. The +partly-burned granaries bore evidence to the great hurry the enemy were +in. On some farms the very rooms that contained grain were set on fire. + +Our constant retreat had a most demoralizing influence. This was felt +even in our conversation and our expressions. We called this retreating +'kamping,'[A] and it became one of our most common expressions in our +daily life. For 'Let us go!' we said 'Let us kamp!' or for 'This evening +we start!' we said 'This evening we go on the kamp!' A typical +expression was 'kamping' for our independence, when we could no longer +withstand the enemy. If anyone boasted of his loyalty to his country and +people, he merely said that he had 'kamped' along with the burghers +wherever they had 'kamped.' We used in our conversation many military +terms; for instance, 'to change one's position' was 'to go and lie with +your saddle on another place.' 'I shall mauser you' meant 'I shall +strike you.' + +At Grootpan General Beyers again joined us, after having done the enemy +some harm at Boksburg. He addressed us and explained his reason for +countermanding the attack on Krugersdorp. He had told the secret to a +few of his officers, who made it public property, so that the enemy had +heard of it and were prepared for the attack. + +Moreover, a great fault of the burghers had come to light at +Nooitgedacht--namely, that they shirked their duty in their eagerness +for plunder. He was afraid that if they took the town their plundering +spirit would get the better of them and so give the enemy a chance of +catching them or putting them to flight. Lastly he said that he was +going to act in opposition to the orders received from the +Commandant-General, and would send the Zoutpansbergers and Waterbergers +home that evening, as it was impossible for them in their condition to +undertake any military operations. He himself also was going home, but +would return after a few weeks, as a large commando, led if possible by +himself, was to invade Cape Colony. + +Kemp was made fighting General; the Rev. Mr. Kriel left with General +Beyers; Klaassen took the place of Kemp, and Liebenberg was appointed +Field-Cornet of our commando. + +The return to their homes of the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers roused +a feeling of dissatisfaction in us. Owing to the horse-sickness in those +regions, and the home-sickness of the men themselves, we concluded that +we were not likely to see them again. We also thought it would have been +better to have invaded the Colony long ago, instead of aimlessly +wandering about the Hoogeveld as we had been doing. In all probability +our Generals put off the invasion as long as possible because many of +the men--nearly all the Waterbergers and Zoutpansbergers--were against +it. Such were the difficulties against which our Generals had to fight. + +In private, both Kemp and Beyers acknowledged to me that a march into +the Colony was strictly necessary. I do not mean to criticise, but only +to give an idea of the spirit reigning among the burghers at that time. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote A: 'Trappers.'] + + + + +XVI + +CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP + + +General Beyers' force was again split into small commandos, which it was +the intention of our officers to join into one large force, and so make +their way through the ranks of the enemy. But this plan was not a +success, for the enemy were too strong for us. + +The Krugersdorp and Pretoriadorp commandos one night crossed the railway +within sight of the khaki camp-lights at Irene Station--quite close to +our capital, in full view of khaki's warning, 'No admittance!' We passed +Zwartkop, crossed Dwarsvlei, and had to turn back to the right through +Hartleyskloof, as we came across a camp of the enemy. We then entered +the Moot district, dreaded for its terrible horse-sickness, and in the +beginning of March we arrived at Tafelkop, to the north-east of +Lichtenburg, near Mabaalstad. + +Once, as I lay resting against my saddle, I heard an old Boer telling of +the courage and hopefulness among the burghers from whom he came. They +talked of nothing but peace. It was their belief that a European +Sovereign on marriage may make a request which must be granted. He may +even ask a million pounds or somebody's head, and cannot be refused. So, +they said, Queen Wilhelmina had risen to make her speech at her wedding, +and had requested absolute independence for the Republics. The Kings and +Princes were against it, but could not break the old custom, and +therefore peace would soon reign over our country. But such talk of +'peace' was an exception, not the rule. After the terrible experience of +the last months, we had become resigned to our fate, and did not try to +anticipate the future. We knew that we must fight with courage and +energy, and the rest we left in God's hands. We had ceased to be curious +about the plans of our Generals, which were never made known to us. +Exhausted in body and spirit, we took no account of time. It was all +one to