diff options
Diffstat (limited to '37083.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 37083.txt | 10855 |
1 files changed, 10855 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/37083.txt b/37083.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bba321 --- /dev/null +++ b/37083.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10855 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through Shot and Flame, by J. D. Kestell + +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: Through Shot and Flame + The Adventures and Experiences of J. D. Kestell Chaplain + to President Steyn and General Christian De Wet + +Author: J. D. Kestell + +Release Date: August 14, 2011 [EBook #37083] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH SHOT AND FLAME *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Christine P. Travers and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all +other inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's spelling has +been maintained.] + + + + + THROUGH SHOT + AND FLAME + + THE ADVENTURES AND EXPERIENCES OF + + J. D. KESTELL + + CHAPLAIN TO PRESIDENT STEYN + + AND + + GENERAL CHRISTIAN DE WET + + + + + METHUEN & CO. + 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. + LONDON + 1903 + + _Colonial Library_ + + + + + TO + + MY WIFE + + WHO WAS ONE OF THE THOUSANDS + WHO ENDURED IN THE GREAT STRUGGLE + FOR FREEDOM, I DEDICATE THIS BOOK + + AND + + WITH HER I COMMEMORATE HERE THE + FIDELITY AND PATRIOTISM OF HIM WHO + WAS MY COMRADE IN THE FIELD, AND + WHO DIED IN THE SPRINGTIDE OF HIS + LIFE, A PRISONER OF WAR, AT LADYSMITH, + NATAL + + OUR SON, CHARLES KESTELL + + + + +THROUGH SHOT AND FLAME + +PART I + +_HOPE_ + + + + +CHAPTER I + +I JOIN THE HARRISMITH COMMANDO + + +I purpose to chronicle in the following pages my experiences of the war +between the Boers and the English. It is my object to record what I went +through on commando, and to give the reader an idea, according to my own +observation, of the struggles and sufferings of a small nation against +the overwhelming odds of an Empire--nay, against the world itself. + +For was it not against the world that the little nation fought? + +Think of it. Not only did England have 240,000 men in the field against +45,000 of the two South African Republics; not only did she have more +guns than the two little States, much more ammunition, a much greater +amount of supplies, a great many more horses, much more money--but she +had the world also on her side. The world looked on the strife without +putting forth a hand to help the weak against the strong: nay, it helped +the strong. The United States of North America sold horses and wheat +and meat to the mighty Empire, that was carrying on a war of +extermination against the two small States in South Africa; the +Republics of South America gave mules; Austria and Russia supplied +horses. I do not forget, when I say this, the large sympathy which the +world showed us. I should be guilty of the most heinous ingratitude if I +did not acknowledge that the world, and especially Holland, went out of +its way in liberally supplying clothing and large sums of money to our +women and children in the concentration camps, and to the prisoners of +war on the islands. But England had the advantage of a market almost +wherever she wished to buy; and she closed up every avenue through which +we might have been aided. And so the little nation stood alone, while +its great adversary was assisted from the four corners of the earth. + +Now I purpose to put on record my experiences in this strife. I will do +so as well as I can. What I have to relate, however, will by no means be +a history of the war.--We shall not have a history of the war until our +children write it.--No, I am not going to write a history: I am going to +record my limited experiences. You will not find here, for instance, +anything about the events which happened at Stormberg or Magersfontein, +or about the taking of Bloemfontein or Pretoria. I was not present at +those events. Only on that of which I was an eye-witness, or on what +took place in the commando to which I belonged at the time, or what came +to my notice shortly after its occurrence--only on that will I report in +these pages. + +But let me tell you before I proceed, that I accompanied the burghers +only as a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. I was never armed. I +never took part in a fight as a soldier. I never meddled with military +matters. All that, I felt, lay outside of my province. And yet, as will +appear in what follows, I fought in the great fight. I was often in +action, and if I carried no arms, I carried a pouch of bandages. My +presence in a fight gave heart to some and eased the pain of others. I +fought, too, in another way: I encouraged the burghers in every service +I held, just as every chaplain ought to do, and admonished them to +persevere in the great fight. But I never forgot that I was a minister +of religion. Every Sunday, and whenever I had an opportunity in the +week, I conducted divine service, taking, as a rule, my text from the +Old Testament. Besides this I devoted myself to ambulance work, without, +however, ever wearing a Red Cross on my sleeve. + +I need not say that I was heart and soul one with the great cause of the +Republics. Nothing lay nearer to my heart than their welfare; and when +it appeared that war was imminent, and that it would be disastrous to my +people, it weighed upon my mind like lead. + +War?--Ay, war! I feared a collision with England from the moment that +Sir Alfred Milner proved at the Bloemfontein Conference that nothing +could satisfy him. I became convinced then of what I had all along +suspected, but would not believe, that the object of England was not to +see that the Uitlander should obtain his rights, but that the two +Republics should be annihilated, and that the map of South Africa +should, as Rhodes had put it, be painted red. + +These suspicions of mine soon proved not to have been unfounded. + +President Kruger had consented, at last, to grant the franchise to +Uitlanders, after a residence of five years in the country; and +everybody thought now that war was averted, and that there would be a +peaceful adjustment of the differences between England and the South +African Republic. But England did not want that. England wanted the +Transvaal. Contrary to the expectations of everyone, the British +Government did not accept the proposal of President Kruger, and said +that it would dictate its own terms. It was speedily seen that England +intended to do this by force of arms, for numbers of British troops had +begun to mass on the boundaries of the two Republics. + +At last England got what it had been seeking--a palpable _causa belli_, +in the Ultimatum which the Transvaal Government, wearied to death, at +last issued. + +Both Boers and Britishers have declared that it was a fatal mistake on +the part of the Transvaal to issue the Ultimatum. The Boers said that +President Kruger should have waited until England had begun hostilities; +and the English protested that there would have been no war, if there +had been no Ultimatum. Lord Salisbury, especially, has never wearied in +his attempt to make the world believe that England went to war with the +Republics solely because of the insult offered by the Ultimatum; and +that the two States themselves had by that act made it impossible for +the British Government to permit them to retain their independence. + +But the world knows better. + +The world knows that it was England, not the Republics, that began the +quarrel, when, contrary to the terms of the Convention of 1884, she +interfered with the internal affairs of the South African Republic; when +later on she would listen to no proposal of the Transvaal Government, +and when she began sending troops to the boundaries of the two States. +The world can comprehend also that the Republics could not wait until +England had completed the massing of her troops on the borders, to wake +up one morning and find themselves invaded from every side. The world, +too, knows what must be said of the blow which falls in a manner +mechanically, after unendurable provocation. And posterity, sitting in +judgment, will pass its verdict on the Ultimatum. It will say that it +was a protest against wrong and oppression. It will hear a little people +speaking through that Ultimatum to a great nation: "Thou art great and +mighty, and thou wouldst set thy foot upon my neck; but I declare here +before the whole world that Might is not Right; and I defy thee!" + +I cannot enter into a discussion here of the question whether the South +African Republic wronged the Uitlanders. But if this had been the case, +was England then the knight-errant among the nations of the earth, to +rush to the succour of such as might be oppressed by the one or the +other Power?--And if she considered that this was her mission, why did +she never attempt to teach Turkey, Russia, even the United States of +America, what their duty was? + +Nothing was further removed from the thoughts of England than such +disinterestedness. But she imagined that she had a chance with this +little people; and when she wished to beat the dog, she found a stick in +the grievances of the Uitlanders. + +Poor Transvaal, thou wert not perfect--far from that! But thou hadst had +no time to become so. Thou hadst had no time to develop into what thou +wouldst have become in the course of years. Thy great neighbour, arrived +at maturity through centuries of imperfections, found thee a child, and, +counting it a crime in thee to be a child, made a murderous assault on +thee! + + * * * * * + +The negotiations between England and the South African Republic were +still progressing when England sent troops, not only to the Transvaal, +but also the Free State borders. What else but undisguised hostility +could the Governments of the two Republics see in this action of +England? They were compelled by it to prepare themselves for any +emergency; and enjoined, in consequence, the landdrosts to instruct the +commandants of all the districts of the two States to commandeer the +burghers. This commandeering took place on 2nd of October 1899. It was +on Sunday, and many a Boer had gathered his household around him, and +was sitting with his Bible open before him, while he was conducting his +Sunday family worship, when the field-cornet, or other person sent in +his stead, came and told him that he had to appear at a certain place, +with his horse, saddle and bridle, rifle and thirty rounds of +ammunition, and rations for eight days. + +The Harrismith Commando was ordered to muster on the farm--_The Oaks_; +and most of the burghers composing it arrived there next day. We +proceeded thence to Tantjesberg, and approached in the course of a few +days the boundary between the Orange Free State and Natal, on the grand +range of the Drakensberg. To this border other Free State commandos +numbering in all about 8000 men came, while a like number were sent to +the western boundary, and a small force to the Basutoland line. + +The southern border of the district of Harrismith was the line which had +to be guarded, between the Orange Free State and Natal. The commandos, +therefore, which had come from other places to this boundary, had to +pass somewhere through the district of Harrismith. This happened in due +course. During the week all the commandos passed east or west of, or +through the town. The Bethlehem burghers pitched their laager on the +south-west near Binghamsberg, a precipitous mountain which Erasmus Smit, +the missionary who accompanied the Voortrekkers, called Kerkenberg +(Church Hill) in his Journal. This he did because a great cleft of a +tremendous rock at the foot of the mountain, in which the name of Piet +Retief is written in green paint, afforded ample space for conducting +divine worship. The Heilbron Commando went to Bezuidenhout's Pass, and +the Kroonstad to Tintwa. The burghers of Winburg marched past on the +east of Platberg, and pitched their camp at Van Reenen, near the line of +railway; while the men of the Harrismith and Vrede Commandos went +farther east to Botha's Pass, and formed the connection with the line of +the Transvaal forces on the west of Majuba. + +It rained a great deal when these Boer forces hastened to the +Drakensberg. I remember very well how the Heilbron and Kroonstad +burghers rode through the town of Harrismith in the rain. +Notwithstanding the depressing nature of the weather, everybody was +cheerful, and all looked with boundless trust in God into the future. +The Heilbron burghers did not remain in the town, but the men of +Kroonstad waited at the church until their greatcoats and blankets, +which they hung on the railings, were dry. Meanwhile our women poured +out warm coffee for the men, and began thus to take their share in the +great strife, which had begun. + +I must here make mention of the manner in which the Government took the +interests to heart of such as had been deprived of their employment +through the new state of things. It appointed a commission in every +town, whose duty it was to inquire into the condition of the needy and +to distribute flour and mealie meal, wherever they found that there was +great want. The Government also afforded facilities to the poor of +earning money. It supplied the material for shirts and trousers, to be +made for such burghers on commando as were in need, and paid a small sum +for every garment that was made. The wives of the landdrosts and +ministers were intrusted with this department. Besides this, the women +of the towns were asked to bake biscuits--the Government supplying the +flour for the commandos. It was beautiful to see how willingly the women +undertook this hard labour. Some of them baked as much as a bag of +flour in a day; and I have seen at the Harrismith Station truck loads of +biscuits ready to be carried to the forces in Natal. + +This baking of biscuits was one of the first proofs of the devotion and +self-sacrifice of our women. + +But I have anticipated a little. + +At five o'clock on the 11th October 1899 the forty-eight hours, which +were given by the Transvaal to England to decide whether she would +withdraw her troops from the borders of the Republics, had elapsed. +England had not withdrawn her troops, and it was now clear to everyone +that she desired war. Everyone knew also now that from that hour we were +in a state of war. + +It was now the interest of every chief-commandant (Hoofd-commandant) to +occupy the best positions, if possible before the English could do so. +With this in view, orders were given that all commandos should be sent +forward with the utmost speed, and take positions on the Drakensberg. +This was done, and by the 13th of October all the passes on the great +mountain range were guarded by our forces. + +On the same day a meeting of Free State officers was held in the tent of +General Marthinus Prinsloo, and the question was there discussed whether +a flying column should not, without delay, proceed west of Ladysmith and +blow up the railway bridge over the Tugela at Colenso. Most of the +officers were opposed to this idea, but it was resolved instead that +portions of the commandos of Heilbron, Winburg, Kroonstad, and +Harrismith should descend into Natal that very night, under the command +of Commandant C. J. de Villiers, who was temporarily appointed General +in the place of General A. P. Cronje. This force would have to +co-operate with the Transvaal commandos and endeavour to cut off the +retreat of the English at Dundee. + +I was present when the Harrismith men were ready to go. How well I +remember the command given by the brave and never-to-be-forgotten +Field-Cornet Jan Lyon-- + +"Four deep!" + +I see him in my mind's eye now, while I write, placing himself, every +inch a soldier, at the head of his men and riding away. + +After him came Field-Cornet Z. J. de Beer with the Harrismith town +burghers. They rode past in splendid form, with the Free State flag +bravely fluttering in the breeze. Something thrilled through my being +when I saw these men, all of whom I knew, ride away into the great +unknown. I knew that some of them would never tread Free State soil +again. + +And it happened sooner than I thought. + +Next day Field-Cornet de Beer collided with the Carbineers not far from +Bester's Station, and the first burgher of the Harrismith Commando was +killed. To the best of my knowledge he was the first victim of the war: +his name was Jonson. + +The Carbineers had attacked the men of Field-Cornet de Beer on a ridge, +and bombarded them with a Maxim. Our burghers held their ground until +Field-Cornet Lyon arrived with a reinforcement and charged the +Carbineers on their right wing. The English could not resist this +onslaught and betook themselves to flight, never resting until they +arrived out of breath at Ladysmith. One of their officers, Lieutenant +Galway, was taken prisoner, and sent to Harrismith. The camp of the +Carbineers also fell into our hands, and the burghers were immensely +pleased with the little light green tents they found. These were very +portable, and went far and wide with the burghers in later stages of the +war. + +After addressing the Winburg men, I had returned to Harrismith on the +morning of the 18th, and was an eye-witness of the intense excitement +of the town during the next few days, when news of battles fought in the +north of Natal arrived. We heard of the fight at Glencoe on the 20th +October, at Elandslaagte on the 21st, and at Rietfontein (Modderspruit) +on the 24th. In the first two the Transvaalers had been engaged, in the +last the Free Staters. + +I was very strongly affected, and felt after the news of Rietfontein +came that I could not remain at Harrismith. I therefore decided to go to +Natal without delay and join the Harrismith Commando. On Friday the 27th +October I took leave of my wife and children, and arrived in the +afternoon at the headquarters of General Marthinus Prinsloo. He was very +kind, and provided a cart for my journey and that of Dr. Cilliers who +also wished to go into Natal. Next day I arrived at Bester's Station, +and had the opportunity of visiting the burghers who had been wounded in +the fight at Rietfontein. I was especially glad to see Mr. Jacobus de +Jager of Loskop. As he was temporarily _hors de combat_, he offered me a +horse and his own saddle for a time. I was of course very grateful and +accepted his offer with alacrity. + +After breakfast, next morning, I set out with the object of finding the +Harrismith Commando, and soon came to Smith's Crossing. There I saw what +a farm looked like where looting had taken place. Some of our burghers +had destroyed everything there that was not firmly built on, or planted +in the ground. The windows were smashed, the doors torn off, and +everything that was of value or use was carried away. Presses and chests +of drawers had been broken open, furniture dashed to pieces, pillows and +mattresses cut open, and everywhere about there were lying scattered in +dreadful confusion, feathers of pillows and beds, pieces of furniture, +torn books, photographs, plates, pots, pans, even articles of female +attire. + +The sight of this affected me very unfavourably, as I found it did many +others too. Several remarked that we were not fighting for booty, but +for the sacred cause of our independence. But the foreigners fighting +among us against England laughed at our scruples. Destruction of +property, they said, was a part of the war, and England would destroy +our farms worse when once she began. + +None of us would believe this assertion of the foreigners then. We know +now how true it was. It is nearly three years now since I looked at the +destruction at Smith's Crossing, and what have I not seen since of the +destruction carried out by England? Everything done by the Boers is as +dust in the balance, when compared with the devastation carried out by +the British soldiers. + +Now English officers, when taxed with the barbarity with which they +devastated the farms in the two Republics, have been accustomed to +retort that it was we who began the game. To this it can be replied that +the Boers destroyed the houses of those only who had fled from their +farms, and had thus shown that they were hostile to us; that even this +was not done by order of the Boer Generals, nay, was done contrary to +the express orders forbidding the destruction of farms, and that it was +never carried out so ruthlessly as it was later by the English troops. +The houses were never committed to the flames by the Boers, nor did they +blow up any farmstead with dynamite. But the steadings in the Free State +and Transvaal were destroyed by fire or dynamite by order of a British +Field-Marshal, and later of a British Commander-in-Chief. And there were +hundreds of cases where this took place over the heads of women and +children, who were immediately after the destruction exposed to the wet +weather in summer and the cold of winter. Nothing approaching such +barbarity was ever done by the Boers. If, therefore, the English were +making reprisals in burning the farms, they avenged themselves not as +Cain seven times, but as Lamech seventy times seven. + +I did not have to go far from Smith's Crossing. I found the Harrismith +burghers three miles to the west of Ladysmith, near the homestead of Mr. +Gert Potgieter. They consisted of what was called a horse-commando, they +were encumbered with no convoy, and only two or three waggons (one of +them carrying ammunition) stood about. The difference between the camp +here and the great laagers on the Drakensberg, with their walls of +encircling waggons, struck me. Here there was nothing besides the little +brown canvas Free State tents, and the beautiful little green tents +taken from the Carbineers on the 18th. One would be much in want of many +things, I thought, in a horse-commando, and life in it would be in the +utmost degree repulsive, to a person especially with studious +predilections, to whom the four walls of a study were more attractive +than the wide, wide plains under the great blue vault above. I thought +so then, but the time was coming when we should not have even little +Carbineer tents. + +However inhospitable a "horse-commando" appeared, the burghers were not +so. They were mostly members of my congregation, and received me with +the utmost cordiality. They gave me something to eat--just what they had +ready--_Kaboemielies_, (boiled maize). What better--what more nutritious +food could they have given me than mealies? Many a Boer poet has sung +the praises of the mealies, but the inspiration of each has failed. + +The day after I arrived in the laager, the 30th October, the battle of +Nicholson's Nek was fought. It was in this fight that Christian de Wet +made his first appearance. He was then an acting Commandant, and led +about 200 men up the hill, where he captured 800 British troops. The +Transvaal burghers were also engaged that day and took 400 soldiers +prisoners, so that we captured 1200 in all. I was not present. I only +saw from a great distance our shells exploding on the battlefield, and I +can therefore give no description of what took place. + +I met the Rev. P. Roux, who was subsequently appointed General, next +day. He told me that he came on the scene just when the fight was over. +He had been struck, he said, by the distress of the wounded. It was +terrible to see what they were suffering in the broiling sun. He had +also spoken to several English officers. One had said in a surly tone of +voice: "This is only a beginning." Mr. Roux had replied: "Yes, and we +are quite satisfied with it." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A NIGHT MARCH + + +It was decided to invest Ladysmith, and the Free State burghers were +ordered to occupy positions towards the north-west, west, and south of +the town. The Transvaalers took the opposite ridges and hills. + +Why did not the Boers make an onslaught on the town after the fight at +Rietfontein--why did not they do so after Nicholson's Nek?--or failing +this, why did they besiege Ladysmith? Why did they not leave an opening +on the south for the English to retire by? + +Such questions have been repeatedly put after all was past, and it was +seen what might have been done. But the people who put these questions +assume circumstances which did not exist. For instance, it was +altogether impossible in the as yet unorganised state of the commandos +of the two States to venture on a united assault on Ladysmith, after +either Rietfontein or Nicholson's Nek. And it is quite dubious whether +the English wished to retire southwards. In fact the contrary appears to +be the case, for they might have evacuated the town, if they had wished, +before the 2nd of November,--eight days after Rietfontein,--on which +date the Boers had completed the investment of the town. The British +had, in point of fact, during those eight days not only shown no signs +of any desire to leave the town, but they had made a sortie, which had +resulted in the fiasco at Nicholson's Nek on the 30th of November. + +It appears thus, when everything is taken into consideration, that no +General would have acted otherwise than General Joubert did; and nobody, +indeed, did think, during the siege of Ladysmith, that it was a mistake +to be doing so. It was only later that all manner of mistakes were +discovered in the besieging of Ladysmith, and not only of Ladysmith, but +also of Mafeking and Kimberley. + +_The town was besieged._ That is a fact. I have only to do with that +fact now, and I am going to relate how the Free State commandos did +their part of the work. + +On the day after Nicholson's Nek, certain Free State Commandants were +told by General A. P. Cronje, who had arrived on the 24th October and +assumed his command, to march their burghers to the south of Ladysmith, +and take up positions somewhere near or on the farm, Fouries Kraal. +These burghers consisted of portions of the commandos of Harrismith, +under Commandant C. J. de Villiers; Vrede, Commandant Anthony Lombaard; +and Heilbron, Commandant L. Steenekamp. General Cronje was in command of +the whole force. + +Mr. Jan Wessels of Harrismith was appointed as guide, and the force +began to move as soon as it got dark. This was my first experience of +about a hundred night marches in which I took part during the war, and I +must confess that it was one of the worst I was ever in. I learned to +know the Africander in one of his weak points--his impatience of +discipline. I saw how he rebelled against what was the legitimate +authority under which he should have submitted.--How different it became +later in the war! As I write now nearly three years have passed since +that night march, and if I compare it with the night trek, for instance, +of the 23rd of February 1902 (of which I shall give an account later), +it is well-nigh impossible to believe that the strong, obedient burgher +of 1902 is the same man as the almost unbridled one of the end of 1899. + +Everything was in chaotic confusion. One would have imagined that the +burghers stood under no orders whatever, and yet orders had been issued. +They were openly disregarded. It had been ordered, for instance, that +there should be no smoking, and yet all along the route--we were going +from the rear to the van--little flashes of light could be seen of +matches, with which the men lighted their pipes. Nobody bothered his +head about the question as to whether these lights could show our +whereabouts to the enemy. Then the men had been told to proceed in +absolute silence, and yet there was not even an attempt to do so. +Besides a dreadful din which was raised by the drivers of the mules that +were inspanned in the gun-carriages, the burghers conversed quite +loudly, cracked jokes, and laughed in explosive guffaws--for all the +world as if they were on some errand which involved no danger. In my +immediate vicinity there was a young burgher of the name of Adriaan +Venter--he was nicknamed _Dapperman_ because of his gallant behaviour at +Rietfontein. Well, this young fellow never wearied of saying funny +things; and I heard him use now for the first time his favourite +expression, "Jij is laat" (you are too late). This expression was soon +adopted by everybody in the field, and was used whenever anybody had +missed what he had had in view. Dapperman kept himself and all about him +in the best of spirits from the beginning to the end of that night +march, and it never entered his mind that scouts of the enemy might be a +hundred yards from us. Nothing struck me more than the entire +thoughtlessness of the burghers. + +Just after we had begun to march, the clouds lowered, and it became very +dark. We could not see one another. The jokes of Dapperman only told me +that he was still near. Then it began to rain, and the road became +slippery. We progressed more and more slowly until at length we almost +came to a standstill. This was caused through the difficulty which was +encountered in taking the cannons through Sand River. The road at the +drift had become so slippery that it was next to impossible for the +mules to stand. + +And meanwhile the darkness became thicker. I wondered whether I should +be able to see my hand if I held it before my eyes. Yes I could, so what +had been said of darkness so dense that you could not see your hand +before your eyes was not applicable here. Still, it was so dark that you +could not see the man you touched next you. + +How provoking our slow progress was. We went twenty yards, and then we +halted for five or ten minutes. Then off we went again, and came to a +dead stop after we had progressed not more than twenty or twenty-five +yards. What were they doing in front, we were wondering; and the answer +came: "The guns can't get on." + +Thus it went on until midnight. The General saw then that he could not +proceed, and ordered us to stop. We halted just where we were on either +side of the road we were travelling along. + +Did the English know anything about us? I asked myself. There was +nothing to prevent it. Not only was it so dark that English scouts could +have been moving about among us, but we had shown them where we were +with our matches, and the noise we had made had revealed the direction +of our march. What, thought I, if they sent a shower of shells on us as +soon as it became light But this did not happen. The enemy had not yet +recovered from what they had suffered at Nicholson's Nek, and a few days +would elapse before a sortie from Ladysmith was again undertaken. + +The morning broke dark and damp. Clouds hung low in the sky and it +looked like rain. This was not encouraging. Nor was it encouraging when +we saw how little we had got on in the night. We were not more than two +or three miles from where we had begun. But we had to go on +now--daylight or not, whether we were seen or not. + +The whole force came into motion. It was a beautiful sight to see the +commandos together. I looked back from the van. The force was riding +over a great level space. There were at least two thousand together. An +insignificant number--but for us, the troops of two poor little +republics, it was large. + +The clouds did not deceive us. We had hardly begun to march when several +heavy showers fell, and the prospect of a wet day was not pleasant. But +to the relief of all the weather cleared up before nine o'clock, and the +beautiful spring day followed: one of those days of unclouded sky which +are so rousing and vivifying in South Africa. After a short morning trek +we halted for breakfast, and then continued our march. + +And now it began to be interesting. + +A small body of Harrismith burghers had been told off to ride some miles +in advance, while the main body came on behind. Nobody could know what +might happen behind the ridges and kopjes which we were constantly +approaching and passing. The utmost care was observed. We halted +frequently until from time to time the reconnaissance of the country in +front was satisfactorily completed. Now and then we saw living objects +in the distance, and we could not know, of course, whether they were not +scouts of the enemy; but after Marthinus Potgieter had observed the +ridge or kopje through his long telescope and declared that the figures +were Kaffir women, and after our scouts had passed without adventure, +we knew that all was well, and went on. + +We arrived at the house of an English missionary about twelve o'clock, +and Commandant de Villiers turned aside to see him. The missionary +showed signs of anxiety, and seemed to fear that harm would be done to +him. Commandant de Villiers assured him that nothing would happen, if he +put a white flag on the gable of his house as a sign that he was a +non-combatant. I accompanied the Commandant, and enjoyed a cup of tea +which the good wife of the missionary gave us. While we were drinking +the tea I heard children's voices in another part of the house, and I +was affected by them. A child always touches what is most tender in me. +And here I remember that I was especially moved by the sharp contrast +between those sweet children's voices and the harsh voices which I had +heard during the last few days of men talking about nothing but the war. + +We hastened forward, and had scarcely reached the main body when we saw +in the distance some of our scouts galloping back. Field-Cornet Jan Lyon +thereupon set spurs to his horse, and dashed forward with a small body +of burghers. Soon we learned that, while a portion of our scouts were +proceeding along a cutting near Onderbroek Spruit, they were fired upon +by some Irish Fusiliers, who had concealed themselves behind huge +boulders on the roadside. Isaac du Plessis was wounded in the thigh. The +other portion of our advance party had gone over the hill, west of the +road, and had fired on the Irish Fusiliers, with the result that they +were driven off. + +Isaac du Plessis was my first case. I bandaged him as well as I could, +and he was sent away for proper medical treatment. + +We passed by the spot where the incident had occurred, and I saw the +corpse of a soldier lying on the roadside. He had been shot by our men +from the hill. He lay on his back, and had been covered by our burghers +with grass. How well I remember the emotion that passed through me when +I saw there for the first time the corpse of a man killed in action. How +many it would be my lot to see and--bury. + +Nothing further happened, until we arrived late in the afternoon at a +spot on the high ranges of hills between Colenso and Ladysmith, about +three miles east of the main road. I went with two others over the +range, and they pointed out to me the tents of the English garrison, on +the left bank of the Tugela, near the village of Colenso. The view was +grand. A vast plain lay stretched out before us, and through it the +greatest river of Natal was cutting its way, and swiftly descending to a +series of rapids and falls into precipitous abysses. We stayed and +looked upon the great scene until the fast falling shades of night +warned us to return to the laager. Soon we were wrapped in deep and +restoring sleep, for we were very tired. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +BESIEGERS AND BESIEGED + + +Ladysmith was now completely surrounded. It was besieged on the north +and east by the Transvaal and on the west and south by the Free State +commandos. + +Early on the morning after we had marched to the south--on 2nd +November--Field-Cornet Jan Lyon went with a body of men to Pieter's +Station, broke up the rails there, and took the telegraph clerk +prisoner. While he was doing this the two guns which we had brought with +us were being dragged up the range of hills between Ladysmith and +Colenso. One of them was put on the summit of a pointed hill a little +south of Platrand (Caesar's Hill),--the other on the heights north of +Colenso. I was present when Commandant de Villiers drew the latter up +the precipitous slopes. There were huge boulders, as high as the wheels +of a waggon, thickly strewn on the hillside, and over them the Krupp had +to go. A strong span of oxen was put before the gun, and one could hear +the creaking of the yokes as the oxen strained to draw the gun up, but +as it became steeper and steeper it soon appeared that even the +South-African ox had a task which it could not do. The wheels of the +gun-carriage got jammed between the boulders and remained immovable. +Then the burghers took the work in hand, and what ox-power could not +do, human muscles accomplished. Some of the men seized the yokes and the +_trektouw_,[1] and others put their shoulders to the wheel, and up flew +the gun. It was not long before the Krupp made itself heard. To the +English fort near Colenso it sent a few shells--but the garrison there +had fled. + +[Footnote 1: Chain to which the yokes are attached.] + +The Winburg Commando was encamped a little more to the north-east than +we were, and had an early surprise. While they were engaged in broiling +meat for breakfast there were heard in sharp succession the reports of +guns, and immediately several shells fell right in their midst. It is +needless to say that there was a confused scramble in search of cover; +but fortunately nobody was hurt. The enemy, having given an exhibition +of their gun practice, retired immediately to Ladysmith. + +The next day General A. P. Cronje sent 900 men chosen from all the +commandos to take a ridge south-west of Ladysmith, not far from the +house of Mr. Willem Bester, in order to oppose the enemy, who had made a +sortie from Ladysmith in considerable numbers, on the road leading to +Colenso. + +From this ridge the burghers opened a steady fire on the approaching +English, who were also subjected to a heavy and continuous bombardment. +This went on for a considerable time, and then a number of mounted +troops charged the ridge, but were repulsed. After that others rode into +a donga to the west of our positions, and leaving their horses in it, +emerged with the object of taking possession of a low reef of rock +between themselves and us. But here, too, they were unsuccessful. Our +men opened such a withering fire on them that they were obliged to +abandon their design. + +At this moment about 150 of the enemy gained possession of a hill to the +south with the object of surrounding us by the east. Sixty Winburg and +Harrismith burghers seeing this, charged them; but the bullets of the +English fell so thickly on them that forty of them turned back, so that +only twenty reached the top. There, however, they found themselves in +such a terrific fire that they could do nothing, and were obliged to +seek cover behind large boulders. Such was the state of things when our +Krupp on the pointed hill sent a well-aimed shell among the English, and +at once changed matters. The shell was followed without delay by +another, and when the fourth came the enemy was compelled to retire. +Then it was our opportunity. The twenty burghers emerged from their +hiding-places and fired upon the retiring English, and the hill was +quickly cleared. + +While this was going on I was with the Harrismith Commando, which was +madly galloping as a reinforcement to the fight. We had to pass a spot +where shots occasionally fell, and as we raced along there, I heard for +the first time in my life the whiz of a passing bullet. We went on, and +arrived on the hill. But all was just then over, and we could only see +the English retreating to Ladysmith. Twice or thrice yet they fired +shrapnels at us, and again I had a first experience. It was of the +sound, sharp and shrill, of a shrapnel that went over our heads. I don't +know in what other words it can be described. + +What a tyranny fear is! At the foot of the hill I saw a young burgher, +utterly overpowered by it, lying behind a large stone and not daring to +raise his head. + +"Are you wounded?" somebody asked him. + +"No," answered the terror-stricken youth, and pressed still closer to +the stone. + +I met Mr. Roux here again, and assisted him to bandage the burgher +Gibson, who had been badly wounded in the leg. Two others also were +wounded. + +Nothing further happened now, and in the evening we were in our little +field tents again. + +During the following three days there was an armistice in order to +enable the enemy to get their women, children, and non-combatants out of +Ladysmith into the Intombi Camp, between the town and Bulwana. + +On Sunday, the 5th of November, our commando went to Pieter's Station. I +had preached early in the morning for the burghers of Vrede; and now, +after we had inspected the station, we gathered under a great camel +tree, and had a most pleasant service. Just before the service some +burghers slipped away unobserved and sped to Colenso. Arrived there, +they helped themselves to what they fancied they needed in the shops. +While they were thus engaged, an armoured train came from Chieveley, and +began to fire on them. + +We were lying unconcerned in the shadow of the great camel tree, when +Commandant de Villiers got the report that some burghers were hemmed in +at Colenso. He immediately gave orders that the horses should be saddled +and rode thither, but we heard on the way that the culprits had, by the +skin of their teeth, made their escape under a shower of bullets. + +When we were returning to our laager, we met Kaffirs who had fled from +Ladysmith. They drew a terrible picture of the state of the town. They +told us that there were still unburied soldiers there, and that a bad +smell pervaded the town. Women and children too had to endure great +suffering, and were obliged to hide in holes which had been scooped out +in the river's bank. + +We did not know then that we had to take Kaffir reports with a grain of +salt. + +Towards the 10th of November the Free State laagers lay around Ladysmith +in this order: Near the railway line to the east of Smith's Crossing was +the laager of the Kroonstad Commando. To the west of the line, General +Prinsloo had fixed his headquarters; and thence round to the south stood +in succession the laagers of the Bethlehem, Vrede, Heilbron, Harrismith, +and Winburg Commandos. Each Commandant had one or two guns. Commandant +de Villiers had charge of two. For these he built forts on the hill upon +which the 150 English were shelled in the fight of the 3rd of November. +This hill lay to the west of Mr. Bester's house. + +We Harrismith burghers pitched our camp at several places, but at last +we fixed it permanently at the south-west of this hill. From the forts +on the top of the hill you can see close at hand in the direction of +Ladysmith the Neutral Kopje. Right before you in the depth you see the +house of Mr. Bester, and there on the other side of the kloof rises +Platrand, or Caesar's Hill, on which the English are making forts and +sangars. Every now and then you see a cloud of smoke from our +cannon-forts, and a Krupp sends a shell on Platrand, to which the +English with splendid aim promptly reply. From every side and every +schanz the forts of the English were bombarded. The big gun of the +Transvaalers on Bulwana, to which the British gave the name of Long Tom, +was especially active, and sent its great shells regularly every day +into the town. + +And now we were living in the constant expectation that Ladysmith would +speedily fall into our hands. Our expectations were also constantly +strengthened by Kaffir reports. There was, the Kaffirs told us, very +little food in the town, and the distress was great. Week after week, +therefore, we were expecting that Ladysmith would capitulate, but week +after week Ladysmith held out. + +On the 14th of November another fight took place. The English made a +sortie to the south-west of the town, and attacked a position where +there were eighty men of the Vrede Commando. They opened a heavy +cannonade on the rand and made it almost untenable for the burghers +there. Then our guns came to the rescue. The two Harrismith Krupps fired +on the rear of the enemy. Others assisted, and everything was managed so +effectively that the English had to retire precipitously. A man came to +our laager in the evening and told us that he was in the Vrede position +while it was being shelled. It had been terrible, he said. One poor +fellow, a young burgher of the name of De Jager, had been hit in four +places, while lying behind a boulder, by a shrapnel--three bullets had +struck him in the shoulders and one in the head, and he had died +immediately. Two others were slightly wounded. + +Our laager had not been out of danger. A piece of a shell had fallen in +it. Afterwards this happened frequently. Bits of missiles sent from +Platrand to the cannon-forts above now and again came into our camp, to +the great amusement of those who did not happen to be in danger at the +moment. How funny it was to see the men near the spot scramble to cover +when the danger was past. + +About this time the Bethlehem Commando made a large capture of cattle. +Some Coolies were taken prisoners on the occasion. Everybody naturally +besieged the prisoners to hear something about Ladysmith. The wily +Indians took in the situation at once, and told us what they knew would +be agreeable to us. They "spoke comfortably to our hearts," and depicted +the condition of the town in the most appalling colours. + +Just at this time too--on the 15th of November--Commandant-General +Joubert sent, under the command of General L. Botha, 1600 Transvaalers +and 500 Free Staters to Estcourt. Some of them came into action with an +armoured train near Chieveley. From the train a vigorous fire was opened +on the Transvaalers, who replied with cannon and rifle. Some Free State +burghers were in advance and attempted to break up the railway. But as +they had no tools to do this with, they could not, and instead raised +the rails on one side and placed big stones underneath. The train then +steamed back and two trucks were derailed. Immediately, under a heavy +fire from us, the English set to work to remove the stones, and then the +engine went backwards and forwards and came with every forward motion +into collision with the trucks. It succeeded soon in removing the +impediment, and sped away with the trucks which had not been derailed. +Fifty-six troops and three civilians were taken prisoners. Among these +was Mr. Winston Churchill, who escaped later in a very clever manner +from the Model School at Pretoria, in which he was being kept confined +as a prisoner of war. + +We heard of this affair with the armoured train while we were chatting +in very rainy weather in the tent of Commandant de Villiers. It was +dripping wet outside and the laager had been converted into a perfect +puddle of mud by hundreds of feet. General J. B. Wessels and Commandant +Theunissen of the Winburg Commando were there on a visit. We were +talking about the armoured train, and presently General Wessels related +that a man had been taken prisoner the day before by the Winburg +burghers. This man had been found in a Kaffir hut, and had with him a +basket of pigeons, which he had brought from Maritzburg to smuggle into +Ladysmith. But as Dapperman said, "_He was too late._" + +It did rain that day! and in the evening a steady downpour set in. I +sympathised with the sentries and outposts, who had to take duty on the +top and the slopes of the hill. What a cheerless thing it was, I +thought, to sit through the livelong dripping night with no shelter, and +to gaze into the darkness. + +I can give no account of the adventures of the expedition which General +Joubert sent to Estcourt, as I did not accompany it. I can only say that +the burghers composing it did not remain long south of the Tugela, and +were obliged by great numbers of troops to return to Ladysmith. General +Joubert, however, said that he had succeeded in his object of preventing +all the English troops from massing on the western borders of the Free +State. + +Shortly before the expedition was sent to Estcourt, the portions of the +several commandos which had been left on the Drakensberg were ordered to +descend into Natal and join the besiegers of Ladysmith. They arrived in +due time, and brought all the waggons with them. We had after that the +convenience of a laager. Tents of every shape and size soon sprang up +everywhere between the great waggons, and nobody who was not actually on +duty needed to have any apprehension with regard to heat, or cold, or +wet. There were indeed several who had raised their voices against the +bringing down of the waggons, and had said that they would prove to be +an encumbrance, in case a hasty retreat became necessary, but the +majority of the burghers were bent upon taking it easy--even in the +war--and demanded that the waggons should be brought down. + +As far as I was concerned, though I did not approve of the presence of +the waggons, it was a personal pleasure to have a large square tent with +a table in it. Writing on a table was a decided improvement to writing +on a book, or a pad, on one's knees, or on the ground. + +That tent in which I wrote!