us whether it were morning, noon or night; whether we had to +march one, two, or three hours longer; whether we had to march at all, +or to remain where we were. But we were not demoralized, not unnerved. +An overworked horse allows himself to be caught and ill-treated afresh. +The enemy, had only to fire at us to rouse our slumbering energy, for we +suffered voluntarily, and were a support to each other, because of our +firm conviction that we were giving our lives for the sake of our +independence. + +It rained when we arrived at Tafelkop, and when we had been there a week +it still rained. The only clothes we possessed were beginning to rot on +our bodies. Some of the burghers had a change of clothes on the +trolleys; others made themselves trousers of their many-coloured +blankets, in which they cut a remarkable figure. Others, again, were in +tatters, and had to disappear on the few occasions that any lady visited +us. Most of the men had no mackintoshes, but always looked forward to +the sunshine that was sure to follow a heavy shower. But if the rain +continued, we made huts of grass, or clubbed together in the few +remaining tents, or if there happened to be an unburned farmhouse, we +made for that. + +When the rain continued at Tafelkop, and our limbs became stiffened with +the cold, some of us went to an outhouse belonging to a neighbouring +farm to seek shelter. During the day we sat there in our wet clothes +staring dismally out into the rain. At night we tried to warm our naked +bodies by covering ourselves with the dirty wool that happened to be +lying there. All the outhouses in the neighbourhood were crowded with +armed burghers in tatters. On the eighth day, when the welcome sun made +its appearance once more, our clothes were still dripping. + +Lately we had had fruit as a substitute for sugar; but the fruit season +was over now, and we had to go back to meat and mealie-porridge, or +mealie-porridge and meat. + +In the Moot our horses died in such numbers--particularly the 'unsalted' +mares--that many of our men had to walk. On March 10 my faithful brown +pony Steenbok died of horse-sickness. For over a year he had carried me +through thick and thin, and I could not bear to see his suffering. A few +weeks later we got another lot of horses; I will not mention how, as +the information might fall into the hands of the enemy. The people who +still lived on their farms often told us that the few remaining fowls +instinctively recognised khaki as an enemy, and made for the hedges and +shrubs whenever they caught sight of him. So here, also, Nature looked +after the survival of the species. The cows taken by the enemy also made +their way back to their calves that khaki stupidly left behind, and so +the little children could again have milk. Even the bees were not left +undisturbed; but the bee is an enemy of any nasty-smelling thing, and +therefore the dirty, perspiring khakies got many a sting, and the honey +usually remained in the hives. + +The enemy probably thought that we were helpless in our poverty. But a +Boer is not easily made helpless. We patched our own shoes and carried +the lasts about with us. Horseshoes and nails we made from the tires of +wheels and telegraph-wires. Instead of matches we used two stones. When +the enemy have burned and destroyed all our corn-mills, we will still +have coffee-mills, and when those are gone we will do as the Kaffirs do, +and grind our corn between two stones--and crushed and roasted maize is +very good to eat. + +The old Voortrekkers wore trousers made of untanned hide. We can do the +same if khaki does not supply us with sufficient clothes. Our wives and +children and our exiled men we cannot get out of khaki's hands, and that +is the greatest difficulty in our way. + +One of the greatest advantages we have over the enemy is that we are +among friends, and can move about in small troops without having to +depend on a base of operations, whereas they do well not to divide +themselves in too small groups, or to venture too far from their +base--even in large numbers. + +The services in our camp were held by the Rev. Mr. Naude--a man who kept +the courage and the moral sense of the burghers up to the mark with his +meek Christian spirit. He also formed the debating club that was such a +welcome recreation to us. We often thought that the enemy would be +surprised if they could know of the debates we had--for instance, 'Must +the "hands-uppers" be allowed to vote after the war is over?' 'Must the +Kaffirs or natives have more rights?' 