--how I remember it, while I am in Cape Town +writing my book over again. + +The time passed swiftly, though it dragged from moment to moment. This +was one of the first things that struck me in the war. I would wake in +the morning and feel the duty of the day lying on me, as a burden which +could not be lifted. But when the shadows of night had fallen I found +that the burden had been borne. It often seemed as if the future lay far +beyond my reach, but after an hour, a day, a month was past, the hours +seemed to be seconds, the days hours, and the months weeks. + +The burghers were terribly bored in the laager? Why? They wanted +nothing. The Government provided meat, bread (in the shape of meal), +coffee, sugar, potatoes,--sometimes tobacco;--we even lived in luxury, +for our wives sent us fruit and vegetables, cake and sweets. Why, then, +did the burghers feel bored in the laager? + +The reason is that the Africander is not a soldier, who can take kindly +to camp or barrack life. The Boer detests a confined life, and whenever +he is away from the open plain, and the free breezes of heaven, he is +miserable. Thus it was that every burgher now longed to be back on his +farm. + +How I pitied the Commandant! He was continually besieged by burghers +asking leave to go home. They asked for leave on the slightest pretexts, +or with no pretext whatever; for they would give as a reason for leave +of absence the work which had to be done on the farms. The women looked +after that as well as, and in many cases better than, the men themselves +had done. No, in the majority of cases there was no sound excuse to +justify a request for leave. It was simply because they could not stand +the confinement of the life in a laager. + +Towards the end of the third week in November, one of the heavy guns of +the Transvaal--another Long Tom--was brought into the Harrismith laager +in order to be placed on the hill where our two guns stood. What a +monster it was! + +A wooden platform of thick deal beams was constructed in the fort, and +Long Tom was drawn into position during the night. On the following +morning it fired on the forts at Platrand (Caesar's Hill), and the +terrific recoil splintered the stout beams of the platform as if they +had been thin lathes. The platform had to be rebuilt and rendered +stronger. + +While we were doing this, the English were not idle. They were busy +putting a heavy gun on Platrand into position; and on the following day +they sent shell after shell, which pulverised the rocks and ploughed the +ground, but which happily did no injury to Long Tom. + +On Sunday, 26th November, I visited the Bethlehem laager with the +intention of holding divine service there. On arriving, I found +everything in a state of hurry and bustle. Here someone was roasting +coffee, there another was shoeing his horse, yonder a third was greasing +the axles of his waggon. The cause of all this activity was that the +commando had been ordered to the western border by the War Commission, +and that they were preparing to start. + +I succeeded in my intention of addressing the burghers, and took as my +text the comforting words of St. Paul: "Be of good cheer: for I trust in +God, that it shall be even as it was told me." + +A fortnight afterwards, Acting-Commandant Christian de Wet was appointed +General, and likewise ordered to the western border. His achievement at +Nicholson's Nek had fixed the attention of the War Commission on him, +and he was now called to take upon himself the rank and important duties +of a General. I had no suspicion then that Christian de Wet had begun +the career which would make him famous throughout South Africa; nay, +throughout the world! + +Thus far we had busied ourselves exclusively with the enemy hemmed in at +Ladysmith; but on the 28th of November the Boers were also threatened +from the south of the Tugela. On that day a considerable number of +troops advanced from the direction of Chieveley, and opened a heavy +fire on the Boer positions north of the river, with about twelve guns. +The Boers replied, and our shells fell upon the British until they were +forced to retire. + +Platrand! What enchantment hung over that hill! From the first moment +that we had come south of Ladysmith, it had been the talk of everyone +that the hill should be taken; and about a week after the investment of +the town, Commandant de Villiers had actually made a night march with +the object of making an assault on it; but General Joubert had recalled +him before he could begin the attack. Since then the cry had ever been: +"The hill must be taken!" At last, wearied of the continual nagging, the +combined War Council of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State decided +that 900 men should storm the hill during the night of the 29th-30th of +November. + +Many considered the decision unwise. They were of opinion that the hill +could not be taken without great loss of life, and that it was doubtful, +after it was taken, whether it could be held. Nobody, however, opposed, +and preparations were made to set out at two o'clock on the 30th of +November. + +Something, however, intervened. + +At ten o'clock in the evening some Transvaal officers entered the tent +of Commandant de Villiers, and pointed out that there was no shelter for +the storming party, and that the dongas at the foot of the hill, instead +of affording shelter, would prove disadvantageous to us in case we were +forced to retire. One officer after another entered the tent until there +were fifteen together, and all were opposed to the project of storming +the place. At one o'clock they had convinced one another that Platrand +could not be taken, and took it upon themselves to disobey the orders of +the Council of War, and so far from storming Platrand at two o'clock, +everyone was sound asleep in his bed at that hour. The evil day was +postponed. + +On 7th December my son Charlie, aged 15, arrived in the laager. I had +left him behind at Harrismith to go to school, but it was impossible to +keep him there, and he had come to the laager at the first opportunity, +after receiving my consent. When he had been with me but a short while +he got a Lee-Metford from his friend Jan Cilliers, which had been taken +at Dundee. + +At this time it became clearer and clearer that some event or other +might with certainty be expected from the south. The British +Commander-in-Chief in Natal, General Buller, had been there for some +weeks, and had had plenty of time to prepare himself. There was no doubt +that he had been busy, for more and more troops had come from Durban, +until the camps at Chieveley had grown to amazingly large proportions. +Everyone then was expecting that something was going to happen soon. + +But in the meanwhile something took place closer to us, which filled us +with shame and indignation. In the night of the 7th-8th of December a +number of English climbed Lombard's Kop, where the heavy gun of the +Transvaalers was. They approached the fort in the greatest silence, but +the picquet became aware of their approach and cried, "Werda?" + +Someone answered in good Dutch, "Don't shoot. We are the Modderspruit +burghers." + +This satisfied the picquet, and the next moment the enemy was in the +fort. + +Our men were taken by surprise, but they fired notwithstanding, and a +few English were wounded. + +The few men in the fort were now forced to yield, and retreated before +overwhelming odds. Then the British damaged Long Tom so seriously that +it could not be used again for fifteen days. They also partially +destroyed a French quick-firing gun and captured a Maxim. + +That same night another party of English damaged the railway bridge at +Waschbank (near Dundee) in such a manner as to stop the running of +trains for some days. + +These two exploits of the English roused a feeling of dissatisfaction in +the minds of the burghers. They considered it a dishonour to us, and +although there were rumours of treachery, the general opinion was that +it was rather the carelessness and want of vigilance on our side that +was to blame. Everyone, on the contrary, meted out unlimited praise to +the English, and said that they had done a gallant thing. + +Two days after it was Sunday, and I held divine services in different +places, according to my custom. On the same day, the Free Staters +captured a Kaffir, who had brought letters, sewn under the lining of his +sleeve, out of Ladysmith. + +Those letters! How thoughtlessly they were read. Who cared that they +were the utterances of the heart, even though the heart of an enemy? +Who, whilst reading them, asked of himself: "What would I desire the +enemy to do, if a letter of mine should fall into their hands?" These +letters were from soldiers and civilians, mostly from husband to wife, +or from wife to husband. They bore witness to a very miserable state of +things in Ladysmith. One woman wrote that she lacked the common +necessaries of life; another that she went barefoot. Besides private +letters there was a report announcing that the troops were reduced to +half rations, and that many of them were sick; and also that an unknown +disease had broken out amongst the cattle. + +Every day something happened, and the time passed rapidly. Was it not +because there was always something to keep us busy? Yes, a thousand acts +were crowded into each day. + +The heart was filled with ever-changing emotions by the various +occurrences of each day. And one's mind was not occupied by the war +only. No! One's thoughts were drawn away irresistibly by the blue +expanse overhead, and by the wondrous landscape around, stretching away +to the finest horizons on earth. We lived in God's free nature, and as +we came nearer to her great heart throbbing in the grey veld and the +blue mountain, those of us who could felt ourselves borne away by a +delicious but withal terrible Power. How glorious, too, were the +evenings! How soothing was their deep silence after the exhausting, +bustling summer's day! And then there was the breath of air from the +east, which softly fanned the cheek, and calmed and laid to rest the +turbulent passions that rent the breast. + +I used to sit of an evening beneath the camel thorn-tree, under which +Commandant de Villiers had pitched his tent, and gaze into the far west. +There lay Spion Kop, tinted pink by the last rays of the setting sun. +Far beyond rose the Drakensberg mountains with their rugged, dizzy +crags, scored and scarred, already veiled in the shadows of night. What +a thrill quivered through me when I presently looked up from that dark +mass and saw the glittering gold, which had been laid for a moment on +the clouds; or when, after the sun had set, turning, I beheld in the +east the wonderful maze of colour in the sky. The soft pink merged into +almost black purple, and this again, as if in need of support, rested on +the blue black rock foundation of the earth. + +I forgot in such moments that we were at war. I was deaf to the +discordant sounds of the strife--the bursting of shells, and the whiz of +bullets. It was as if I heard God speaking in the still small voice. + +Can I ever forget those evenings? I am living them over again. I still +gaze into that distant west, and seem to see the Unseen in that +wonderful vision: God, the Incomprehensible, the Unsearchable. I see how +He paints every evening a new picture on the mountains and on the +clouds. But He hides Himself in His picture. It is the robe, indeed, in +which He reveals Himself, but it is only the border, as Isaiah says, the +border of His robe: only the hem of His garment, and it--FILLS THE +TEMPLE! + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +GENERAL BULLER'S FIRST GREAT ATTEMPT TO BREAK THROUGH + + +Since the beginning of November we had heard, as I have already said, +that Sir Redvers Buller had landed at Cape Town, and that he was in +supreme command of the troops in Natal. We also knew that he was busy +preparing himself for a grand attack upon our forces around Ladysmith, +in order thus to relieve Sir George White there. + +Towards the end of November General Joubert received reports every day +of how matters were proceeding south of the Tugela. It was reported to +him that large numbers of troops were continually arriving from Durban, +and were occupying immense camps at Chieveley. Now, as it was impossible +to know exactly where General Buller would try to break through, it was +necessary to place commandos up and down the Tugela, with Colenso as a +centre. This was done. Various Transvaal commandos took possession of +the ridges opposite Colenso, and others were sent to the east of the +railway across the river to Klangwane, a wooded hill a few miles east of +the village, while General A. P. Cronje with from 1500 to 2000 men +trekked about twelve miles to the west. + +I will here mention the names of the Transvaal commandos that occupied +the ridges opposite Colenso, because it was by them that the attack of +General Buller was repulsed. They consisted, to begin with the most +easterly wing, of a portion of the Krugersdorp Commando; next to them +were in succession westward the burghers of Heidelberg, Boksburg, +Johannesburg, the Swazieland Police; the Ermelo burghers and the +Zoutpansberg Commando on the wing farthest west. + +These men worked night and day digging trenches and throwing up +earthworks. They did not make these works on the top of the mountain +range, where one would have expected them to, but on low ridges close to +the river. The enemy would thus, in case they attacked, first bombard +the wrong places, and the troops would approach to within a very short +distance of the position, and be subjected to a severe rifle fire, +before they knew from whence they were being fired on. + +The first days of December passed by, and although there was no attack, +there were, however, signs every day to show that the English were +making preparations, and all held themselves in readiness. + +Two or three days before the 15th of December one of the Transvaal +gunners, an Englishman, deserted, and as there was reason to fear that +he might acquaint the enemy with the preparations that had been made to +repulse an attack, General Louis Botha changed the positions of the guns +and also made the men dig other trenches and throw up new earthworks. +These trenches were dug on the level ground between the ridges I have +mentioned above and the river. If the former trenches were made where +the enemy would not expect them, this was still the case with the new +ones which were now made, as the result proved. + +On the 14th of December Commandant de Villiers rode in the direction of +Colenso to see if he could discover any new developments in the +preparations of the enemy. He came to the top of the high hill between +Colenso and the Boer laagers around Ladysmith, and saw from there that +the British troops were approaching nearer and nearer to the village. He +computed them at about 10,000. "To-morrow," he said, on his return to +the laager, "there will certainly be a battle"; and he asked me if I +wished to go to the hill on the following day, in order to see what +might take place. I answered that I would like to go. Early on the +following morning, December 15th, we heard the roar of the great naval +guns. Commandant de Villiers had not been mistaken. The battle had +commenced. + +I had my horse saddled and rode to the hill with a few burghers. There +lay the tiny hamlet of Colenso about five thousand yards from where we +stood, and down below with great curves the majestic Tugela flowed +onward, calmly and placidly. But there was no calm on its banks. The +ground shook with the thunder and reverberation of the great naval guns. +Everywhere, on both sides of the river, upon Boer and Briton, the shells +burst and the shrapnels exploded. Far away on the horizon seven or eight +miles from us, a little to the west of the railway, I saw the great +camps, looking like plantations of _black-wattle_ trees, from which the +troops had marched that morning. About two miles on this side of the +camps, the batteries of British field-guns stood in an irregular +semicircle, and in front of these the whole plain, for about three miles +to the west of the railway and a mile and a half to the east of it, was +covered with troops; not in compact masses, but widely scattered. + +I also saw ambulance waggons riding to and fro. When the cannons fired, +no volumes of smoke rose in the air as was the case with our Krupps, so +if one looked for smoke as a sign that a gun was fired, one would never +know that a shell had been despatched. But even in the broad glare of +the day you could constantly see a small flash, and presently a +terrific crash somewhere on our positions would proclaim that a great +naval gun had been fired. Our projectiles too were aimed at the troops +and guns down in the plain. I could continually see our shrapnels +exploding there. And the tiny shells of our Maxim-Nordenfeldts created +havoc among the troops; while thousands of little clouds of dust, like +those which rise when the first great raindrops of a thunderstorm fall +on a dusty road, showed where the Mauser bullets fell. + +The scene constantly changed. + +What also struck me was, that the hundreds of small objects which I saw +down there were continually appearing and disappearing. I could not at +first understand what this meant; but I soon perceived that when the +objects seemed to rise from nowhere it meant that the soldiers were +making some dash or other to a certain spot, and when they disappeared +it meant that they were forced to lie down because of a destructive hail +of bullets which was poured upon them. This was the state of affairs +when I reached the top of the hill. + +I must now relate something of what had taken place up to that moment. +General Buller had ordered four brigades of troops early that morning to +make an attack on us, supported by great naval and other cannon, with +the purpose of breaking through our lines and forcing a way to +Ladysmith. The troops had hardly commenced their advance before General +Botha perceived it, and ordered that all the men's horses without +exception should be taken away from the positions. He also issued a +strict command that no one should fire a shot before he gave the signal +by the firing of a cannon from one of the ridges behind the burghers. +Our burghers lay behind their schanzes and awaited the enemy. + +It was hardly daylight when they saw the English advance--covering a +breadth of nearly eight miles--the one wing about four miles west of +Colenso, and the other about three miles to the east. Presently the +British cannon opened a tremendous fire on the ridges behind the +burghers and the shrapnel burst everywhere with terrific sound. The +noise was deafening, but our men did not answer. The English advanced, +the flanks approaching nearer and nearer to the centre, and there were +some of our officers who sent word to General Botha, beseeching him to +give the order to fire. No. He let the English come nearer and nearer. +Not a Boer could they see. Nearer and nearer the troops advanced. They +became over confident. The Boers had certainly fled and left the road to +Ladysmith open. + +Suddenly General Botha gave the command. The cannon thundered forth the +signal, and a fearful storm of lead fell upon the over-confident +soldiers. They had not expected it, and the shock was terrible. +Nevertheless they advanced, and continued pressing forward, only to be +mown down by the withering fire of our Mausers. + +In the meanwhile they had discovered where our burghers were, and a +fierce cannonade was directed on them, which, however, wonderful to +relate, did hardly any damage. + +At last the troops ceased to advance on the west wing. It was then that +I arrived on the hill. But in the centre attempts were still being made +to break through, and in endeavouring to do this, they approached so +near to the Boer positions, a little to the east of the railway line, +that they could fire on the bodyguard of General Botha and on the +Krugersdorp Commando from a distance of not more than eight hundred +yards. Our men opened a terrible rifle fire on the gunners, and in a +moment all was quiet. Not a single cannon there fired another shot. + +The English perceived that they had brought twelve guns to a spot from +whence they could not get them away again. Notwithstanding this they +rushed in to save the guns. From the hill above I saw how the matter +went, and I do not think that a more heroic deed was done in the whole +war than the rush of the English to save those guns. + +It was a magnificent sight! + +Team after team of horses I saw galloping in the same direction. I saw +how mercilessly they were mown down by the bullets of our Mausers and +the shells of our Maxim-Nordenfeldts. I saw how they persevered in their +efforts, till at last they ceased their attempts. + +I could not, at the moment, understand what it all meant, and thought +that the English were trying to take a position, whence they could rush +across the bridge, and it was only in the evening that I heard that this +splendid gallantry had been displayed in order to save the guns. + +Two of the twelve guns were rescued, but the English could not get away +the rest. General Botha made this impossible when he sent men through +the river to fetch them. These men waded the stream breast high, and +took positions so near the guns that it became absolutely impossible for +the British to make any further attempts, and ten of the twelve guns +fell into our hands together with a number of soldiers who were there. + +General Botha had been the soul of everything in this great battle. He +went from position to position encouraging his brave Transvaalers. Here +he would direct their fire, and there he would send reinforcements. +Everything was controlled by him. + +Some days later I had a conversation with Colonel de Villebois, who had +also been present at the battle. He said to me: "General Botha is a true +General. I saw this during the battle of Colenso. If I discovered a weak +point in the Boer positions, General Botha had perceived it before me, +and was already busy strengthening it. He is a true General." + +Shortly after midday all was over. + +Sir Redvers Buller commanded that the troops should retire. His plan had +been a great one, his troops had fought bravely, but they had failed, +failed splendidly. + +The Boers, on the other hand, had repulsed the terrible attack. But they +did not ascribe it to their own efforts; no. General Botha telegraphed +to his Government that evening: "The God of our fathers has given us a +brilliant victory." + +Our loss was, incredible as it may seem, seven killed, of whom one was +drowned, and twenty wounded. There had not been more than 3000 men in +the positions from whence the British had been repulsed! + +On the following day Dingaan's Day was celebrated in all the laagers +with excessive joy, as might be expected. The Africander nation +perceived a new proof of God's protecting hand in what had happened on +the previous day, and the future seemed bright. + +On Monday, the 18th, I left for my home, in order to celebrate Christmas +and New Year with my family. I remained at Harrismith till the 4th of +January 1900. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +PLATRAND + + +On Friday afternoon, the 5th of January 1900, I was back in the laager +of Commandant de Villiers once more. + +In the evening I sent a letter to my wife in which _inter alia_ these +words appeared: "And now I have no time to write anything more, but, as +the post leaves to-morrow, I wish you to know as soon as possible of my +safe arrival." I wrote nothing that could cause uneasiness, and yet +there was much that would have made her anxious if I had written about +it. Would this letter be the last I should write her? I asked of myself; +for we were on the eve of attacking Platrand (Waggon Hill). + +As I have said in a former chapter, it had from time to time been +insisted on that Platrand, as being the key to Ladysmith, must be taken. +This had constantly been insisted on. General Prinsloo had declared that +the hill ought to be taken, and that he could do it with 100 men. +President Steyn had also telegraphed, saying that it was desirable to +have Platrand in our possession. Not a day passed without regret being +expressed that the rand had not been taken when, on former occasions, +attempts had been partially made, and now more than ever it was thought +that this should be done. This string had been so continuously harped +upon that the combined War Councils of the Transvaal and Free State +once more decided that an attempt to gain possession of Platrand should +be made. After I had held evening service for the first time since my +return, Commandant de Villiers made known to the burghers that men from +every commando would proceed to the hill that same night. + +This famous hill, named Waggon Hill by the English, lies about three +miles south of Ladysmith, between the residence of Mr. Willem Bester and +the town. It runs from east to west. The ascent is very steep and its +slopes are partially covered with mimosa. On the summit the hill is +level, and round about its crest runs a cornice, to use an architectural +term, of great rocks, which we call a "krantz" in the Africander +language. + +The British forts were built immediately above this "krantz." The idea +was that about 4000 men should make the attack. It was decided that the +Free Staters should scale the rand from the west and south-west, and the +Transvaalers from the south-west and south sides. + +The Free Staters were drawn from the Kroonstad, Heilbron, Harrismith and +Winburg Commandos; and the Transvaalers from the commandos of Vryheid, +Utrecht, Wakkerstroom, Standerton, and Heidelberg. + +The understanding was, that, after the storming party had taken the +hill, reinforcements would come from all sides to support them, and thus +carry out the attack. At about ten o'clock we, Harrismith burghers, left +the laager, in order to climb the hill at half-past two, in accordance +with the arrangement that had been made. We soon reached the Neutral +Hill. Here we halted a while, and those who could slept till one o'clock +on Saturday morning, the 6th of January 1900. + +From there the burghers proceeded on foot. It was very dark, and all was +still as death. We walked forward slowly and spoke only in whispers; and +yet our progress was not so silent but that we feared we should be +heard. In the silence of the night, the slightest rustle of tree or +shrub sounded loud in our ears, and the thud of our feet on the loose +stones seemed to me like the tramp of a troop of horses. + +The enemy, thought I, would certainly become aware of our approach long +before we could even begin to climb the hill. But it seems after all +that I was mistaken, and that the sentry did not discover us until we +had approached very close. At three o'clock we reached the deep dongas +at the foot of the hill, and the foremost men passed through. In about +twenty minutes we had climbed almost two-thirds of the hill, when we +heard a beautiful voice ringing out on the morning air: "Halt! who goes +there?" + +No answer came from us. We continued climbing. + +A moment passed, and then the silence was broken by the crash of a +volley. Then another and another. Everywhere above in front of us the +flashes of the rifles leapt forth into the darkness, and the sharp +reports followed in such swift succession as to give the impression of +Maxims firing. All of a sudden I saw a great long jet of flame, and +instantly the thunder of a cannon broke upon the startled air, and +presently behind us I could hear the shrapnel bullets falling on the +ground. + +Then many of those who had not yet begun to climb the hill turned and +fled; but others rushed upwards and rapidly approached the cornice of +rocks whence the heavy firing issued. Silence was now unnecessary; and +voices were heard everywhere encouraging the men. + +Field-Cornet Lyon and Zacharias de Jager in particular were of great +assistance to the Commandant; and one constantly heard, "Come along, +burghers! come along! forward!" At half-past three we reached the reef +of rocks and boulders, and presently I heard that two burghers had +already been wounded, while another lay motionless, but it was as yet +too dark to see who it was. It soon transpired that it was Assistant +Field-Cornet Jan van Wijk. + +Before long it became light, and some of the burghers charged the forts +that were just above the ledge of rocks. They overpowered the soldiers +there, and took them prisoners, but were forced to fall back to the +escarpment of rocks immediately, on account of the heavy fire directed +on them from the other forts. And now the roar of the cannons and rifles +became terrific. This was especially the case with the ceaseless rattle +of small arms. One could with difficulty distinguish separate reports. +All sounded together like one continuous roar, and awoke an echo from +the Neutral Hill that sounded like the surging of a mighty wind. + +We found ourselves under a cross cannon-fire. The shells from one of our +guns flew over our heads and exploded just in front of us on the forts, +so that we were often in fear of being struck by our own shells; and the +projectiles of the English were hurled in an opposite direction on our +cannon-forts and on the burghers on Neutral Hill. + +Gradually we began to see in what a terrible position we were. We found +that we were a mere handful. Of all the Free Staters who had been +ordered to scale the hill there, only about 100 Harrismith men, 50 +Heilbroners, and a few of the Kroonstad Commando, had obeyed the order. +The arrangement had not been carried out. As we learned afterwards, the +Winburgers had remained behind in a ridge at the foot of the hill, and +the rest were all crowded behind Neutral Hill, while most of the +Kroonstad burghers had not even got as far as that. + +Of course we did not fully know then how matters stood, and expected +that reinforcements would come later on, which was impossible while +daylight lasted, for every approach to our position was exposed to a +terrible fire from above. It set us, however, somewhat at ease to know +that there were burghers behind the Neutral Hill. They guarded our rear +and left flank, and would beat back reinforcements attacking us there. + +How terrible the firing was! It never ceased for a moment, for if the +burghers did not rush out, from time to time, to assail the forts, the +English charged us. This alternate charging of each other was taking +place every now and then, and it was during these attacks that the pick +of our men fell. Whenever a sangar was attacked a destructive fire was +directed on our men, and then some gallant fellows would always remain +behind struck down. In this manner Field-Cornet Celliers of Heilbron, +and of the Harrismith Commando: Kootze Odendaal, Marthinus Potgieter, +Gert Wessels, Zacharias de Jager, Jacob de Villiers, and Piet Minny, +were killed; and Hermanus Wessels and others mortally wounded. They were +mostly hit in the head, for the English as well as the Boers were on the +watch, and whenever anyone put out his head from behind a stone or a +fort, he was immediately fired at. + +It was a fearful day--a day that no one who was there will ever forget. +The heat too was unbearable. The sun shot down his pitiless rays upon +us, and the higher he rose the hotter it became. It was terrible to see +the dead lying uncovered in the scorching rays; and our poor wounded +suffered indescribable tortures from thirst. + +How glad I was that I could do something for the wounded. I bandaged +those within reach. I also rendered the first help to the British +wounded; one Tommy said to me, after I had bandaged him: "I feel easier +now." And a sergeant of the Imperial Light Horse, who had discovered +that I was a minister, remarked: "You are preaching a good sermon +to-day." + +How the wounded suffered from thirst! And there was nothing to give +them--only a little whisky which I had got from an English officer who +had been taken prisoner. I gave a little of that, only a few drops, to +every wounded man. Not only the wounded--all of us, suffered from +thirst. Long before midday there was not a drop of water left in our +flasks. So intolerable was the thirst, that there were burghers who went +down to the dongas below in search of water, where there was none, and +where they knew that almost certain death awaited them. + +How slowly too the time dragged! "What o'clock is it?" someone asked. It +was then only ten o'clock, and it seemed as if we had been fighting more +than a day, for up to that moment the firing had continued unabated; and +the Neutral Hill still sent back to us the echo of the firing--the echo +as of a mighty soughing. + +Twelve o'clock passed, one o'clock, two o'clock--and still the fire was +kept up; and still the burning rays of the sun were scorching us. +Clouds! But they threw no shadow over us. Everywhere small patches of +shade checkered the hills and valleys; but they seemed to avoid us. + +But a black mass of cloud is rising in the west, and we know now that +everything will soon be wrapped in shadow. Nearer and nearer to the +zenith the clouds are rising. What is that deep rumbling in the +distance? Thunder! Nearer and nearer it sounds, and presently we hear it +overhead above the din of the musketry and the boom of the cannon. How +insignificant the crash of the cannons sounds now. It is as the crackle +of fireworks when compared with the mighty voice of God! + +We got more than shadow from the clouds. At five o'clock great drops +splash on the rocks. Presently the rain fell in torrents, and I could +wash the blood of the wounded from my hands in it. + +It was now, just when the rain was descending in sheets of water and the +thunder-claps were shaking the hill, that the enemy redoubled their +efforts to drive us off the ledge, and our men had to do their utmost to +repel the determined onslaught. Had they been driven down to the plain +below, every burgher fleeing for his life would have formed a target for +the enemy. The fight was now fiercer than at any time during the day. It +is fearful to hear the roar of the thunder up above, and the crash of +the rifles below. But the enemy did not succeed in driving us off. We +remained there two and a half hours longer. Meanwhile we had been able +to quench our thirsts. We had made folds in our mackintoshes in which we +caught the rain, and then sucked it up. Streams of water too dashed down +through the rocks, and we drank our fill. These streams of water came +from the forts a few yards above us, and were red in colour. Was it red +earth, or was it the blood of friend and foe that coloured the water? +Whatever the cause, we were so thirsty that nothing would have kept us +from drinking. After the English had done their utmost to drive us from +the hill, and been baffled in their attempts, they returned to their +forts, and the firing subsided for a short time. It was quieter now than +it had been during the whole day, and the burghers had time to think how +wet they had got. Those who had no overcoats were drenched to the skin, +and many who an hour before did not know where to find shelter from the +heat, could now scarcely endure the cold. A keen wind, too, blew on our +damp clothes, and strong men stood shivering in the biting breeze. + +It was now asked, "Where is Field-Cornet Jan Lyon?" Commandant de +Villiers had known for more than an hour that that brave man had fallen; +but he spoke to no one about it, for fear that the burghers should be +discouraged. It could not, however, remain a secret. Soon everyone knew +what had happened, and every countenance fell. + +At last the sun set, and as it was clear to Commandant de Villiers that +no reinforcements would come, and as he had already lost at least a +third of his men, killed and wounded, he saw that it was impossible to +remain there. He therefore told me that he would continue there a little +while longer and withdraw when it became dark. + +This took place at half-past seven. We had been on the hill for sixteen +hours under a most severe fire, and now we retired; but we were not +driven off by the Devons with levelled bayonets as I have read in an +English book. We were not driven off the hill. We held it as long as it +was light, and when twilight fell, Commandant de Villiers considered it +useless to remain there. He stopped there till the last man had gone, +then fired some shots, not, however, at Devons advancing with fixed +bayonets, but in the air, in order to make the English think that we +were still all in our positions. We then tramped through the water, till +we reached our horses, and then rode to the laager, depressed in +spirits, for we had left very dear ones behind us. + +Of the Harrismith Commando there were 15 killed and 20 wounded; +Heilbron, 4 killed and 13 wounded; Kroonstad, 3 killed and 2 wounded; +Winburg, 1 wounded. Altogether 22 killed and 36 wounded. Including the +Transvaalers, we had lost 68 killed and 135 wounded. + +I can give no description of how the Transvaalers had fared, as I was +not on their side of the hill; but there was the same lack of +co-operation amongst them. Only the men of one commando had scaled the +hill, and they, too, had to retire for want of support. Where were the +4000 who had been ordered to take the hill? Shamefully and criminally +had they left their comrades in the lurch. In the highest circles, too, +there was great mismanagement. One of the Long Toms, which had to take +an important part in the battle, had three charges! Another gun, too, +should have been posted at a certain spot; but it never turned up. One +felt embittered on hearing of such disgraceful mismanagement. + +The next morning dawned, and inexpressible emotion surged through me +when in a moment I lived again through the events of the preceding day. +I thought of Jan Lyon and the other brave fellows who had fallen; and +when I knew that I should see them no more, my heart became as lead +within me. + +It was a beautiful morning after the storm. The sun rose in glittering +splendour over the refreshed earth; and soulless nature smiled +regardless of the grief which tore the heart. It seemed as if the heat +and the burden of the day could not be borne; but it had to be borne! + +In answer to a request from Commandant de Villiers, Colonel Ian Hamilton +had sent him a few lines giving us permission to fetch our killed and +wounded. + +I accompanied a party of twelve, who went for that purpose. Our dead +were brought down from the hill by soldiers and laid in a row,--nineteen +dead! We placed our dead in a waggon, and conveyed them to the laager. + +The Heilbron Commando buried their own dead. Zacharias de Jager, +Marthinus Potgieter, and Jacob de Villiers were taken to Harrismith, and +there laid to rest. The other burghers, with their Field-Cornet Jan Lyon +at the head, were buried in separate graves, alongside of one another, +about a mile from the laager. + +It was my sad duty to address the men. I could have wept, as I saw +others do, especially at the thought of those amongst the slain who had +been my personal friends; but I felt that I had to restrain my feelings +there. It was my duty to encourage the men and turn their minds to God. +And God helped me to accomplish this; and, however bitter the sorrow of +everyone was before those graves were filled, we returned from that +sacred spot to the laager encouraged and hopeful. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE FIRST OF OUR DARK DAYS + + +The burghers soon recovered their spirits after the affair at Platrand. +Their dejection disappeared, and gave place to an activity which showed +itself in their willingness to perform any duty laid upon them. They dug +new trenches everywhere, on the top and along the sides of the hill +occupied by us, and built new "schanzes" (breastworks). There was also +more vigilance, Commandant de Villiers sent more burghers on guard every +night, and they went willingly. Then, too, a better spirit took +possession of the men. There was a greater sense of comradeship amongst +friends than formerly; there was no brawling, and swearing was seldom +heard. It seemed, too, as if the burghers felt the need of religion +more; for a request was made, emanating from them, that prayer-meetings +should be held in the laager, in small groups, every Sunday afternoon. + +Shortly after the Platrand battle, a rumour went round that it was the +intention of General Buller to break through within seventy-two hours +and relieve Ladysmith. Very little belief was attached to this +particular rumour, although we were convinced that the English intended +soon to make a new and powerful attempt to relieve their besieged +comrades. But soon there seemed to be some truth in the rumour after +all; for, from about the 10th of January, great numbers of troops were +seen moving from Frere to Springfield, a place about twelve miles west +of Colenso, on the right bank of the Tugela. We could thus surmise that +General Buller intended breaking through in that vicinity. + +As I have already mentioned, General A. P. Cronje had marched up along +the Tugela with a number of Free Staters some time before. He had kept +to the north side, and was stationed not very far from Potgieter's +Drift. He now went towards the cluster of hills of which Spion Kop is +the highest peak. + +These hills form a sort of a range running from north to south, on the +left bank of the Tugela, about ten miles west of Ladysmith. Standing on +the summit one sees the beautiful Tugela, monarch of Natal rivers, +majestically winding and cutting its way through the plain. South +yonder, to the left, the main road can be seen passing through the river +at Potgieter's Drift, and leading towards Ladysmith at the foot, +eastwards of Spion Kop. There is another road passing through the river +higher up at Trichaard's Drift, which to the north joins the road from +Acton Homes to Ladysmith. This road climbs the mountain two or three +miles north of Spion Kop. Now, if General Buller intended fording the +Tugela from Springfield, at either Potgieter's or Trichaard's Drift, to +go to Ladysmith, he would have to bring his troops along one or both of +these roads. + +Our Generals, therefore, took up positions all along the range. General +A. P. Cronje posted his men on the hill to the north-west of Spion Kop +and guarded the road from Acton Homes. During the battle Commandant de +Villiers stationed himself on Cronje's right, to the west of the Acton +Homes road. The Vrede burghers were placed by General Cronje on his +left, south-west of the road from Potgieter's Drift. And everywhere +between the Free State positions lay the Transvaalers, who had hurried +to Spion Kop immediately the intentions of the English became evident. +Thus, for example, to mention no others, General Burger occupied +positions in the immediate vicinity of Spion Kop. + +While the British were massing at Springfield, the Boers did everything +in their power to strengthen their positions. They threw up splendid +breastworks everywhere on the hill, from the south-west of the +Potgieter's Drift road, up to the north of the other road. They sought +out the best places for cannon, and constructed forts wherever +necessary. + +The movements of the English were most narrowly watched. No act of +theirs escaped our notice.--Where in the world can be found better +scouting than among the Boers?--And so it was seen that the English were +placing guns on Swart Kop, a wooded hill on the south bank of the +Tugela, somewhat to the east of Potgieter's Drift. + +It was now clear to all that the enemy would attempt to break through +somewhere in the mountains of Spion Kop. We did not have to wait long. +On the 16th it was seen that troops and heavy guns were being brought +through the river at Potgieter's Drift. At the same time large numbers +of troops were proceeding through Trichaard's Drift, and everybody knew +that matters would soon come to a head. And so it proved. + +Early on the following morning, 17th January, the cannon--great naval +guns--began to roar from Swart Kop, and the eight days' battle of Spion +Kop had commenced. + +Soon now the troops passed by the road from Trichaard's Drift through +Venterspruit and slowly commenced to climb the hills. + +A number of their mounted men detached themselves from their left wing +and hurried on in the direction of Acton Homes. It was clear that they +must be stopped, and some of our men were immediately sent to oppose +them. These men came in contact with the English on the following day, +and fell into an ambush. + +Believing the English to be still ahead, they found themselves attacked +in front and on their flank. They hastily took up position on a kopje +and defended themselves for a time with unparalleled gallantry. There +were some of them who wanted to hoist the white flag when they found +themselves in a fearful cross fire; but the others declared that they +would shoot the first man who did so. Field-Cornet Mentz--better known +by his _nom de plume_ of Mordecai--fought like a lion. But he received a +mortal wound and sank to the earth to rise no more. After this our men, +overpowered by superior numbers, were forced to yield. Several more had +been killed and others wounded, and the enemy took twenty-four +prisoners. + +The English did not advance any farther from that point. They were +prevented from doing so by the presence of numbers of Free Staters and +Transvaalers in the road from Acton Homes to Ladysmith, but no fighting +occurred there. The other forces, those that were advancing from +Venterspruit, stormed the centre of the ranges in great numbers. They +came on in two divisions, occupied some hills opposite our positions, +and placed cannon on them. + +Meanwhile the English cannon had crashed and thundered unceasingly since +the preceding morning. The entire range was subjected to a terrible +bombardment, from the Vrede positions, east of the road from Potgieter's +Drift, up to our right wing on the Acton Homes road. Shells of every +sort and size fell fast and thick on our positions. I saw the huge +projectiles of the naval guns striking the earth, and how great clouds +of dust and smoke arose whenever one of these huge shells came in +contact with the earth. The ground was torn and ploughed up when the +lyddite shells burst with a terrific crash, and their yellow smoke gave +the burghers headaches and made the water in their flasks bitter. The +bombardment was fearful. Never for eight days long was there a pause. +Clouds of smoke constantly rose from the earth, where the shells burst, +and one could continually see the hundreds of vanishing cloudlets in the +air where the shrapnels burst over the positions. + +Our cannon, although greatly outnumbered, were terribly destructive. The +gunners had the inborn talent of the Boer, alike of accurate aim and of +judging distances, and to this was added the advantage of military +training received at Pretoria or at Bloemfontein. So they did not fire +at random, and their missiles always seemed to burst just where they +were intended to. Our French quick-firing and Krupp guns often +demoralised the advancing troops. Our Maxim-Nordenfeldts were the +especial aversion of the British soldiers. We heard from some who were +taken prisoners at Spion Kop that "Hell clock" was the name they gave +our Pom-pom. + +I visited the battlefield just in the middle of the eight days' battle, +on Sunday, January 21, when the bombardment was at its fiercest. I found +that it had often been so intolerable that the burghers were driven out +of the earthworks and compelled to seek shelter behind the hill slopes. +But they had always returned and kept up a continuous fire on the +advancing soldiers. I found, too, that the English had as yet always +been driven back, but that their repeated attacks had not had quite a +satisfactory moral effect on the burghers. The direction of affairs was, +however, in the hands of Commandant General Louis Botha, than whom there +was no man better qualified to encourage the burghers. Just as at +Colenso, so here he rode from position to position, and whenever +burghers--as I have related--were losing heart and on the point of +giving way under the awful bombardment, he would appear as if from +nowhere and contrive to get them back into the positions by "gentle +persuasion," as he expressed it, or by other means. + +A case in point happened on 21st January, while I was there. A few of +our forts near the Acton Homes road were evacuated, and the English +would certainly have taken possession of them--and thus been nearer to +the attainment of their object--had not three Transvaalers remained +there, and by firing rapidly, made such a demonstration that the British +thought that the forts were still manned, while two others went to +acquaint General Botha with the state of affairs. + +It was then that General Botha once more persuaded the burghers to +return to their positions; and the English did not approach any nearer +there. + +On the following day, when riding back to the laager, I was struck by +the way the burghers were pouring in from all directions as +reinforcements. I saw persons of every age going to the positions. There +were amongst them boys and middle-aged men; there were even grey-beards. +And the most remarkable thing about this was that all these men had not +been ordered to the battle. They came of their own accord. I thought of +a text in the Bible which, when separated from its context, was +applicable here, "Thy people shall be willing" (Ps. cx. 3). + +Amongst them was a youth of fifteen or sixteen, who was met by +Commandant de Villiers. He was riding a chestnut pony and looked very +shabby. Poor lad! + +"Oom," he said to Commandant de Villiers, "I hear they are at it up +here." He used the untranslatable word "spook." + +"Yes," answered Commandant de Villiers. "And you? Where are you going +to?" + +"I am going to 'spook' too," said the boy, and rode off on his lean +pony. + +On the following day Commandant de Villiers met him again; but how +changed he was. Instead of his dilapidated hat, a helmet of one of the +soldiers adorned his head; and he, or rather his poor little chestnut, +groaned under the equipment of two or three soldiers. He had three +Lee-Metford rifles, several water-flasks were slung from his shoulders, +and a number of bayonets hung at his horse's side and rattled whenever +the animal moved. Besides this, he had also several of the small spades +with which the English soldiers are provided; he had got his head +through three or four cartridge belts. + +"He had 'spooked' indeed!" thought Commandant de Villiers. + +The attack from Venterspruit lasted for four days. It was fearful to +witness what havoc our guns wrought amongst the English--especially the +Maxim-Nordenfeldt. + +But the British allowed nothing to baffle them. They were repeatedly +driven back, and one constantly saw them carrying off their dead, and +constantly they reappeared with new reinforcements. They built small +entrenchments of stone and lay firing from behind them, and the shells +exploded and our Mauser bullets rained upon these small fortifications. +But there was no sign of retreat. The number of our dead and wounded had +already reached nearly a hundred. We began to tremble as to how matters +might turn out. How long would it last, we asked when the fourth day had +passed and our burghers continued to suffer terribly under the +bombardment. + +How long, we asked ourselves, would our burghers be able to hold out? + +At last the shades of the night of the 23rd of January closed in upon +the horrible scene, and many anxiously questioned what the morrow would +bring forth. + +The night was dark and rainy, and this did not help to dispel the +depression which prevailed; but the burghers were not discouraged; +neither the four days' attack, nor the six days of shelling, nor the +depression caused by the drizzling rain, could quench the quiet +determination and courage of our men. They entered upon the night firmly +resolved that, when the light of morning dawned, they would once more +begin their schanzes and again face the fire of the guns, and beat back +the ever-returning odds. + +On the following day everything looked dark. The mountain was enveloped +in a dense mist, and for a long time the men lay behind their schanzes +waiting for what would happen when the vapours were dispelled. + +After some time the weather cleared, and what was the surprise of all to +see that there were English on the summit of Spion Kop! They had climbed +the mountain under cover of the dark night. And there were some who said +that all was over with us now. The battle was lost. + +But the burghers who were in the vicinity of the Kop were not of this +opinion. General Burger reported to General Botha how matters stood, and +he himself gave orders to Commandant Prinsloo of the Carolina Commando +to storm the Kop. This was carried out splendidly by Prinsloo and his +Carolina burghers, at the cost of 55 killed and wounded out of the +gallant 88. The burghers of Lydenburg and Heidelberg also took part in +the onslaught. And when General Botha soon afterwards stormed the Kop +from another direction, no one doubted but that the attack would +succeed. In the meanwhile matters had gone hard with the English on +Spion Kop. From the moment that our gunners had discovered them, they +had bombarded them fiercely. The English perceived too, when it was too +late, that they had not been able in the darkness to find the best +shelter, and that they were now insufficiently protected from our +shells. These caused such slaughter amongst them that when our +storming-party reached the top, before ten o'clock, they met with very +little opposition. The English were driven to the other side of the Kop, +and the fight was carried on at very close quarters. Boer and Briton +were often but fifty yards apart. + +And now something happened about which we had heard complaints before, +but of which I will now speak for the first and last time: the abuse of +the white flag. + +When the English had been some time under the withering fire, they +hoisted the white flag and held up their hands. Our burghers thereupon +ran up to them; but to their intense indignation and abhorrence, when +they approached the English they were suddenly subjected to a hot fire. + +This so incensed them that when the white flag was hoisted again shortly +after, they refused to believe that no treachery was intended, and +continued firing for a while even after they saw the white flag flying. +But, convinced at last that a genuine surrender was now meant, they +ceased their fire and took 187 prisoners. + +During this fierce fighting on the Kop, reinforcements were continually +being sent up from below to help the British. But these were subjected +to a merciless bombardment, at one point especially, where they were +particularly exposed. They were cut to pieces by the shells of the +quick-firing guns, and mown down by the tiny projectiles of the +Maxim-Nordenfeldt. + +At the end of this long day darkness closed in, to the relief of all. +All except a small number left the top of the Kop, and spent the night +against the slopes of the hill with the intention of renewing the bitter +contest at the first signs of daylight. + +The burghers rose very early the next morning. They were soon in the +positions of the former day. But why was all so still? Not an Englishman +was to be seen--not even a rifle barrel protruded over the entrenchments +of the enemy. Cautiously our men proceeded to the other side of the Kop. +The mountain was deserted! + +Down below, the entire force of the enemy could be seen retiring towards +the Tugela. + +The great battle of Spion Kop had been fought. The English had made a +second attempt to relieve the besieged at Ladysmith and had a second +time been beaten back. + +We could not accurately estimate their loss, but hundreds of dead lay on +the battlefield. + +General Buller obtained leave from General Botha to bury his dead; and +it was heartrending to see how many there were. Many of them were flung +into the long trenches that had served as breastworks, and so great was +the number that the earth did not sufficiently cover them all. Some even +remained unburied. We did not know what the exact number was, but we saw +the dead lying in heaps. + +It is unnecessary for me to say here at what number the Boers estimated +the strength of the English. The reader can learn the number for himself +from British sources when he is perusing these pages. + +It is sufficient to state here that their numbers far exceeded those of +our men. For we did not have more than 5000 men there at the utmost, and +of these all did not take part in the battle; at the same time our loss +was great. + +On the day after the battle General Burger telegraphed: "Our loss is not +exactly known, but must amount to about 120 dead and wounded." The +number afterwards proved to be 55 killed, 170 wounded. + +We had now a short period of rest, and I got the opportunity of +visiting the Rev. H. F. Schoon, minister of Ladysmith, in Intombi Camp, +in which the English had placed the non-combatants, the women, and the +sick and wounded. An arrangement had been made with Sir George White to +allow burghers, who had leave from their Commandants, to enter this camp +to see their friends. + +Strange, is it not? It was impossible for such a thing to happen in the +later phases of the war. Well, I got leave from Commandant de Villiers +to go, and had the pleasure of visiting my friend and his family, and of +comforting them in their trouble. They looked pale and weak. I learnt +that they got enough to eat, but that the meat was very lean and +bad,--other rations were dealt out to them in small doles. I found Mr. +Schoon and his family were very quiet and resigned. We could not +converse as we should have wished, for a magistrate was present; but I +could hear enough to gather that the besieged were in a piteous plight. + +On my way to this camp I visited the dam which the Transvaalers were +constructing across the stream of the Klip River with the intention of +inundating Ladysmith. I saw a great number of Kaffirs there filling +thousands of bags with sand, with which to make the dam, which was +already level with the surface of the water. + +On the 12th of February, General Buller commenced his third attempt to +break through. On this occasion he advanced along the Potgieter's Drift +road, and tried to force his way through to the south of that road. It +was marvellous to see how rapidly the burghers got into position +everywhere to oppose the English. The Johannesburg Police suffered very +heavy losses. Their position was subjected to such severe bombardment +that they could not endure it, and were forced to evacuate it, leaving +behind their dead. The English then took possession of it, but were in +turn shelled by our guns, especially by one of the Long Toms; and they +speedily relinquished the advantage they had gained. + +Here again General Buller's effort was a failure, and he retired south +of the Tugela with his whole force. + +The following week I went to Harrismith to spend a week with my family, +so that I was not on commando when the English broke through at Pieter's +Heights and at last relieved Ladysmith. I can therefore say nothing of +that, to us, ill-fated battle. I can only say in passing, that the great +mistake there seems to have been that General Botha was not in command. +When he arrived on the scene at the commencement of the battle, he +strongly disapproved of no measures having been taken to prevent the +English from taking Klanwane--the wooded ridge to the east of Colenso. +"If the English once get on that hill--we have no chance," he said. And +what he had said proved true. + +The English took the kop and placed their naval guns on it, and they +then had the key to Ladysmith. It was then all over with us! From +Klanwane they could direct a terrific bombardment on all the Boer +positions. And the Boers were overpowered by the overwhelming odds of +cannon as well as men. + +After besieging Ladysmith for four months, the siege was given up and +our forces retired to the north. + +The commandos trekked with all speed through the mud--for the weather +was rainy: the Transvaalers to the Biggarsberg and the Free Staters to +the Drakensberg. + +I visited the Harrismith burghers a few days after they had pitched +their camp on the great mountain range. What thoughts passed through my +heart on thinking how different was our position four months ago when +we had descended from those towering mountains into Natal. During the +four that had elapsed we had been very successful, except during the +last month, when we began to have disaster on disaster. Cronje had +surrendered at Paardeberg. Kimberley, Ladysmith, and Mafeking had been +relieved; and just after I arrived in the laager, the report came that +Lord Roberts had occupied Bloemfontein without firing a shot. Was this +the beginning of the end? I asked myself. + +Those were dark days! And yet no one was utterly cast down. "Matters +will take a turn," so everyone said; and notwithstanding all that had +happened, we looked forward hopefully. + +And how much help, too, did not the men receive from their wives. Those +who obtained leave to go home for a few days, found their wives as +courageous as ever. They found, too, that their womenfolk had performed +the labour of men on the farms, while they had been in Natal. They had +seen that the fields were ploughed by the Kaffirs, and in many cases +they had themselves scattered the seed in the furrows; and now the men +would commence to reap what the women had sown, to reap so plentifully +that man and beast would live for months upon the harvest. + +What noble women are the wives of the Boers! They are the very +embodiment of the love of liberty. They have ever been ready to stand by +the sides of their husbands, in the holy cause of freedom. In former +days they moulded bullets for their husbands, while these were repulsing +a fierce onslaught of Kaffirs; and now they had managed the entire +farm-work, while the men were absent, fighting for their country. And in +the future--alas! that such a future should lie before them--they will +have to suffer inexpressible sorrows, because they will choose to be the +true-hearted mothers of a free nation. Because of their steadfastness +they will have to suffer as the women of no civilised nation have ever +suffered at the hands of the soldiers of another civilised nation. They +will refuse to call back their husbands from the heroic strife; and for +that they will have to submit to humiliation and insult; for that they +will be driven from their homes like cattle; for that they will have to +yield their lives in concentration camps; they will have to see their +homes burnt, and the food taken out of the mouths of their children, and +all this because they have held their Liberty dearer than anything. We +knew not then, during those dark days on the Drakensberg, that such a +future lay before our women. But we saw enough of their indomitable +courage, to know that with such heroines for mothers, wives, sisters, +daughters--it was impossible for us to give up the struggle at the first +sign of adversity. That was a source of consolation to us in the +sorrowful days of March 1900. + + + + +PART II + +_ENDURANCE_ + +CHAPTER I + +TO NAUWPOORT + + +This second part of my notes, like the first, is not cast in the form of +a journal. The reason is that my diary was lost on the 6th of June 1901 +at Graspan, near Reitz, where I was captured by the English and remained +in their hands for seven hours.