'Is intervention advisable under +the circumstances? etc. The men in the neighbourhood of Tafelkop were +mostly 'hands-uppers,' so we confiscated their property, and their grain +and cattle we took for the use of the lager, but we always left +sufficient for the use of the women and children. The future of a farm +on which a lager had camped for some time was dark indeed, for even the +grain in the fields was destroyed by the demon of war. If the owner of +the farm were not a 'hands-upper,' our officers usually succeeded in +preventing the destruction. Sometimes the pulling up of the fencing was +inevitable, as we were so short of fuel. The Boer women were sometimes +forced to accept the protection of the enemy, after their farms and +property had been destroyed by friend and enemy alike. + +The negotiation of February 7, between Kitchener and Louis Botha, was +read out to us at Tafelkop. The burghers were unanimous in condemnation +of Kitchener's conditions, and were fully satisfied with Botha's short, +vigorous answer. Had we indeed fought so long and so fiercely only to +become an English colony, and not to be allowed to carry arms unless we +had a license? And for the Kaffirs to be eventually allowed to vote? +The men who were attached to their families and farms, but preferred +losing all to becoming 'hands-uppers,' were unanimous in declaring +Kitchener's conditions unacceptable, and all were ready to fight to the +bitter end. We often spoke of the terrible suffering of our women and +children in the refugee camps, and sometimes doubted whether it were not +better for their sakes to give in. We did not know whether patriotism +were worth the shedding of so much innocent blood. It cost us more than +we can tell to remain firm and brave in our undertaking. + +At that time we also heard of De Wet's retreat from Cape Colony, but not +officially. It was broken to us gently, and at first as if he had been +successful, so that we all thought peace was to follow soon. + +How we rejoiced! + +But a few days later De Wet's official report was read out to us, and +then our courage sank indeed. What was the good of our fighting if the +Colony would not help us? + +The disappointment was not great enough to make us lay down our arms, +but we knew it would be many a long day before peace was in the land. +How long should we still be chased from place to place? When would there +be rest for our exhausted bodies? And how we longed for our dear ones, +if only we should find them alive! + + + + +CONCLUSION + +BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY + + +We stayed fully three weeks at Tafelkop. I was appointed commissary of +the Krugersdorp commando, and rode round to all the farms to procure the +needful for our commando. As General De la Rey had been camping close by +at Rietfontein for some time, there was not much left to commandeer, +unless we deprived the women whose husbands were in the veld of the +necessaries of life. + +Our lager was moved from Tafelkop to Rietpan, from whence a few hundred +of our horsemen started with some guns and a few trolleys for Groot +Kafferkraal, in Hartbeestfontein district. General De la Rey had come +over to organize the expedition in person, and accompanied General Kemp. +I went with a man called Jooste to the neighbourhood of Lichtenberg and +Klein Kafferkraal to commandeer cattle. There I heard many tales of the +enemy's behaviour as they passed through a week before. + +For some reason or other the houses there had not been burnt, perhaps +owing to the verbal negotiation between Botha and Kitchener. I know of +only one house that was burned down there. That was the finest house in +the neighbourhood and belonged to Willem Basson. Mrs. Basson herself +told me how it happened. Her husband had fled with the cattle when the +enemy came along. The soldiers asked her for money. They said such a +fine house must contain a great deal of money, and when she refused they +became most impertinent. The finding of a packet of dynamite in the +coach-house afforded a fine excuse. The dynamite was used by Basson for +the making of wells. On finding the packet they shouted 'Hurrah!' and +rushed off with it to the camp close to the house. They came back after +a while and stormed the house, smashing the windows with stones. Truly a +heroic storming of a fortress held by women! They destroyed everything +in the house, and the women and children were obliged to flee to Mrs. +Scheffers at Klein Kafferkraal, where I met them. + +We know of many cases of cruelty and violence, cases that have roused us +to a passion of hatred. + +I do not believe that the cases of violence, which are not spoken of +because of the horror, are tolerated by the military authorities, who +are probably ignorant of them. One can understand that the worst were +committed by isolated patrols who could give free vent to their evil +passions. We cannot always hold the chief officers responsible for acts +committed by individual soldiers, neither are our officers responsible +for the unlawful acts of individuals on our side. But if the English, +with their national pride and obstinacy, deny these acts of violence, we +can give them sufficient proof of more cases than one. + +I was not present when the Krugersdorpers attacked Babington's force +near Lensdenplaats, in the neighbourhood of Groot Kafferkraal. But the +following morning, when they were retreating, I joined them with some +cattle, and was present at the Battle of Stompies. The night before the +battle I heard De la Rey's order given to Kemp to march his men at four +o'clock the