[2] I escaped with nothing more than the +clothes on my back. When, some days after, I arrived at Fouriesburg I +began to rewrite what I could recollect, and succeeded in this better +than might have been expected. I prepared a calendar of the Sundays, and +this helped me to recall to memory, for every day of the week, almost +everything I had noted down. It became evident, however, that I could +not now write a journal, but a narrative. This, as I knew, would be less +attractive for the future historian, to whom a chronicle, however dry, +is of more importance, but it would be, in regard to form, more pleasing +to the general reader. + +[Footnote 2: How I was released will be described later.] + +Girding myself to the task, I discovered when I began to write that what +I was recording afresh was perfectly reliable. I succeeded better than I +expected. Entire pages appeared almost word for word. This was no doubt +due to my having written my journal over several times at Zwart Klip, in +the months of January and February 1901. + +I shall now proceed to relate what I witnessed during the war subsequent +to the events which had happened when I made my last notes in Natal. + +When the burghers of the Free State had to retire from Natal, a large +number of them were ordered to go as reinforcements to our forces who +were endeavouring to prevent Lord Roberts with his immense army from +penetrating farther into our country. The burghers, however, of +Harrismith, Vrede, and Heilbron, under Chief-Commandant Marthinus +Prinsloo, were to remain on the Drakensberg to guard the border. They +lay along those mountains from Oliviershoek on the west as far as De +Beer's Pass to the east. Subsequently the burghers of Heilbron were also +called away; and when General Prinsloo shortly after went away to our +commandos in the neighbourhood of Lindley and Senekal, Commandant +Hattingh of Vrede was elected Chief-Commandant. + +I spent nearly the half of my time in visiting these burghers. On +Sundays I held divine service in the church at Harrismith, and on +week-days I was in one or other of the laagers on the Drakensberg. + +It was very irksome for our burghers to lie there inactive, without ever +coming into contact with the enemy; for from Natal the English made no +advance. + +Our men stood guard day and night, and now and then a patrol went down +the mountain; but further than this nothing was done. The spare time was +employed in building sod-stables for the horses, and making "yoke-skeys" +and handsome walking-sticks from the wood of beautiful trees which were +ruthlessly felled in the large forests which grow on the Natal side of +the Drakensberg mountains. For the rest the younger men amused +themselves with swimming, cricket, football, and quoits, and so summer +glided away into autumn, and autumn into winter. + +Sad waste of energy and time, one might say, whilst the other burghers +were engaged in a life-and-death struggle in the middle of the State. +Undoubtedly so! But the order had been given: Guard the frontier! And as +in obeying this command the burghers of Vrede and Harrismith had also +the advantage of protecting their own districts, it was by no means +against their will that they thus lay inactive from month to month along +the border. + +But there came a change in this condition of things when, towards the +middle of July 1900, an order was issued by the President that all the +forces on the Drakensberg mountains should proceed to Nauwpoort.[3] The +border guard immediately raised the objection that it was not advisable +to remove all the forces from the frontier, and thus leave the only two +districts in the Free State--Vrede and Harrismith--that had not yet been +devastated, open to invasion from the side of Natal, and unprotected +against Kaffir "raids," and they asked the President if he would not +change his decision in this matter. After some correspondence, the +President agreed that a small body of men should be left as a guard +along the border under Mr. Jan Meyer, who for this purpose was appointed +Acting Chief-Commandant; but at the same time gave very strict orders +that all the other burghers should without delay proceed to Nauwpoort. + +[Footnote 3: This was the order. When General de Wet passed through +Slabbert's Nek, the following arrangement was decided on: General de Wet +was to proceed on the 15th to Heilbron, and General Roux the day after +to the south of the State. It was further arranged that General +Marthinus Prinsloo should remain in command of a small body of men +stationed on the Roodebergen from Commando Nek to Nauwpoort in order to +guard the grain districts. General Crowther had on the same day as +General Roux to go to Witkop and stay there until he could join General +Hattingh, under whom he was then to operate in the districts of Vrede +and Harrismith. The unfortunate spirit, however, which, immediately +after the departure of the President, arose among the officers at +Nauwpoort upset all these arrangements.] + +In accordance with these orders the burghers who had since the month of +February been stationed on the Drakensberg, left their positions there +on the 16th of July 1900, and two days later, after having made some +necessary arrangements at their farms, encamped for the night near Mont +Paul, about three miles from Elands River. This force consisted of +burghers from Harrismith and Vrede, with one Armstrong and two Krupp +guns under command of Chief-Commandant Hattingh, with Mr. C. J. de +Villiers as General. Early the following morning they crossed Elands +River, and the officers held a council of war on the left bank, during a +short halt of the laager, when it was decided to requisition +slaughter-cattle and horses from the burghers remaining behind, and some +of the men were immediately sent to carry out this resolution. That +night we encamped at Klerkespruit, not far from the dwelling of the late +M. Jacobsz. + +On the following day things began to take a more lively turn. The +waggons were inspanned early, and had proceeded to the farm Sebastopol, +where, about five o'clock in the afternoon, a report-rider from a +position of the Bethlehem Commando at Spits Kop came riding into our +laager with the request that reinforcements should immediately be sent +by us to Spits Kop, to oppose an English force that had marched out of +Bethlehem with the apparent intention of going to Harrismith. General de +Villiers was in the vanguard, and immediately sent notice to the +Assistant Chief-Commandant, at the same time requesting him to send the +guns forward. Hurried preparations were now made to proceed without +delay with a body of mounted men, and from time to time other despatch +riders arrived, urgently asking that there should be no delay. + +At ten o'clock everything was ready, and the men rode out in the raw +winter night. We progressed slowly, for the cannon remained far behind, +and from time to time we were obliged to wait for them to come up. +Everywhere along the road grass fires could be seen, which had been lit +by the burghers to warm their feet by whilst they were waiting for the +guns to arrive. At last they halted by a hill to the west of Groendraai, +and slept there until the moon rose. We proceeded then to near +Davelsrust, and whilst the burghers were filling their kettles there, +and partaking of an early breakfast, another messenger arrived with the +same request as before. The men ate their breakfast hurriedly, and we +were soon in the saddle again marching forward with various +expectations. When we drew near to the positions of the Bethlehem men, +General de Villiers sent forward the Armstrong under Acting Commandant +Streydom (Vrede) to Field-Cornet Gideon Blignaut, who was at Spits Kop, +whilst he himself with the two Krupp guns went eastwards, against a +force of the English on the left bank of Liebenberg's Vlei, on the hills +opposite Langberg. When we approached the enemy we occasionally heard +the whistle of a bullet, with the peculiar sensation which that sound is +apt to cause. But how suddenly did that pass when the roar of our own +guns fell on our ears. The fire of our Krupps made the English, at whom +they were aimed, scatter; but our gunners had, in their turn, to seek +safety behind a ridge, when the little shells of an English +Maxim-Nordenfeldt (pom-pom) began bursting rather unpleasantly around +them, and driving terror into the artillery horses. They took up a +position at the edge of the ridge, opposite the English, not far from +the house of Mr. Nicholas Kruger, a little to the east of a small body +of Bethlehem men, and from there kept up a desultory rifle fire until +the evening. + +The following day was Sunday, the 22nd of July. When we awoke it +appeared that the enemy had disappeared from the ridge, and about ten +o'clock a portion of the burghers were ordered to occupy the deserted +positions. + +The men were soon there, and a desultory fire was opened from the edge +of the ridge to the north-west. After a short time the firing became +more severe. The English also brought a Maxim into play, and it seemed +as if the fight was going to be a sharper one than that on the previous +day. Nothing in the world was the matter; everything, on the contrary, +was going satisfactorily, when some officers came riding back from the +position to General de Villiers, who was directing the fight from the +positions which we had occupied the day before, and told him that the +place where the burghers were fighting was untenable. Thereupon the +General ordered that they should retire slowly. The burghers who were +fighting at the edge of the ridge heard this with much astonishment and +disapproval, as they saw no reason for drawing back; but when they +noticed that the men on their left were all riding away from their +position, they were also obliged to give way. At two o'clock we were +back in the positions of the previous day, and the burghers thronged +together at a point of vantage to gaze at the positions which had thus +been forsaken, filled with dissatisfaction at the desertion. + +When they were standing there crowded together, the sound of an +approaching shell was heard. It flew just too high, fortunately, over +the heads of the throng of burghers, and burst in the kloof behind them. +Had it been a little lower it would have worked dreadful havoc. The men +dispersed quicker than they had come together, and sought shelter behind +the large boulders; and then shell upon shell kept falling till the +evening, without, however, doing any damage to man or beast. It had +been quite unnecessary to leave those positions, and it struck me as a +bad sign that the burghers were so ready to give way. That evening when +we turned in the weather was beautifully mild, but this was the +harbinger of calamity! Hardly had we lain down to rest before a +drizzling rain set in. At midnight I heard a peculiar sound, as of +something soft falling upon the blankets. It was snow! Soon it lay two +inches thick upon our blankets. After two hours the rain and the snow +ceased, but most of us were wet to the skin; and when on the following +day we dried our clothes by the fire, we could speak from experience of +having had to sleep in the open air in a snowstorm. + +After breakfast General de Villiers crossed Liebenberg's Vlei to +reconnoitre the positions of the English from Langberg. On arriving +there he saw that the enemy was drawing off in the direction of Spits +Kop, whereupon he immediately returned. He then ordered the whole of our +force to march in the same direction, to support Assistant Commandant +Streydom and Field-Cornet Blignaut. He had just given this order when a +report arrived from the latter officer, stating that the enemy had +occupied Spits Kop, and asking for reinforcements. + +After dark we began marching thither; we proceeded with the utmost +silence. No fire was lit along the road; smoking was forbidden. Before +daylight we were near the position held by Field-Cornet Blignaut, near +the so-called "Schurve Kopje" (rugged hillock). It was then resolved +that we should go to the hill between the homesteads of Hans and David +Naude, where we arrived shortly before sunrise. We had not long been +there before General Hattingh arrived. He ordered Commandant Truter, +with a number of burghers, to return to Liebenberg's Vlei, and to remain +there in order to oppose the enemy should they return thither. In the +afternoon we saw a large force of the English approaching along the road +that leads over Suiherbosch Plaat. This force was under the command of +General Sir H. MacDonald, and had, as we ascertained later on, come from +Retief's Nek. The enemy pitched their camp about three or four miles +from us, and immediately began to throw out scouts in our direction. + +On the following day a council of war was held, and it was resolved to +station the burghers as follows:-- + +The Bethlehem men, under Field-Cornet Blignaut, at Liebenberg's Vlei; +the men of Vrede, under Acting Commandant Streydom, at the "Schurve +Kopje"; one Field-Cornet at the hill, where the Harrismith men were; and +the burghers of Harrismith in the nek of Nauwpoort. + +On that same afternoon General de Villiers received a letter from +General Roux requesting him to hold Nauwpoort, as it was the intention +of the commandos who were on the other side to come through this Pass. +The burghers of the various commandos occupied these positions +accordingly, and I went to Nauwpoort with the Harrismith burghers. + +Next morning General de Villiers expected an attack, and as it was clear +to him that the Field-Cornet at the hill between the homesteads of Hans +and David Naude would not be strong enough to stop the English, he sent +Field-Cornet Pretorius and Assistant Field-Cornet Jan Jacobsz thither +with a number of men, whilst he posted Commandant Truter on a fine ridge +on the west of the Pass near the house of Abraham Naude. He remained at +Nauwpoort with the intention of going to the hill himself later on. + +We had hardly reached the hill when it became evident that the enemy had +some serious intention in mind. They began to move forward, and marched +straight for the hill with two field batteries and one lyddite gun. The +force which had taken Spits Kop began at the same time to advance with +their guns to "Schurve Kopje." + +This had just happened when we saw that the men of the Vrede Commando on +the Schurve Kopje were leaving their positions. They certainly had no +chance of holding out against the great odds that were advancing on +them. + +It was now clear to us that we should be in danger of being attacked on +our right, if the English who were advancing from Spits Kop should reach +the Schurve Kopje, and the prospect was not very cheering. The enemy now +began to bombard our positions. The infantry were approaching in +extended order. Nearer and nearer they advanced in front as well as on +our left. + +Our guns, under Sergeant Oosthuizen, did good work, and gave the troops +who were advancing on the left a warm reception. Louder and louder +roared the English guns, and their shells burst everywhere on and beyond +the kop. + +General de Villiers rode over to us at one o'clock--just as the fight +was at the fiercest. Matters then stood thus: some of the English had +already approached so near to our left wing that we were exposed to a +cross fire, and others in front were already below the rocky ledges, +under cover of which they could get to our rear; moreover, we were in +danger of being at any moment bombarded by the guns on the Schurve +Kopje, which the enemy had already taken. + +For another hour the burghers held their position, and a sharp rifle +fire was maintained against the troops on our left flank, especially by +Field-Cornet Jan Jacobsz. But when at last it became evident that we +should be surrounded if we remained there any longer, the order was +given at two o'clock to leave the position. We retired to the west of +Mr. Hans Naude's house, and halted on the banks of a donga not far from +the foot of the Roodebergen. + +If we had had no cannon with us, we could immediately have crossed the +dongas near the mountains and have gone to the Pass. But there were the +guns. They could travel along the waggon road only; and this was now +impossible because of the proximity of the enemy. Our plan, therefore, +was to remain where we were until it became dark, and then, under cover +of the night, to trek to Nauwpoort. + +But we had not calculated the probability that the enemy would +immediately follow up the advantage they had gained. That is just what +they did. + +We had not been off-saddled at the donga three-quarters of an hour +before our pickets came in to say that the English were following us up. +At all costs now we had to push on to the Pass. + +Most of the burghers sprang on their horses and rode away without +troubling themselves about the guns. They had to be stopped; and General +de Villiers asked me to ride forward and try to stop them, whilst he +would drag forward the guns as best he could. I succeeded in inducing +the men to halt at another ravine, and when the guns arrived there, many +of them helped the gunners to get the ordnance across. It was an ugly +defile through which vehicles never passed, and we were obliged first to +drag across the fore portion of the gun-carriage, and then to fetch the +hinder part. This caused great delay, and meanwhile the enemy fired at +us with Maxims, though luckily their shots fell short. The one cannon +was already across, and the second one nearly saved, when the shrill +shriek of the English shrapnel was heard. + +And now there was no longer any chance to stop the men. Each went his +own way. To add to our troubles, the carriage of the second gun upset +and had to be left behind. The gunners removed the breach and rode +away. + +It was now a case of _Sauve qui peut_. Some took shelter behind the +large rocks, others climbed the mountain, whilst others hurried on to +the Pass; but all became conspicuous targets before the Roodebergen and +the setting sun shining upon them. + +I rode towards Nauwpoort, and saw how shell upon shell was fired after +our cannon and the swiftly retreating burghers. + +Once during the retreat Sergeant Oosthuizen halted, directed his gun, +and fired three rounds of shrapnel at the enemy, hitched his horses to +again and drove on. + +To add to our uneasiness, we saw on approaching the Pass, that the +English were advancing on our flank, with the object of cutting us off +from the nek; but they were hotly bombarded there by the burghers of +Commandant Truter from the ridge on which he was posted, and by a Maxim +of Commandant Hasebroek, who had in the meanwhile entered the Pass. This +prevented them from attaining their object of heading us off. + +When the sun set the majority of those who had retreated in the +direction of that Pass had reached Nauwpoort; likewise our rescued gun; +and from there it opened fire heavily upon the English. Then the enemy +fired some lyddite shells at long range upon us in the Pass. I have +never heard anything more awe-inspiring than when those great shells +exploded there. Awakening the thousand echoes of the precipitous rocks +on both sides of the Pass, they resounded through the narrow defiles of +the mountains like mighty thunder-claps. The shades of night fell now, +and all was still. Then the gunners, reinforced by a number of burghers, +went and fetched the abandoned gun. + +And what had we to record as to our loss on the following day after +this terrible bombardment? There had been no loss at all--this was the +most marvellous of all that had happened--no loss! This is the strangest +of all--no loss of man or beast! Nobody had even been wounded! +All--officers and men, were mustered without loss before midday. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ON THE BANKS OF THE LITTLE CALEDON + + +The officers agreed among themselves that General Hasebroek should +remain at Nauwpoort to defend the nek, whilst the men of Harrismith were +ordered to go to the footpath near the house of Mr. Willem Bester, in +order thus to afford the commandos a chance of coming out from behind +the mountains somewhere near Oldenburg or Witzieshoek. We therefore +advanced on Friday to the south of the Roodebergen, up along the Little +Caledon. How lavishly does Nature reveal her magnificence here. +Awe-inspiring mountains rise into the air with every variety of jagged +rock, crowning the heights now tinted red by the winter grass. The +sharpest contrast of light and shadow strike the eye from the barren +masses of sandstone, and the deep, dark ravines. One feels +overpowered--everything is so colossal! It is in such a place and in +sight of such mountain views that one must feel oneself a stranger and +sojourner upon this earth of ours. Ay, a stranger, for one cannot claim +as one's possession what Nature so liberally offers. + +We rode on with this grandeur all around, and arrived at the farm of +Willem Bester shortly after noon. There we off-saddled at a large +wheatstack, whilst a number of men were sent as a patrol to the top of +the mountain where the footpath crosses. I was lying on the straw with +the others, when General Roux arrived there. From him I learnt much +that surprised me, and which by no means served to cheer me. He told me +that, after the President and General De Wet had shortly before passed +through Slabbert's Nek, the English had broken through there. This had +happened in the previous week. And now the enemy had also taken +Fouriesburg. There were still burghers in position on this side of that +town, but the majority had no intention of fighting any longer. +Everything was demoralised. Moreover, nobody knew who was in command: he +or General Marthinus Prinsloo. The consequence was that there was no +cohesion. Every Commandant acted as he thought fit. Then there were very +many who were fleeing with their cattle and waggons, and it seemed as if +all those people cared about was how to save their cattle or waggons, or +even some little cart. He saw plainly, that as long as there existed +such an immense waggon-laager as that which now accompanied the +commandos, and as long also as they were encumbered with women and +children, nothing could be accomplished. Under these circumstances he +considered that, first of all, somebody should be elected who would be +acknowledged as Commander-in-Chief. He thought an armistice of six days +should be asked of the English in order to enable us to consult our +Government. He had convoked a meeting of a Council of War for this +purpose, and the officers were to assemble that same night. + +We moved up somewhat nearer to the footpath and spent the night at the +foot of precipitous mountains in a beautiful kloof. Here we learned that +our waggon-laager, for the safety of which we had been uneasy, was still +at large and was encamped at Groendraai. That night the officers held a +lengthy meeting, and General Marthinus Prinsloo was elected +Chief-Commandant. His election was, however, not final, on account of +the absence of some of the officers who had still to vote. It was +further resolved, _mirabile dictu_, by 17 votes against 13, to surrender +to the English forces! But the Council of War was undoubtedly startled +by this resolution, and immediately brought it under revision, resolving +anew that they would ask the enemy for an armistice of six days for the +purpose of being enabled to consult with the Government. They further +resolved that if this were not to be acceded to by the enemy, a +commission of officers should reconnoitre the positions, and if these +were found to be untenable, they would then continue fighting in the +direction of Witzieshoek with the object of breaking through and passing +out of the mountains there. The following day we proceeded. I met the +Revs. J. J. T. Marquard, M. Heyns, and P. A. Roux, not far from the +house of Mr. W. Bester. They were in no very hopeful mood--a fact which +did not tend to cheer me, as the Rev. J. J. T. Marquard, especially, had +never been otherwise than buoyant. + +I could not remain with them long, because I had to proceed with my +commando. What beautiful views of kloof, valley, and mountain presented +themselves everywhere! Sometimes an immense rock would rise +perpendicularly a thousand feet into the air, from the road along which +we were marching. Then we would cross a hill and could look down upon +the Little Caledon far below, winding its way through a ravine. How this +little stream seemed to soothe and comfort, and soften the weirdness of +the grandeur. Now it lay still and calm, caressed by lily and bulrush, +where it was for a moment held captive by a ledge of rocks stretching +from bank to bank; then again it dashed on as if impatient at being +impeded in its course by the great boulders which had fallen into its +bed from above. But it was not the rivulet,--it was the mountains that +held you spellbound and constrained you to think of nothing else. + +How sharp was the contrast between the majestic calm of the eternal +mountains and the unrest of the men that swarmed below! Everyone kept +pressing on. Forward, ever forward! Whither? No one knew whither; but +everybody felt himself enclosed within the mountains, as if in the +horrid embrace of a nightmare and his only wish was to escape. To +escape! no matter whither! and then? This I asked myself, when we had +got beyond these mountains, should we then bravely march against the +enemy on the plains? Alas! I saw but few indications of it. Yet could I +blame this confused multitude? No, they were as sheep without a +shepherd. It was then, if ever, that a _man_--ONE MAN was wanted! +Unconsciously the multitude cried for a Leader, and--the Leader did not +come! + +Long trains of waggons and carts, large herds of cattle and flocks of +sheep were driven on with feverish haste. Everywhere one could mark the +signs of uneasiness and fear upon the faces of those who were fleeing +there. They anxiously inquired of such persons as came from the +direction of Fouriesburg or Nauwpoort, where the English were, and +whether they might soon be expected. + +What grieved me beyond measure was the sight of so many women and +children amongst those who were thus endeavouring to escape. Here one +might see mothers with babies in their arms, and little ones clinging to +their skirts, jumping over the stepping-stones of a river-ford or wading +through the water whilst the waggons were struggling across. Yonder +again there were others baking bread in ant-hills. Here again you saw +girls in scanty clothing, gathering fuel or drawing water, while there +was a short halt for the purpose of preparing a meal, and letting the +weary oxen rest and graze. Poor women, poor children! Why should they be +there? + +We rode on, and about noon passed the beautiful farm "Golden Gate" +belonging to Mr. Jan van Reenen. He treated the burghers with great +kindness, and gave each one a bundle of forage for his horse. + +In the afternoon we proceeded on our journey, and when the sun set we +stood upon the mountains that look down upon Oldenburg. + +Many a time, when visiting as clergyman of the district the members of +my congregation there, I had gazed enrapt on the beautiful view of this +fruitful plain surrounded by a circle of lordly mountains; and now +again, in spite of melancholy thoughts, the charm of the scene entranced +me as I looked a thousand feet down. There many carts and waggons had +arrived already, and preparations were being made to pass the night on +the spot. + +We descended by a steep footpath, and learnt that our waggon-laager had +not, as we had feared, fallen into the hands of the enemy. It was at +that moment still in safety, at the farm of Mrs. van der Merwe. We +off-saddled, and soon the mantle of night hid not only the grand views +of mountain and kloof, but also the sad spectacle of panic and +confusion. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF GENERAL PRINSLOO + + +Sunday, the 29th July 1900, must stand on record as the saddest day in +the history of our struggle. It was on that day that General Marthinus +Prinsloo unconditionally surrendered the whole of the forces under him +to General Hunter, notwithstanding the fact that at that moment he was +not Chief-Commandant according to law. But let me relate in due order +what I experienced. + +After having held a short service for the men of Harrismith early in the +morning of that Sunday, General de Villiers and Piet Mare, member of the +Volksraad, addressed them, and General Froneman, who happened to be +present, also said a few words. We then passed through the nek to the +north of the dwelling of Mr. Salamon Raath, for the purpose of taking up +positions against the forces of the enemy under General MacDonald, with +whom we had been engaged on the other side of the Roodebergen on the +previous Thursday. Those forces had meanwhile moved round by +"Davelsrust," with the object of preventing the commandos from escaping +at Oldenburg or Witzieshoek. + +General de Villiers rode to the house of Mr. Jan Raath to be present at +a meeting of officers who had still to vote for the election of a +Chief-Commandant. After they had voted, it appeared (so we learnt in +the evening) that General Roux had finally been elected +Chief-Commandant! + +When General de Villiers, with his Field-Cornet, left for the meeting, +he ordered his men to occupy a high hill near the residence of Mr. Jan +Raath, and left one of the burghers in command during his absence. His +burghers thereupon rode along a ditch on the way to the position, but +before reaching it they turned off to the right and eventually halted +near the house of Assistant Field-Cornet Jan Jacobsz. Here they +slaughtered two oxen and ate and drank, preferring to avoid the enemy to +fighting him! I saw how things would go. From the ridge behind us I had +seen Platberg in the distance, at the foot of which Harrismith lies, and +pointing in the direction of their homes I remarked to someone: "Next +Sunday all these burghers will be on their farms." + +A peremptory command was sent to the burghers to occupy their positions, +but they got no farther than a gully; for the enemy was already in +possession of the hill which we should have occupied in the morning, and +all we could do now was to fire shrapnel at them. At night there was +nothing left for us but to retire to the nek. We little knew then what +General Prinsloo had been doing that day. + +The following day I was up early, and accompanied Mr. Frans Papenfus to +the house of A. Cilliers. There I drank a cup of coffee, and then rode +on to Mr. Salamon Raath's. On the way thither a Harrismith burgher asked +me if it was true that General Prinsloo had surrendered the whole of our +force to the English. This was the first word I heard about the matter. +I could, however, not believe that Prinsloo would do such a thing, and +laughingly replied that the report was certainly incorrect. But very +soon it became evident that what the burgher had heard was only too +true. General Marthinus Prinsloo had indeed surrendered unconditionally +to the enemy. A copy of a letter from General Hunter was handed round, +in which he gave the assurance, subject to ratification by Lord Roberts, +that no private property or personal belongings of the burghers should +be touched, and that each burgher would be provided with a horse to the +place where he had to give up his arms. + +The greatest excitement prevailed. Many abused Prinsloo, and declared +that he ought to be shot. This surprised me, not only because I knew +what the resolution of the Council of War on the Friday night had been +with regard to the surrender, but also because I had been an eye-witness +of the state of despondency of the burghers and of their unwillingness +to fight. If Prinsloo should be shot, surely other officers deserved the +same fate, and many of the burghers as well. So I thought on that sad +Monday morning. Later on, however, it became plain to me that, after +all, General Prinsloo had to bear the blame. If there had been a victory +he would have claimed the honour. Now, the disgrace of the surrender +must for ever be associated with his name. Was he not Chief-Commandant, +or at least did he not act as such? And is it not the duty of a Chief to +instil courage, where such courage is on the wane, and to lead on where +no one else would advance of his own accord? The Chief, indeed, should +be the best, the most courageous, and the bravest burgher, else anyone +might take upon himself the command of an army. Ah! if ever a leader was +wanted, the perplexed multitude, shut up as they were within the +mountains behind Nauwpoort, had need of one. + +Most of the burghers thought they were bound by the resolution of +General Prinsloo to submit and to lay down their arms. I thought so too. +Why did we have a Commander if, under certain circumstances, we had to +decide for ourselves without recognising him? Unfortunate are the people +that in such a case have to decide for themselves. It was my impression +that all was lost, at least as far as we who were behind Nauwpoort were +concerned. There were, however, others who instinctively judged +otherwise about the matter. The shame of surrender while there was a +chance of escape by a route running past the dwelling of Salamon Raath +seemed to be too great to them, and they declared that they would not +lay down their arms. + +On the other hand, there were others who, while they did not mind the +loss of their independence so much, could simply not bear the thought of +being captured, and I heard many say: "I shall not allow myself to be +caught by an Englishman." There were also others who were already out of +the defiles, and they could not think of returning. And so it happened +that a number of burghers under Generals Kolbe and Froneman, and +Commandants Olivier, Hasebroek, Visser, van Tonder, Truter, and others, +with six guns and some Maxims, immediately moved away in the direction +of Harrismith. + +In the meanwhile it was said that some persons had been seen with a +white flag on the nek to the north of Mr. Salamon Raath's house. General +de Villiers went thither, but on the way he was told that they had +disappeared. + +On his return to his waggons he heard that these persons had been seen +at another place. + +Two burghers whom he sent to bring them to the laager failed to find +them. Instead of returning at once, these two burghers, quite on their +own responsibility and without orders, went straight to the English +force under General MacDonald, who was then near the house of Jan Raath. +The English General received them with the distrust of one who finds men +from the army of the enemy coming into his camp without credentials; +but eventually believing their statement, that they had missed meeting +his messengers with the white flag, he sent them back with a letter to +General de Villiers informing him that General Prinsloo had surrendered +together with the whole of the Boer force. He asked General de Villiers +to abide by what General Prinsloo had done, and warned him that any +movement on his part would be regarded as an "act of war." + +While this was taking place, another messenger had been sent in the +opposite direction to General Hunter, to obtain further information +regarding the surrender. This messenger was met by Commandant Visser, +who immediately sent him back with the assurance that General Prinsloo, +not being Chief-Commandant, had in this whole matter acted without +authority, that the surrender was illegal, and that no one was to +consider himself bound by it. General Fourie, who had not yet reached +the farm of Salamon Raath, also sent a despatch to the officers +requesting that their men should take up positions. + +When the men of Harrismith who had not gone out with Commandant Truter +heard this, their joy was boundless, for they had been in great doubt as +to what they should do; especially after General de Villiers had said +during the course of the day that he, being included under the surrender +of General Prinsloo, was not an officer any longer, and therefore left +it to each burgher to act as he might think fit. Now, however, he again +took the command, and ordered the burghers to go into the positions. + +With shouts of joy, and singing the "Volkslied," they rode out to occupy +the nek. But they got no farther than the house of Salamon Raath, for it +appeared that no one else wanted to fight any more. Meanwhile a meeting +was held by the officers present, and at that meeting there were +Field-Cornets who said that neither they nor their men would fight any +longer, declaring at the same time that the leaders, if they continued +the struggle, would be guilty of needless bloodshed. + +And so the positions remained unoccupied. + +This made everybody there hopeless again, and now it appeared that there +was nothing left but to remain there and surrender. General de Villiers +called his burghers together, and thanked them for the services they had +rendered to the State and for the attachment and kindness shown to his +person. I also spoke a few words and declared amongst other things, that +I could not believe that it was all over with our South African Cause, +but if it were so, then it would be owing to our unwillingness. God +would have wished to establish for us our independence, but we should +have refused to earn it. + +In the course of the day General Roux had ridden in the greatest haste +to General Hunter to protest against the surrender of Prinsloo, on the +ground of its being illegal: first, because he, and not Prinsloo, was +the commanding officer; and secondly, because Prinsloo had in any case +not acted in accordance with the resolution taken by the Council of War +on Friday night. General Roux, as might have been expected, did not +return. + +The only two Generals who were beyond the circle of mountains which +surround Oldenberg, and who could have proceeded onward, were Generals +P. Fourie and C. T. de Villiers. They agreed to remain where they were +for that night, not far from the house of Mr. Salamon Raath, in order to +ascertain on the following day what General Roux had been able to do; +but before dawn of the following day, General de Villiers heard that +General Fourie had gone away without saying a word about it[4] Great +was the indignation of General de Villiers. He immediately ordered his +men to inspan and saddle their horses. We hurried away, and I arrived at +Harrismith in the evening, after two of the saddest weeks of my life. +How dejected I felt. How sad was my wife. How dark the future seemed to +be. + +[Footnote 4: A week later, when the two men met each other again, +General Fourie declared that he had sent someone to tell General de +Villiers that he was going forward, and that therefore the fault did not +lie with him. Speaking to General Fourie, subsequently, I learned that +the messenger was sent early in the evening; and I remember that the man +did come to us. But the message he brought was a request that General de +Villiers should act in accordance with the agreement. This person +remained behind, and it may be that he purposely delivered a wrong +message in order to induce General de Villiers and his burghers to +remain there, and thus swell the numbers of those remaining behind.] + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TO PRESIDENT STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET + + +I had felt very much discouraged on the farm of Mr. Salamon Raath. There +I had thought that all was lost--at any rate as far as the commandos +behind Nauwpoort were concerned. There is no doubt that the burghers +noticed it in my behaviour, and inferred it from my language. + +There was indeed much to cause this melancholy state of mind: the +disposition of the burghers to retreat, the discouraging words of some +officers, the expressive silence of others; and when we heard at last +that matters had reached a climax in the unconditional surrender of +General Prinsloo, the _coup de grace_, so to speak, was given to my +hopes. + +I of course attached no importance to the braggadocio of those who +loudly declared that Prinsloo ought to be shot, while they themselves +were the most unwilling to go into positions, or deserted those +positions on the bursting of the first shells there. They could not +rectify matters by boasting, nor did it give me any assurance of a +brighter future. But on the morning after I awoke at Harrismith I felt +more sanguine; and it grieved me that I, who had always spoken words of +encouragement, should have shown signs of despondency; and I felt now +that I ought to stand by those who wanted to continue the struggle, and +remain with them till the end, come what may. I recalled also what I +had written to the President not long before, namely, that it was my +intention to attach myself to those who would rally round him at the +last, if it became necessary. Now, as Olivier, Hasebroek, and others had +decided to go to the President and General de Wet in order to be +reorganised, I decided to go too. If the struggle had to be given up, +let our Government give it up. + +In order to carry out this resolution, I rode away from Harrismith early +next morning, in order to proceed to Zwart Klip, the farm of General de +Villiers, and with him to accompany the commandos that had escaped, in +their search for the President and General de Wet. That morning I +reached the farm of Mr. Matheus Mare. As, however, the English did not +on that day arrive at Harrismith, I returned in the evening to spend +another night with my family. But this could not be, for I found there +were straggling bands from the commandos in town who were taking horses +out of the stables, whether they belonged to friend or enemy; and I saw +that if I wanted to make sure of a horse to ride, it would be better not +to trust to the chance of finding my horses in the stable at daybreak. +Therefore, when de Villiers and some others resolved to leave Harrismith +immediately, I determined to do the same and accompany them. So at +midnight between the 1st and 2nd of August 1900, I parted from my wife +and children, and proceeded to the farm of Mr. Stephanus Schoeman. On +the following day I obtained from Mr. Schoeman the loan of a strong pony +(on the previous day I had got an excellent horse from Mr. Adriaan +Dolebout); and we rode away. + +On the way to Zwart Klip we passed the commandos, and heard that English +officers had followed the burghers with a white flag, and advised them +to surrender. These messengers were sent back with the answer that the +burghers had no intention whatever of doing any such thing. On the way I +met two of our principal men, who had hitherto been amongst the warmest +supporters of our cause, but whose names I shall not here record. They +were in no very hopeful mood, and it seemed to me that very little was +needed to induce them to go and lay down their arms. + +This did not tend to cheer me; but I was encouraged somewhat when later +in the day I spoke to Jan Jacobsz, Louw Wepener, and others, and noticed +how firmly resolved they were to continue the struggle. + +On the following day a meeting of Harrismith burghers was held at Molen +River bridge. At that meeting it was resolved to send the English +Generals a letter informing them that it was our opinion that, for the +reasons already stated, we regarded the action of General Marthinus +Prinsloo in surrendering himself with the whole of the force as illegal; +also that it was our firm resolve to continue the struggle. Further, +General de Villiers was enjoined to commandeer the Harrismith burghers +anew. This he did that same afternoon, and sent one "commandeer list" +with Mr. Jacob van Reenen to Field-Cornet Gert Pretorius, and another +with Piet Grabe to Assistant Field-Cornet Johannas Loots. In the evening +we heard that the enemy were at Glen Lennie on their way to Harrismith, +and that a patrol had already reached the town commonage. We then knew +that before the sun would set once more our town would be in possession +of the English. There remained, therefore, nothing for us to do but to +make the last preparations for taking our departure. Everything was made +ready that same evening, and early next morning we proceeded to join the +other commandos. + +Here it must be noted that there were many in the district of +Harrismith who regarded these commandos with the greatest contempt, and +who indulged in very strong language regarding them. These commandos +were--so they said--very uncontrolled, taking everywhere what they +wanted from shops and farms. + +It was further alleged that they thought of nothing but running away; +and it was argued that this was proved not only by the fact that they +had retreated from Nauwpoort, but also by their contriving to avoid the +enemy even after they had escaped from the mountains. + +This was the excuse which many of the burghers of Harrismith gave for +surrendering a few days later. They were, they declared, unwilling to +accompany and act with a band of robbers; and thought it better to lay +down their arms immediately than to carry, and not fight with them. + +The answer to this is not far to seek. That the commandos were +demoralised was evident; no one with his eyes open could doubt this. But +now they went to their President and Commander-in-Chief! Why? Was it not +for the sole and only purpose of getting breathing-time?--to get +reorganised? And was it not therefore the duty of everyone to join those +who were going to the Government for that purpose? Surely no burgher had +the right to turn his back upon his Government, whilst it was still in +existence, and whilst the road by which to reach it remained open.--By +not doing this they made themselves guilty of desertion. + +This weighed heavily with me, and although I saw much in the burghers +that I most strongly disapproved of, and although I had myself not yet +wholly regained my former hopefulness, I could not regard the matter +from any other point of view than that, so long as the President had not +surrendered, I could not do so either, and that it was my duty to stay +with those who did not intend doing so. And thus it occurred that I +began a journey, which was to last twenty-one months, on Saturday, the +4th of August 1900. + +I was one of a small company of which General de Villiers was the chief +person. He did not at that juncture enjoy a very high reputation, +because there was no lack of persons who declared that he had not acted +in good faith at Nauwpoort, and that he had been in league with the +enemy. I was convinced of the contrary, and remained in his company. I +had enjoyed his hospitality when all went well with him, and now I would +not desert him when his sky had become clouded. + +We reached the commandos at Gwarri Kop, near Cornelius River, and we +learnt there that messengers from the British had again come to insist +upon our surrender. + +How much trouble did the Generals to whom Prinsloo had surrendered not +take to induce us to desert! What noble work it was for warriors to do! +If the English had succeeded in this the war would have been brought to +an end, without their having the trouble of fighting any more. But what +would Lord Roberts have thought of it if our positions could have been +reversed, and if we had sent messenger upon messenger to his discouraged +and weary subordinates and soldiers to persuade them to be unfaithful to +their country and their flag? Our leaders were steadfast, and sent the +English officers back with the message, that not only had we no +intention of surrendering, but that we also did not wish to receive any +more messengers with similar proposals. + +The following day, being Sunday, I held a service in the house of Mr. +David de Villiers, at Holspruit, and then rode to the commando to see if +I could be of any use there. But that faithful Free Stater, the student +MacDonald, was just busy holding service. I was greatly edified and +comforted by his interpretation of the words, "I will lift mine eyes to +the hills from whence cometh my help!" + +During the week we heard from our President. His letter was in answer to +a report, despatched immediately after the Nauwpoort affair, informing +him of the state of affairs. He expressed himself deeply grieved at the +surrender, and appointed General P. Fourie as Acting Chief-Commandant. +He also mentioned that many burghers had taken up arms again, and urged +us to come to him as speedily as possible. A few days after this, Judge +Hertzog came to us. He said that he had been sent to lead us to the +President and the Chief-Commandant, and brought us the latest news from +the Transvaal. + +We now travelled a long distance every night, halting during the day. +Our way of "trekking" was to begin at nightfall and to continue till +about midnight or two o'clock in the morning, and then to tie the oxen +to the yokes and hobble the horses. This "trekking" was not pleasant; +for the weather continued bitterly cold, and to remain in the saddle +almost the whole night with icy cold feet was certainly not enjoyable. +But it had to be done, and no one grumbled. + +Our laager was by no means perfect, as may well be imagined. We +consisted of small numbers from almost every district of the Orange Free +State, and were not used to each other. Moreover, there were too many +officers. There were generals without commandants, and commandants with +hardly any men. Under these circumstances one can well understand that +there existed but little cohesion amongst us, and that the burghers +committed excesses of which they would not have been guilty had the +laager consisted solely of burghers from one district. It thus happened +that some wasted their ammunition by firing it away at game, and +through carelessness the veld was set on fire almost daily. This +continued until by stringent measures and heavy fines the delinquents +were deterred. One instance of a sad veld fire occurred on the 11th of +August. It began at a spot where a camp-fire had been lit, and might +have resulted in the destruction of a large portion of the laager. It +was quite calm when we rose that morning, but soon the wind began to +blow. The storm raged more and more fiercely, and somebody said that if +no order were given to put out all fires in the laager there was danger +for the veld. This had hardly been said when someone shouted, "The veld +is on fire!" Everything was now in commotion to leeward of the wind. +Tents were pulled down, and the burghers hurriedly removed their +saddles, bedding, and whatever they could, across the road to a place of +safety. Some dragged the waggons by hand out of danger, and others ran +about with sacks to extinguish the fire; but all did not assist in the +attempt to extinguish the flames--only those who were in danger--the +others looked on at the fire with colossal indifference, and went on +roasting their meat or doing whatever they were busy with, as if there +was no danger at the other end of the laager. But how great was the +danger there! Each burgher redoubled his energies and did his utmost. +All, however, would have been in vain, and a portion of the laager would +inevitably have been destroyed if there had not fortunately been a +narrow road between us and the fire. Besides, by a lucky chance there +was the hide of an ox which had been slaughtered that morning. This was +dragged across the fire, and wherever it was drawn it extinguished the +flames; and in this way the laager was saved from destruction. But it +was just as impossible to stop the conflagration as it is to stem the +strong current of a river in flood. The flames sped onward, and soon +all the veld to the east was black. Subsequently we heard of great +damage done by this fire, and that lives had even been lost. What +mischief had we not done by our unpardonable carelessness,--and we had +always taken it so much amiss when the British troops had set fire to +the veld! + +The wind continued blowing all day, but died away in the evening. We +then inspanned according to custom, and "trekked" onward to the banks of +the spruit named Klip River, six miles east of Heilbron. + +We now hoped to reach the laager of General de Wet shortly, as it had +been in the vicinity of this town when Judge Hertzog had left it. + +The following day, being Sunday, Mr. MacDonald and I held religious +services in different parts of the laager. + +We learnt in the course of the day that a considerable force of British +was barring our way. This forced us to draw back some distance. We +proceeded far into the night, and on Monday morning we were just as far +south of Heilbron as we had been east the day before. It then began to +seem doubtful if we should meet the President and General de Wet as +speedily as we had hoped, not only because the English were in our +front, but also because our scouts told us that we might expect a +British force in our rear, coming with the road from Bethlehem towards +Heilbron. Messages were, however, sent to General de Wet, and from him +also tidings were received from time to time. + +On the following day, Tuesday, 14th of August, it appeared that we +should come in contact with the enemy. The force which was marching +along the road from Bethlehem to Heilbron was coming nearer and nearer, +and we came in collision with it not far from Vecht Kop of "voortrekker" +fame, where Sarel Celliers had frustrated the Matabeles in 1837 in their +attempt to take his laager. + +The British trekked along between the ridges, where our men had taken up +positions, and this kop. At twelve o'clock our guns opened fire on the +enemy, which was fiercely responded to by the English cannon. Our +burghers held the positions they occupied till late in the afternoon; +but when the enemy's infantry advanced in strong force from the front, +and the burghers, who held a position on a pointed hillock to the right, +gave way, the men who fought in the centre were forced to retire. They +did this under a hail of bullets, and it is a miracle that many were not +killed. Only one was wounded there; but altogether we lost three dead +and seven wounded on that day. + +We were not elated over this result, but according to what we heard a +month later, the loss of the English was greater than ours. It appeared +that the enemy's purpose was to reach Heilbron, for we were not pursued, +and after dark we proceeded in a south-westerly direction. + +It now speedily became evident that we should not reach the President +for some time. Word had come that he and General de Wet had taken refuge +in the Transvaal, and that they were being pursued by an enormous force. + +Our officers decided to act according to circumstances: to oppose the +enemy wherever it was practicable, or to retire whenever we were forced +to do so; but in all cases steadfastly to remain under arms. We had done +our utmost to reach our President and Chief-Commandant, and had failed. +But the short time of respite which had elapsed since the affair at +Nauwpoort had exerted a beneficial influence on all, for we were now +more and more convinced that, whether we reached the Chief of our State +or not, surrender was not to be thought of as long as our Government +existed. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +WANDERING + + +Our trek to Heilbron had borne good fruit, not only in that it had freed +us from the baneful influence which the surrender at Nauwpoort had +caused, but we had also learned to know each other better. The +heterogeneous elements of the laager became more and more homogeneous. +It seemed quite natural that there should be one man in command. At his +bidding we trekked, and at his command we halted. By degrees we became +used to discipline, a clear proof of which was the fact that no one +fired unnecessary shots, or set the veld on fire. + +From Vecht Kop we trekked in a south-westerly direction. We pursued this +course the whole week till we got near Ventersburg, keeping about +eighteen miles away from the railway line. How endless these night +marches in the depth of winter seemed. The waggons that brought up the +rear seldom reached the camping-place before two or three o'clock in the +morning. The least delay in front affected each vehicle in the rear. +When a ford was reached a halt was called to see how things looked +there, and then the whole trek behind was kept waiting, and in this +manner from two to five minutes were always lost. The next waggon then +reached the ford, and the same thing was done over again. Again the +waggons behind had to wait, with a similar loss of time. When a waggon +got stuck the delay was even longer. Then, in addition, a fearful +commotion arose. There was dreadful shouting and yelling before the +Kaffirs could convince the oxen that they had to get the waggon out by +hook or by crook. + +This slow progress was inexpressibly tedious, and we resorted to all +sorts of contrivances to beguile the time. I sometimes would ride on +ahead, and then with my horse's bridle over my arm would sit or lie down +on the grass till the last waggon had passed, when I would again ride on +and wait; or else I would walk leading my horse, in order to warm my +feet. In this manner the time passed till, to my delight, I saw lights +in the distance, which proved to me that a portion of the laager had +already reached the halting-place. When at last I arrived there, a piece +of meat was half-broiled on the coals and heartily relished. How it +looked, and how much of the ashes adhered to it, could not be seen in +the dark; but this made no difference, for the long trek in the cold +winter night had sharpened our appetites. + +During this week we crossed Rhenoster River, and one morning at two +o'clock we arrived at Doornkloof. Later in the day I had the pleasure of +visiting the farm of that stalwart "voortrekker," Sarel Cellier. Thirty +years before I had as a boy met him there alive and well. It was a +pleasure to me now to be able to pass a short time there with his widow. +But it struck me painfully how troublesome the burghers were to the +women on the farms. The house was constantly so full that there was no +place for everyone to sit down. They were continually going and coming, +and asking for this and that. "Has Tante (Aunt) any dried fruit for +sale?" "Do bake for me; I will give you the flour." "Auntie can make +bread or vetkoek (dampers) of it, just as you think fit." "Can't Auntie +have my clothes washed?" When I heard this I said, "My dear man, do as I +do--wash your own clothes." And yet how could I blame others for being +troublesome when I had on one occasion got a loaf of bread from that +house myself? I feel, however, that I need not plead guilty, for I very +seldom went into the houses. Sometimes, as on this occasion, I went to +see acquaintances. At other times the occupants of the house had heard +that I was in the laager and invited me into the house. But as a rule I +did not go to farms. + +When we were at Doornkloof the question persistently presented itself to +me: Where in the world _are_ we going to? for we did nothing but wander +from one place to another; so at least it seemed to me. I made a note in +my diary to the following effect: "Not with levity nor irreverently do I +call to mind the first words of the hymn--Whither, pilgrims, whither go +ye?" We turn to the north and then to the south and-- + +"You are running away!" + +Very well, we _were_ running away, if you wish. What of that? Don't we +keep the war going in this way? The English imagine they have conquered +us. This is far from being the fact. They have occupied the towns, but +they are not in possession of the country. They have annexed the +Republic, but not the people. Their troops march out in overwhelming +numbers wherever they wish, east and west, from one town to another, and +we cannot prevent them, but we remain in the field nevertheless; we are +still free. We turn to the right and to the left, and our adversary is +not able with all his cannon to prevent it. In this way we keep the war +going, and increase the expenditure day by day. In this way we worry our +adversary; and thus we hope--the weak against the strong, like the widow +and the unjust judge in the parable--to force the stronger to yield to +our importunity. In the evening we trekked as usual; late at night we +crossed the bridge over the Valsch River. + +On the following day a sad duty fell to my lot. A Kaffir had for the +rape of a white girl been condemned to death by the Council of War, and +I was called upon to prepare him for death. During all my professional +duties I had never had the spiritual charge of a man condemned to death. +Although he deserved his sentence, in my opinion more even than if he +had been guilty of murder, I could only regard him in this his last hour +as a fellow-man. All sense of condemnation was effaced, only pity +remained--pity for his total helplessness. Although he acknowledged that +he deserved death, he asked me if I could do nothing to obtain his +pardon; and when I told him there was no hope, he still kept urging me +to try and move the officers to inflict some other punishment. As a +mouse in the claws of a cat struggles in vain to get free and yet +continues struggling, so he, hoping against hope, struggled against the +inexorable. + +Could he not be released? At length he resigned himself. I spoke to him +of Jesus and prayed with him. After a short time he was led away to his +grave, and standing in it he laid his hand on my shoulder and repeated +the words of a prayer after me. I hurried away from the spot, but before +I reached the laager a volley announced that all was over in this world +with that human being. + +The following day was Sunday. We were not far from Ventersburg. Shortly +after divine service some burghers went out against a patrol of the +enemy, cornered them in a kraal and took twenty-four of them prisoners. +Amongst them were some officers and one person who claimed to be a +doctor. As, however, he was found armed, he was held prisoner along with +the rest. We had not yet commenced our evening trek, when I received +from someone a note written by the Rev. R. H. Daneel, informing me that +my wife had gone to Maritzburg to my parents. + +This was a comfort to me, for I had always been uneasy about her. I +subsequently found that the English had turned her out of the parsonage +and put her over the border. On Monday evening after sunset we again +proceeded. It was a miserably long trek. A delay occurred at a ford, and +it was half-past three in the morning before we arrived at the outspan, +which the foremost waggons had reached at twelve o'clock. Before we +could lie down to rest it was already half-past four, and the morning +star was shining on the eastern horizon. A trek or two more brought us +to Doornberg, and Commandant Hasebroek went with a number of men to +Ventersburg. He found the town empty,--that is to say, there were no +troops there,--and he levied his usual tribute on the shopkeepers of +coffee, sugar, meal, and other provisions. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +WHAT HAPPENED NEAR WINBURG AND AT LADYBRAND + + +When we had been at Doornberg for one day the Vrede Commando arrived and +joined us. We now became a comparatively strong force, consisting of +about 2000 men. + +On the following day some men were sent from each of the commandos to +assist Commandant Hasebroek, who had since the previous day been +engaging about 150 of the English. These English had marched out of +Winburg with two Maxims, and had taken up a position at the house of Mr. +le Roux, not far from Doornberg towards the south-west. + +Without being ordered, a large number of burghers left the laager on the +following day to go and join the fight; and when I with several others +arrived at the house of General Andries Cronje, I met numbers of them +returning. They said there were already too many engaged against the +English at le Roux's farm, and that they had been ordered to proceed to +the Ventersburg road to oppose a possible reinforcement from that +village, which had meanwhile been reoccupied by the enemy. As had been +suspected, a number of the enemy had in reality advanced from that +direction to help their friends, but they turned back when they saw our +men, not, however, without burning down some houses on their way. From +the east the burghers of Vrede also made their appearance, and pursued +these troops; but when the enemy began to fire shrapnel at them, they +ceased the pursuit and returned to the laager. + +The English on the farm of le Roux had meanwhile been harassed by our +men during the whole day both in a poplar-grove and around the +farmhouse. We had two guns and a Maxim there, and with these they were +bombarded continually. They were also within reach of our rifles. Our +men approached the enemy in some cases to within three hundred yards, +and so it came about that on our side four were killed and seven +wounded. In the evening the matter was given up, and all our men retired +to Laaispruit. Commandant Hasebroek had treated our burghers very +kindly, and his house was not far from where the fight took place, and +there his wife had provided many with food and a cup of coffee. Every +burgher was full of praise for him. + +The following day was Sunday, the 26th of August. Divine service was +held at several places; and at nightfall 800 men marched out, with the +object of taking Winburg, whilst the laager proceeded a little towards +the south. + +Commandant Hasebroek sent one of his sons to guide the burghers, whilst +he marched on the town from another direction. Unfortunately these men +delayed too long at a place where they went to sleep for a while. They +arrived at their destination when it was already broad daylight. This +was the reason that the whole thing turned out a miserable failure. On +this account also the guns could not be properly posted. As was to be +foreseen, our men were expected by the English, who were in good +positions; and it frequently happened that our men were nearly +surrounded, and had to retire. Here General Olivier was captured. He +rode into a party of the enemy, and so little was he aware how matters +stood that he took them for our people. + +"Hands up!" they cried. + +He laughed, thinking it a joke on the part of his own men. But it was no +joke, and Commandant Olivier had to lay down his arms. Commandant van +Tender was with him, and was already disarmed, when he set spurs to his +horse and raced away. A bullet cut through his sleeve, but he escaped to +tell of the sad occurrence. The burghers returned in confusion to the +laager, followed by small numbers of the enemy. The whole affair was a +fiasco, and Winburg was not taken. + +The enemy could do no more than drive our men back to the laager; but +they avenged themselves for what had taken place at le Roux's farm, by +burning down Commandant Hasebroek's house. + +When we started in the afternoon clouds were rising in the west, and the +thunder rolled. No rain, however, fell, but it was a sign that the worst +of the cold weather was past and that spring had come. The sky remained +clouded, and two days later, when we approached the little Vet River, it +rained hard and continuously. The ground was soaked, and two months +later, when we came along there as a mounted commando, we could still +see the tracks our waggons now made in the mud. + +During this week some waggons loaded with meal, coffee, sugar, sweets, +and brandy were captured by our men. On the banks of the little Vet +River the different articles were distributed to the men. Some +Commandants acted, with regard to the brandy, in a sensible manner; +others, not. In one instance the men drank immoderately, dipping +pannikins into buckets which had been filled with brandy. General Fourie +came upon one sad spectacle of drunkenness, and there and then poured +all the liquor on the ground. + +On Friday evening we had advanced as far as Allandale. Here it was +resolved to rest a while, and a committee of officers went on ahead to +select a suitable place at the foot of Korannaberg where the several +commandos might encamp. On Saturday morning each commando went to the +spot assigned it. How pleasant it was to trek onward after the rain. The +showers had already had effect upon the veld, and the tender blades of +grass were making their appearance. Everywhere one saw signs that Nature +had once more awakened from her winter sleep, and it was delightful to +gaze on the fresh green, on the branches of the willows and the soft +pink of the peach blossoms. And irresistibly our hearts too were filled +with a strong desire that thus too, after the winter of our discontent, +the national life of our poor people might once more revive. + +We were all encamped somewhat to the west of Korannaberg, and rejoiced +at the thought that we, for a time at least, would no longer have to +undertake endless night marches. But these pleasant thoughts could not +be indulged in by all. Already some burghers out of every commando had +been ordered to proceed that very evening with General Fourie to +Ladybrand, for the purpose of taking that town. + +Early on the 2nd September, after having ridden the whole night, the +burghers attacked Ladybrand. The troops lying in garrison there +immediately retreated to Lelyhoek, a beautifully cultivated rocky kloof +near to the town. Without delay a heavy bombardment was opened upon the +English, and kept up through the whole of the day with the two guns +which General Fourie had taken with him. At nine o'clock General Visser +was already inside the town--being the first of our officers who entered +it, and at eleven o'clock some of our men captured horses and cattle and +stormed the enemy to within six hundred yards. Somewhat later on twelve +men advanced to within a few yards of the positions of the English; but +had to retire not only on account of the enemy's severe fire, but also +because some Krupp shells were being fired at them by our own gunners, +who mistook them for English. During the day positions on all sides were +taken up nearer to the enemy, behind the rocks above Lelyhoek, and +behind the stone walls of the gardens in the town. A continual fire was +kept up on both sides. The English also kept firing without intermission +into the town, and some of us were hit there. Amongst others, one +burgher was killed in the street near to the church. At nightfall the +enemy had been driven out of Lelyhoek, and had sought shelter amongst +the rocks a little higher up. + +The same kind of fighting was kept up on Monday and Tuesday. A perpetual +sound of rifle firing filled the air, overpowered every now and then by +the roar of a Krupp shell that would make the rocks re-echo somewhere in +Lelyhoek. + +I arrived on the scene on the evening of the third day, and then I +learnt that everything had to be abandoned, and that our people were +preparing to retire at eight o'clock; the enemy might be forced to +surrender within two or three days, but this could not occur before the +arrival of a reinforcement which was advancing from Newberry's Mill. It +was also feared that assistance might come from Ficksburg. I had +therefore only an hour and a half at my disposal to visit my +brother-in-law and his family. I walked quickly to the parsonage, got +some information there regarding my wife, and then left the town along +with the burghers. + +Although the English garrison was not forced to surrender, our men had +taken the town, and held it for three days. Our wants also had been +provided for. As much clothing and food had been taken out of the town +as could be carried away, and although General Fourie could not return +completely victorious, he had no reason to be dissatisfied with the +result of his expedition. We had, during the three days, to lament the +loss of four killed and five wounded. What the English loss was we could +not learn. + +Well satisfied, we returned to the laager; but yet there was one thing +that displeased me: it was that goods belonging to private persons had +been taken. Of course, I do not refer to what was taken by the +Government as the lawful prize of war; but to the spiders and horses +belonging to individuals taken in the town. My feeling on this matter +was so strong that I considered it my duty two days later, when a +Council of War was held, to request the officers to see to it that their +own resolutions and orders concerning this should be carried out. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE TREK FROM KORANNABERG TO GENERAL DE WET + + +We had heard from General de Wet. This was the reason for the meeting of +officers two days after the taking of Ladybrand. General de Wet had +ordered that the Harrismith Commando should proceed between Kroonstad +and Rhenoster River, and should be employed along the railway line in +interrupting the communications of the enemy, whilst the burghers of +Vrede were to go to him--but without encumbering themselves with their +waggons, and that the other commandos were to proceed farther west, +everywhere taking the towns and appointing magistrates. + +On Saturday, the 8th of September, we separated. From Commandant +Hasebroek we parted at Korannaberg, whilst General Fourie hastened +forward with 100 men to interview General de Wet personally. The order +of General de Wet was not carried out by the men of Vrede and +Harrismith. They considered that they could not do away with their +waggons; but nevertheless resolved to proceed to the Chief-Commandant, +and then, when they should arrive where he was, to act according to +circumstances. + +It was one of the most monotonous journeys imaginable. We were under the +command of General Hattingh as Acting Chief-Commandant, and from the 8th +to the 18th of September we did nothing but trek some distance every +evening. We never travelled so late into the night as when we were going +to Korannaberg, and, excepting that nothing occurred to afford an +agreeable variety, the life was not an unpleasant one. One can +understand that every excuse was seized for the enjoyment of some +diversity, and so it happened that a most decided breach of discipline +took place of firing shots contrary to the established rule of the +commandos. The temptation came in the shape of "wilde beests" (gnus). +One afternoon we reached a part of the country where that kind of game +still existed in considerable numbers, and the temptation was more than +some could resist. Wilde beests! those were animals about which our +fathers had so often told us, and which the majority of us had never +seen! Regardless, therefore, of the safety of the commando on the march +some of the burghers fired at the game. The reports of the rifles +frightened the horses, which had by now become frisky after the rest at +Korannaberg, and the young grass they had eaten. Some of them broke +loose, and bolted across the broad level plains, whither the owners +pursued them like madmen. How angry they were with the delinquents! But +it probably gave them some satisfaction when the officers, some days +after, punished this transgression with a fine. + +Proceeding on our way, we first heard that the enemy had hemmed in +Commandant Hasebroek at Doornberg, and afterwards that he had escaped +with the loss of nearly all his waggons and his field-guns. We heard +later on that the enemy had been in strong force under General Hector +MacDonald, and that Commandant Hasebroek escaped with all his men, but +that General MacDonald had captured sixteen of his waggons at Vet River +on the 13th, and eighteen at Doornberg on the 17th of September. The +cannon, however, did not fall into the hands of the enemy. Commandant +Hasebroek concealed them in a dam so as not to have the trouble of +dragging about with him guns for which he had no ammunition. On Sunday, +the 16th of September, we were not far south-west of Senekal. From there +we trekked nearer to the town and then northwards; we crossed through +Sand River and camped at Bretsberg. On the previous day several of the +burghers had gone to the town, and many others intended doing so next +day, in order to purchase what they required. But before they could do +so, we heard that the English had entered the town from the direction of +Zuringkrans, so suddenly that no one was aware of their approach. The +men who were there escaped at the opposite end of the town just in the +nick of time, and reported to us what had occurred. The laager had now +to inspan hurriedly and trek, while a number of burghers hastened away +in the direction of the town to oppose the English should they advance. +The British fired from the forts at Senekal, and their shells burst on a +ridge along which the laager was trekking out of town. + +Great was the indignation at the want of vigilance displayed by the +scouting corps in allowing the enemy to approach and take Senekal +without being noticed; but after the captain had given an explanation, +the council of war was satisfied and acquitted the corps of all blame. +The enemy did no more than hurl shells at us, and we went our way +unharmed. + +On the 18th of September we had advanced to Modderfontein, where we were +just twenty-four miles from Senekal, Ventersburg, Kroonstad, and Lindley +respectively. An unpleasant surprise awaited us here. Early the +following morning we heard rifle firing and the dud--dud--dud of a +Maxim-Nordenfeldt, both directed against the scouting corps. The laager +again trekked in great haste, while the burghers went to meet the enemy. +Unfortunately the issue was not favourable as far as our losses were +concerned, for two of our men were killed and three were wounded. The +advance of the enemy was, however, stopped, and several of them were +killed, wounded, and captured. + +We now proceeded on our way in peace--unmolested by the English. We +again crossed Valsch River, but this time somewhat farther up the +stream. Leaving Lindley to the east, we passed through Rhenoster River +by the same ford through which we had passed a little more than a month +before when going south. The nearer we approached to where we hoped to +meet General de Wet somewhere in the Heilbron district, the more +fervently we longed to see him. Everybody thought that the +Chief-Commandant would put everything right, and the days that +intervened before we should see him seemed to pass all too slowly. At +last (22nd September, Saturday) Vecht Kop came into view. In passing we +gazed at it with varied emotions, for we seemed to see the laager of +Sarel Celliers there, surrounded by Moselekatze's hordes. We seemed to +hear their battle-cry and their fierce assault; we witnessed their +repulse and the deliverance of the little laager. Then Vecht Kop +disappeared behind us, and other thoughts swayed us as we rode over the +positions where the fight of August 14 had taken place. + +In the evening we outspanned on the farm of Petrus Schoeman and halted +for the night, expecting to hear from General de Wet every moment. The +following day was passed as usual, and at three o'clock the General rode +into the laager. At five o'clock the burghers assembled to be addressed +by the man whom all had longed so much to see since the unfortunate +affairs at Nauwpoort. The officers presented him with an address, with +which, however, he was not particularly pleased, saying that he was not +very partial to addresses. + +He then spoke to the burghers in his pleasant, clear, and pithy manner. +He said that it was his firm conviction that God would help us, and +would not allow us to disappear as a nation. But this belief should not +make us careless; on the contrary, this conviction should be a spur to +every man to do his share of the work. Every man should do his duty, +which consisted in this, that each one should be prepared to sacrifice +his all on the altar of Liberty: money, goods, comfort, life! As we were +weak and our adversaries strong, the best way of fulfilling our duty +would be to keep harassing them. This we should do by making provisions +at Pretoria and Johannesburg dear, through continually interrupting +their communications. Further, the waggons should be done away +with--done away with immediately, and the burghers were to form separate +mounted commandos. He then related to us some of his experiences when he +was pursued by large British columns from Slabbert's Nek up to the bush +veld, and how matters stood in the Transvaal, and what had taken place +at the battle of Machadodorp. This address was listened to with rapt +attention, but it soon became apparent that most of the men had not +heard what they had wanted to hear. + +On the following day a Council of War was held, General de Wet +presiding, and his proposition concerning the abolition of the waggons, +and of commandos acting independently, was accepted. In the afternoon +the Commandants called their men together and made known to them what +had been decided upon, at the same time commanding the burghers to free +themselves from the encumbrance of their waggons immediately; and as to +the Harrismith men--we, together with the Kroonstad burghers, were told +to employ ourselves by breaking up the railroad and to interrupt the +trains between Rhenoster and Sand River, our commanding officer was to +be General Philip R. Botha. + +One could immediately perceive by the grumbling in the laager with what +dissatisfaction the commands of General de Wet had been received. It +could not be done, many declared, and the burghers of one ward of a +commando went the length of riding away immediately--not to lay down +arms to the enemy, oh no, but to procure fresh horses in their own +district, and to continue the war there. They had imagined De Wet to be +quite a different sort of man, and that he would save the cause in quite +another manner. They had thought that, like a _deus ex machina_, he +would put all things right in a wonderful--a magical way. Instead of +this we had in him a man whose motto appeared to be not "all _will_ come +right," but "all must be _made_ right." Instead of lulling us to sleep +to the tune of "Peace, Peace, live as comfortably as you can!" we had in +him a leader who demanded much work and great sacrifices from us. We had +not heard a lullaby, but a _reveille_ sounding in our ears. And this was +something so strange, after having fought for a year with no discipline +to speak of, that at first many could not bear it. There were therefore +those who were dissatisfied, and who said that these commands were +impracticable, and a few even went the length of riding away from the +laager, as I have already noted. The reason of all this is, that our +poor Africander people could never, since the days of Piet Retief, +recognise or follow a hero when he arose amongst us. But Christian de +Wet was a strong man, and what he willed came to pass. On the following +day most of the burghers packed their things, and prepared themselves to +exist in the future as mounted commandos; while a small number, with +weak and thin horses, separated from the others and formed a +laager--which was immediately dubbed by the inventive faculty of the +Africander mind, Ma'er Lager (Lean Laager). My son and I put what we +thought most necessary into a corn-bag and wallets, tied our blankets in +front of our saddles, and were ready to go with the mounted commando. +The waggons disappeared over a rise with a rumbling noise, and we rode +away in an opposite direction, the blue expanse overhead our only +covering. I must admit that I was not in a very optimistic mood. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OUR EXPERIENCES AS A MOUNTED COMMANDO + + +It was on Tuesday, 25th of September, that we commenced our work as a +mounted force. We rode on until we reached the farm where we had +listened to the address of General de Wet. The enemy almost immediately +drew our attention. On the other side of the hillock, of which I spoke +in connection with the fight on the 14th of August, and on this side of +Vecht Kop, a small English force were marching along the main road to +Heilbron. + +We occupied positions on this little hill and on the ridges to the +south-west of it, whence we could see the English. After a while they +halted in a hollow, and our cannon opened fire on them. Some confusion +ensued, and several minutes elapsed before the English guns were brought +into action and began firing on our Krupps. The odds were then too +heavy, and our gunners were unable to continue the fight. They were +obliged to remove the Krupp out of danger, and before nightfall all the +positions were deserted. We halted for the night without off-saddling +our horses, on the slopes of a ridge not far from Heilbron, and went +early next morning where we expected the English to come along. + +We reached a ridge, behind which the English were, but no one seemed +inclined to take possession of it, as none knew what it looked like on +the other side. General Philip Botha was not with us yet, and the +officers who were with us did not lead the men up. They remained below +merely urging them on. "Charge, you young fellows!" they cried; but as +example is better than precept, they spoke in vain. Only about +twenty-five men obeyed. + +When these brave fellows gained the top, they opened fire on some +British cavalry who had nearly reached the crest of the ridge, and +forced them to retreat. They also forced the gunners of an Armstrong to +abandon it. But at a distance of eight hundred yards there was another +gun, and somewhat farther a Maxim-Nordenfeldt. There was a slight pause. +Then the English began from there to bombard our men, and the shells +fell not only on the ridge but also on the commando at the back. The +brave twenty-five had to retire from the ridge, and the commando was +scattered, retreating in confusion past the south of Heilbron, with +shrapnel bursting right and left of them. A small number of burghers +still made an effort to hold a kopje, but they were driven from it by +the shells of the Maxim-Nordenfeldt. Wherever a horseman or a burgher +was seen there the shells burst, and so the English paved their way to +Heilbron, which they entered before noon. We came to a standstill at +Klip River to the east of Heilbron. But not all the burghers stopped +there, for so discouraged were a few that they rode away to their farms. +General de Wet, who arrived on the scene after the fight, was very +indignant about this, and immediately sent some burghers to compel them +to return. + +And here sat our party--there were five of us, General C. J. de +Villiers, his son Christian, Andries Pretorius, my son, and I. Our +party, I say, sat by a brook that was honoured by the name of river, and +thought of our troubles. We thought also of the demands of Nature, and +began to prepare some food. Whatever we might have to eat would be +relished, for now for the first time since we had left the waggons were +we able to boil some water. But let me here give a description of our +manner of life. It can be easily understood that we could not carry much +with us on horseback. We had, besides our blankets and some clothes, a +kettle and an iron linseed-oil drum, with a handle made of wire. This +drum had to do duty as cooking-pot. Besides this we also carried a +saucepan. We had only three pannikins between us five, and two had to +wait until two had finished. There were also a couple of little bags in +which we carried our rations of meat, meal, salt, and coffee. In the +drum the meat, and also the mealie-meal porridge, was cooked. The latter +we ate together out of the pot, scooping it up with our clasp-knives, in +the way the Kaffirs do with their wooden spoons. We afterwards saw that +spoons answered better, and so made our own wooden ones. The meat we had +to take up with our hands instead of with a fork, and we ate it from the +lid of the saucepan or from a slice of bread. + +At nights there was nothing but the canopy of heaven over us. Mostly the +stars with their friendly light shone brightly on us from on high. +Sometimes large masses of clouds floated between them and us, and hid +their kindly light. Now and then all was swallowed up in utter darkness, +while the thunder roared, and we were drenched to the skin. Whatever the +weather might be we spread a skin or a blanket on the grass, with our +saddles at our heads to ward off the wind, and slept sound till next +morning. General de Villiers had a tanned ox hide with which, in +accordance with the custom which had been followed by his father, he had +provided himself, and I slept beside him on it. I was in good company. +The kindness of General de Villiers and his party I shall never forget. + +So things went on from day to day and from month to month; and how +swiftly those days and months passed! However monotonous it seemed to +exist from one moment to another, and however far off the future seemed, +yet the time sped like the flight of an arrow, and the past was +swallowed up in the present before we seemed to have time to realise it. + +We halted for the night at the farm of Janneke. Next morning I went to +sit under the trees to note down my experiences. It was a lovely day. +Spring had like a mysterious incomprehensible force wholly changed the +face of Nature. The brown grass had been changed to green; the trees +were covered with young and tender leaves; the birds chirped in the +branches, and the bees hummed around in the blossoms. How restful +everything was there! How different from the previous day, when the +cannon filled the air with dissonant shrieks, and the shells burst all +about us. I could not realise that a terrible war was raging in our +land. Everything was so still, so full of rest. Yet it was War, not +Peace. Alas! what brought me, a man of peace in every sense of the word, +on the field of battle? + +On Saturday General Philip Botha joined us. He immediately took the +command; but during the first days following, General de Wet had the +direction of everything, until we were led by him across the railway, +not far from Wolvehoek Station. + +We had to travel fast to accomplish this, for news had come that the +English were present in large numbers at Elandskop and other places. On +Saturday night we rode till twelve o'clock. The following day we +assembled for our usual divine service, and when it got dark we again +proceeded. We travelled during the whole night. This was slow work on +account of the cannon, the ammunition waggons, and a couple of trolleys +carrying provisions. How sleepy I became now that we had to keep awake +for two nights in succession. It seemed to me sometimes, as I sat on +horseback, as if the broad brim of my hat were the roof of a big tent, +of which, as sometimes happens when the weather is warm, the sides had +been lifted, and that the burghers in front of me were moving on under +its roof with a rhythmic motion. I had every now and then to look up to +the stars in order to shake off the illusion. We had to wait now and +then for those who lagged behind, and then we would throw ourselves on +the ground and immediately fall asleep. How fortunate those people must +be who have such strong constitutions that they can endure everything +without sleep, and apparently never suffer from fatigue. There were such +amongst us now. They were ever on the alert and woke up the slumbering +ones when it was time to proceed again. Things went thus till daylight +broke, when we crossed first the branch line from Wolvehoek to Heilbron, +and then the main line. Some of our scouts paid a visit to an English +guard and disarmed them. + +We had thus fortunately got across the line with all our belongings--all +except one or two waggons; among these an ammunition waggon remained +behind. When the drivers came near the railway an armoured train had +made its appearance, and so they had to turn back. Out of this train +fire was opened on those who had already crossed, but no casualty +occurred. But I had lost all my clothes. To spare my horses I had placed +my little all on the ammunition waggon which remained behind, and now I +had nothing more than what I had on and what was in my saddle-bag. + +After we had been off-saddled for a while, General de Wet proceeded to +Vredefort with his bodyguard. He invited me to accompany him, and I had +the pleasure of being in his company for three hours. I asked myself, as +I rode by his side, what could be the secret of his power? and it +appeared to me that it lay in this--that while he was friendly to all, +he was intimate with none. Moreover, as is the case with all great +leaders of men, he was as reticent as the Sphinx. + +In the afternoon we reached Vredefort. How pleasant it was to me to find +myself once more in the house of a brother minister, between the four +walls of his study, and to forget for a while the blue canopy of the +skies above and the hills and dales below. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ON THE WIDE PLAINS + + +Yes, I did enjoy it! To spend twenty-four hours in a house, for since +the 2nd of August I had never slept under a roof. What luxury!--a soft +bed and a bath in the morning. But how numerous are the demands of +civilisation! I had of course to breakfast with the family, and there +the table was laid with snowy linen and neatly folded serviettes. + +Ah me! How did I behave after having had to manage with my clasp-knife +on the grass for so long? Still, it charmed me. The old instinct again +awoke. A fork was better after all than one's fingers, and sitting on a +chair in the study than on an anthill in the veld. The transformation +took place with lightning rapidity. I was myself again. This was my +world. Out yonder I was a stranger, but here I was at home; and it was +like being rent from a part of myself when at three o'clock I once more +joined the commando. + +We proceeded between the kopjes that surround Vredefort on the +north-west. There beautiful scenery and the scent of the thorn-tree +blossoms repaid me in some measure for the comforts I had to relinquish +beneath the roof of the Rev. J. A. Joubert. But when at evening the +hills and thorn-trees lay behind us on the horizon, and we had to lie +down to rest by a dam on particularly large tufts of grass, I could +well realise that something indeed had been sacrificed for the great +cause of liberty and independence. + +Here on the following morning General de Wet called the burghers +together and read to them a notice which he had issued for the +information of the enemy. This notice was to the effect that where +troops were caught in the act of burning houses, and carrying off +defenceless women and children, those troops would be shot. + +He then asked me to address the men, as it was that day just a year +since they had been commandeered. I complied, and took as my text the +words: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her +cunning"; and presented the Israelite in his fervent patriotism as an +example to them. + +General de Wet immediately after left us with the commandos of Heilbron +and Vrede, and we trekked away under General Botha in the direction of +the Rhenoster River. Before nightfall we reached it, and found there a +part of the Bethlehem Commando that had just returned from the bush +veld, whither they had accompanied General de Wet. These burghers joined +us, and we trekked along together, until, shortly after, they left us +and proceeded to their own district. How delightful it was there in the +densely wooded banks of the Rhenoster River. Great wild willows and old +thorn-trees grew along the placid stream, and lent an inexpressible air +of peace and rest to the place. + +We stayed here for the night, lit great fires of the dry wood, and +broiled meat as it can only be done on the live coals of thorn-tree +wood. On the following day we departed from this beautiful spot, and +soon the wide sand plains stretched around us, dreary in their monotony. + +It is a wearisome thing travelling on these wilds. You see nothing but +long, low, rolling undulations. In the distance there arises one like +an immovable wave in an immovable sea. After an hour's ride--for a +commando does not move rapidly--you have reached it, and then in the +distance there is another exactly like the one behind you. + +And yet, however much the wearied spirit seeks some change, and however +dreary these wastes seem, they speak to the heart of him who understands +their language. Abandoning oneself to their mysterious influence, one +forgets that they are monotonous, as they whisper, softly as the evening +breeze which wafts across their broad bosoms, of the Infinite. The +mountains fill one with awe and veneration--even so the region where the +horizon seems ever to be beyond one's reach. + +On Friday, 5th of October, we were on the banks of the Valsch River and +camped there. Some days after we trekked to the farm of Mr. B. Greyling. +From there the commando went to the shop of Mr. Harvey at Otterspruit, +but as it looked like rain, I accepted the kind invitation of Mr. +Greyling, and remained under his roof for the night. We stopped at +Harvey's shop on Sunday and Monday, and a few burghers were punished +there because they had entered the shop and helped themselves to what +they thought they wanted. We had a man in command who allowed no +irregularities, and the discipline in the commando was perfect. Here I +washed my clothes myself, as I had to do often later on. As I had no +change, I had to remain at the spruit until what I had washed had got +dry. I thought of the future with misgivings. "What should we eat, and +what should we drink?" did not trouble me; but "wherewithal should we be +clothed?" that filled me with uneasiness. We had, as we were marching +along, heard occasionally that everywhere in the State the civil +administration of the English had ceased. The patrols of two or three +mounted police did not visit the farms any more. Nor were any taxes +collected any more from the Boers on their farms or the Kaffirs in their +kraals. Since the time about the taking of Ladybrand, it had begun to be +impossible for small numbers of the English to go from farm to farm, and +to carry out the kind of government which obtains when there is peace in +a country. If they wanted now to go from district to district they could +not do so otherwise than in numbers of about 1000 men, and always with +cannon. This was a new proof to us that it was impossible for England to +fight us on an equal footing. We were far from being conquered. + +It soon became evident that we were going to come in contact with the +enemy, for, not far from us upon a hillock to the south-east of Kopje +Alleen, a force moved now and again out from Kroonstad. This little hill +lay on our road to the railway, and it was desirable that we should not +be prevented there from carrying out the object we had in view. General +Botha therefore advanced in that direction on Monday evening. On the +following day it was discovered that there were no English on the hill, +and a patrol was left there. + +In the evening the commando went to the farm of old Mr. Delport, where +we remained five days, for it was General Botha's intention to begin his +real work of interrupting the communications here. On the following +night, therefore, he proceeded to the railway, and broke it up not far +from Ventersburg Road Station. + +I was glad to be able to remain here some days, because, as my son was +ill, he could thus remain under the care of Mrs. Delport and her +daughter. When we left he was well again. I owe much gratitude to this +kind family. + +On Sunday, the 14th October, a fight took place. I had held services +first for the Harrismith, and then for the Kroonstad men, and had just +returned from the latter when a report arrived from the patrol on the +hill that a number of English had driven them away and taken possession +of the kopje. General Botha immediately advanced against them, whilst a +small number of burghers went with the trolleys we had to the farm of +Mr. Taljaart. General Botha attacked from two sides, and after a short +fight drove the English from the kopje to the camp at Ventersburg Road +Station. + +The loss of the English was estimated at four dead and thirteen wounded, +and two were taken prisoners. We had no casualties. The following day we +went to the beautiful farm of Mr. Hendrik Delport. He had created an +oasis in the dreary sand flats. It was refreshing to see the green +willows growing here on the wall of the dam, and to walk beneath the +healthy fruit trees of the garden. We camped beside the dam wall, and +enjoyed the pleasure of being protected by the shade of the willow-trees +from the burning rays of the sun. + +That night, whilst we were wrapped in peaceful slumbers under the trees, +we were awakened by the wild sound of horses' hoofs. My first idea was +that it was the enemy making a night attack upon us. I expected every +moment to hear the report of rifle shots, and visions of imprisonment +arose in my mind. There was a Commandant ill in a waggon which Mr. +Delport had hidden between the trees. He put out his head through the +waggon-flap and asked his sons-- + +"Children, what is this?" + +It was not the enemy! It had been our own horses which had rushed +panic-stricken to our laager. What it was that had frightened them +nobody knew, but it was supposed to have been some game that had come to +drink at the dam. + +_Repos ailleurs!