following morning in the direction of the enemy. He was told +to retreat fighting, in case the enemy attacked, so as to give our +reinforcements an opportunity of attacking in the rear. Kemp ordered the +lager, or, rather, the few waggons, to retire to Bodenstein's farm the +following morning. + +While we were busy inspanning we heard the enemy's bomb-Maxim, and +before the waggons had forded the dangerous drift of the donga near +Bodenstein's farm the bullets flew over our heads from the bult behind +us. The women fled into the house and the burghers retreated as fast as +they could. The enemy had surrounded us in the night, and each burgher +had to do his utmost to escape from out of the half-circle. The few who +stayed behind to defend the guns were soon obliged to fly after the +rest, and to abandon one gun still on the other side of the drift. The +others might have been saved if the women's lager had not impeded their +flight by obstructing the way. + +We retreated to Vetpan. Those of the burghers who retreated more to the +right in the direction of Stompies were the best off, as the right wing +of the enemy had to be on its guard not to enter the wood there. The +enemy fired at us from horseback to enhance our panic, which was clever +of them, as it was impossible for us to turn in any direction. My horse +was overworked, and had changed its pace into a heavy gallop, a sure +sign that it would not last much longer. When I looked round, I saw a +few khakies riding on ahead, making our burghers 'hands-up.' +Fortunately, someone released a spare horse; I mounted it without a +saddle and made good my escape, but was incapable of riding for several +days after. + +Our men made no attempt to check the enemy's progress. They all fled, +each one bent on saving himself. A Boer, if once he flies, is not easily +turned aside. But it must be remembered that our horses were terribly +overworked. They had to live on nothing but grass, and very little of +that. We all also recognised the impossibility of checking the enemy, as +we ran the risk of shooting our own men and women; so our only chance +lay in flight. + +The horses of the enemy were soon 'done up,' and they had to satisfy +themselves with our guns--two large ones that we had taken from them at +Colenso, a damaged bomb-Maxim and several smaller ones. They took 136 +prisoners, among whom were Lieutenant Odendaal, 32 artillerists, 13 +burghers, and for the rest women and children and some big, full-grown +cowardly men who were in the habit of fleeing with the women and +children. The greater part of the women's lager fell into their hands. +The few waggons of Generals Smuts and Kemp that they captured were of no +importance. Jooste and Malherbe were also taken prisoners. + +I rode with General De la Rey to Tafelkop, where our lager was +stationed. In a week's time I was back again at Stompies. I had been +there scarcely an hour, when the tidings came that the enemy were camped +on Willem Basson's farm. The following morning before daybreak I was on +my way to Rietfontein. There, too, I had been only about an hour, when +another column came down upon me from the direction of Ventersdorp. I +fled to Tivee Buffelgeschiet with two boiled mealies and a piece of +meat in my hands. Before I reached that farm, half an hour's ride, my +horse was done up. I crept behind an ant-hill and prepared to defend +myself against four scouts who seemed to be coming straight towards me. +Suddenly, however, they turned off in the direction of their main-guard, +because, as I afterwards heard, they were threatened by eight of our +scouts. + +But the khakies were nearing me, and I was obliged to lead my horse into +a mealie-veld and to lie down full length in the rain. They did not +appear, however, and I concluded that they had camped at Rietfontein, so +I walked my horse to the farm of Mrs. Jansen, one of the few hospitable +women in that sparsely inhabited country. She hastily informed me that +the khakies had been there. + +The eight burghers soon returned, among them a young man who was nursing +a wounded man on the farm. In the night we went into the veld with a +small brother of his, who rode a mule, and returned in the morning to +watch the enemy's movements from the roof of the house. My horse was so +ill with horse-sickness that it shook under me. The enemy suddenly +appeared on the long bult (hill) along which I had come the day before. +I carried my saddle into the house and fled into the veld. From behind +an ant-hill I watched the enemy shooting my poor sick horse. They passed +by me several times, but at last I was discovered, and had to give up my +beloved Mauser without a chance of defending myself. My two companions +escaped. This happened on April 3, 1901. + +Fortunately, I fell into the hands of decent khakies who did not insist +on examining my old veld-shoes that I was using as a money-box, so I was +able to keep my precious four pounds. They took from me only a few +trifles by way of curiosities, and said I was sure to be robbed of them +sooner or later by the