_ it was not to be our lot to rest for long, or to +remain for any length of time under the shade of the green willows. + +The next day a report came that "Khaki"--the word was often used without +an article--was coming, and some burghers again went to meet them. But +it was only five or six of the enemy who were reconnoitring, and our +burghers drove them back to their camp. On the day after a considerable +number came out with cannon. General Botha ordered the commando to +retire, which we did in the direction of Hoopstad. It was not long +before the enemy attacked our rearguard, but they were driven back with +a loss of fifteen dead and wounded; while, on our side, one man was +wounded, and General Botha got a scratch on the hand. Our burghers, +seeing the enemy retiring, became rash and charged. The results might +have been disastrous for us, for reinforcements with a gun and a Maxim +unexpectedly turned up, and our people were very nearly surrounded. + +General Botha then had to retire. To continue the fight against superior +numbers, armed, moreover, with guns, was not to be thought of, and he +resolved to outwit the English. He therefore marched till far into the +night in the direction of Hoopstad, and the English followed us. + +What difficulty I had to get my bearings on those wide level plains, +with no kopje or mountain to serve as beacons! I knew very well that we +were proceeding in a north-westerly direction, yet it seemed to me as if +we were going due north. What surprised me exceedingly was that the +burghers never seemed to be at a loss. They always knew the direction, +north, east, south, or west--they could instantly say where these lay. + +"Where is east?" + +"There!" + +"Where must we look for Harrismith?" + +"Yonder!" + +"Bloemfontein?" + +"There!" + +Just lay your map open on the grass to-morrow and see if they were not +right. It is because their view has not been narrowed by maps. The four +winds of heaven are their compass, the stars their beacons. + +The following night we marched until it was very late, and had to wait +as usual for the waggons. During these halts the men flung themselves on +the ground, and invariably fell fast asleep. When the order came to +mount there was sometimes a little confusion. A lad of sixteen, who was +still half-asleep, mounted his horse; a thud as of something soft +falling on the ground was heard. As it was very dark, we did not know +what it meant; but some close by explained that the boy, poor fellow, +not being well awake, instead of getting astride, had got right over his +horse and landed on the other side. When we had proceeded to thirty +miles from Hoopstad, we turned suddenly on the third night at such an +acute angle that our route ran almost parallel with that by which we had +come. On the following morning we reached the shop of Jelleman, and +learned during the course of the day that the English were still +persistently following up their original course. They had not then +adopted the flying-column system, and went on with their encumbrance of +large convoys, with an impetus very much like that of an elephant which, +when charging, cannot make a short turn. This enabled General Botha to +carry out his manoeuvre successfully. + +The following day was Sunday, the 21st of October. We were then at the +farm of Mr. Singleton on the way back to the railway. It was a lovely +day, and very refreshing to hold service there under the trees at a dam. +Here an attack had been made on us the previous night, which we had been +unable to resist. I shall describe it. + +There had been a strong wind the day before with signs of rain, and we +had prepared ourselves as well as we could for a wet night. But it did +not rain--something else happened: an attack--oh, that the muse of +Aristophanes inspire me while I record this--an attack of frogs! We had +lain down to sleep near the dam, and shortly after we had retired to +rest the frogs came out of the water. Perhaps the strong wind, causing a +movement in the waters, had sent them forth. They came in large numbers +and leaped about to their hearts' content. Here one tumbled on the +blanket of a sleeper, there another placed his wet feet on the face of +another, and you heard screams in the darkness, as of persons shrinking +back from cold baths. It was thought that the attack could be repulsed +by blows from hats and boots. But the amphibious enemy had not the least +inclination to sound the retreat. They unceasingly renewed the attack, +and were continually being supported by fresh reinforcements from the +dam. The issue at length hung in the balance, and the shame of a +possible defeat filled us with apprehension. Woe is me! The human beings +retreated. Here one man snatched up his bedding and fled--and there +another. I must record it. Our warriors lost the battle, and were forced +to evacuate their positions before an attack of--Frogs!! + +In the afternoon we proceeded. Nothing of interest took place. Each day +we travelled some distance. The red sand of the desert was in evidence, +and the level plains remained as dreary as ever. It was very dry, and +the heat was often very fatiguing. Water was procurable from dams and +wells only; the water of the former was often dirty, and that of the +latter brackish. We had often to drink where our horses drank, and where +the geese and ducks swam. On one occasion, after we had boiled our small +kettles and drunk our corn coffee, we heard that we had made coffee +with the water of a dam in which shortly before some 400 soldiers had +bathed! How dreary it is to be in a country where there are no springs +and no streams. + +In the course of our wanderings through the sandy plains we came to the +farm of a man named Stiglingh, and there I saw for the first time what a +farm looked like where the English had burnt down the house. + +There stood the walls with black borders to the doors and windows and +along the gables, proving that the building had been a prey to the +flames. The tops of the trees before the house were scorched, and a vine +lay half torn from the wall against which the owner had trained it. It +was dreadful within to go from room to room and view the total +destruction there. The heaps of ashes showed that the devastation was +complete. + +And what was the effect of this spectacle on the burghers? + +Fear? Dismay?--No, resistance! Everyone who contemplated the ruins only +felt the more deeply the wrong that was done to our people. Here was a +nation which prided itself on its love of freedom, depriving a little +people of their independence; and doing this in the most cruel manner, +robbing them of their cattle and destroying their dwellings. Indignation +and a sterner resolve to resist were aroused by the sight of the ruin. +Those black borders round the gaping windows and doors conjured us not +to lay down our arms and beg for mercy; no, but to keep the war going. +The enemy had shattered all hopes of reconciliation. + +I will describe how the house-burning was generally done. A burning +party of the British came on a farm, and the soldiers would begin by +chasing the poultry about and killing them. The officer in command +immediately gave the occupants a short time to carry out food and +clothing. The time given was usually so short that they were still busy +carrying out things when the flames would burst forth. The incendiaries +generally put the chairs and benches on the dining-room table, tore down +the curtains from the windows and stuffed them in between the chairs. +Then paraffin oil was squirted over everything, and the light applied. +Soon dense clouds of smoke arose and the house was in flames. + +The head of the house here--so his wife told me--was ill when the +burning took place. Notwithstanding that he was taken prisoner. His +wife--for the English had not yet begun to capture women--had to take +refuge in an outhouse and stable with her children, where I found her, +subsisting on meat and mealies. + +We left this farm in the afternoon with the object of crossing the +railway that night. Kopje Alleen soon hove in sight, and we passed it, +leaving it on our right. + +Kopje Alleen! Is there elsewhere on earth a geographical object so +insignificant, but glorying in such world-wide fame, as thou. O Kopje +Alleen! I call to mind how, thirty years ago, I heard of thee, and +travelling towards thee, I counted the days which would pass before I +should behold thee, and be filled with admiration. At last thou didst +loom on the horizon! But I could not believe that it was thou, Kopje +Alleen, whose fame had spread far and wide--thou mere mole on the face +of the veld. But a cripple is an easy first among lame people; and here +thou standest, monarch of the undulations of the sandy plains. + +The thorn-trees here, the red sand in the road, the hard tufts of grass +in the veld, all reminded me of the neighbourhood of Kimberley--and I +was not surprised to learn that the diamond mine of Mr. Minter was close +by. + +Having off-saddled a little while near the flat hill where there had +been a fight the week before, we went on in order to cross the line +before daybreak. What sensations arise within one when such a task has +to be undertaken. Will there be patrols of the enemy on the line? will +shots be fired? will there be confusion? These are questions we ask +ourselves. But we must suppress our emotions, and whatever there may be +in store for us we must be prepared for everything. + +This night march was similar to the others. We saw the Southern Cross +shining in the skies. In the east there rose first the Pleiades, then +Orion, then Sirius, and still we went on and on; but how slowly, owing +to the waggons and carts lagging far behind. The sky above was +constantly changing. The Southern Cross which had set rose again, and at +last Sirius shot down his rays perpendicularly upon us, and yet we had +not reached the railway line. And then, to our high-strung nerves how +loud seemed every sound in the stillness of the night,--the order had +been given that we should proceed in the greatest silence, but what a +noise the trolleys and carts made, and how loudly the pots and pans +which were carried on the carts and pack-horses sounded; and oh! why did +those three foals whinny so incessantly? We felt sure that the English +had become aware by all these noises of our coming, and were waiting for +us at the line. + +Thus three parts of the night passed away. "How far is it still?" we +asked. "Half an hour!" is the reply. After half an hour we ask again, +"And how far is it now?" "Three-quarters of an hour!" Suddenly a sharp +point of light glints in the east. It must be a patrol fire. No, it is +the morning star, and before long the rosy dawn begins to tint the +eastern horizon! After all, we shall not reach the line before daylight. + +But there the leading horses are beginning to halt at a little gate. We +reach it and pass through. The horses grind small stones under their +hoofs. In the twilight we see two rails pass under us--we have crossed +the railroad! + +There were no English to hinder us in our march over, and from the side +of Ventersburg Station, where their camp was, they could not now +advance, because our corps of scouts had at midnight destroyed the line +between them and us. General Botha now restricted himself to breaking +down the telegraph poles, and destroying the wire for the distance of a +thousand yards. + +We now proceeded to the beautiful farm of Mr. Minter. Nothing happened +excepting that shots were fired at some soldiers, who had gone out from +the camp near the station to reconnoitre. + +When we crossed the railway we left behind the wide sandy plains, and we +wished them farewell with all our hearts. General Botha intended now to +make attacks on the enemy from the south side of the line. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +VENTERSBURG + + +It had been extremely warm all the time we spent on the sand plains, and +on the day that we crossed the railway line the heat was intense. In the +evening a dark mass of clouds rose to the west. Lightning flashed from +them, and we heard rolling in the distance. The burghers had to make +preparations against the rain which would certainly fall. Blankets were +spread on the ground, and those who possessed them spread their small +canvas tents, remnants of those supplied them by the Government in the +beginning of the war. Some had small patrol tents. As far as our party +was concerned, we five crowded into a small Carbineer's tent intended +for two. There we passed the night, half sitting, half lying, listening +to the beating of the rain without. When we arose the following morning +our limbs were so cramped that it seemed as if old age had suddenly +overtaken us during the night.--Nothing causes more discomfort to a +horse-commando than rain. + +During this week we travelled a very short distance. + +Towards the end of the week we were on the farm of Isaac Cronje. His +wife and her sister showed great kindness to the men, and I was very +glad to take refuge from the rain under her roof on Saturday night. + +That evening--27th of October--General Botha went to the railway line +with a number of burghers. Early in the morning he surprised the enemy +in their camp at Ventersburg Road Station, and 120 soldiers were +disarmed. While these soldiers were laying down their arms, one of them +seized his rifle and fired on the burghers, wounding Assistant +Commandant Jan Meyer in the arm and hand, and Burgher Nortje in the +hand. + +Just at this juncture a train was captured, and our men were busy taking +from it what they needed and setting it on fire when an armoured train +with a cannon bore down on them. The burghers were compelled to leave +everything and to retreat in hot haste. Two other burghers were also +wounded. I bandaged them, but as the wounds appeared to me to be rather +serious I requested the General to call in the aid of Doctor Snijman of +Ventersburg. The doctor was good enough to come, attended to the wounded +men, and instructed me how to treat them further. The patients remained +under my care until later on they got assistance from medical men. + +The following day there was a report that the English were moving out +from their camp. We rode out in the direction where they were said to +be, but it proved to be a false alarm. However, it was seen that they +were making such movements that General Botha deemed it necessary to +order the whole commando to take up a position for the night, and the +waggons were ordered southward early in the morning. Our burghers +accordingly took positions on a ridge. When day broke they observed that +the British were on the same ridge. What their object was we did not +know. + +The day was ushered in by a tremendous fire of small arms, and in +between came the thunder of the British guns. A raking fire from both +sides was kept up for half an hour, and our men managed to put the +gunners of one of the cannon out of action. Unfortunately our right +wing was in danger of being surrounded, and had to retire, with the +result that the General could not profit from the success that had been +gained on the left. Here again the positions had to be abandoned. On we +went, without being followed up, to Paddafontein. + +The burghers spent a very unpleasant time there. On the second day after +we came it began to rain at sundown. Showers fell steadily for two +nights and a day. What discomfort a mounted commando has to suffer while +it rains. Some of the men have tents, only a few have carts, the rest, +the majority, must manage as best they could. They get wet through from +the drops falling from above, and when they lie down the water flows in +below. And then there are the horses seeking shelter behind the carts +and tents, treading mud puddles all over the camp. On the morning after +the first night the General saw that the commando could not remain thus +in the rain, and he ordered the officers to seek shelter for the +burghers on the neighbouring farms. I had already found refuge in the +house of Mr. Potgieter, and during the bad weather I passed a pleasant +time with the books of Mr. Fairclough, the schoolmaster there. Our +wounded also found shelter here. + +At this place I found that there were six or seven families of fugitives +from the burnt-down houses. Amongst them there was a woman who had +recently given birth to a child in the open veld, when along with other +women she sought shelter, after her house was burnt. On Monday the +burghers reassembled; General Botha had meanwhile been about everywhere +in the neighbourhood. He had seen many burnt-down houses. They also +showed me a notice signed by General Bruce-Hamilton, which had been +posted on the houses that had been destroyed; General Bruce-Hamilton +said in this notice that he had "partially" burnt the town Ventersburg +and also the farms in the neighbourhood, because the Boers had made +attacks upon the railway. The "Boer women," so ran this notice further, +"should apply to the Boer commandants for food, who will supply them, +unless they wish to see them starve!" + +In the evening we proceeded to Lools Spruit where at one glance I saw no +less than six burnt-down houses. + +The following day, the 6th of November, I went with General Botha to +Ventersburg. It was sad to pass through the burnt-down part of the town, +and to see the houses roofless, and with gaping doors and windows.--And +what effect had it all? + +The burning of the town and the farmhouses near the railway did not stop +the burghers from attacking the lines of communication of the English. +Our people would not in this way be forced into submission. Even upon +the women this action had not the effect which the enemy contemplated. I +met several of them in the town, they were calm and resigned under their +severe sufferings, and told me that they had, on the evening before the +fire, held a prayer-meeting, and that they had been supported and +consoled by God in a wonderful manner. The period of the forcible +removement of our women into concentration camps had not yet come, and +now there were many women at Ventersburg requiring support. For this +purpose, General Botha had sheep and wheat sent to them. He left them in +charge of Mr. Albert Williams. They could not have been intrusted into +better hands. He was an honest and energetic man, and possessed, +moreover, a heart ever open to the weak and suffering; unfortunately he +was killed in a fight a few months after. I felt his death very keenly, +and it is now a sad consolation to me to have been able to speak of his +fine, unselfish character. + +We remained in the neighbourhood of Ventersburg until the following +Sunday, when I held service for the women there; and in the afternoon we +went on our way, with the object--although that was as yet unknown to +the burghers--of proceeding to the Cape Colony. Some days before we +began our journey our company was temporarily broken up by the departure +of General de Villiers to the district of Harrismith. As he was +suffering from an internal complaint, which made it difficult for him to +ride on horseback, he went away to fetch his waggonette. I then attached +myself to Assistant Commandant Jan Meyer. We had heard towards the end +of the week of what had happened to General de Wet at Bothasville. This +did not tend to cheer us, but at the same time we were not discouraged. +Not only had every tendency to the despair which had taken possession of +us at Nauwpoort disappeared, but we had also in General Botha a leader +who inspired his men. I have never seen him show any signs of +despondency, and the burghers had faith in him. We began, then, to move +southwards. We proceeded with the greatest speed, and on Wednesday +evening, the 14th of November, camped at the farm of Mr. Hans Bormann at +Korannaberg. + +President Steyn and General de Wet had, after the occurrence at +Bothasville, also travelled south, and arrived where we were that same +evening. Before retiring for the night I met the President. He had much +to tell about his adventures in the Transvaal, and of his remarkable +escape at Bothasville. I admired his courage and cheerfulness, and +thought of how much we should be indebted to him, if ever God should +see fit to grant us our Independence. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WITH GENERAL DE WET TO THE ORANGE RIVER--THE TAKING OF DE WET'S DORP + + +On the following day the President and General de Wet addressed the +burghers, and informed them that they were to go to the Cape Colony. + +On that same afternoon, the 15th of November, the march thither +commenced. It was touching to see, however contrary to the desire of +many Free Staters it was, how eager the colonists among us were to +start. One of them sitting on his horse, said to a friend of his seated +on a cart drawn by two mules, "Yes, John, though it be only with mules, +still, every step is a step nearer!" + +The intention was to go that evening to a store at Brand's Drift, but on +the way we heard that the English were there, and we spent the night on +a ridge to the left of the road. On the next day we proceeded, and +passed the store without any mishap; for the English had either gone +away, or had not been there. In some heavy showers of rain we continued +our journey to Newberry's Mill, and there we halted for some hours. + +The weather cleared up in the afternoon, and we saddled our horses +shortly before sunset, with the object of passing through Sprinkhaans +Nek[5] that same night. But General de Wet knew that the English had +forts there, and that in all probability this could not be done without +coming into contact with the enemy. He therefore sent the burgher Frank +van Reenen with a white flag to the fort nearest to the route we should +have to take, with a message that if it did not surrender we should have +to take more drastic measures. As was to be expected, the English +refused this demand, and the fort was thereupon bombarded. + +[Footnote 5: So the ridge was named near Zwartlapberg ever since the +famous passage of the 14th December 1900. Sprinkhaans Nek proper lies +somewhat farther north.] + +Darkness fell, and while General Botha with a number of men was +attacking the fort, the rest of the commando with the carts and waggons +passed through to the eastward. The bullets from the fort whistled over +those passing by, and Assistant Commandant Meyer, who sat in a cart, was +again wounded. But beyond this, except that some horses were hit, we +passed through without any loss. The object not being to take the fort, +but to get through the nek, General Botha was called back as soon as the +commando was safely through. We encamped a short distance from +Zwartlapberg. + +Mr. Pontsma of the Netherlands Ambulance in the Transvaal joined us in +the nek, and I was glad to hand over the wounded to his care. + +Early the following morning we went forward. We passed through what was +formerly Maroko's territory. Here we had no trouble from wire +en-closures or gates. What peaceable people the Barolong Kaffirs must be +not to require that peace-maker "Barbed wire." + +Our road now led us across the sources of the Modder River, and on +Sunday, the 18th November, we rested, and held service about six miles +from De Wet's Dorp, while General Botha went to reconnoitre the forts of +the English garrison stationed at that town. + +During the following two days we went from farm to farm, but remained +in the neighbourhood of the town, and on Tuesday night the General +commenced the attack from three sides. He ordered General Botha to take +possession of a high hill on the southwest of the town, while Commandant +Lategun was told to approach from the west. He himself with Commandant +de Vos took the ridge on the north of the town. Early the following +morning the outlying forts were bombarded by our cannon, as well as +harassed by our rifles. A few burghers were wounded early in the fight +and brought to the laager. + +On the day after, the attack was proceeded with, and we had the pleasure +of seeing several important forts taken. But the chief work was done on +the following day, Friday, 23rd November. Nearer and nearer our men +approached, steadily drawing the cordon round the British closer, and it +was a very great satisfaction to General de Wet to see that he had men +under him who carried out his plans. No attack certainly was better +planned or better carried out than this during the whole war. + +In the course of the day Commandant de Vos and Field-Cornet Baljon took +a fort, in which a lieutenant with twenty men had to surrender. But the +grandest work was done by Field-Cornet (afterwards General) Wessel +Wessels, who was under General Botha,--to him the honour must be +accorded of taking most of the forts. + +His method of attack was as follows. He gave his men orders to direct a +heavy fire on the loopholes of a fort he wished to take. This rendered +it impossible for the defenders to fire, and gave him the opportunity of +rushing swiftly with a few men to the fort. There he lay down under the +loopholes, out of the fire. From this point of vantage he called out +"Hands up!" and in this manner he took all the forts that fell to his +share. + +From position to position the British were driven, until at last the +town was in our possession! + +In the afternoon there were only three forts still held by them. These +had now to be taken, and the danger to our burghers was very great, +especially in the storming of one of them! Field-Cornet Wessels was +ordered to attack it from the town side, and he began, when the sun was +already rapidly sinking in the west, to approach it from a donga. We +should undoubtedly have lost very heavily here if the English had +opposed us any longer, for the ravine along which Field-Cornet Wessels +approached afforded little or no shelter, but just as the sun was +setting the white flag was hoisted. De Wet's Dorp was taken. + +The loss of the English was 20 killed and 85 wounded. Eight officers and +400 men were taken prisoners, and we captured two Armstrong guns, one +Maxim-Nordenfeldt, and a great deal of ammunition and provisions. Our +loss was seven killed and fourteen wounded. + +The English said that it was an overwhelming number of Boers that +compelled this garrison to surrender; but it is certain that not more +than 500 men took part in the attack. For, in the first place, all the +burghers were not taken from the laager; but patrols also had to be sent +in all directions to see if the enemy were not sending reinforcements. +How ready the English always were to magnify our numbers when they +suffered defeat. + +We were generally, according to their reports, "small, roving, sniping +bands"; but when anything happened to them, like the taking of a town, +we were transformed as if by magic into "_overwhelming numbers_"! + +We were all greatly elated, and the President was of opinion that we +ought to hold a thanksgiving service. It was agreed that this should +take place on the following Sunday in the church, but we were hindered +in this through the arrival of a hostile reinforcement from Edenburg, +which immediately occupied the attention of General De Wet. + +The laager then trekked to Plat Kop, taking the prisoners along with it. +We remained there, while a considerable number of burghers went to meet +the enemy. As, however, it was not our purpose to fight in the Free +State, but to invade the Cape Colony, the reinforcements were left where +they were, while the laager and all the men trekked on Monday far into +the night in the direction of Breipaal and Klein-Bloemfontein. + +That night the prisoners complained that they were made to march too +far, but General De Wet reminded them some marches of Lord Roberts were +still longer. + +It was a most dreary trek across wide plains, and we were not in a +particularly happy mood when we arose the following morning, none too +early. + +We were still busy with our breakfasts when we heard a cry that the +English were at our heels. And such indeed was the case. There was only +one ridge between us and the enemy. Presently the bullets were dropping +into the laager. Confusion followed, and the majority wanted to do +nothing but flee. It was only with great trouble that the officers +managed to get the men into position. There was also trouble with the +prisoners. They thought that they would now be relieved. They shouted, +Hurrah! refused to go on, and sought shelter from the bullets of their +friends behind a stone wall. But the stern bearing of our officers and +the determination of their guards compelled them to continue the march. + +The laager got away, and we went on to Hex River Berg and across the +sources of Riet River, still in the direction of Breipaal. + +In the night we passed Treur Kop, and halted on Mr. Heper's farm. In +the meanwhile the English had left us, and had gone towards Smithfield. +The country through which we now travelled presented a dreary appearance +on account of the prevailing drought. The veld was yellow and scorched +by the sun, and when we halted for a while on the farm I have just +mentioned, the west wind sang a mournful ditty over the parched country. +I remarked upon the cheerless aspect of our surroundings, and Mr. Louw +Wepener remarked that it must surely have been on such a day that the +hill, which we had passed during the night, was named "Treur Kop" (Hill +of mourning). + +On the following day we reached Klein-Bloemfontein, and remained there +the following day also. + +Here a Council of War was held for the purpose of trying a man named Van +der Berg and a number of Kaffirs who had been captured at De Wet's Dorp. +Van der Berg was sentenced to death, and the Kaffirs were set at liberty +with a message to Lorothodi, their chief, that as we were not at war +with him, and as we wished to remain on good terms with him and his +people, we sent his men back as proof of our friendship: that we hoped +besides that he would remain strictly neutral, and prove this by +advising his men not to enter into the service of the British. + +I discovered that the court had not been unanimous in sentencing Van der +Berg to death, and I therefore deemed it my duty to ask the President to +order a revision of the matter. He was willing to do so, and the Council +of War again took the matter into consideration, with the result, +however, that the death sentence was confirmed by a majority of one +vote. + +The papers were handed to the Government for final decision. The +sentence was not carried out. + +The veld yielded very little pasturage here for our horses. A long time +had elapsed since it had last rained, and the grass was withered. Our +horses and mules had therefore to live almost exclusively on the forage +which we could get on the farms. They had still some on the 1st of +December, but after that they had nothing but a little chaff for five +days. They had therefore to subsist on the herbage which grew between +the tufts of grass. It was marvellous to see the effect of this pasture +on the sheep of these parts. Their flesh was almost too fat to eat; but +our horses, not being used to this kind of veld, could not live on the +shrubs which fattened the sheep. + +On Sunday, 2nd December, we trekked to Tafel Kop, not far from Bethulie. +There we would have held divine service had it been possible, but we +could not, as there was a small English laager on the farm Goede Hoop, +and a number of burghers set out for the purpose of taking it. They did +not, however, succeed, and had to remain on the ridges to the +north-east, while the rest of the commando trekked through Slikspruit. + +The fight was continued the following day, when an adjutant of General +de Wet, whose name was also de Wet, was killed. At two o'clock we were +ordered to proceed to the Caledon River. It was not a moment too soon, +for another English force was approaching from the west, and their +shrapnels dropped a little way behind the trekking laager. We continued +till dark, and then we waited, our horses saddled, and the mules in +harness, until all the burghers were able to leave the positions. + +It had rained a little in the afternoon, and while we waited there, dark +clouds lowered, and it seemed as if the drought had come to an end. +Presently some showers fell, and we expected to have a wet night. And so +it turned out, for shortly after we had resumed our march the darkness +became more intense, and the rain descended in heavy showers. + +The light of morning ushered in a clouded sky, and we had the cheerless +prospect of a soaking day and a difficult march. In the rain we passed +the beautiful farm Carmel, belonging to Mr. Wessels, and proceeded +without a halt until we had crossed the Caledon River at the farm of old +Mr. du Plessis. Here also there was no forage. Mr. du Plessis said that +the English had passed there twice and had with a lavish hand used up +the forage. Our horses already began to suffer from hunger, and our +rapid march was exhausting them greatly. + +At two o'clock General de Wet ordered us to resume our journey, and this +was done in the rain. Unfortunately the horses of the Krupp gun had +knocked up, and it was left behind at the river. When General de Wet +heard this on the following day he was very angry; for the gun should +have been brought on at any cost. + +In the evening the vanguard of the commando had reached a range of hills +about two miles from the drift across the Orange River at Odendalstroom. + +A Field-Cornet was ordered in the evening to go forward, to open up the +road into the Cape Colony. But the heavy travelling in the wet weather +had detained us so, that the darkness setting in as we approached the +drift made this impossible. We therefore had to halt at the hills above +referred to. I broke off some twigs from the shrubs, spread the ox-skin +upon them, and thus on the soaking ground I lay down to rest. It rained +softly almost the whole night, and on the following morning the bedding +of almost all the men was wet through. Our horses looked miserably worn, +after the rain and the forced marches. Those who accompany General de +Wet must be prepared for such things. + +From the ridges on which we were we could see some tents. They belonged +to the English guard, and stood on the opposite side of the river, not +three miles away. The 400 prisoners-of-war were released here (5th +December), but the officers were still retained. Towards ten o'clock we +advanced, but--it was not to cross the Orange River, for it was in flood +and a passage was impossible. And we could not remain where we were +until the river became passable, for the English were pursuing us very +closely. There remained therefore no other way for General de Wet than, +for the present, to turn his back upon the Cape Colony. His +disappointment must have been great. + +We now turned our faces northward towards the town of Smithfield. I +thought with sympathy of the colonists who were with us. No doubt many +of them had seen, on the other side, natural objects well known to them, +and now they had to be content with the sight of them only. For them +every step now was not nearer, but farther away. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +BETWEEN TWO FULL RIVERS + + +The weather had cleared up beautifully. The air was deliciously cool and +bracing. Everything, as is usual after rain, seemed to revive. But +shortly after midday clouds rose again in the west, and a violent shower +of rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, fell by way of farewell. +At night all was clear again, and the stars shone brightly. We had got +to Smith's Rest. + +At midnight we were roused. The report had come that the English were +pursuing us very closely. Immediately we saddled and inspanned. We +ploughed on through the mud, and so gained on the enemy. A little after +sunrise we outspanned and rested for a short time. Before noon we were +again on the move to get out of reach of the foe. + +The veld was more beautiful than the day before. A carpet of green +stretched out all around, and that served much to cheer us. But our poor +horses were not invigorated. They suffered terribly from hunger, and +could not yet graze on the short young pasture. The consequence was +that, already then, some 150 had become so exhausted that they had to be +left behind. This was the case with the horse lent to me by Mr. Adriaan +Dolebout--that faithful animal so sure-footed, and never needing either +spur or whip! It had travelled through long winter nights without any +sign apparently of fatigue; it had often rescued my son from danger! +And now it had to be left behind! With great emotion Charlie took the +halter from its head, and when it remained behind exhausted, it still +neighed a farewell to the pony that had been its companion since the 2nd +of August. + +Proceeding, we saw beautiful landscapes spreading out before us. To the +left just above the horizon, Aasvogel Kop raised its head; right before +us towered the proud Wolve Kop, whilst to the right in the purple +distance we saw Gnoesberg and Aasvogelberg standing sentinels over +Zastron. And everywhere before us, behind us, and on both sides of us +were the hills, rejoicing in their newly acquired garment of green. + +At first we marched straight towards Wolve Kop, but when we got near to +that mountain we suddenly turned to the left, and off-saddled for a +while at a farm where we got one bundle of forage--only one--for each +horse. This was the first forage for five days. In the evening we went +on some distance farther. + +It soon appeared now that we could not choose to go either to the left +or to the right to avoid the English. We were between two full rivers; +for the Caledon had also become swollen after we had crossed it. Still +less could we come to a halt, for the force which pursued us had so +greatly increased, that to fight was out of the question. Besides, the +English had a great many cannons. Our scouts estimated that there were +about twenty-five guns. The English themselves, as we learned later from +the newspapers, gave a larger number. There was therefore no time to +delay, more especially as the enemy often was not farther away from us +than nine miles. On the second day after we had turned at Odendalstroom +we went forward with the purpose of crossing the Caledon with the +bridge. We knew that there was a guard there, but for a force like ours +they did not amount to much. They might be driven away. And so we began +to bombard them. It was soon seen, however, that the guard could not be +driven off before the large army which was following us would overtake +us, and the plan of crossing over the bridge was abandoned. The state of +affairs was indeed critical. General Botha called me aside, and advised +me to hold myself in readiness to gallop out on horseback if my cart[6] +was in danger of being captured. After some delay near the bridge, +nothing remained for us but to go up along the Caledon and try to find a +ford which would be shallow enough to enable us to cross. We therefore +proceeded with the greatest speed, hoping for the best, but constantly +apprehensive lest, even if we found a ford, we should be caught up +there. + +[Footnote 6: At Ventersburg I had a cart lent me by General Botha.] + +But all went well. At sunset we reached Lubbe's Drift. A better place to +cross we could never have desired, and the river had now also fallen so +much that we could pass over without delay. That evening we were for the +present out of danger, and here and there one could hear a psalm being +sung: a thing that had not occurred during the past week. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +INCESSANTLY HARASSED BY THE ENEMY + + +The enemy continued to pursue us, but not now at such close quarters as +on the previous day, and next morning we could proceed more at our +leisure. It was also fortunate that we could do this, for otherwise many +horses, starved and worn-out by the rapid marches, could not have held +out. More than 300 of them had now been abandoned, and some of the +burghers had to walk, whilst others led their tired horses. + +Not far from the ford we passed the beautiful farm "Zevenfontein" of Mr. +Jacobus Swanepoel. The luxuriant growth of the trees before the house +and in the orchard testified to the presence of a plenteous supply of +water, and that the name "Seven Fountains" was one well chosen for this +farm. Formerly this was the site of the mission station "Beersheba." + +Having halted here long enough to enable everyone to get some forage for +his horses, we went on to the farm of Dr. Lottery. + +The following day was Sunday, and now, at last, we could hold our +long-deferred thanksgiving day. I spoke in my sermon of the despondence +of the Prophet Elijah, and after I had done two of the burghers engaged +in prayer. + +Two days after our arrival here we had advanced after nightfall as far +as Helvetia. There we found plenty of mealies and could feed our horses +well. In the course of the day General de Villiers had again joined us. +He had got his waggon, and had followed us with the commando of +Commandant Hasebroek. They had not been able to pass through Sprinkhaans +Nek, and had had to make a long detour round Bloemfontein. I was very +glad to meet my old friend once more. + +We betook ourselves to rest, but restful we were not; for our scouts had +reported that the enemy had again come up within a very short distance +of us. Next morning it became evident that such was the case, for then +the English were only a few miles behind us. With the greatest speed we +saddled and inspanned and very quickly the laager hurried on, whilst the +burghers took up positions to hold back the enemy until the waggons and +carts were out of danger. + +In the meanwhile the English had advanced so rapidly that they were able +to fire on the hindmost waggons with a Maxim-Nordenfeldt. In the +confusion caused by this, and the excitement which reigned everywhere, +four of the English officers contrived to escape. + +From time to time our men had to retire before the overwhelming force +that pursued us and take up new positions. This went on during the whole +day, until we got beyond Hex River Mountain. + +During the night the forced marching was continued. General de Wet went +first of all in a westerly direction towards Edenburg, with the object +of getting round the English and thus proceeding to the Cape Colony +again; but hearing that there was a force of English he changed his +course in the night and went north, and later on east, leaving the +village of Reddersburg to the left. At daybreak we halted not far from +De Wet's Dorp. It was thus that General de Wet managed to keep out of +the hands of the enemy. + +From the place at which we now were, the rest of the English officers +were released. They were captured at De Wet's Dorp, and after a long +detour they were set free at the same town. + +In the night of that same day we reached Plat Kop, where we in our march +to the south had halted for some days after the taking of De Wet's Dorp. +General de Wet thought that by having made so wide a turn he would be +rid of the enemy for some hours, and he ordered the following morning +after breakfast that we should proceed to Daspoort in order to have +better pasturage for our animals. Everybody thought that there was time +enough to carry out this order, and began preparing the morning meal +leisurely. The majority were still engaged in this when it was reported +that the English were on the ridge towards the north-west. We could not +believe this, but it was true enough, and presently we heard the crack +of rifle fire. Again there was a confused flight. Some sped east, others +south. The Maxim-Nordenfeldts again played upon the waggons in the rear, +and the officers had again the greatest trouble to get the burghers into +position. How miserable it is when a laager becomes panic-stricken. At +Daspoort, therefore, it was impossible to remain. We hurried past and +halted some miles from there at a suitable ridge on the farm +Rietfontein. Here General de Wet made a demonstration as if he were +going to take positions on the ridge and wait there for the English to +come; but when it became dark he ordered us to saddle, and the whole +commando proceeded with the object of getting through Sprinkhaans Nek +before dawn the following day. + +A short distance in front of us marched the commando of Bethlehem, under +Commandant Michal Prinsloo. This Commandant had on the previous night +come to us through the nek without any mishap, and had now under these +circumstances to return immediately. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SPRINKHAANS NEK, 14TH DECEMBER 1900 + + +We rode all through the night with our weary and hungry horses. It was a +cold night for this time of the year. The wind that blew from the south +seemed to cut right through us. We progressed very slowly, as is always +the case by night; and this night we seemed to go more slowly than ever, +for besides the usual delay caused by the waggons and tired horses, +there were many burghers on foot. + +How slowly we went! Zwartlapberg, which we knew we had to pass, loomed a +dark and undefined mass on the distant horizon, and seemed to come no +nearer. And we began to fear that we should not be able to pass through +Sprinkhaans Nek before daylight. And so it proved. For after we had +ridden for hours, all too soon the morning star arose and a long low arc +of light suffused all the eastern sky with crimson. Rapidly--more +rapidly than we wished--the darkness had vanished, and plains at the +foot of the mountain we were making for lay all revealed in the growing +light of day. We crossed through a rivulet, and when the sun rose we +were marching over the slopes below Zwartlapberg. Though we had hoped to +reach that spot before it became light, our fears had somehow calmed +down as we were riding along there. Was it the daylight that vanquished +the apprehensions and uncertainties of night? + +But there was a cause for being at ease. The Bethlehem Commando had +gone on ahead, and had passed through. We should no doubt manage the +passage. So, without perturbation, the laager went forward, slow but +determined, when--Boom! + +We hear the thunder of a cannon fired from Zwartlapberg, and a shell +bursts on the ground near the front waggons. A second shell soon +follows, and then a third and a fourth; and the mounted men and those on +foot, the waggons and the carts, immediately wheel from the mountain and +race away, scattered and in confusion, all over the plain to the west, +to get out of range of the cannon. + +About three or four miles from the road on which we had been travelling +we came to a standstill. We can now collect our scattered senses. We +discuss the situation. The state of affairs is not encouraging. Let us +see how they stand. + +We are certain now to meet with resistance from the forts in front of +us. From the rear the English are advancing in great numbers. To the +right and left it is just the same, for there too we shall come in +contact with the enemy. + +What is to be done now? Some say we must remain where we are, others +that we must get through the nek at all costs. President Steyn declares +we must go through, and General Fourie has already expressed the same +opinion, and as neither General de Wet nor General Philip Botha are +present at the moment, this officer puts himself at the head of the +commando and bravely rides on. + +The whole commando, waggons and carts, mounted men and those on foot, +follow him. Like a great stream they advance, as far as possible from +the cannon on Zwartlapberg and as near as possible to the mountains to +the west of the nek. + +There were three English forts on the left (of which two could fire on +us), and two on the lowest ridges of Zwartlapberg. We must now pass in +between these. We proceed, not knowing what there is in store for us. We +think we are going to our death, or at least that we shall be wounded. +Onward, onward flows the great stream of men on horseback and on foot, +of waggons and carts. Some burghers put their spurs into their horses +and gallop ahead. They take possession of a Kaffir kraal and open a +heavy fire on the right-hand forts. + +In the meanwhile the great laager treks on and approaches to the nek, +nearer and nearer. General de Wet, accompanied by General Botha, now +appears on the scene and takes on himself the further conduct of the +passage. There is a deafening rattle of Mausers, to which the British +Lee-Metfords reply. We reach the nek, over which we pass, and find +ourselves in reaped wheat-fields, which makes it difficult for the +waggons and carts to proceed; but the worn-out animals are relentlessly +driven onward. + +Some of the burghers take position behind the wheat-stacks here, and +direct a heavy fire on the forts to the right, while the Bethlehem men, +who passed through the nek at daybreak, occupy themselves with the forts +to the left, and with a force coming from Thaba 'Nchu. + +The bullets whistle over our heads and strike the ground all along the +route we have to go. The clatter of our rifle fire fills the air. This, +and the general confusion, affects the men in different ways, which can +clearly be read on their countenances. Here one sees indifference, there +calm resolve, yonder fear and alarm, which so paralyse the fearful that +they abandon all their food, blankets, coats. But all press on! After +two hours the great stream of waggons and carts and men has passed +through Sprinkhaans Nek. + +We ask ourselves, whence the courage which inspired us to face so +determinedly what was before us? whence the strength which upheld our +worn-out horses? The enemy thought they had hemmed us in, which indeed +was the case. They were in front of us and in our rear, to our right and +to our left. But God was not willing that we should fall into their +hands. + +We had just emerged from the wheat-fields when the English hurled shells +at us, but it was marvellous to see how these shells exploded in the +open spaces between the burghers, without doing any harm. + +At length, at about eleven o'clock, we halted, so that our poor brutes, +after having been in harness and under saddle for sixteen hours, could +now enjoy a long drink. + +Here the Bethlehem burghers joined us. They related to us how they had +come through the nek early in the morning, before dawn, and had been +fired upon, as they were passing close to the forts, with the loss of +two of their number. This was a matter of regret to us all; but a +feeling of gratitude prevailed, for, excepting these two killed, and two +more wounded in making the passage, and a few horses killed and wounded, +we had come--it was a marvel to us--unharmed through Sprinkhaans Nek. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CHRISTMAS 1900 + + +Commandant Hasebroek did not succeed in getting through Sprinkhaans Nek +with us, as he was too far behind; but he broke through the cordon some +days later between Thaba 'Nchu and the Bloemfontein waterworks. Besides +this, our ambulances, under Dr. Fourie and Mr. Poutsma, remained behind; +but General Knox let them go, and in a few days they were once more in +our midst. + +Concerning our other losses, it must be noted that the men of one of the +Armstrong guns taken at De Wet's Dorp abandoned it, and as the carriage +of one of the Maxim-Nordenfeldts broke down, there was no help for it +but to leave it behind. Besides these, a few carts and waggons were left +behind. + +On Saturday, 15th December, towards nightfall we held a service, as the +Transvaal Government had fixed that day as a day of prayer and +humiliation. The day after was both Sunday and Dingaan's Day. We +celebrated the day at Korannaberg, and commemorated the vow made by our +forefathers. + +Almost a week passed now without our having any trouble from our +pursuers. We passed the farm of Mr. Frans Schimper, greatly enjoyed the +delicious oranges which we found everywhere, and remained during wet +weather, on the 18th and 19th December, on the farm Mexico, belonging to +Mr. Jacobus Van der Watt. After this, General P. Fourie proceeded with +a portion of the commando in the direction of Clocolan, where we had +heard that the English were. The rest of us went with General de Wet to +Trommel, as there was another force of English to the left of Leeuw Kop. + +On Saturday we were at Rietfontein, the farm of Mr. Stephanus Jacobsz, +and on Sunday we held service on the ridge to the south-west. Then we +went back from the ridge to Rietfontein. + +Meanwhile the enemy were again approaching from Leeuwfontein as well as +from Clocolan. General de Wet gave orders that the burghers should take +up positions on the hills westward between Rietfontein and Mouton's Nek. + +The following day, 24th December, the English, who were advancing, were +driven back from Leeuw Kop. But by the unfaithfulness of a Field-Cornet, +who deserted his post without the knowledge of the other men, the +English coming from the direction of Clocolan got the chance of +approaching unobserved. These creeping up a ditch were thus able to fire +on our men from behind. The result might have been disastrous. Our +burghers, thus fired at, found themselves also attacked in front, and +could now do nothing but escape from between the two fires. A son of +Commandant Truter was killed there. The burgher Coenrad Labuschagne was +taken prisoner. Fortunately all the others escaped, and rallied in the +evening at Doornhoek. + +The following morning was Christmas. "Glory to God in the highest, and +on earth peace!" Thus in the stilly night the angels sang twenty +centuries before, and we--after all those centuries, we had not peace on +earth, but the sword. Alas! that after these centuries of the preaching +of the good news of peace one mortal should still be seeking to take +away the life of another, that one Christian people--yes, Christian +people; for after Christ, not after Buddha or Confucius, are we +named--should strive to destroy the other! In spite of the gospel it was +not peace but the sword. + +Who really understands Jesus of Nazareth, and who of those who do +understand Him are ready to sacrifice all to Him, and to live, whatever +they may have to suffer for it, as He lived? There stood Doorn Kop +behind us, and Wonder Kop to the right. Alongside their saddles and +under the shade of some willows lay the tired burghers. How little of +Christmas rejoicing there was in all this. + +It was difficult to believe that we had ever enjoyed Christmas +festivities. Were not the recollections which surged up in +us--recollections of Christmas cheer and Christmas peace--only beautiful +illusions rising from a past which never really existed, as we saw it +then? The day before, with its roar of cannon, seemed to turn the +angels' hymn to irony. + +More or less thus had I written in my lost diary, and I had added--But +let me not fall into weak meditation; let me rather, as a faithful +chronicler, deal with the facts as they occurred. + +_Ad rem_, then. We buried young Hendrik Truter in the burial-place of +Mrs. Goosen, on the farm Driehoppen. And there in a quiet grave, over +which the poplar leaves restlessly moved soughing in the wind, we laid +him to rest, where the wicked ceased from troubling and the weary were +at rest. + +In the afternoon I held a service under the great shady willows of the +farm, taking as text the prophetic words of John, "The kingdom of the +world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will +reign for ever and ever." I felt greatly cheered, and it became plain to +me that if peace eventually came it would come through long centuries of +unrest and of strife. What of that, if only it came at last? But we poor +shortsighted creatures, we would measure the course of the kingdom of +God by seconds! What is an age to Him for whom one day is as a thousand +years, and a thousand years are as one day? What are a thousand years to +Him who forms the crust of the earth through myriads of years? However +long, then, it might last, the day will yet come when the kingdoms of +the earth shall become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ, and when +He shall reign for ever. + +After the service General de Wet said that we were that afternoon to +proceed a little farther. Soon we were marching again, and at nine +o'clock in the evening we camped to the south-west of Senekal, at the +foot of Tafel Kop. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +EVERYONE GOES TO HIS OWN DISTRICT + + +Here at Tafel Kop, after the chief officers had held a council of war, +the commandos separated. We of Harrismith, together with burghers of +other districts, were now again under the command of General Philip +Botha. The rest were to go under Generals Fourie and Froneman. + +General de Wet shortly afterwards fitted out a second expedition to +invade Cape Colony, which, however, did not get farther than Brak River. +I did not accompany it (during January and February 1901), and have +therefore nothing to relate about it. It is, however, well known that +General de Wet, in this second attempt to make an inroad into British +territory south of the Orange River, underwent still greater hardships +than in the first. But although he was prevented by heavy rains from +gaining his object, and had to turn back, he was not altogether +dissatisfied; for on his return he declared, when addressing the +burghers, that he had gained what he wanted. He had certainly succeeded +in forcing the English to march long distances, and to concentrate large +forces at points where at that time it was not convenient for them to do +so. + +But let me revert to my own experiences. On the 26th of December, when +darkness had fallen, we left Tafel Kop, and camped for the night to the +north of Wit Kop. There were, when we got to the neighbourhood of +Senekal, no English in that town; but after we had been at Wit Kop for a +day news was brought that a body of the enemy had again entered it. +General Botha therefore sent a number of burghers to take up a position +along the road from Senekal to Bethlehem, whilst the laager remained at +Wit Kop. The object of this was to allow time for about ten waggons, +which had been sent to Ficksburg to fetch meal, to return. Before, +however, these waggons reached Ficksburg the English had again occupied +that town, and with regretful eyes we saw the long train of waggons +returning without having accomplished their purpose. + +On Friday, the 28th of December, we went on to Zuringtrans, and early on +the following morning we started from there towards Kaffir Kop, while +General Botha with a number of burghers took up positions. We were +outspanned, and quite at our ease, when a report came that the enemy was +advancing from Wit Kop. At first we did not believe this, but soon it +proved to be true enough, and then there was again a hurried inspanning. +The Maxim-Nordenfeldt was dangerously near, and we had to hasten away +with the greatest speed. We passed the Sand River and Kaffir Kop to the +left, and at night we encamped not far from that kop. + +The following day, Sunday, we could hold no service. The burghers had to +take up positions against the advancing foe at Kaffir Kop, while the +waggons and carts went forward during the whole of the day to +Elandsfontein, not far from Lindley. + +How unfortunate was the lot of our burghers when, without cannon, they +had to hold a position. Before they could get a chance of firing a +single shot the position was shelled, and the English, far beyond the +reach of rifles, moved round the flanks in large numbers. If, then, our +men wished to avoid being surrounded they had to retreat. This now at +Kaffir Kop. The frequent withdrawal of our burghers from their positions +made the enemy taunt them with being unwilling to fight, and with +running away. But since the English as a rule kept our men at a distance +of five thousand yards with their cannon, and kept themselves also at a +safe distance, how could our people get a chance of fighting? + +If the Boers, then, had no chance of fighting, they should not keep the +war going: they should not attack the English when few in numbers and +when they had a fair chance of firing at the enemy's troops on their +flanks. So the English kept on saying; yet, oh mine enemy, what right +had'st thou to prescribe to us how we should fight? Did not thine own +great hero, Wellington, declare that a nation has the right to adopt +every means to resist a foe that is invading its country? + +We went on a little farther that night, and the sun rose on us on the +1st of January 1901 not far from Liebenberg's Vlei. We proceeded a short +distance farther, and held service to celebrate the day in the garden of +a farm where we had halted. I addressed the burghers on the subject of +"the Old and the New." + +In the evening we proceeded in the direction of Reitz, and camped at the +confluence of Liebenberg's Vlei and Tyger Kloof; for it was General +Botha's object to give the burghers some rest somewhere in the +neighbourhood of that village. + +We remained here for some days to look for a suitable spot, and the +General went himself with Commandant Erwee to reconnoitre the forts of +the English at Reitz. Meanwhile we enjoyed the great privilege of being +able to bathe in the river; but we also experienced some discomfort from +rain. At midnight on the second day heavy showers fell, and many +burghers who had off-saddled in low-lying places were inundated. They +had hurriedly to jump up and carry their bedding to higher ground. This +they did laughing and joking, which certainly was a fine proof of the +good spirit that prevailed among them, and of the cheerfulness with +which they were ready to make any sacrifice for the sake of the great +cause. + +It appeared that we could not remain in the neighbourhood of Reitz, for +on Thursday, the 3rd of January, our attention was called to an English +force marching from Senekal towards Heilbron. In a fight that day with +this force we unfortunately lost several dead and wounded. On the +following day another engagement took place with another body of English +going in the same direction. General Botha drove the infantry some +distance, but had to give it up when reinforcements with two cannon and +a Maxim-Nordenfeldt belonging to the English who had passed the day +before made its appearance. Whilst the General was engaged in this fight +some of our men halted the ambulance waggons of the enemy, which had +gone on in advance, and found in them a considerable number of the +English who had been wounded on the previous day. There was also one of +our burghers, but he was too weak to be removed. + +Meanwhile we had from day to day gone farther and farther from Reitz, +and on Sunday, 6th January, we crossed Liebenberg's Vlei and remained +that night on the bank of that river not far from Leeuw Kop. Here we +remained till the following morning. We then proceeded east of Leeuw +Kop. + +From a high ridge there, over which we passed, I saw in the distance +Platberg, at the foot of which Harrismith lies. I had not seen the +mountain for five months. A thrill of emotion went through me when I saw +it, but I had no desire to go to the town at its foot, for no one dear +to me was there now. And when I thought how the enemy had taken +possession of the town, and of all the vulgarity connected with a +military occupation, I felt a sort of aversion to the place. + +Whither were we going now, now that we could not rest in the +neighbourhood of Reitz? + +There was a rumour that picked men from each commando were to go with +General de Wet to the colony, and that the rest of the men were to +return to their own districts to be employed there as circumstances +might require. And now that we were "trekking" in the direction of +Harrismith it seemed as if this would be the case, at any rate as far as +the Harrismith burghers were concerned; but greatly to the +disappointment of most of us, we had to go back on Tuesday night, and +reached Bronkhorstfontein on Wednesday morning early, not far from +Valsch River. + +On the following morning we trekked to Valsch River, not far from the +mill, and on Friday, 11th January, all the Harrismith men got leave to +go to their districts, upon the understanding that they should come +together again on the 22nd at Doornberg. + +Afterwards leave was given to those burghers who had accompanied the +Chief-Commandant to Odendalstroom to remain in their own district, while +those who had not gone with him were now to accompany him on his second +expedition to the Cape Colony. There were some, however, of those who +had gone the first time who now went again, among whom were General +Wessel Wessels, Commandant Jan Jacobsz, and some men. + +I set off towards Harrismith without the slightest delay. On Saturday +night I was on the farm of Jan Labuschagne, and on the following +afternoon, at sunset, I arrived at Zwart Klip, together with General C. +J. de Villiers. + +It was pleasant to be there once more, and to see the trees, which were +leafless when I had last seen them, now clad in all the pride of summer. +Everything was calm and peaceful here, and although the English, +eighteen miles away, had our town in their possession, we could with +difficulty persuade ourselves that there peace had not been restored. We +were naturally glad to see one another again, and had much to tell and +much to listen to. What was particularly gratifying to us was to hear +the particulars in regard to the _quasi_ civil administration of the +English, of which we had already heard some account. Since the middle of +October the function of District Commissioner had ceased also in this +district. The patrols of five or six mounted police could no more ride +about in safety, and if the English wished to go from one town to +another this could not be accomplished unless they were in large numbers +and under the protection of cannon. But the burghers went about in small +numbers--north or south, east or west--wherever they listed. It became +clearer to us than ever, that whatever the English might have, they were +not yet in possession of our country, and that they could do nothing +unless they did it with overwhelming odds and under shelter of cannon. + +We felt that this could not but be humiliating to such officers of the +British army as were capable of judging the merits of the case without +prejudice. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FARMS + + +For some time after I arrived at Zwart Klip matters were fairly quiet in +the Free State. I was surprised at this, and considered that the English +were, from their point of view, guilty of neglect of duty. + +Their inactivity in the Free State must be accounted for by the fact +that they were occupied by General de Wet on the northern border of the +Cape Colony, and by Generals Hertzog and Kritzinger, who had both +penetrated far into British territory, in the south. + +This quiet was very opportune to me. I made use of it to write over my +diary; and on Sundays I held divine service on some farm or other. + +During this period the burghers who had returned were stationed all +about as outposts. Two scouting corps--one under Commandant Botha, and +another under his brother, Captain Botha--had already been operating for +some time in the districts of Vrede and Harrismith, and had done much +towards putting a stop to the small police patrols of the enemy who used +to wander about all over the country. And now small bodies of burghers +were stationed as guards near the towns. In the district of Harrismith +there was one guard at Mont Paul, another at Broedersdal, and another at +Groothoek. In the Vrede there was one near Mullerspas in the +Drakensberg, and at various points around the town. In the same manner +matters were regulated all through the country. + +The Government also provided for the appointment of _landdrosts_ +(magistrates) and justices of the peace for criminal cases in each +district. The guards, of which I have spoken, had very little to do +during this quiet time. Each day they rode out to reconnoitre, and if a +force of English marched from one town to another they harassed their +flanks. + +This period of comparative rest continued until about the middle of May, +when the enemy began to become active in every part of the country. In +the districts of Harrismith and Vrede the English approached from the +direction of Heilbron and Frankfort, and marched to Tafel Kop in the +district of Vrede. Others advanced from the Transvaal, and whether or +not they had been guilty, from their standpoint, of neglect of duty, +they now began to do their work thoroughly--or rather, I should say, in +a thoroughly cruel and heartless manner. + +It seemed as if they wanted now literally to annihilate us. They made +use of any expedient. The farms were laid waste, the houses burnt down +or damaged in such a manner as to render them uninhabitable, and grain +and forage were given as a prey to the flames. Cattle were looted and +sheep killed in tens of thousands. + +Our women, it is true, were not killed out of hand, but they were taken +by force, against their wish or will, and shut up in camps. There they +were exposed to fevers and other camp diseases, and many succumbed. So +it came about that, although, as I have said, it is true that they were +not directly killed, it was nevertheless through the environment into +which they were forced that they were destroyed by thousands. + +But I am anticipating. + +The hostile forces of which I spoke marched up in the eastern part of +district Vrede, along both banks of Klip River, and before their +dreaded advance there was a general flight on the part of the +inhabitants of the farms towards Wilge River. Waggons loaded with +furniture, bedding, and provisions; carts and spiders with women and +children; great troops of horses and cattle--all fled before the English +as before Goths and Vandals. And all this in winter! How I pitied the +misery of the women and children. + +As they passed along, the English looted much cattle--but an incredible +number, especially horses and cattle, were saved by the fugitives. + +The enemy's forces went in the direction of the Drakensberg. They +marched over Roode Nek and Vlak Nek, and we began to think that they +would disappear into Natal; and many of the fugitives returned to their +homes; but they had to take to flight again immediately, when they +learnt that only a portion of the enemy had descended into Natal through +Botha's Pass--undoubtedly to bring away the captured cattle. The other +portion suddenly turned back, came through Geershoogte to the Witkoppen, +and continued their work of destruction west of these hills, down +Cornelis River to Verky kers Kop. Towards the 23rd of May the English +had returned from Natal and joined the others west of the Witkoppen. + +About four days after this the English had drawn a line of camps from +Tafel Kop (district Vrede) up to Cornelis River, and then moved forward +every day towards Wilge River, devastating and looting on a large scale. +It is wonderful how the fugitives fared, and scarcely credible that they +did not fall into the hands of the British. Some succeeded in getting +round either wing of the cordon by night, others again passed through it +close to the camps. What this means can only fully be realised when it +is known that the fugitives consisted mostly of women and children, and +that (although they were directed how to trek by the fighting burghers) +the women in most cases had to drive the carts, and in some cases even +the ox waggons, themselves. Notwithstanding all these difficulties most +escaped. Here and there a small laager was captured, but the majority +baffled the enemy. A laager of women, however, in which I was by chance, +was not so fortunate. + +On Saturday, 25th of May, I had gone to Frankfort to hold divine +service. I remained there till Monday the 3rd of June, and then news was +brought to the town that the great cordon of the English, of which I +have spoken above, was swiftly advancing. The inhabitants of the town, +mostly women and children, left the town on Monday morning and trekked +across the bridge, while I went on to the farm of Mr. Christiaan de +Beer. On Wednesday the laager came there too, and as it was their +intention to trek all through the night, in order to pass round the +south wing of the English, I joined them, hoping to be behind the +British the next morning. + +The Frankfort laager had increased considerably since Monday, a number +of Transvaal women having joined it, and now consisted of about seventy +waggons. Some of these Transvaal women had been trekking about for a +year, and, as may be expected, presented a very worn appearance. The sun +had just set when the laager reached the farm of Christiaan de Beer, and +shortly after passed it, and continued in the dark until the moon rose. + +It was a long night passed under particularly sad circumstances. +Whatever I had gone through in night marches during this war, this night +added what I had not experienced before. This was the most miserable of +all, on account of the presence of weak women and tender babes. If +anyone wishes to witness real misery, let him go to a large women's +laager. + +In this laager there were girls who rode on horseback all through the +night, and that on men's saddles, which had been so arranged that a girl +could ride on it. I saw a little maiden take the riem and lead the team +of oxen before the waggon. And then the poor little children! They +moaned and cried at the bitter cold of the winter nights of June--poor +mites in thin linen or cotton garments. Boys of ten and twelve had to +drive on the cattle, and the parents had perforce to speak harshly to +them, in order to help them in their bitter task. + +How my soul rose up with indignation at the merciless force that had +caused such scenes of misery--that exposed babes to the cold of the long +winter nights, and drove women, who refused to be captured, into the +wilderness. + +The Basutos in our war with them robbed our cattle, burnt our houses, +and killed our men, but they left our women and children unmolested. It +was reserved for the British Empire, at the height of its power, its +civilisation, and its enlightenment to make war on women and children. +And yet, it was astonishing to see that the poor women, in spite of all +this, were not utterly discouraged. How admirable they were. Whatever +may have been the feeling deep down in their hearts, suppressed and +stifled there, outwardly they were full of courage, and even to some +extent cheerful. One of them even baked dampers at midnight, when we +halted to give the weary oxen a rest. That, however, we ought not to +have allowed, for not only did it cause delay, but our fires showed the +enemy where we were. + +After waiting for two hours we went on again. We made considerable +progress until we came near to the farm of Mr. Gert Oosthuizen. There a +waggon got stuck in the mud. This caused delay, and after the waggon had +been extricated, day quickly began to dawn. Again we proceeded, and +shortly before sunrise we had reached Concordia, the farm of Mr. +Abraham Strauss. Here we learned that the English were approaching from +Steil Drift. The waggons immediately went south-westward in the +direction of Reitz over a ridge, and fifty men mounted their horses and +hurried away. I also left the laager and hastened as fast as the mules +could drag the spider. + +After driving some distance I looked round and saw that the English had +gained the ridge which we had just crossed. Everywhere on the horizon +the ground seemed covered with horsemen. It began to be plain that there +could be no escape for me, but still the animals were urged to go on as +hard as they could. I was nearly a mile away from the laager, which +meanwhile had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and almost out of +danger when some troops came up. They were indignant that I had not +remained with the laager, and ordered me with curses and indescribably +foul language to halt. I did so, and surrendered myself. + +"Outspan them horses!" a soldier shouted to me [they were mules]. + +I refused. + +"I am your prisoner, not your servant," I said. + +That was foolish on my part, for I was completely in their power, as I +also later on admitted to an officer, but I was unaccustomed to being +addressed in this way by common soldiers. The rage of my captors now +rose to a climax. Two of them stuck cartridges into their rifles and an +officer levelled his revolver at me. I then thought that, there being no +question of principle here, it would be senseless to allow myself to be +shot for a matter of this sort, and began with my son to unharness the +mules. + +Had they struck me then I should have understood that it was done under +provocation; but that I should be struck in cold blood shortly after is +another matter. + +Everything was quiet, and I was busy obeying the orders of the +soldiers, when an officer of higher rank than the one who wanted to +shoot me came up, and in learning that there had been a dispute, and +that I had made some objections, he struck me from behind on my head +with the metal head of his horse-whip. I have forgiven him. Probably +also he is dead from the effects of a dangerous wound he received +shortly after. + +We had then to inspan again, and were ordered to go to a Kaffir kraal at +Graspan, in the vicinity. Thither also the laager and forty-three +captured burghers were brought. + +Some women visited the men there, amongst whom they had husbands and +sons, and brought food and coffee. It was a sad sight to behold; the +women wept and loudly expressed their fears that they would be separated +from their husbands. I tried to encourage them, and besought them not to +shed tears before the enemy. + +With what contempt did the English look down upon us. Not some of them +merely, but all. The lowest soldier vented his scorn in foul language, +and even the highest officer there forgot that he should be a gentleman, +and did not refrain from insulting language. As he rode past and cast +his eye over the women, he exclaimed: "What! have we a Japanese show +here?" + +And it was in the presence of such men that our women shed tears. + +Shortly after we had been captured three or four horsemen appeared on +the same ridge over which we had come, but a volley from the soldiers +soon caused them to disappear. + +Meanwhile some officers came and asked me whether it was I who, in the +fight on Platrand (Waggon Hill) on the 6th of January 1900, had bandaged +an English officer, and when I had replied in the affirmative they were +very friendly to me. And now followed some conversation with the +soldiers. We learned that the force consisted of 200 men, who had left +Steil Drift at two o'clock in the morning to capture us. Their column +was advancing, and might be expected at any moment. My son also spoke to +the soldiers and officers. + +"What," he asked one of the latter, "do you think of a rescue?" + +"Oh!" was the reply, "a couple of volleys will send it flying like the +Boers we just fired at." + +A soldier also said to his comrade that they had to keep an eye on my +son, adding: "I bet my bottom sixpence the little beggar will get away +yet." + +And that is what did happen! We also learned that we were to be taken to +Kroonstad, and this pleased me, for I did not wish to be marched into +Harrismith as a prisoner-of-war. The time passed slowly till two o'clock +in the afternoon. Then horsemen appeared on the ridge to the north-west. + +The English thought this might be their column, and feared lest, not +knowing that the laager had been captured, their troops might begin +bombarding it. The officers placed themselves in a row, and made signals +to the horsemen to come to the laager. They also sent out one of their +men to give notice of the state of affairs. But he did not return, and +when those on the ridge, after riding hither and thither as if undecided +what to do, at last rushed forward towards the laager, and some others +from the south and east came out on the flanks, there was no longer any +doubt that they were Boers. + +Orders were hastily given to resist the attack of the burghers. The +soldiers caught their horses, and firing at once commenced, whilst we +who had been captured were placed out of immediate danger behind a sod +wall. The rifle fire now became very severe. The bullets flew in all +directions. Many of us thought of what might now happen to the women +and children. Soon we prisoners-of-war were being fired at by the +burghers who were storming the laager from the south-east side, and our +guards allowed us to seek refuge in one of the huts. + +Hardly had we entered it, when we heard the English saying that our +burghers who had attacked from the eastern side had retaken the laager. +This was about twenty minutes after the fight had commenced. The English +now sought shelter. Some ran into two or three huts; others into a +cattle kraal between the huts. There they loopholed the walls and +defended themselves bravely. In the turmoil two wounded soldiers were +carried to the door of the hut in which the prisoners were, and I went +out to help the doctor. Whilst I was thus engaged a bullet whistled past +my ear, and I saw with surprise that it came from our burghers who had +taken the laager from the east side. Ten of them had taken up a position +near a hut and fired thence, a distance of about twenty yards, at the +English in the cattle kraal, and at the same distance also at us. + +"We are Boers!" shouted the prisoners. But this did not help, for they +continued shooting. From the hut near which they were firing from, they +saw two or three of the English guards amongst us, and thought probably +that we were acting as guides to the English. Then I also ran forward +and declared that we were Boers. + +"If you are Boers, then come out," they cried. + +My son and I with one or two more then ran swiftly out, and lay down +behind the sod-wall from which we had gone into the hut. Here I saw how +one of our burghers coming from the laager to the sod-wall was struck in +the right breast and fell down. He called to a comrade. As he was coming +I saw a bullet strike him too. I heard him exclaim as he sank down, "I +am killed too." He died immediately, resting his head on my son's +shoulder. A couple of yards behind us an English soldier was wounded. He +cried aloud for water, and there was no one to give it him. Everywhere +around men, as well as many oxen and horses, were being shot. + +At the hut from which the Boers were firing at the English in the kraal +I saw Commandant Davel. I noticed too that he was in command there, and +concluded that he had led the charge. That was the case. It was he who, +with his burghers, had stormed the laager from the east. I also saw +Ex-General P. Fourie. My heart leapt with joy when I saw that brave old +man, and I thought that the charge against him could not have been of a +very serious nature if he were thus again permitted to carry arms.[7] + +[Footnote 7: General Fourie had a short time previously been arrested on +the charge of carrying on unlawful correspondence with the English.] + +Shortly after we had got to the sod-wall Commandant Davel sent a white +flag to the kraal to tell the English to surrender. I made use of this +opportunity to go--it was only six or seven yards off to the position +held by our burghers at the hut. There lay three burghers and one +Englishman dead. My son armed himself again with the rifle of one of the +dead men. + +As was to be expected, the enemy refused to surrender, and the firing +recommenced. + +Meanwhile the waggons which were able to do so had begun to retire, and +fifty of them reached a hollow out of range. + +It would now certainly not have been long before we should have won the +day completely, had not some scouts of General de Wet ridden up in haste +and reported that a very large reinforcement of the enemy was swiftly +approaching. + +Before, therefore, the few that still remained in the huts and in the +kraal could be forced to surrender, the burghers were ordered to retire. +The hut where I was, was deserted. + +Then my son said to me that it was time for us also, and asked whether I +would follow him if he went out first. Yes. He thereupon led the way, +and I followed him. But we could not get to our spider. The mules were +unharnessed, and the vehicle moreover stood in the line of fire; but we +were rescued from this difficulty. The cart of Mr. Christiaan de Beer +stood ready inspanned, and whilst my son drove away with it, with Miss +de Beer, who was wounded through the arm, I led Mrs. de Beer and her +daughter out. + +It was a brave deed was that done by our burghers at Graspan. From the +bare ridge on the one side and the open plain on the other they had +stormed the laager. Eventually they were firing at the enemy at such +short range as from one Kaffir hut to the other, and were between the +waggons often face to face with the troops. They consisted merely of the +bodyguard of the President under Commandant Davel and those of General +de Wet. There was also a small number of Transvaalers, who had +accompanied General de la Rey on his journey to the President and the +Chief-Commandant. Together they numbered between seventy and eighty men. +But although fewer in number than the enemy, they had again given proof +that it is not possible for 200 Englishmen to move five miles away from +their cannon, and then to be met without disaster by a handful of our +burghers. And this I say not because I wish to convey that the English +are not brave. I have never seen greater courage than that displayed by +them at Graspan. But it remains a fact that, as regards mobility and the +handling of a rifle, they are no match for the Boers; and that when they +have no cannon or have not the odds greatly in their favour, they must +yield to the Boers. It is only by brute force that they could overpower +us. + +Dearly was Graspan paid for! Not only were the waggons that had escaped +retaken by the reinforcement, but thirteen of our burghers were killed +and about fourteen seriously wounded. + +And what did the English say about the laager that they had taken? They +said that _it was a convoy of General de Wet_. This is one of the cases +of the untruthfulness of their reports. It was a _women's laager_ and +nothing else, with not a hundred men in it, of whom some were +non-combatants and others very old men. There was not a single officer +amongst them, to lead those who were armed; and so it came about that +there was no resistance whatever when the laager was attacked. + +I left the laager when the reinforcement approached, and went to Reitz. +In the evening I left the town and got to the farm of Mr. Piet de Jager, +near Rout Kop, at about ten o'clock, whence, however, the people had +fled in fear of the advancing English. + +The large force of the English now proceeded in the direction of +Heilbron and Kroonstad; but first buried their and our dead at Reitz. +Two days after, our burghers came and reburied our dead (thirteen +bodies) there better than the enemy had in their haste been able to do. + +Before closing this chapter I must still mention that the worst that had +yet befallen us took place towards the middle of July. Other troops +arrived, this time from Platrand Station, Transvaal, following the track +of the columns that had already traversed the country. They destroyed +over again what had already been destroyed. Large flocks of sheep were +collected everywhere and stabbed to death at different centres, in heaps +of thousands upon thousands. In the town of Vrede there was a great +slaughter, and in order to make it impossible for our people to live +there the dead sheep were carried into the houses and left to rot. + +Not only in the districts of Vrede and Harrismith did this occur, but +everywhere throughout the State. When I was in the neighbourhood of +Senekal it took place there also. I have myself seen places where the +skeletons of the sheep lay, and could hardly imagine anything sadder +than to see them lying dead in heaps. The destroyers also frequently +drove large herds of young horses or such as were unfit for service into +kraals, or crowded them into ditches, and shot them there by tens, +fifties, or hundreds, and the air was charged with pestilential odours. +The troops completely destroyed the houses. Where the stables and +waggon-houses were not burnt down, the dwelling-houses were devoted to +the flames; and where these were not burnt down, they were so utterly +ruined as to become wholly uninhabitable. The floors were broken up, the +panes of glass smashed with the sashes and all, the doors broken to +pieces, the doorposts and the window-sills torn out. And if it was not +too terrible to permit of its being so described, one might say that the +work of these men was sometimes childish--as, for instance, when on one +occasion they hanged the cats in a barn, and on another shot a horse +inside a house, and then covered it up with a table. + +To escape from the troops the women sometimes took refuge in mountainous +parts of the country in caves and grottos. Often they escaped; but on +other occasions the soldiers discovered them in these places of refuge. +An officer found two women with their children in a cave, and expressed +himself very strongly as to what he saw there, saying that he would send +a photograph of the scene to the _Graphic_, as if the picture of such +misery could do credit to himself and his nation! He wrote the following +letter, and handed it to one of the women to deliver to her husband:-- + + +"TO MR. M. LOURENS. + +"SIR,--I am leaving your wife and Mrs. Uys in the wretched place they +have to live in. If you had any compassion on your women you would +surrender to superior force and not prolong a hopeless struggle. + + "R. B. FIRMAN, Lieutenant-Colonel." + +27/7/01. + + +As one of these women was indisposed the officer left them there; but he +took the little servant-girls away. + +To such acts as these the officers of the British columns had fallen. +They were made the persecutors of defenceless women and children. They +carried the work of incendiaries throughout the whole State. They became +the butchers of thousands of horses and tens of thousands of sheep. How +despicable it must have been in their own eyes to perpetrate such acts! +When I think of all this, and look to the far future, then I ask myself: +What will be said of this war when the history of it shall be written +and read by the coming generations? + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +PRESIDENT STEYN ALMOST CAPTURED + + +The things I needed most after my escape at Graspan were clothes, for +all I possessed had been on the spider that I had had to leave behind. +But even had I been able to rescue it, I should have found very little +in it; for although I had heard an officer ordering the soldiers to lay +their hands on nothing belonging to the burghers except arms and +ammunition, from the Kaffir huts, in which I was held captive, I saw +them removing from time to time from the spider, first one and then +another article of clothing and concealing it about their saddles. + +To provide, therefore, for my wants as far as clothes were concerned, I +went to Fouriesburg. Not all at once could I recover my equanimity. The +excitement of my capture and the fight at Graspan had, as may be well +conceived, affected my nerves, and it was as if I could not clearly +realise my escape. But when on the following Sunday, on the farm of Mr. +Heymans, not far from Slabbert's Nek, I again saw a congregation before +me, I once more completely regained my serenity of mind. It was clear to +me that God had shown me that He held my fate in His Hand, and that I +owed to His Mercy my liberty until the day of my capture. It was as if +He had said, "Behold, I delivered you over to the enemy, and closed his +hand upon you so that there was no deliverance. There is therefore +nothing for you to be vain of in that you were the only one of your +colleagues in the Free State who had up to that time not been taken +prisoner. But I have delivered you because I have further work for you +to do. Go forth, and do good to your people. Encourage the burghers. +Seek out the neglected ones. Comfort the defenceless women and children +in their oppression. Preach the gospel." + +And I must declare it, that since the unfortunate occurrence at +Nauwpoort I never had more courage than now, nor had I been able till +then to address the burghers with more pleasure than now. + +I arrived at Fouriesburg on Monday, the 10th of June, and was there most +kindly entertained by Mr. Jacobus Bester and his wife. The English--so I +heard there--had just quitted the village, and had in the previous month +laid waste everything behind the Roodebergen. In the newspapers they +published how many women and children they had captured, how many +burghers they had killed, how many cattle they had carried off, how many +tons of grain they had burned, how many ovens and stoves they had +destroyed. Thus the British Generals, stern iconoclasts, had become the +takers of ovens by storm. I discovered that not so many burghers by far +had been captured or killed as the English accounts had stated. It was +also surprising how much grain there was left, how much even had been +rescued from the flames, and when on the Sunday after my arrival I held +service in the church, I found the building nearly full of worshippers, +and all were in fairly good spirits. There was, notwithstanding all the +destruction, no thought of surrender. What advantage would we gain +thereby? Should we get the looted cattle back? should we see the +burnt-down houses rebuilt?--No. Then let the enemy do his worst. Let him +ruin us completely if it was our fate to be overwhelmed. The English had +to do with a people who were no barbarians, but with a race sprung from +the same stock as themselves--with the offspring of ancestors who had +sacrificed everything for their Faith--with descendants of forefathers +who had contended for eighty years against a great world-power. Such +means, therefore, as Great Britain had for the last fifty years been in +the habit of employing against barbarous or semi-barbarous races had +till now failed signally when applied to the people of South Africa. + +I visited our people on their farms. At one place the family was living +in a waggon-shed, at another in a stable, and again at another in a +house restored sufficiently to make it to some extent habitable. + +Some farms had not been visited by the enemy, whilst at others no damage +had been done, excepting the destruction of the grain and the _stoves_! +At one farm which I visited everything had been left as it had been. +There was still a piano, and we spent the evening pleasantly. What +thoughts passed in my mind when one of the young ladies sang well-known +songs to the accompaniment of the piano, and when I remembered that the +same girl, with her mother and sisters, had shortly before, whilst +fleeing before the enemy, passed the night under the open sky. Both the +mother and her daughters were cheerful here, and not here only, but +everywhere I went. No wonder, then, that the hope that sooner or later +we would gain our independence grew stronger and stronger in me. While I +was at Fouriesburg the landdrost, Mr. M. Fourie, came from the Ficksburg +Commando, and told me that he, Commandant Steyn, and Field-Cornet J. J. +van Niekerk would be pleased if I could visit their commando. What else +was I living for? I went gladly, and addressed the burghers, on week +days as well as on Sundays. Amongst the Ficksburgers I found the song, +written by the Rev. G. Thom, which has since become well known. + + "Hope on, hope on, my brothers, + In our beloved land, + We're waiting for deliverance, + Deliverance by God's hand. + + Hope on, hope on, my brothers, + Though war's dark clouds increase; + 'Tis but a short time longer, + Then He will give us peace. + + Hope on, hope on, my brothers, + The daylight is not far; + When the long night is ended + Will rise the Morning Star. + + Hope on, hope on, my sisters, + In our beloved land, + We too lament your sorrows, + We on this far-off strand.[8] + + Hope on, hope on, my sisters, + Your tears, your sighs, your pain + By Him are not forgotten, + To whom all things are plain. + + Hope on, hope on, my sisters, + And still again hope on; + Through seas of blood and treasure + Our freedom must be won!" + +[Footnote 8: Ceylon. The original of this song is in Dutch, of which the +above is but a feeble rendering.] + +This song was not sent out by the Rev. G. Thom for any special purpose, +but it seems that, as it was often sung by the prisoners-of-war in +Ceylon, it was sent out in its entirety or in portions by different +burghers to their relatives as their contribution to the scanty news +they had to send. + +Had the censor known how this song would be circulated among us, and +sung everywhere, he would certainly not have let it pass. But perhaps we +have a proof here that the censor, like Homer of old, was also +occasionally apt to nod. + +The song was sung by the burghers of Field-Cornet J. J. van Niekerk to +the tune of the old Voortrekkers' hymn, "How pleasant are the days." + +I afterwards had this sung wherever I held a service, always requesting +the girls to make copies of it before the service. Mr. Mels' J. Meyers, +then editor of the _Brandwacht_, afterwards printed a number of copies, +which helped me much to spread the song. I have no doubt that these +verses aided in a large measure to keep alive the courage of our people. +While I was in these parts letters came regularly from British territory +through Basutoland to the farm Brindisi, under the kind care of Mr. +Middleton, the owner of the farm. I availed myself of the opportunity +and sent letters to my wife, and received replies by the same means. + +The relatives of the captives who had been sent to Ceylon often got news +from that island, and it encouraged us much to see what a good spirit +reigned amongst the exiles. Our ministers there seemed to be effecting +much good by their services, and the younger captives attended schools +which had been erected for them. Others passed their time in the making +of beautiful handiwork of all descriptions out of suitable stone, such +as brooches and similar articles, while others again worked on the roads +for small wages, and in this manner obtained enough money to purchase +paper and postage stamps, as one of them stated in his letter. But what +particularly impressed me was the firm conviction they all had of the +ultimate deliverance of our nation. Here is an extract from a letter of +a young man to his mother:-- + +"We are full of courage, and do not mind how long we have to remain +here, if only our people get the upper hand--which they certainly will." + +From the Ficksburgers I went to the Ladybrand Commando, and held +services for the burghers and the women. + +On the farm Peru, belonging to Mrs. A. Ecksteen, senior, I heard that +the English wanted to remove, on the 19th of April 1901, the +mother-in-law of Mrs. Ecksteen. As the old lady was eighty years of age, +and, moreover, suffered from a weak heart, Mrs. Ecksteen protested +against this deportation, whereupon the officer in command said, "She +will have to go, even if she were dead." And so the old woman was forced +to go on the waggon. At Karba, not far from there, the English deported +Mrs. A. Ecksteen, junior, on the same day, notwithstanding her repeated +assurances that she could not possibly go. A son of Dr. Wilson, the +practitioner at Karba, had carried a letter from his father to the +military, acquainting them with Mrs. Ecksteen's condition. But the lad +got his ears boxed, and was taken prisoner (he was, however, released on +the following day); and the officer said to the woman, "You'll _have_ to +go." Mrs. Ecksteen was thereupon taken to the _mine_ on the farm +Monastery, along with the other Ecksteens; she there found shelter under +a waggon, but was taken during the night into a tin shanty, of which all +the doors and windows had been destroyed, and under such circumstances +she gave birth to a daughter! + +The following morning the English realised what an inhuman act they had +committed, and left the Ecksteens there with the following note:-- + + + "MONASTERY, _20th April 1901_. + +"Mrs. A. Ecksteen, junior, having to our regret been moved from her +house by mistake, when she was not in a condition to travel, Dr. Wilson +has been left to take charge of her, and also her mother-in-law and +grandmother to care of her. All these persons must remain on the farm +Karba. + + "J. (?) HALKETT,[9] A.P.M., Pilcher's Horse." + + +[Footnote 9: This was not the officer who had removed Mrs. Ecksteen.] + +By mistake! and that with the woman before their eyes and the letter of +the doctor in their hands! + +But this is by no means the only case of this sort. A British officer +had also, shortly before, taken away Mrs. Greyling, an old woman aged +eighty-five, from her farm, Magermanshoek, at Korannaberg. The poor old +woman could no longer walk and was totally blind. When her son inquired +whether she could not travel in her spider, his request was refused and +the vehicle burnt. She was carried to a waggon on a chair, and conveyed +to Winburg. + +I mention these cases not as exceptions, but as examples of what +continually took place. + +Having returned to the Ficksburg Commando on the 1st of July, I found +that my son had had an accident through the explosion of a Martini-Henry +cartridge in his face. This forced us to remain till the 16th at the +farm Franschhoek, belonging to Field-Cornet J. J. van Niekerk. I wish +here to record my thanks for the kindness of all the families there, and +especially for that shown by Mrs. J. J. van Niekerk and Mrs. Meyer in +nursing my son. Before leaving Franschhoek I heard of the narrow escape +of our President at Reitz. He had gone thither with his staff on the +evening of the 10th of July. Early the next morning his cook, a coloured +boy named Ruiter, rushed into the tent where the President was sleeping, +shouting, "The English are here." The President then hastily went out, +without a jacket and with a nightcap on his head, and ran to the stable +where his horse was. The saddle was not near at hand, and Mr. Curlewis +hurriedly put his own saddle on the horse. Without bridle or bit, and +with only the riem of the halter in the horse's mouth, the President +galloped away. A soldier followed and shot at him; but the President's +horse was fresh, and gained on the tired steed of the soldier, until he +was out of danger. Ruiter wanted to follow the President, but when fired +on he allowed himself to be captured. Subsequently, however, he escaped, +and related that, when they had asked him who it was that had ridden +off, he had answered, "It's only a Boer." On a former occasion the +President had slept in a house, and it seems that the majority of the +English had surrounded that same house, and thus they had given him the +chance of escaping. + +But the whole of his staff were taken prisoners, with the exception of +the Government Secretary, Mr. J. W. C. Brebner, who was absent on leave. +The brave Commandant, Mr. Davel, who was chief of the bodyguard, was +also captured. Besides the President only seven men of the bodyguard +escaped. An English officer called it _luck_. We call it by another +name. + +All the money and State documents fell into the hands of the English. +What made the loss of the documents a serious matter for us, was that +amongst them was a letter from the Government of the South African +Republic giving expression to a very despondent spirit about the +condition of affairs, and saying that there was danger that the +continuation of the struggle would only tend more and more to the ruin +of our people, and that the time was gone by when matters could be +allowed to drift on.