soldiers in the camp. I was told that I could +congratulate myself that I was made prisoner, as many columns were +coming down upon us from all directions, so that we would be obliged to +surrender that very day. I answered that the war had given sufficient +proof that their expectations were not always realized. + +When the officers of the guard were told that I was taken under arms, a +curt order was given to 'Let him walk.' When I protested and pointed +out that I was a prisoner of war and not a criminal, I was treated with +consideration as an ordinary soldier. I was taken by Babington's force. + +The following day the waggon lager arrived at Tafelkop, and the cavalry +that had been sent on to capture our lager joined the camp _minus_ any +prisoners. When the enemy's lager arrived at Potchefstroom a week later, +it brought along seventeen or eighteen 'hands-uppers,' one ambulance +doctor, several families, and one prisoner of war. Six of the +'hands-uppers' told me that the whole month we were camped at Tafelkop +they had hidden from us in their bedrooms so as not to be obliged to +break their oath of neutrality. + +I came across an old acquaintance of mine in the lager--Phister, who had +served under Commandant Boshoff. I knew that he had been wounded in the +leg at the Battle of Stompies and taken by our men to Rietpan. On the +trek from Ventersdorp to Potchefstroom I discovered him lying on his +back in the blazing sun on an open trolley, near to Potchefstroom; he +shouted to me that he had had nothing to eat during the whole of the +eighteen hours' trek. + +In Potchefstroom our trolley, with the twelve 'hands-uppers,' the +ambulance doctor, and myself, was sent in the direction of the prison. +People came towards us from all directions. Some women called out to us: +'Why were you so stupid as to let yourselves be caught?' Others +inquired, weeping, after husbands and sons. + +When we got to the prison I alone was detained, and had the disagreeable +experience of being locked up. The ambulance doctor was dismissed, as he +was 'Not guilty'; and the 'hands-uppers' were taken to the refugee camp. + +The treatment that the prisoners of war receive varies, and depends very +much on the prisoners themselves and on the men into whose hands they +fall. I was allowed to see my mother and sister, who obtained a pass to +come from Pretoria to see me. But I have seen the guards roughly send +away weeping women who were begging to be allowed a few words only with +their dear ones. + +At Elandsfontein Station the Transvaal colours worn by some of the +prisoners of war were taken away by force. On the long journey to +Ladysmith we were packed like herrings in open trucks, with insufficient +covering for the cold nights. + +The Ladysmith camp contained chiefly burghers who had been 'tamed' by +the enemy, and were ready to take the oath of allegiance. They were well +treated. + +On April 3 I was taken prisoner, and on May 6 I was on board the +_Manila_, together with 490 other prisoners of war, on our way to India. + +The burghers, accustomed to a free, independent life, suffered horribly +from want of space and insufficient and bad food. They could not get +over the idea of having to appear twice daily for the roll-call, +although there was no escape possible. But their sense of humour did not +suffer. + +Our burghers acknowledge that travelling is an education in itself, but +they one and all prefer travelling as free men--first or second +class--and they even prefer the high walls and limited space of the +fortress to being a prisoner-of-war passenger on board the steamer. + +The long, galvanized-iron bungalows in which we live here have zinc +roofs to guard against the heat of the tropical sun, but at any rate the +wind can blow through the openings on either side. The burghers are kept +alive and in pretty good health by an extremely temperate manner of +life. Once a week they are taken by a strong guard for a walk an hour +beyond the fort. They never get out on parole. As far as we are +concerned, they might even take cannon along with them to guard us, if +only they would take us out oftener. + +Here, too, the moral tone of the burghers is kept up by religious +services, and by the great devotion of the Rev. Mr. Viljoen, clergyman +of Reitz, in the Orange Free State, who is a fellow-prisoner of ours. +The gaiety is kept up by sports and by the companionship of many +children. The sorrow is enhanced by the presence of many gray-headed old +men and by sad and heart-breaking tidings. 'Guard, is there any news +this morning?' + +We are grieving with the grief of the exile, but we are waiting +patiently, and hoping still that a dove will bring us a branch with our +colours--Orange, green, red, white and blue: peace and independence. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON COMMANDO*** + + +******* This file should be named 15160.txt or 15160.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/6/15160 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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