[10] + +[Footnote 10: That letter was as follows:-- + + GOVERNMENT OFFICE, ON THE FIELD, + + _10th May 1901._ + +His Honour, the Government Secretary, O.F.S., + +HONOURED SIR,--Herewith I have the honour to inform you that on this day +the following officers have met the Government here, viz.: His Honour +the Commandant-General, General B. J. Viljoen, General J. C. Smuts +(State-Attorney), the latter representing the western districts. Our +condition was fully discussed, and the following points considered:-- + +_First._ That small groups of burghers are still constantly surrendering +to the enemy, and that this danger is becoming a more and more serious +one, whereby we are exposed to the risk of our cause coming to a +dishonourable conclusion, because the result may be, that the Government +and the officers may be left in the veld without any burghers. This +imposes a heavy responsibility upon the Government and the officers, +seeing that they represent the people, and not themselves. + +_Secondly._ That our supply of ammunition is so exhausted that no battle +of any importance can any more be fought, and that we shall thereby be +reduced to the condition of hopelessly fleeing hither and thither before +the enemy. Owing to this also it is becoming impossible for us to +protect our people with their cattle, who thus are becoming poorer and +more and more despondent, and we shall soon be unable to supply our +forces with food. + +_Thirdly._ For the reasons above stated, the authority of the Government +is gradually being weakened, and the danger has arisen that the people +will lose all respect and obedience for their lawful leaders, and lapse +into a state of disorder, and our further persistence in such a struggle +can only tend more and more to ruin our people, and to make it apparent +to them that it is only the enemy who has authority in the land. + +_Fourthly._ Not only is our people being disintegrated in the way above +stated, but it will also surely happen that the leaders of the people +whose personal influence has hitherto kept them together will fall into +total disrepute, and will lose all influence, by which every hope of the +revival of the national spirit in the future will be lost. + +_Fifthly._ The people constantly insist upon an answer to the question, +what prospect there exists of carrying on the war to a successful issue, +and they have a right to expect that when it is become clear to the +Government and the leaders that there is no longer any sound reason to +be hopeful for our cause, this shall be honestly and candidly made known +to them. Hitherto the Government had expected that through the efforts +of our Deputation and European complications there might be some hope +for our cause. + +And this Government feels strongly that before taking any final +resolution another effort should be made to arrive at certainty with +regard to this. + +Taking into consideration the above-named points, the Government, with +the officers already named, has resolved as follows:-- + +1. That a request shall at once be made to Lord Kitchener that by means +of delegates to be sent by us to Europe, the condition of our country +shall be communicated to President Kruger, which delegates should then +return as speedily as possible. + +2. That if this request be refused, or should lead to negative results, +an armistice should then be asked for, whereby an opportunity shall be +afforded, in conjunction with your Government, to consult the people of +both States, in order finally to decide what is to be done. + +This is, however, subject to any suggestion that your Government, +bearing in mind the above-stated difficulties, may be able to offer. + +This Government feels very earnestly that the time is gone by for +allowing this matter to drift, and that the time has come for taking +decisive steps, and would therefore be glad to receive an answer from +your Government.--I have the honour to be, + +Your Obedient Servant, + + (Signed) F. W. Reitz, State Secretary.] + +To this President Steyn wrote a long reply, dated 15th May 1901, in +which he expressed his great regret at this despatch of the Transvaal +Government. He said that although in the Free State they had also had to +see men laying down their arms, yet that it had been surmounted; also +that although ammunition had for a long time been scarce, yet there was +still after every fight enough to begin the next one with. + +As to the question, what prospect there was of continuing the struggle +any longer, he would ask, what prospect two little Republics had had +from the beginning of winning in a struggle against the mighty England? +And if at the commencement we had put our trust in God, why should we +now not continue to do so? He also pointed out that if our cause were +utterly hopeless in Europe, we should certainly have heard of it from +our Deputation. He further assured the Transvaal Government that even +if, in case of an armistice, the people of the Free State were +consulted, the resolution of those men who still stood their ground +would be not to lay down their arms. + +He also disapproved of the resolution of the Transvaal Government, to +ask Lord Kitchener to be allowed to send somebody to Europe, because +thereby we exposed our hand to the enemy; and he added that he was very +sorry such a resolution had been taken without first consulting the Free +State. + +As regards the fear expressed by the Transvaal Government that they and +the officers would be left without burghers in the field, the President +said that in the Free State, even if the Government and the officers +surrendered themselves, the people would not do so. He also showed how +disastrous it would be if the Free State, which had offered up not only +its blood and its treasure, but had also thrown its independence into +the scale on behalf of the sister Republic, were deserted by that +Republic. That then all reliance of Africander upon Africander, and also +all co-operation, would be for ever destroyed, and that it was a chimera +to believe that thereafter the nation would rise again. If we wished to +remain a people, now was the time to endure to the end. + +After referring to some matter which he had read of in the newspapers, +he continued in the following forcible language: "All these things make +me believe that we should commit national suicide if we now give in. +Therefore, brothers, continue to stand firm! Do not make our suffering +and all our efforts in the past to no purpose, and our trust in the God +of our fathers be turned to mockery. Encourage rather your weaker +brethren." The President concluded this very remarkable letter with the +question whether we were to desert the colonial burghers a second time. +"May God forbid it!" he said. + +Although the unfortunate letter of the Government of the South African +Republic was three months old, and the feeling in the Transvaal had +since its date utterly changed, this sad correspondence, as was to be +expected, gave fresh courage to the English. + +Both letters were telegraphed, abbreviated and mutilated, to England, +and the Transvaal letter had, as I subsequently read in the newspapers, +a beneficial influence (for England) in parliamentary circles. But, as I +have already said, a different spirit had arisen in the Transvaal. This +President Steyn found when immediately after the fight at Graspan he, +together with General de Wet, Judge Hertzog, and General de la Rey, +visited the South African Republic. He had not rested, after receipt of +the letter from the Transvaal Government, but had immediately summoned +not only General de Wet and Judge Hertzog, but also the Transvaal +General de la Rey (who had not been present at the Transvaal meeting), +to accompany him to the South African Republic. When he arrived in that +Republic he found that the Government had quite recovered from its +despondency. This had been brought about especially by the following +circumstance: the Government had carried out its resolution to ask Lord +Kitchener's leave to send a delegate to Europe for the purpose of +acquainting President Kruger and the Deputation with our condition, and +to consult with them as to the continuance of the struggle. Lord +Kitchener had refused to grant this, but had given permission to send a +cablegram in the code of the Netherlands consul. The State Attorney, +General Smuts, and Advocate de Wet had gone to Standerton, and sent a +telegram in which the state of affairs was represented in as dark a +light as possible. After a fortnight the reply came. It was short, and +stated that although there was then no chance of intervention, we should +nevertheless continue: the telegram said also that the two Republics +should co-operate. This was said in reference to a statement in the +Transvaal telegram saying that President Steyn did not approve of giving +in. Moreover, two fights, in which our arms had been victorious and +which took place just at that period of despondency, had served to +encourage the Transvaal Government. One at Vlakfontein, where General +Kemp, and the other at Welmanrust, where Commandant Muller had engaged +the English. These were important fights, and refuted what had been +stated in the letter of the Transvaal Government to the effect that no +battle of any importance could any more be fought. Thus one thing and +another had brought about such a change in the minds of the Transvaal +Government, that when the President and his party met them there was no +sign of dejection, and it was difficult to believe that they were the +same persons who had instructed the State Secretary to write the letter +of the 10th of May. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +DAYS OF THANKSGIVING AND HUMILIATION + + +While President Steyn was in the Transvaal the two Governments held a +combined session, and prepared a proclamation in which the people were +acquainted with what the Government of the Transvaal had telegraphed to +President Kruger, and what the reply had been. This document contained, +besides the firm resolve of both Governments to continue the war with +all possible vigour, a proclamation calling upon everyone to join in a +general thanksgiving on the 8th of August 1901, and in a general day of +prayer on the 9th. Not only were the dates fixed and the objects for +prayer and thanksgiving stated, but the proclamation also admonished us +in what spirit we should set about it. Very rarely, I believe, has a +proclamation been issued by a Government of modern times couched in +similar terms. + +I was with the Ficksburg burghers when this proclamation was read to +them, and when I arrived at Fouriesburg, on the 16th of July, I received +a letter from the President asking me to be with him during the days of +thanksgiving and humiliation. I now set out to seek him, where he had +directed me, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Nauwpoort. + +It so happened that just on the 29th of July I passed the spot where +General Hunter had encamped a year before, and where he had received the +arms of many of the burghers who had given up the struggle at the +unfortunate surrender of Prinsloo. + +Once more I marked the sharp contrast of light and shadow on the proud +mountains; again I gazed on the beauty and grandeur of cliff, ravine, +and torrent, and again I felt my insignificance in the awful presence of +Nature. But I was now in a different mood from that in which I was a +year before. Then I was despondent and discouraged; now I was buoyant +and looked forward hopefully. Then all was dark about me; now I looked +up into the blue sky, and the future seemed nearly as bright and +unclouded as the blue overhead. What a change the year had wrought. My +son and I rode through the mountains at Nauwpoort on the following day, +and remained overnight under the roof of Mr. Abraham Naude. On the +following day I rode to the house of Mr. Jan Roos, to get further news +about the whereabouts of the President, as the landdrost, Mr. Jan Brand +Wessels, stayed there. There I heard about a gallant thing done by the +burghers of Harrismith under Commandant Jan Jacobsz. Early on the +morning of 28th July a force of English, numbering about 200, and led by +a Kaffir, had attacked one of our guards in a kopje not far from Mr. +Frederick Moolman's house. The guards fled, abandoning horses and +everything else. Soon news of what had happened was brought to +Field-Cornet Frans Jacobsz. He hurried to the scene with a handful of +men and threw the English into confusion by firing on them. When the men +belonging to the guard had procured new horses on the farm of Mr. +Marthinus de Jager, they returned and took part in the fight. The result +of all this was that instead of the force, which had come from +Harrismith, capturing the burghers of Commandant Jacobsz, 43 of them +were taken prisoners and several killed and wounded. On our side only +Field-Cornet Jacobsz was wounded. + +The second day, after having passed through Nauwpoort, I found the +President on the farm of Mr. Wessel Naude. Although he was somewhat +indisposed, he was as buoyant as ever and showed no signs of +discouragement. He told me, however, that he missed the presence of the +old members of his Government and of his bodyguard very much. Mr. +Hendrik van Niekerk, captain of the scouting corps raised in connection +with the bodyguard, had been appointed in the place of Commandant Davel. + +The head of our State then was still full of hope! + +How I then, as always, envied persons of an optimistic nature, persons +who never gave way to despair! If there were not men like President +Steyn and General de Wet in the world, no obstacles, seemingly +insuperable, would ever be surmounted. + +We held the solemn day of thanksgiving and of prayer--the first on the +farm of Mr. Nicolaas Kruger, the second on the farm of Mr. Willem +Blignaut, and then I parted from our lovable and indomitable President, +in the hope of joining him shortly afterwards. But this did not happen +until the 24th of October. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ANOTHER BRITISH PROCLAMATION + + +I went to Witzieshoek to visit my friend Mr. J. J. Ross. What an Elim +the place was to me during the week I stayed there. The surroundings +seemed to transport me two years back into the past. His children +reminded me of my own! + +And the books in the study! I read--no, I tasted--here a line from this +author, there a page from another, which is wrong!--oh, I know that! But +still it satisfies a person of my temperament and tastes no less than, +though perhaps more ethereally, it does the reader--yes, the reader--to +devour every book, word for word, that he attacks. + +I skimmed--not that I always do this with books: no, generally I too +read; but now I merely skimmed--here a little and there a little. +Besides, I had no time for _reading_. But I had experienced enough to +know now, after having had so many months of the war, where to seek the +greatest minds. + +I saw that the man who dips his pen in ink is greater than he who stains +his sword with blood. The man who, out of sight and unaffected by the +world's turmoil, gives his life to the thoughts which are born in +travail, and which, whatever men may say, do rule the world--that man is +greater than he who, in the great world outside, is made a hero of by a +senseless rabble, because he leads a hundred thousand men. This man +leads an army; that man leads the world. + +When I was at Witzieshoek, the English passed through Harrismith to +Bethlehem, as they were in the habit of doing almost every week. This +time they had an extract from a proclamation by Lord Kitchener, which +they left behind in their camps, on the buttresses of the bridge over +Elands River, and elsewhere. It was not long before the full text of the +proclamation[11] appeared, and this was not only sent to the +Governments, but officers came out with _flags of truce_ to the +different commandos. + +[Footnote 11: This Proclamation runs as follows:-- + +PROCLAMATION. + + By His Excellency, Baron Kitchener of Khartoum, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., + General Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's forces in South + Africa, High Commissioner for South Africa, Administrator of the + Transvaal, etc. etc. etc. + +_Whereas_ the late Orange Free State and South African Republics have +been annexed to His Majesty's dominions: + +_And whereas_ His Majesty's forces have for a considerable time been in +full possession of both territories aforesaid, together with their +public offices and all the machinery of administration, as well as of +all the principal towns, and of the railways: + +_And whereas_ the great majority of the burghers of the two late +Republics, to the number of 35,000, not counting those who have been +killed in the war, are now prisoners of war, or have submitted to His +Majesty's Government, and are now living quietly in villages or camps +under the protection of His Majesty's forces: + +_And whereas_ the burghers of the late Republics who are now under arms +against His Majesty's forces are not only few in number, but have lost +almost all their guns and munitions of war, and are without proper +military organisation, and therefore unable to carry on regular warfare, +or to offer any organised opposition to His Majesty's forces in any +portion of the country: + +_And whereas_ the burghers who are now still under arms, although unable +to carry on regular warfare, continue to make attacks on small and +isolated posts, and bodies of His Majesty's forces, to rob and destroy +property and to damage railway and telegraph lines, as well in the +Orange River Colony as in the Transvaal, and other portions of His +Majesty's South African dominions: + +_And whereas_ the country is thereby kept in a state of unrest, and the +carrying on of agriculture and commerce is prevented: + +_And whereas_ His Majesty's Government has resolved to put an end to a +condition which causes the useless shedding of blood, and needless +destruction of property to continue, and is causing the ruin of the +large majority of the population, who are desirous of living in peace, +and to earn a livelihood for themselves and their families: + +_And whereas_ it is right to take steps against those who still resist, +and especially against those persons who, having authority, are +responsible for the continuance of the existing condition of affairs, +and who are urging their fellow-burghers to persist in their hopeless +resistance to His Majesty's Government: + +_Therefore it is_ that I, Horatio Herbert, Baron of Khartoum, K.C.B., +K.C.M.G, General Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's forces in South +Africa, High Commissioner of South Africa, by _order of His Majesty's +Government_, proclaim and make known as follows:-- + +All Commandants, Field-Cornets, and Leaders of armed bands, being +burghers of the late Republics, who still continue to resist His +Majesty's forces in the Orange River Colony and Transvaal, or any other +portion of His Majesty's South African Possessions, and all members of +the Governments of the late Orange River Colony and the South African +Republic shall, unless they surrender before the 15th of September next, +be for ever banished from South Africa; the cost of support of families +of burghers still in the field who shall not have surrendered before the +15th of September shall be claimable against such burghers, and shall be +a charge upon their properties movable as well as immovable. + +_God save the King!_ + +Given under my hand at Pretoria this 7th day of August 1901. + + KITCHENER, General, + High Commissioner of South Africa.] + +This proclamation made known that the officers and members of the +Government would be banished from South Africa if they did not surrender +before the 15th of September 1901; and that the cost of support of the +families of all burghers who were still under arms on that date would be +claimable against such burghers, and would be a charge upon their +properties, movable as well as immovable. The English had therefore +again issued a proclamation. And how was this received by our burghers? + +Many people declared that this proclamation was a sign of weakness; +others spoke of it with the utmost contempt; the majority ignored it, +and everyone looked forward to the 15th September, to see if it would +actually be the case, as everyone expected that this proclamation would +have no effect. + +Meanwhile there was, as very frequently was the case, a great deal of +talk about peace. Peace would, it was said, come on the 20th of +September. But the 20th of September came and went, and there was no +peace. After that I never again heard that a day and date had been fixed +on which there would come an end to the war. + +From Witzieshoek I went to look for the President, but with the poor +horses that I had I could not reach the place where he was. Meanwhile I +held services wherever I could, both on week-days and Sundays, and where +opportunity offered I noted down my experiences on commando. In this +work I had to cope with peculiar difficulties. Sometimes I wrote at a +table, whilst at other times a window-sill served me as writing-desk; +but the greatest portion of my book was written on the seat of my cart, +whilst I sat crouched on the bottom. I did not always have good ink, and +the first pages of my notes are written in various shades; I had even to +use "Nastagal" ink, made by our women. This ink was to me a new example +of how inventive the Africanders are. Speaking of this gives me the +opportunity of saying something about the many ways in which our people +managed to lighten their burden of misery. + +Our boots wore out, and men were appointed to tan hides and make boots; +even women occupied themselves in this kind of work. The war had not +been going for fifteen months when there was a great scarcity of soap. +Then our mothers and sisters boiled a very serviceable article with the +help of the ashes of mealie-cobs and of various weeds. The English +destroyed the mills everywhere; but mills were mounted on waggons and +carried off when the English approached. One such mill ground more than +fifty bags of corn in twenty-four hours. Our corn was done before we had +been fighting a year; but peas, mealies, kaffir-corn, rye, acorns, and +dried peaches were used as substitutes. Through dire necessity a fine +old handicraft of our great grandmothers was revived: the spinning of +wool, which was still plentiful in spite of the devastation of the +enemy. Our mothers and wives and daughters span wool beautifully, +considering the nature of their spinning machines. Spinning-wheels were +fabricated in various ways from old sewing-machines, fruit-peelers, and +so forth. I have seen socks knitted of yarn spun by these primitive +machines, as fine and certainly stronger than those that can be bought +in shops. Our salt was at last quite exhausted, and this was a cause of +great anxiety, especially in districts such as Harrismith, where there +were no salt-pans; but here again our distress was relieved, for wells +were dug in the pans, where no one would have thought of digging before, +and salt water was found. "Everything," it was often remarked, "was +scarce; but nothing completely lacking." + +We toiled or plodded along, suffering in silence, where there was no +help for it, but we generally managed to find a way out of the +difficulty. No suffering was too severe, no sacrifice too great but was +gladly undergone or made for the realisation of the great ideal we were +striving for. + +What particularly struck me during this period was the boundless wealth +of the Orange Free State. Where all the cattle came from after the +immense devastation by the enemy was beyond my comprehension. We never +were in want of grain, notwithstanding the tens of thousands of tons of +wheat and maize destroyed or rendered unfit for consumption by the +British. And when on a few farms in the grain districts and elsewhere +there was still some wheat over, the fields were again waving, and at +the harvest time they stood yellow for reaping. The problem of clothing +was also solved. I saw several overcoats made from sheepskins, which +answered well. Some burghers wore complete suits made of leather. When +one's clothes wore out they were mended with patches of leather, and +then the garments were called "armoured" coats or pairs of trousers. +Besides this, money was taken to Basutoland, and great quantities of +clothing were bought and secretly brought to the Free State. This was +constantly done notwithstanding the strict vigilance of the enemy. + +And then there was the "shaking out" of soldiers; that is, when a +soldier was captured his clothes were taken from him and worn by such +burghers as needed them. + +Who will condemn this action? + +The enemy had not only cut off all our means of import, so that we were +completely isolated, but had done their utmost to burn our clothes +wherever they could. Whenever, then, a soldier fell into our hands, the +English supplied us with a suit of clothes. + +They provided us in the same way with ammunition. Since the commencement +of 1901 the scarcity of ammunition had caused us much anxiety. Many who +were loyal began to ask with misgivings whether this would not +ultimately force us to surrender. But our enemy supplied us. In the +later stages of the war we had scarcely any ammunition at all, except +what we got from England. We were completely dependent on Great Britain, +who took care that we should never be wholly in need. As President Steyn +wrote to the Transvaal Government: "After every fight we had enough +ammunition to commence another with." Towards the end of the war one +seldom saw burghers armed with Mausers. The enemy were fought with their +own rifles and their own ammunition. Has this often happened in the +history of the world? Sunday, 15th of September, was the day fixed by +Lord Kitchener on which the officers and men were given a last +opportunity to lay down their arms without detriment to themselves. The +day came, and who had surrendered? I only heard of two cases in the +districts of Vrede and Harrismith. Besides these, General Brand reported +that about twenty men from his districts had gone to the enemy. I also +heard of one or two cases in other parts of our country. The +proclamation thus was of little effect. There had been a time when the +Boers fell like ripe grain before the scythe of British proclamations. +That time was passed, and the big words and threats of Lord Kitchener +were now of no effect. + +This must be attributed partly to the fact that Lord Roberts had not +acted in good faith in relation to what he had promised in his +proclamations; but the chief cause of the firmness of the burghers now +was owing, as General de Wet used to say, to the men having been +"sifted": the chaff was gone, the wheat had remained. The winds of +destruction and the rain-torrents of devastation had finished their work +of attrition on the mountain of Africanderdom. The soft loose soil had +been washed away, only the bed-rock remained. + +And what shall I say of those--our own flesh and blood--who went over to +the enemy? + +Renegades!--What can I say? + +That most of them gave up their arms to the enemy in moments of +despondency I can understand, for I, too, know what dejection is; but +that there were others who drew sword for the English and against us is +hard to understand. + +But the traitor, God will punish. It must not, however, be forgotten +that it is not unprecedented in an unformed nation for the faint-hearted +to desert to the enemy. Such a nation still lacks the powerful _esprit +de corps_ which is born of the traditions of the past. There were +thousands of deserters, traitors, and renegades amongst the Americans +during their great struggle. + +But the fierce flame of this war has welded us together. The war with +England towers in our past as something mighty and heroic. The future +must always be influenced by it, and our children, looking back, will +realise how close the ties are between themselves and their fathers, and +thereby they will be drawn together into one united people. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +HOW THE PRESIDENT PASSED HIS TIME + + +On Sunday, 29th September 1901, I held services in the house of Mr. +Gerrit Aveling at Wagenmakers Vlei, after having, during the past week, +addressed the burghers in different parts of the district of Vrede. It +was my intention now to visit my own congregation, and I had already +written to Commandant Meyer to arrange for the holding of services for +his men. But this could not take place. The English had already marched +out of Harrismith, and on Monday we heard that they had arrived in the +neighbourhood of Sandhurst, the farm of Mr. Hermanus Wessels. The people +living in the vicinity of where I was immediately took to flight, and I +temporarily joined the company of Mr. Jan Adendorf. + +On Tuesday the English came as far as the farm of Mr. Adendorf, +Christina, and from there a small number of them went to Natal, while +the rest were sent about seizing cattle everywhere and otherwise +conducting themselves after their wont. They did not, however, burn down +houses now, but where they found property that the owners had carried +out of their houses and hidden, they consigned this to the flames. + +My son was now taken prisoner by the English, along with Assistant +Field-Cornet Gert van Deventer, and the Burgher Thys Uys. He had +remained behind to fight. One evening it appeared that the English were +retiring from Ottershoek to Brakfontein, and Field-Cornet van Deventer +thought it was safe enough to sleep in a house. He with the two others +therefore went to the homestead of Mrs. Swart. But there was a Kaffir +there who saw them, and when it got dark he went and informed the +English. The consequence was that at daylight the following morning +these three, together with the two little sons of Mrs. Swart, were taken +prisoners. The news was brought me when I was not far from Woodside. It +may be imagined that after my son and I had been chums for so long I +felt very lonely. But I was more anxious about him than about myself, +because I knew that he would be uneasy about me. It was some +consolation, however, that he had been captured and not killed. +Meanwhile I had almost without noticing got into a women's laager. +During the flight the company in which one finds oneself keeps +increasing in numbers--_vires acquirit eundo_. And now I thought that it +was not advisable to remain in a women's laager; for I did not wish to +expose myself to the chance of being captured again in the same manner +as on the 6th of June at Graspan. Therefore, on the day after the news +reached me of my son's capture, I took leave of the good friends with +whom I had spent some days, and went to General Wessels. I arrived there +the following day, having spent the night at the farm of Mr. Kootje +Muller. + +Others of the English had meanwhile come from Standerton and reached +Woodside; and before I was well aware of it I was again one of a number +of fugitives. Separating myself from them, when I learnt that the +English had retired from Woodside, I soon found myself, now for the +third time, again in a laager of women. This laager was a Harrismith +one, under Ex-Commandant Truter and Mr. James Howell. I now thought +that I should be able to accompany this laager to the district of +Harrismith, and thus realise my wish to visit my own congregation. But +in this I was again disappointed, for on Tuesday, the 15th of October, +we nearly drove into the English, who were at Newmarket. I therefore +left them, and for the present gave up the idea of visiting the +Harrismith people. An incorrect report, stating that the English were +advancing from Frankfort up the Wilge River, prevented my crossing that +river, as I had intended to do, and I remained the fellow-fugitive of +Mr. Piet de Jager for a week. From his farm I then went to his +brother's, Michal de Jager, and when I had been there two days I heard +from the President. He wrote me a letter wherein he informed me where I +should find him. I started immediately, and on the 24th of October I +arrived in his laager, and resolved, at his friendly request, to remain +with him. + +Life was now again the old commando life that I had not known since +January. We knew of no roof but that which spreads over all the earth. +On the grass we spent our time, sitting by our carts or saddles, or +lying down where we happened to be. We ate, drank, and slept under the +open sky. It did sometimes happen that the housewives invited their +President to their tables, and that such invitations were not declined; +but he never went to sleep in a house unless rainy weather forced him to +do so. And even this was not done whenever the enemy was in the +vicinity. + +Commandant van Niekerk constantly received reports from his outposts, +which were placed at a certain distance from the laager. They always +kept him informed as to the movements of the enemy, and he made the +little laager shift every evening according to circumstances. We very +seldom slept at the same place on two consecutive nights, and thus, in +spite of ourselves, had to undergo the penalty of wandering. To be +always ready for what might happen, the horses were brought from the +veld every morning at two o'clock and held until the patrols brought a +report later in the morning that all was safe. + +The President's horse stood ready saddled from that hour. The President +never took off his boots at night, and was therefore ready every moment +to mount his horse. I always took off my boots at night, unless the +enemy was very near. But I was more circumspect with regard to the +safety of my MS. I never let it off my person. I made a little bag of +old linen, placed my MS. in it, and wore it under my waistcoat, whenever +the English were approaching. If anything should happen there would be a +chance, provided the enemy did not "shake me out," that my book would +not be lost for the second time as at Graspan. + +The distance which we "trekked" every night depended upon how far we +were away from the English. If they were far away, we only travelled +three or four miles; if they came nearer, we were sometimes obliged to +push on during the whole night in order to pass through between them or +to get round them. + +So I again led the old commando life. But though we were exposed to much +discomfort, the time passed rapidly, especially as we had something to +read in the laager. Newspapers, picked up where the English had camped, +reached us from all sides. And before the carts were done away with, we +carried on them a small library. Here is an incomplete catalogue of our +books: _Krieg und Frieden_, a German translation of Tolstoi's _War and +Peace_, _Anna Karenina_, some books of poetry, a book on physics, a +history of the American War, some theological works, a little book +containing extracts from Seneca in English, a biography of Savonarola. +My pastime was writing. I was incessantly sitting cramped at the seat of +my cart writing my notes. + +Yes, the time passed rapidly! Before we were aware of it a week was +gone, and Sunday with its divine service had come. This consoled me, for +the thought constantly occurred to me that we were not crawling but +flying towards the end. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A DESPATCH FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC + + +I had hardly arrived in President Steyn's laager when I heard of a +proclamation issued by him, in consultation with the Council of War, +dated the 2nd of November 1901, whereby it was made lawful that boys of +fourteen years old, when their physical condition and health permitted, +should be "commandeered." + +It was as if a sword had pierced my heart when I heard of this +proclamation. Our Government had signalled that the Fatherland expected +not only every man, but also every child to do his duty. + +It was at this time, perhaps in consequence of this proclamation, that +the English began to tear away little boys from their mothers, and not +only those of fourteen and over, but also those under that age; even +children of eight were mercilessly dragged away. + +Immediately after I had joined the President his laager proceeded in the +direction of Lindley. We had now an opportunity of visiting our hospital +under the charge of Dr. Fourie, at the farm of Mr. David Malan. Then we +went in the direction of Senekal to meet General Kritzinger, who had +been driven over the border of the Cape Colony by General French, and +was now staying in the Free State to let his horses rest a while. On +Sunday, the 3rd of November, we held service, near Biddulphsberg, on +the farm of Mr. Leendert Muller, and there General Kritzinger was also +present. The President then resolved to be at Little Clocolan on the +following Sunday, to address the colonists under Kritzinger on the +occasion of divine service being held. This took place at the farm of +Mrs. Bornman. On our way thither something occurred which caused some +uneasiness to the President and the members of the Executive Council. +General de Wet sent a report after him, stating that a letter had +arrived from the Transvaal, and he asked President Steyn to fix a place +where the Executive Council could meet for the purpose of considering +that letter. The President fixed on the house of Christoffel de Jager at +Sand River, and rode back twelve miles to that spot. + +The letter in question asked whether we should not again try to enter +into negotiations with the British Government, and to make a proposal +for Peace. The Transvaal Government proposed that as a basis of +negotiation there might be discussed such points as equal rights for the +Dutch and English languages, religious liberty, costs of the war, an +offensive and defensive alliance as far as South Africa was concerned, +etc. + +President Steyn replied on behalf of the Executive Council, that in his +reply to Lord Kitchener he had already proposed to negotiate upon the +condition that the Republics should retain their independence, and that +the result was well known. Further, he said that he could not discuss +all the points suggested by the Transvaal Government _seriatim_, but if +there was to be a proposal for an offensive or defensive alliance with +England, then we might as well recall the Deputation from Europe. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE PRESIDENT RETURNS TO THE PLAINS + + +We had a pleasant time in the grain districts. There was an abundance of +bread and no scarcity of slaughter-cattle. We also found wild-honey in +the fissures of the rocks. Everything looked fresh and full of life in +the early spring. The veld was green, and the trees heavily laden with +young fruit gave promise of a good harvest. All the wheat-fields looked +splendid, and at many places we noticed that people would reap where +they had not sown; for everywhere there were fields where the seed which +had fallen on the ground the previous year had again sprouted and was +growing luxuriantly enough to be harvested. What a beautiful mountainous +country the "Conquered Territory" is! Is it not the Crown of the Orange +Free State? + +We spent a pleasant time; but it could not continue, as we were in +danger of English columns which were constantly marching to and fro from +Winburg to Bethlehem. One of these columns, which was just then passing +from Bethlehem to Senekal, took our only Africander medical man, Dr. +Fourie, prisoner in his hospital at the farm of David Malan. We should +now have been wholly without a doctor if Mr. Poutsma, who on the +occasion of General de Wet's second attempt to enter the Cape Colony had +been captured by the English, had not cast in his lot with us again. The +English had let him return to Holland, and now he had come back from +there to South Africa. He was welcomed by us, and the house of Mrs. de +Jager at the farm Bezuidenhout's Drift on Wilge River was arranged as a +hospital for him. + +We could not then remain in the "Conquered Territory." We therefore +resolved to return to the plains around Lindley and Reitz. On Sunday, +the 10th of November, we were on the farm of Mr. Claesens, near Wonder +Kop, and I held service under the trees in the garden there for the +burghers, and for two large women's laagers, that were fleeing for fear +of the English. + +Three days after we were at the farm of Mr. W. Prinsloo. Here General de +Wet visited the President, and a meeting of the Executive Council was +held. + +The General informed the President here that it was his intention to +form a large flying commando for service against the English wherever an +opportunity offered. This commando was to consist of burghers from +Bethlehem under General Prinsloo and Commandant Olivier; and, further, +of men from Heilbron under Commandant van Coller; Kroonstad, under +Commandant Celliers; Ladybrand, under Commandant Koen; Vrede, under +Commandant Botha; and the Transvaalers who were at that time in +Harrismith district, under Commandant Mears. + +General de Wet left in the afternoon, and in the evening we trekked +towards Wit Kop, and halted for the night on the ledges near Mr. Krog's +farm, between Wit Kop and Wonder Kop. + +The English were once more on the road from Winburg to Senekal, and +Commandant van Niekerk intended passing round their front; but just as +he was on the point of doing this, a false report was brought him that a +force of English was also approaching Senekal from Harrismith, and that +they had got as far as Rexford. + +The Commandant now determined to pass round the rear of the enemy, and +a start was made in the afternoon. We had not, however, progressed very +far before we learned that the report that the English were at Rexford +was untrue. Commandant van Niekerk now decided to carry out his original +intention, and the commando returned to the ledges by a round-about way. + +The following day, Sunday, the commando again proceeded, passing over +Driekuil and to the east of Tafel Kop, where we halted until dark. + +In the clear moonlight we then went on, passing east of Biddulphsberg, +and at eleven o'clock we were near Leendert Muller's farm. There an +occurrence took place which afforded a slight change in the monotony of +the night march. Our scouts, who rode about two hundred yards ahead, saw +two horsemen riding towards them and put them to flight. They were very +nearly fired upon, but luckily both parties perceived betimes that they +were friends. + +The two men proved to be burghers, who, along with some others, had +charge of a women's laager not far off. They told us that on the west +the English from Winburg had advanced as far as the farm of Christoffel +de Jager--which fact we were aware of ourselves--and that to the east +there were others from Bethlehem, at Scheur Klip; and furthermore, that +there were British camps in front of us at Blauw Kopje and elsewhere. + +It was now too dangerous to go on, and there was nothing to be done but +to return, which we did. And when the eastern sky was reddening with the +light of dawn, we were back on the farm Driekuil. + +It was lucky for us that we did this, for on Tuesday morning the English +from Bethlehem made a sortie towards Kaffir's Kop, which lay directly in +our route. We remained in the neighbourhood of Driekuil till Thursday, +28th November, and then rode through the night over Pietersdal, +Bester's Kop, and across the Bethlehem road, till we reached the farm +Nooitgedacht, near Kaffir's Kop. + +On the following morning we were in the immediate vicinity of a fight +which General de Wet was having with the English not far south of +Lindley. He arrested their progress, and they retired that night to the +farm of Caspar Kruger at Victoria Spruit. + +On the following day the English had disappeared in the direction of +Heilbron, abandoning five waggons. These waggons were loaded with flour, +sugar, tobacco, blankets and tents. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE ENGLISH LAY WASTE THE COUNTRY ABOUT LINDLEY + + +It was in the beginning of December that we returned to the plains, and +on the 3rd and 4th the President visited the great flying commando at +Lindley. On the second day he addressed the men. + +Here we met Judge Hertzog, who had come from the western districts to +discuss some important matters with President Steyn. He remained with +the President, while he awaited an answer to a letter written to the +Transvaal with relation to his visit there. + +A service was to be held in the town on Sunday, the 8th of December. +Instead of this a fight took place there. The English were seen early on +that day advancing from Valsch River bridge. + +General de Wet gave orders that one portion of the burghers should take +up positions on either side of the Kroonstad road, and the others a +position to the east of it, near the Plat Kopje. I witnessed the whole +affair. The enemy were in overwhelming force, and slowly advanced in +widely extended order. It was impossible for our men to hold their +positions. The burghers on the Kroonstad road were the first to give +way. They took up positions on the kopjes where, more than a year +before, the Yeomanry had surrendered. Shortly after the men on the right +flank at the Plat Kop had also to retire. I then saw large numbers of +the English come out over the ridges. How few our little groups of +burghers seemed in comparison to the large numbers that made their +appearance there. Everything was now in the power of the English. They +could bombard the Yeomanry kopjes, and our burghers had to desert them +also. It was not long before the whole commando was in full retreat +towards Elandsfontein. + +During the next couple of days the English did as they liked, without +any resistance being offered them. They went about everywhere in the +neighbourhood, devastated the farms, and took away the cattle with which +our people had not fled. + +When the President returned there on the 16th of December, after the +departure of the English, I heard from the women how sadly things had +gone. They were, it is true, not taken away, but they were driven out of +their houses, and had to see their dwellings burnt down or destroyed +before their very eyes. Could inhumanity go further? If the English did +not wish to exterminate us, what then did they mean by driving weak +women and children out of doors and destroying the houses? All the food +of the women was carried away or scattered upon the ground; and it was +only through the kind-heartedness of here and there a more humane +officer, or of some simple "Tommy," that a dish of flour was secretly +left behind for the housewife. What made everything still more sad was +the great service rendered by traitorous Africanders as guides to the +enemy. + +Mrs. Gert van Niekerk of Windbult told me what had happened to her +before the eyes of one of these, Ex-General Piet de Wet. Alas! that I +should have to record it, but-- + + "'Tis true, 'tis pity, + And pity 'tis, 'tis true." + +These Africanders made it possible for the English to travel long +distances at night, and, acquainted as they were with the habits of +their countrymen, they enabled the English to capture Boers, and to +seize cattle, where otherwise they would have been unable to do so, or +at least could not have done so without infinitely more trouble. How +must every noble sentiment have been stifled in these men! It is +impossible to comprehend how they could have endured listening to the +constant abuse which in the camps was heaped on their own +race--incomprehensible how they could constantly, from one farm to +another, look on the misery which they were helping to bring upon women +and children--who were their own flesh and blood. + +From Mrs. Niekerk, then, I heard how she had fared. The English came to +the farm Windbult about ten o'clock on the 10th of December, and +immediately began to strike the doors, windows, and furniture with axes +and hammers, smashing and demolishing everything. If Mrs. van Niekerk +attempted to save anything it was snatched from her hands and broken to +atoms. But her daughter, helped by an Africander serving under the +English, succeeded in carrying out some beds, chairs, and smaller +articles. + +Meanwhile ex-General de Wet carried on a conversation with Mrs. van +Niekerk, whom he had formerly, as her neighbour, known very intimately. +This conversation ran nearly as follows:-- + +_P. de Wet._ Do tell the burghers that it is a lost cause. Try to +persuade them that they are blindly going astray. + +_Mrs. v. Niekerk._ I will do no such thing. + +_P. de Wet._ It is against the Bible to continue the war; for we read +that a king must consider if with ten thousand men he is able to meet +his opponent who is coming against him with twenty thousand. + +_Mrs. v. Niekerk._ But, Piet, you were a Commandant yourself; what did +you think of our small numbers against our mighty foe then? + +_P. de Wet._ My eyes were opened later. I have seen my mistake.... But +it is just Christian de Wet and old Steyn who keep the thing going by +telling lies to the burghers. + +Mrs. van Niekerk had meanwhile kept her eyes constantly fixed on the +soldiers who were destroying her property. Pointing at the ruins, she +appealed to such sense of right as she thought might still be left in +the man, for whom in happier days she had had much respect, and asked: +"Are you not ashamed, Piet? See how you are ruining us." + +And what was his reply?--What? I do not know how to describe it, so +feeble it was,--this: "And why do you ruin England so?" + +The conversation continued as follows:-- + +_P. de Wet._ The country is lost. + +_Mrs. v. Niekerk._ No, the country is not lost. You are masters for the +moment wherever your camps stand. Elsewhere the burghers do what they +like and go wherever they choose. + +_P. de Wet._ Wait a bit, till the 200,000 men who are still to come from +England are here, and the blockhouses which are to be built from town to +town are completed.--Aunt, do tell the burghers what I now tell to +you--All is lost. Do tell the burghers so. + +_Mrs. v. Niekerk._ I will not do so. Besides, it would be in vain. + +Involuntarily she thought of days gone by, when the man who now stood +before her came to her house under conditions so entirely different. "Oh +Piet," she said, "have we not prayed together, you and I, in our +prayer-meetings, in this very house, that is now being turned into a +heap of ruins? Alas! the image which I then saw in you, I see no more. +You have forsaken God." + +"No," he said; "all of you have done that. And as regards +prayer-meetings, every Sunday we do that.... But the consciences of the +burghers who are still fighting have become seared." + +The house was destroyed; where the doors and windows were, yawning +openings gaped. The beams were sawn down, a partition wall thrown down, +and the roof fell in,--all this in the presence of Mrs. van Niekerk and +Piet de Wet. + +The poor woman then went to an outer storehouse, but the English would +not allow her to remain there, and she took refuge in a miserable hut +used for storing dry cow-dung for fuel. + +But on the following day she had to move out of there too, as the enemy +said they needed the place to fire from. And so she and her daughter +were now stranded on her own premises without the least protection from +wind or weather. + +But this did not last long. The English ordered her and her daughter to +get into a waggon, saying that they would take her to Kroonstad. This, +however, they did not do; but informed her on the road, that they would +leave her with a woman, and in the afternoon made her alight at the +house of Field-Cornet Thys de Beer. + +This building was in flames, and Mrs. de Beer was outside with her +children, one of whom was a sick baby. The women and children spent that +night in a small lean-to, which luckily had not been burnt down. + +When Mrs. van Niekerk's son, Jurie, rode to their house on the same day, +to see how his mother was doing, some English were concealed in the hut +where the fuel was kept. They allowed him to approach, and one of the +soldiers called out, "Hands up!" "Hands up, you!" said Jurie van +Niekerk, and fired his revolver at them. But there were too many ready +for him, and he immediately fell, mortally wounded, by three bullets. + +The day after, his father, Gert van Niekerk, returned to his house. He +was quite alone, and viewed the ruin of his home. But who shall describe +his thoughts when he--standing there all alone--found the still unburied +corpse of his son! The English returned, after having killed a great +many sheep and taken much cattle. Still, great numbers of cattle were +saved by the burghers at night. + +Dingaan's Day with its memories of happy rejoicings once more arrived. I +had ridden to be with the commando on that day, but wherever I came I +always found that it had moved away before me, so that I could celebrate +the day with but a small number of people. + +On the 17th of December the President was on the left bank of Tijger +Kloof, and it was there that the news of Commandant Hasebroek's death +reached him. A few days later we learnt that on the 16th of December he +unexpectedly encountered a number of English, and that, while galloping +away from them, he received a bullet through his head. So he too had +given his life for his country's freedom! + +Posterity will keep the memory of the gallant Commandant Green. He was a +man of noble character. Opposed to all hypocrisy, he was frank and +open-hearted, and never hesitated to express his opinions fearlessly to +anyone, whoever he might be. He was the idol of his men, and looked +after their wants as if they were his children. He was ever the first to +enter a position--the last to leave it. He was a tower of strength to +our cause; when nearly everyone was discouraged at Nauwpoort, his +courage never wavered. If it had not been for him and a mere handful of +others like him, who knew not what it was to despair, our whole fighting +force would have surrendered to the enemy like cowards. Brave, resolute +Commandant, I reverently lay a wreath upon your grave! + +Before I bring this chapter to a close, I must add that when President +Steyn was retiring from Lindley he had received a letter from Lord +Kitchener (in consequence of a letter from Vice-President Schalk Burger +to Lord Salisbury, in which he complained about the removal and +ill-treatment of our women and the bad treatment they received in the +camps). Lord Kitchener wrote on the 1st December 1901 to the two +Presidents, and said, amongst other things, that as the Presidents +complained of the treatment of women and children, and as they must +therefore be able to look after them, he had the honour to inform them +that all women and children at present in his camps who were willing to +leave, would be sent to the Presidents. Lord Kitchener said he would be +pleased to hear where the Presidents desired the women and children to +be handed to them. + +President Steyn answered that he could not receive them, especially as +Lord Kitchener had not only had all the houses destroyed, but also the +bedding of the women and children. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +TWO IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENTS + + +We passed to the south-east of Reitz and came to the farm Inloop, +belonging to Mr. Gert van Rensburg. On our way thither I left the +commando to go to the office of Landdrost Serfontein, in order to visit +the unfortunate de Lange there, who was sentenced to death by a +court-martial for high treason. I found him in very sad circumstances; +but he was sustained by religion. He passed all his time in prayer and +in reading the Bible. + +Unfortunately his sentence was not carried out on the appointed day. He +was taken to Reitz, his grave was ready, everything was prepared for the +enactment of the sad tragedy; but the persons who had to carry out the +sentence did not appear. Two days later, on the 21st of December, he was +shot while kneeling before his grave in prayer. + +General Wessel Wessels had been charged with the sending of a party of +men to execute the sentence, but on that day when this had to be done +all his attention was occupied by the English near Tafel Kop. The +English were busy building blockhouses from the Drakensberg to Vrede, +and General Wessels was waiting for an opportunity to attack them. On +the following day the opportunity came. There were three forces of +British, when General Wessels, supported by the Commandants Ross and +Botha, gave orders that one of these forces should be attacked. He had +about a hundred and thirty or forty men, while the force attacked were +in far greater numbers, and were provided besides with two Armstrong +guns, two Maxim-Nordenfeldts, and one Maxim. + +Our burghers galloped over a bare plain for nearly three and a half +miles, up to the enemy, who were on a kopje. The English let them come +up to six hundred yards, and then opened fire on them with shrapnel. +Their Maxims also and their rifles came into play. But the burghers were +not to be checked. Soon they were so close that they silenced the guns +by shooting down the gunners. They then charged up close to the enemy, +and there were in some cases hand-to-hand encounters, some of the +combatants striking one another with their rifle-butts. + +The English were stubborn and fought very bravely; but in a short time +everything was in the hands of our burghers. Some of the English took to +flight, and very many were killed and wounded. + +All the field-pieces were now in possession of General Wessels; but +before they could be got away, one of the other two columns turned up +from the direction of Paardenberg. This force was repulsed thrice, and +our burghers would have got off with the guns had not the third force +appeared from the direction of Wilge River. + +The only thing to be done now was to gallop out, and abandon the +captured cannon. This was only done with the greatest difficulty. The +one column was a thousand yards to the right, and the other a hundred to +the left; some of the troops were already immediately in front of our +men. But fortunately they got through without casualty. Unhappily, +however, five men had been killed and four wounded in the storming of +the kopje. + +Immediately after Assistant Commandant de Kock came in contact on the +farm Beginsel with the column, which had come up as a reinforcement from +Wilge River. He undoubtedly caused them some considerable loss, for five +ambulance waggons were later on busy with the casualties there. +Commandant de Kock had, however, also to retire before this column, +after he had engaged it for an hour and a half, because a reinforcement +made its appearance, and directed the fire of their cannon at him. He +had no casualties. We found out afterwards that the force which General +Wessels attacked was that under Major Damant, while the one that +attacked Commandant de Kock was commanded by Colonel Rimington. + +Christmas Day had come again. I was not so low-spirited as on the last +celebration of this memorable day. This must be ascribed to the fact +that we spent the day pleasantly at Liebenberg's Vlei at the house of +Mr. Juri Kemp. I could never have believed that, after a long struggle +of two years and two months, we should be able to see such abundance on +a table as that which Mrs. Kemp and her daughters provided there. It +could not have been surpassed in times of peace. Notwithstanding the +want of sugar, the sweet was not absent. The bees had supplied that. It +did us good, in the midst of our troubles, to enjoy some pleasant hours, +and we did not forget the religious character of the day. In the morning +we held service at "Fanny's home," and in the afternoon at Mr. Kemp's +house. + +In the midst of all this joy I did not know that my son was dead eleven +days. It was the same thing over again that evening when we, at some +distance from this pleasant scene, were ready again to retire to rest on +the grass. Before we did so a rumour came that General de Wet had +captured a camp of the enemy early that morning. His report of this +event reached the President the following morning. From this report, and +from what I heard from the mouths of many who were in the fight, I give +the following account of the attack:-- + +The English were building blockhouses from Harrismith to Bethlehem, and +their advance force, 580 strong, under command temporarily of Major +Williams, was camped at Groenkop on the farm Tweefontein in the district +of Bethlehem. General de Wet had, since he had collected the large +commando, sought for an opportunity to come in contact with the enemy. +After what had occurred at Lindley, and a fight later near Langberg, +which however had not been a success for us, he had as yet done nothing. +When, however, Christmas was approaching, he thought that it would be +the right time for him to act, and the force at Groenkop drew his +attention. He reconnoitred himself, and resolved to make an attack on +the night between the 24th and 25th December. He gave the necessary +orders late in the night of the 24th, and General Prinsloo and the +Commandants marched out with him to the hill. + +It was a bright moonlit night, and there was some danger that the +advancing force might be seen from above long before the hill could be +reached. But fortunately there were clouds floating in the air, which +everywhere threw shadows upon the plain, over which the commando had to +pass, and it reassured the burghers when they thought that the several +divisions might look from the hills like patches of shadow below. There +were dongas near the foot of the hill. Our men passed safely through +these, and a little farther on they dismounted and began the ascent. + +It was then two o'clock in the morning. The Heilbron and Kroonstad +burghers, under the Commandants van Coller and Celliers, ascended on the +left towards the north, whilst the men of Bethlehem, under General +Prinsloo and Commandant Olivier, formed the right wing. In the centre +were the men of Vrede and Harrismith, under Commandants Hermanus Botha +and Jan Jacobsz, together with Commandant Mears and his men. The +burghers were in the best of spirits. They climbed the hill, the one +striving to pass the other. "It was splendid to see how they charged," +one man said to me. "They went up like a swarm of locusts." There were +three encampments of sandstone over which our men had to pass before +they could get to the top. Over the first they had clambered, when there +came the usual "Halt! who goes there?" Then the sound of a whistle was +heard, and immediately thereupon the enemy began to fire. Our burghers +advanced with all the more determination over the other two ledges of +sandstone, shouting, "Merry Christmas," etc., and rushed upon the +entrenchments. The English fired twice with grapeshot and several times +with the Maxim-Nordenfeldt, but those who were serving the guns were +killed, wounded, or forced to surrender, as was the case with one who +was just putting a belt into the Maxim-Nordenfeldt. The forts were soon +taken, excepting one on the right hand, and it was from it that most of +our burghers who fell were shot; as soon, however, as General Prinsloo +noticed the heavy fire from that fort, he stormed and soon silenced it. + +Our burghers now fired on the tents, and many English were killed and +wounded in them. Many also fled half dressed from the tents, forming, as +they ran, movable targets for our men. + +"Within half an hour," so General de Wet stated in his report, "all the +forts were taken, and the cannon and the whole of the camp were in our +hands. The enemy fled, fighting all the while, to at least two or three +hundred yards outside their camp, and the fight continued for another +hour and a half.... I must say that I have never seen better fighting +against an entrenched place. Our officers and burghers literally marched +right through the camp. The booty consisted of a 15-pounder Armstrong, a +Maxim-Nordenfeldt, a Maxim, and many Lee-Metford rifles. Much +ammunition, twenty-seven waggons, laden with all kinds of provision; +overcoats, blankets, and about 500 horses and mules were captured." Poor +Tommy!--Yes, let me speak tenderly of him, however I might otherwise +express myself when speaking in the abstract of the English people, or +in the concrete of Chamberlain, Milner, and many officers of the British +army,--poor Tommy had received his plum-pudding, tobacco, and new +uniform (Christmas presents), and on the evening before he had made a +parcel of them and laid it at his pillow with the object of putting it +on and enjoying it in the morning. For many a Tommy the morning light +did not dawn, and for not one of them came the enjoyment of his +Christmas fare. + +Our loss was considerable. "We have," so General de Wet reported, "to +mourn the loss of fourteen men--heroes!--dead; amongst whom are the +gallant Commandant Olivier of Bethlehem, Field-Cornet M. Lourens of the +ward, Lower Bethlehem, and Assistant Field-Cornet Jan Dalebout of +Harrismith." Besides Field-Cornet Dalebout I personally had to lament +the death of another Harrismith man, Jacob Kok. + +The number of our wounded was 32. The loss of the enemy was great: 24 +were taken prisoners, and, excepting the few who succeeded in escaping, +the rest were either wounded or killed. Major Williams was also amongst +the killed. + +General Brand and Commandant Coetzee, who had just come from the west on +a visit to General de Wet, took part in the fight, and their services +were highly valued by the General. + +At eight o'clock an English reinforcement came from Elands River +bridge; but by that time our people had already gone off with the booty. +The prisoners-of-war were partially "shaken out" and sent over the +Basuto border. + +Prisoners-of-war released!--What a strange war this war of ours was. We +had no ammunition but that which we got from the enemy; hardly any +clothes but those provided us by our adversaries. And when we took +soldiers prisoners, then--they were set free! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +OUR CASE GROWS MORE AND MORE DESPERATE + + +Blockhouses were also erected in the northern and south-eastern portions +of the Orange Free State. One line from Kroonstad to Lindley was +finished towards the middle of December; another from Botha's Pass to +Vrede and Frankfort at the end of the year; and a third from Harrismith +to Bethlehem shut off, with the portion that had already been built from +Fouriesburg to Bethlehem, the grain districts behind Nauwpoort, about +the middle of January 1902. People had all kinds of ideas about these +blockhouses. Some thought that they did not signify much, and might be +compared to the flags which are sometimes planted in front of a flock of +sheep. At first the sheep remain within the line, but soon they find +that the flags form no insuperable barrier, and then they graze up to, +and then to the other side of the flags. Others again could not conceal +their fears. The English, they thought, were making the circle narrower, +and we should eventually have to flee from place to place until we were +overtaken and overwhelmed by superior forces. We soon found that there +was truth in both views. The circle was drawn closer and closer. If the +English columns were marching about, we had to keep our horses tied at +nights to be ready every moment to retire to the right or to the left, +so as not to be driven against the blockhouses, or we had to retreat +before the enemy until near some line of blockhouses, and then suddenly +face about and either pass between our pursuers or go round them. On the +other hand, the danger of the blockhouses was not so great as had been +feared. Burghers could always pass them on horseback, and sometimes they +even did so with carts and herds of cattle. + + +1902. + +The New Year had again come; and with the year new trouble and +ever-increasing distress. It was not easy for us, in spite of all that +had thus constantly gone against us, to remain hopeful. Now and then we +read something in the newspapers, picked up on the spots where the +English had encamped, that encouraged us somewhat. What we read of +Anglophobia in Germany would cheer us up a little and revive the +expectation in us that the war would soon be over. But when we would +read in the same papers that the English Government was resolved to +continue the war at all costs, and when we were constantly eye-witnesses +of the uncivilised manner in which the troops carried on the war, then, +as far at least as I was concerned, there appeared to be no prospect of +a speedy termination--no sign in our clouded sky that the storm was +breaking. "Watchman," so I seemed to cry, "what of the night? what of +the night?" and it was as if I always received the answer: "The morning +has come, and yet it is night." + +What especially did not tend to encourage was the increasing violence +with which the English continued their destructive work. This took place +in the districts to the east of Lindley, chiefly in the month from 10th +January to 10th February. Especially was this the case where the column +of Colonel Rimington passed. + +Colonel Rimington now passed through portions of the districts of +Bethlehem and Harrismith, in the neighbourhood of Reitz. When he came to +a farmhouse, the first questions of his officers and soldiers to the +housewife were, "Where is your husband? Where is de Wet? Where is Steyn? +Where are the Boers?" The woman could honestly reply that she did not +know, whereupon they threatened to burn down her house, if she gave no +information; and while the conversation was still going on she was +summarily ordered to carry out her bedding; the soldiers would then with +loaded guns and fixed bayonets storm into the house to seek for Boers, +under the beds and in clothes presses. They then smashed the +looking-glasses, so that the Boers should make no heliographs of them. +Further, they took everything they wanted to: pillow-cases to serve as +bags for fruit, etc., sheets, knives and forks, even when these had +already been carried out along with the bedding. Pots and pans the +housewife might in no case retain, even all the dishes and plates were +smashed. Worse still, the woman was robbed of all her food; what the +soldiers could not eat, such as flour, was thrown out upon the ground, +and trodden under foot in the mud and dirt. Bread was never spared; out +of the bin, from the table, or hot from the oven, it was taken, and not +a crumb left behind. If there were any meat in pot and pan on the fire, +then it was carried off, pot and pan and all. And thus the soldiers took +the food out of the children's mouths. The mother remained behind with +nothing. If she asked what she was to give her two, three, or six +children to eat, the rough retort was, "Ask de Wet that?" "Never," said +one woman to me, "was it so hard for me, as when my children cried to me +for bread, and I had nothing to give them." + +And then the soldiers would ride away to do the same at the next house. +The woman left behind at the ruins of her house, took some of the zinc +plates, laid them sloping against the wall of her destroyed house, and +remained there until her husband came and brought her some food, and +made a dwelling for her again, as well as he was able. Besides, all this +I have heard from women that fearfully insulting language was used +towards them by the rude soldiers. This certainly was not indulged in by +all, for, as the woman readily admitted, there were some camps which +passed through that were blameless. The armed Kaffirs revelled in being +able to address the women familiarly with "thou" and "thee." "Where is +your (jou) husband?--If he were here now I would shoot him dead." And +they marched through the house as freely as the soldiers did. + +It often happened that the soldiers broke into a house late at night, +and forced their way even into the bedrooms, where the women lay in bed, +under pretext of hunting for hidden Boers. + +On the 10th of January the column of Colonel Rimington came to our +hospital at Bezuidenhout's Drift. Notwithstanding that Dr. Poutsma had +been allowed by Lord Kitchener to come and practise amongst us, and that +the Red Cross flag was displayed that morning, as usual, over two of the +buildings, and over the ambulance waggon, some soldiers stormed the +hospital. This is what Dr. Poutsma, _inter alia_, says in an affidavit: +"In and around the building shots were fired, and about fifteen yards +from me, at the back door, a horseman dismounted, and kneeling down +fired at me. 'Hands up!' he cried, and notwithstanding that I was, of +course, unarmed, and moreover had put up my hands, he continued firing, +whereupon I fled into the house. When I got to the kitchen some shots +were sent after me, but wonderful to relate, without the intended +result, as was the case also with six revolver shots which a captain +fired partly at me, partly into the kitchen, and partly into the large +sick ward. The captain in question, whose name is unknown to me, was so +disappointed at all his shots having missed me, that he sprang towards +me with the empty revolver, pushed it under my nose, and shouted, 'I'm +damned sorry that I didn't shoot you.' + +"Meanwhile the shooting inside the house continued at the three +nursing-sisters, the Assistant A. van Toorenenbergen, and at me, and, +most horrible of all, at the helpless wounded burghers who lay on their +beds. I saw one of the soldiers outside kneeling down, and resting his +gun on the window-sill he fired two shots at the wounded burgher +Wessels, who, however was not hit, but was covered with dust from the +wall beside him, where it was struck by the bullet." + +The doctor now went to the veranda, and was there arrested by order of a +major. But when the Assistant Mr. van Toorenenbergen shouted, "Doctor, +Sister Rautenbach is wounded," he wrenched himself loose, and went into +the large sick ward. + +"I found the young lady," so Dr. Poutsma declares further, "bathed in +her blood. Four bullets had frightfully mutilated her." + +The shooting ceased, and the doctor bandaged Miss Rautenbach. Then some +officers entered, and then came the sickening: "I am awfully sorry." +When Dr. Poutsma afterwards spoke to Colonel Rimington about this +occurrence, he expressed his regret that Miss Rautenbach had been +wounded, but added that he would not have been sorry in the least had +Dr. Poutsma been shot, as one of his own doctors had shortly before been +killed by the Boers at Tafel Kop.[12] Further, he said that the Red +Cross flag had not been noticed, and that he had never heard anything +about a hospital there. He also wished Dr. Poutsma to admit that all +that had happened was "an accident," which, as may be supposed, was +refused. Not even sacred edifices were spared. At Reitz the troops broke +up the floor of the Dutch Reformed Church to make fires with. The +churches at Frankfort, Ventersburg, and Lindley were burnt down. + +[Footnote 12: This happened during a fight.] + +So things went on. About our alleged misdeeds we saw reports in almost +every newspaper that we picked up; but we had no opportunity to make +known to the world what the English were doing to us. + +The English wanted to make an end to the war. They tried all means to +attain this object speedily; also proclamations! but proclamations, as +they had discovered, had had but little effect on the Boers. Especially +had this been the case with regard to the one which had offered the +Boers a chance of laying down their arms up to the 15th of September. +What other plan could they now devise to end the struggle which, +notwithstanding all this devastation, still continued, and appeared +likely to continue indefinitely? Surely not another proclamation? No, +but a letter! Lord Kitchener wrote a letter, an extract from which was, +in the beginning of January 1902, left lying about for the information +of the Boers on the farm where the English camps had halted. Lord +Kitchener advised the Boers, in this letter, to take the matter into +their own hands, because, as he asserted, President Steyn and General de +Wet were resolved to ruin them utterly. The Boers should therefore act +for themselves and lay down their arms, and he promised them that if +they--not one by one, but in small numbers,--a corporal with ten men, a +Field-Cornet with twenty-five, and a Commandant with fifty +men--surrendered, they would then not be banished. They would, moreover, +not lose their remaining cattle, and would, moreover, after the war, +receive aid from the British Government to help them up again.[13] How +shameful it was that, ever since Nauwpoort, the British Government had +been doing its utmost to induce the burghers to commit treason. But _all +is fair in love and war_ is their own motto. + +[Footnote 13: The Extract was as follows:-- + +[Translation.] + +Let the Boers know that de Wet's assertions _re_ Peace and Arbitration +are utter falsehoods, and that it is my opinion that de Wet and Steyn, +having nothing to lose, wish to ruin the Boers utterly. If they (the +Boers) desire to have peace, we are ready; and the only means I can see +to bring this about is for the burghers to take this matter into their +own hands, and to elect about two or three representatives to meet me on +this subject, when I feel assured we could so arrange it that they +should not lose the rest of their property and cattle. We shall be glad, +when the war is over, to help them as far as possible with their farming +operations. It is my wish to see the burghers with their wives and +children back at their farms. Their losses are the fault of their +leaders, who are responsible for urging them on to continue a struggle +which they know to be useless. If they follow these men, further +destruction of their property is unavoidable; if they take the matter +into their own hands, I feel certain that we can arrange matters; and we +have the best wish to help the Boers, who have constantly been misled. I +do not wish individuals to surrender, as I prefer that those who are +dissatisfied shall remain out with their commandos, and should use their +influence to bring about a complete and not a partial peace, so that all +may return to their farms.... But if Boers surrender, they will not be +sent away, and they will retain their property and cattle. A corporal +must bring in ten armed men, a field-cornet twenty-five, and a +commandant fifty men, to entitle them or admit them to such +considerations.] + +This "paper bomb," however, did very little execution. As little notice +was taken of it as of the recent proclamation. Our people stood firm. + +That our people as a people remained steadfast became more and more +evident to me. However much our numbers in South Africa may have become +diminished through the deportation of great numbers, and through the +still greater numbers who had lost courage and had surrendered, our +people as a people still always continued to exist. This the English +were anxious to deny. They were fond of asserting that it was only a +small fraction of the people that still resisted. This was not the +case. It is true that it was only a minority that were still able to +continue the struggle; but the heart of the nation, as a whole, was +still always faithful. The majority of our prisoners-of-war had remained +loyal to the cause. The majority even of those who in their dejection +laid down their arms had no desire to remain under British rule. On an +earlier page I have indicated what the feeling was on the island of +Ceylon, and here I wish to add something which proved to me that in the +Bermudas the feeling against England was still stronger, if possible, +than in Ceylon. + +Shortly after I had got possession of the extract of Lord Kitchener's +letter just referred to I read the following description of the +prisoners at Bermuda: "Many of them (the prisoners) are irreconcilable, +and show their bitterness and hostility in every way. For instance, they +have refused to accept for their dead the military honours which are +usually accorded the British soldier. The Boer chaplain, the Rev. J. R. +Albertyn of Wellington in the Cape Colony, requested, on behalf of the +men, that the coffin of a deceased burgher should not be covered with +the Union Jack, and that the three volleys usually fired over the +soldier's grave should be discontinued."[14] + +[Footnote 14: Reuter's correspondent at Hamilton, Bermudas, writing on +the 14th September 1901.] + +When I read this my heart leaped for joy. Our people were still one and +undivided, I thought. If there were hundreds of our flesh and blood +siding with the British, then there were thousands who did not. Even +those on whom the depressing influence of imprisonment must have had a +baneful effect remained irreconcilable, and showed it in every way. + +What also struck me, when reading the newspapers, was how England +damaged her own cause; because, in her excessively overbearing attitude, +she did not understand the art of being conciliatory. + +Four colonists, rebels--so one newspaper related--were brought to the +market-place at Cradock. Shortly after their arrival there the +commanding officer rode up, ushered in with the music of _Rule +Britannia_. Thereupon the accusations and the sentences against these +four men were read. It appeared that all of them had been sentenced to +death, but that the sentences of two of them had been commuted to +imprisonment for life. Then a _royal salute_ was fired, and the English +National Anthem played by the band. What an exhibition, I thought, of +England's pride! One would have thought that it was indeed _Rule +Britannia_ throughout South Africa. But so far it had not yet got, and +the action of England there--the exhibition of the sentenced men in the +market-place, the playing of the National Anthem, the firing of a _royal +salute_--all that could have no other effect than to cause race hatred +to strike roots still deeper, not only in the Republics, but throughout +the whole of South Africa, and to drive every irreconcilable man anew to +set his face like a flint against all that is English. + +Ten days after Rimington's troops had committed those atrocities in the +hospitals, they and several other columns came to the neighbourhood of +Reitz, and were even more than usually active. They captured large +numbers of cattle, and continued devastating the farms. + +Their object was, however, chiefly to capture President Steyn and +General de Wet, and also to regain possession of the guns taken by us at +Groen Kop, which, since the 25th of December, had been conveyed about +from one place to another between Liebenberg's Vlei and Wilge River. +Unfortunately they succeeded in this. The guns were captured at Roode +Kraal, Liebenberg's Vlei, on the 4th of February. At the same time the +English drove General de Wet and a considerable number of burghers +through the line of blockhouses between Kroonstad and Lindley. The +General passed through without firing a shot, but was not so fortunate +when, shortly after, he returned. He then lost several burghers, dead +and wounded. + +After that we had rest in the neighbourhood of Reitz until the 21st of +February; but of this I will give an account in a following chapter. + +Saturday, the 8th of February 1902, was a sad day for me. Marthinus +Snyman, who had been to Witzieshoek, heard there that my son had died at +Ladysmith. On the following Monday I received a letter from my friend +the Rev. J. J. Ross, who informed me that he had, about the 20th of +January, received a letter from the Rev. Dieterlin containing among +other things the following words: "I saw in the papers that young +Charles Kestell, aged 17, died in Ladysmith; is he not the son of our +friend of Harrismith?" A sword passed through my heart.--But this is not +the place in which I must record personal experiences of this kind. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE HOLOCAUST OF WOMEN + + +During the short period of rest in the neighbourhood of Reitz, President +Steyn and Judge Hertzog were engaged, together with the other members of +the Executive Council, Messrs. Brebner and Olivier, in writing letters +to the sovereigns of Europe and to the President of the United States of +America. These letters were intended to explain our position, and to ask +whether the Powers would not exert their influence in the interests of +the Boers, especially regarding matters concerning the rules of +civilised warfare and the fundamental principles of international law, +which were both being shamefully outraged by the English in this war. + +It was intended that a messenger should be sent to Europe through German +West Africa with the letters, and that he should himself, when abroad, +further explain matters. + +At the same time Judge Hertzog busied himself in collecting affidavits +from women and others, who had suffered under the barbarity of the +British soldier, and the Kaffirs in their service. I was allowed to read +these declarations, and must admit that I have never perused anything +more heartrending. Let me here note a few facts. + +One woman declared that an English Colonel had pulled down her house +over her head at Haco, in Ladybrand district, on 21st January 1902. On +the 27th of the same month a patrol of the same officer came and took +her prisoner. They made her and her children walk in front of the patrol +for a distance of three miles, and that when she was so far advanced in +pregnancy that she gave birth to a daughter ten days later. + +The wife of Commandant J. J. Koen, of the Ladybrand Commando, was taken +from her house at Blanco, in the district of Ladybrand, against her +will, by a patrol of Major General Knox, on 27th January 1902. The order +was first given that she should go to the camp on foot with her +children, of whom one was a baby of a month old. Fortunately, however, +there was a cart which the English had looted that morning, and she was +allowed to go in that. The night was cold and stormy, but, +notwithstanding that, she had to pass it, with her children and two +other women who had likewise been captured, under some trees in the open +air, with very little bedding. On the following day she was brought up +and cross-examined like a criminal, and this was repeated shortly after +before a Colonel. This officer told her that her husband had captured +eighteen of his Kaffirs the day before, and said that if her husband had +those Kaffirs shot, he, the Colonel, would give the 1000 Kaffirs under +his command liberty to do with her as they chose. The number of women +and children had in the meanwhile increased to eighteen, and all were in +the open air, without protection against wind and weather. In vain Mrs. +Koen begged for a tent. + +A Colonial, however, took pity on her, and spread a buck sail over the +waggon under which the women and children had sought shelter from the +rain. This kindly deed of the Colonial displeased the Colonel, and he +severely took him to task about it. From Monday morning to Wednesday +evening the women got nothing to eat, and again it was a Colonial who +intervened. This man gave them some raw meat, biscuits, and a little +coffee and sugar. But they had themselves to provide for fuel, and that +on a bare hill where there was none to be found. + +From Mequatling's Nek the women and children were conveyed to the farm +of the late General Ferreira, on a trolley waggon loaded with seed-oats. +It rained all the while, and they were drenched to the skin. They passed +the next night under a buck sail with scanty covering. After spending +nine days like this, Mrs. Koen was given a broken-down cart and two lean +horses to return with to her house. She found it looted. + +The Colonel had made the threat not to Mrs. Koen only. When he uttered +the disgraceful words to that lady, he had already written a letter to +her husband from Mequatling's Nek, dated 21st January 1902, in which +these words appear:-- + +"I request from you proof that these boys [Kaffirs captured by +Commandant Koen, and afterwards sent by him to Basutoland] are safe. +Should I find, on the contrary, that you have murdered them, or should +you murder others, besides other penalties, which you will assuredly not +escape, I warn you that it will be beyond my power to control my Kaffirs +in their action towards your women. I hope, however, that your +assurance, accompanied by proof, that my Kaffirs are safe, will enable +me to assuage my Kaffirs, and to continue to you that protection which I +have hitherto been able to grant them." + +Now, I ask, suppose that Commandant Koen had shot the Colonel's Kaffirs, +could such a deed justify a British officer to set loose savages upon +defenceless women? + +Another woman declared that on the 9th of September 1900, a soldier, a +Hottentot, and two Kaffirs visited her farm, Jolly Kop, in the district +of Bethlehem. The soldier remained some distance off, but the others +came to her, threatened to shoot her, and forcibly removed her rings +from her fingers. + +Many acts of unnecessary and reckless violence took place in relation to +women in very weak condition. If the columns trekking about wanted to +burn a house or take a woman away from her house, they seldom took into +consideration whether a woman was ill or in a weak condition. There were +officers and men who had neither heart nor eye for the weakness which is +generally a guarantee and protection against violence. Here is an +instance. + +A woman was taken from the farm Omdraai, district Bethlehem, towards the +end of March 1901, when she had been delivered of a child but one day. + +Another, on the farm Tijger, district Heilbron, had a child of one day +old. Notwithstanding this, on 20th January 1902 Colonel Rimington had +her house burned over her head, and she was forced, ill and weak as she +was, to totter out of the house so as not to be consumed by the flames. + +The same thing had happened on the 1st of November 1901 to a woman at +Vogelstruisfontein, district Heilbron. Her child was but two days old, +and she too had to save herself from the burning house. Too often in +this war it happened that the courtesy to women which chivalry dictates +was lacking on the part of the British. Not only were our women treated +with disrespect and contempt, but this contempt was as often accompanied +by a large measure of cruelty. + +So, for example, it very often happened that the English fired on the +houses with cannon and rifles, under the pretext that the Boers had +concealed themselves in them. In many cases it turned out afterwards +that these houses were occupied by women and children only, and that +some of these had been wounded by the firing which had taken place. + +And then, when the women were taken away, the enemy placed them on open +waggons, where they had no protection from sun, wind, or rain. There +was one woman who was conveyed from her house on a gun-carriage. This +took place in the middle of May 1901, on the farm Moolman's Spruit, +district Ficksburg. + +From other women the soldiers took all their clothing, and searched them +for money they had hidden on their persons. And when the women were +driven out before the soldiers, or when they were allowed to return to +their homes from a camp, they not only carried their babes, but also +bundles of clothing--and these were often women who had never before +carried any burden. Our Africander women carrying bundles like tramps! +On what _Viae Dolorosae_ did they have to go! + +Racial hatred? Who is to blame for it if it exists? + +Who can blame the Africander if he cannot forget what was done to his +mother, to his wife, to his sister? + +In the middle of July 1901 a burgher on the top of Venter's Kroon saw an +English patrol set fire to a waggon along the Vaal River. When the +English had ridden off he went to the burning waggon and there found the +sister of Mr. H. Miny of Vredefort burned to death. She was sixty years +old, and had never in all her life been able to walk. The burgher found +her about twenty yards from the waggon, with her hands before her eyes, +and it would appear that she had crawled so far after the waggon had +been set on fire. It may be that the English had not seen her. Let us +hope that this was the case. + +Much was said in the declarations about things I have spoken of in +former chapters, in regard to the rough treatment the women were +subjected to when the flying columns burnt their houses and destroyed +their dwellings. Much was said, too, of the pillaging which took place +on such occasions; of the breaking or looting of plates, dishes, pots +and pans; the plundering of everything in chests or wardrobes, the +carrying off of all movable food stuffs, and the manner in which such +provisions as could not be taken away--flour, beans, peas, and the +like--were strewn on the ground. They complained bitterly that the +soldiers left them nothing to eat, and that thus, so to speak, the very +bread was taken from the mouths of the children. How our women and +children suffered! + +And what shall I say of deeds more horrible than the worst that I have +related here?--deeds which, out of respect to our wives and our mothers, +I cannot name, but of which I, alas! just as in the cases I have +mentioned, can give the date and the place? Would that I did not need +even to allude to them! But I must! I must let the curtain rise but +swiftly to exhibit other scenes--but as in passing--for all may not be +seen, and what is seen must only be partly seen. Our women were +assaulted and ill-treated, so that after the departure of the British +flying columns they were sometimes confined to their beds for days, and +in many cases bore the marks of blows and bruises for weeks. + +Worse still! There were many attempts at violation, and there were cases +in which violation actually took place, in a manner which it is +impossible to describe here. + +_Me Miserum!_ that I must record this--that it is necessary to lead +posterity to the altar upon which our women were offered! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +A GREAT DRIVE + + +The President was obliged to leave the neighbourhood of Reitz about the +20th of February 1902, because the English were again beginning to enter +the district. After having had a short time of rest, and having spent it +in composing the letters mentioned in the preceding chapter, he met +General de Wet at Slabbert's farm, Rondebosch. While he was still busy +there with a mass of correspondence he also discussed various affairs of +importance with the General, amongst which was the question of the route +which the messenger who was to be sent to Europe should take. While they +were thus engaged we heard that the English were approaching from the +direction of Liebenberg's Vlei, and on the evening of 21st February both +the President and General de Wet proceeded as far as the house of Mr. +Taljaart. + +Early on the following morning they were on the farm of Mr. Wessels, and +intended finishing their correspondence there; and the secretaries of +the President and of the General were hard at work when news was brought +that the English from Liebenberg's Vlei had advanced to within a very +short distance of us. + +We hastily saddled our horses and trekked through Wilge River near the +residence of Commandant Beukes, and halted late that afternoon not far +from the farm of Mr. Christiaan de Wet--not the General. That evening +General de Wet received a report from the Commandant of Vrede, Hermanus +Botha, which stated that there were large forces of the English between +Botha's Pass, on the Drakensberg, and Frankfort, and that these forces +were moving towards Harrismith in the form of a cordon. + +It was clear now that we were in a great kraal, as it was called, and +that to escape from it we should have to make an attempt to pass round +the wings of the cordon, or otherwise to break through somewhere where +there was an opening. In the course of the evening Commandant Ross with +his Frankfort burghers also joined us, and everything was now under the +direction of General de Wet. At ten o'clock that night we commenced to +trek, and off-saddled at three o'clock on the following morning, Sunday, +on the farm of ex-assistant Field-Cornet Jan Cronje, near Cornelis +River. + +Soon tidings were brought that the English were advancing in great +numbers, and we had to proceed immediately. At ten o'clock we were again +in the saddle. But how greatly had our numbers increased during the +night. Not only were the men of Commandant Ross with us, but also a +great number of persons who were not liable to commando duty, on account +of old age or bodily weakness. These had left their farms, and were +fleeing before the enemy. There were also children--boys from eight +years upward. Everywhere there were crowds of vehicles of every +sort--buggies, carts, and spiders--besides which the veld was covered +with enormous numbers of cattle. + +When we passed through Cornelis River, close to the house of Paul +Prinsloo, the number of cattle was so great that the veld seemed +literally alive with them. They were driven along in separate herds, and +it was a puzzle to me how the owners managed to keep them apart. But it +was the numbers that astonished me, and not only me, who knew nothing +of cattle, but the Boers themselves. General de Wet declared that he had +never seen so many cattle together at one time. What a multitude! From +the foremost to the hindmost there was a distance of about six miles, +and it was covered with one vast mass of living creatures--men, horses, +and cattle. + +In order to remain out of sight, General de Wet made the great motley +crowd trek up in the hollow on the left bank of Cornelis River, and in +the afternoon we reached Brakfontein, where we off-saddled and +outspanned. There Commandant Hermanus Botha joined the Chief-Commandant +and reported that the English had advanced to the banks of Holspruit, +and that they had halted in small camps, a thousand yards apart, from +the Drakensberg up to Wilge River. It was also known to us that the +force which had caused us to retreat through Wilge River had formed a +line on the other side of the river. It was undoubtedly the largest +drive which the English had up to that moment made. The question was, +how to escape. We could not get round the flanks, for these were so far +to the east and west that there might just as well have been no flanks +at all. And there was no time for delay, for the line would grow shorter +every day, and the enemy would thus be enabled to bring their camps +closer to one another. Delay? General de Wet was not the man to delay, +and he did not now. Now, as always, he perceived in a moment what was to +be done. He must break through the cordon that very night. He decided +that this should be done at Kalk-kraus, near the house of old Mr. Samuel +Beukes. + +The sun had just set, and the full moon began every now and then to +shoot a ray of light through the rifts of a dark mass of clouds which +lay on the eastern horizon, when the vast multitude once more commenced +to move. What a commotion there was! Each owner toiled to keep his +cattle together and shouted to his ox-herd. The herd again yelled and +whistled to turn the cattle and to urge them onward; and above all this +uproar could be heard the lowing of the cows and the bleating of the +calves. The Kaffirs raced to and fro, and you could see, gliding through +the throng, here a cart and there a buggy, while continually you noticed +horsemen feverishly pushing through in order to get to the front. It +seemed, as someone remarked to me, that a pandemonium had suddenly been +called into being. In half an hour the horsemen were all in front; +behind them came the carts, one after the other, and then the cattle. +These, now that they were being driven steadily forward, ceased to +render the night horrible by their bellowing. + +General de Wet ordered that the following order should be observed: a +number of men were told to advance as a right wing and another as a +left, while a small vanguard rode on ahead. In the centre was the +General with the President. Behind them came their staffs; then followed +the great motley crowd--the people who were driving the spiders and +carts and buggies--and in the rear the mighty host of cattle. + +We proceeded, continually halting to wait until the great rearguard +could come up. The moon was not visible, as the sky was clouded, but it +was light enough to see well. Onward we went. Before us we could see the +vanguard, and on each side, near us at one moment and farther off the +next, the flanks moved along. Everything looked weird and uncanny. At +last we reached the bank of Holspruit. It was just midnight. We trekked +through the spruit and approached the ridges to the east of Mr. Beukes's +house. We knew that if we passed over those ridges unnoticed we would be +through the kraal without mishap. But the English were lying in wait for +us there. Along the whole line they had built small forts between their +camps, and they had done so here too. + +The foremost men begin to climb. Suddenly we see two or three flashes +above us on the ridge--a little to the right--and immediately we hear +the report of rifles echoing through the valley. There on our left, too, +we see sparks of fire. The whole commando suddenly comes to a +standstill. The horses become restive. The burghers turn back. Great is +the fury of the General when he sees this, and with forcible language he +orders the men to charge. The bullets whiz past us everywhere, and +several burghers are hit. My pony is slightly wounded under me. General +de Wet and his officers succeed in making the burghers climb the hill to +the left of the fort on our left hand, from which the English are firing +on us, and we reach the top. We are hardly there when the ghastly +dud-dud-dud-dud of a Maxim-Nordenfeldt is heard; the tiny shells fly +shrieking over us, and burst amongst a number of burghers not far from +where we are. + +Hark! what is that? + +The cry of a little boy at the sound of the Maxim-Nordenfeldt. Never in +my life have I been touched deeper in my heart than by this child crying +in the night. Why is he present at such a scene? Meanwhile, on another +part of the ridge, Commandant Ross and the two brothers, Commandant and +Assistant Commandant Botha, had engaged the enemy. They stormed and took +several forts. They even gained possession of the Maxim-Nordenfeldt; +but, as might be expected, they could not remove it. Many English were +killed and wounded there. We had now burst through one line of forts, +and there was another through which we had to pass. We saw before us a +line of small flashes from the rifles, and knew that we had to face +them. The officers had the greatest trouble to get the men through the +unceasing fire. Every now and then a dash forward was made, but each +time the men were baffled and returned. More than half an hour passed +thus. At last a supreme effort was made, and we were through. About 600 +burst through in this manner. But many remained behind. There were some +who went back after they had actually gained the ridge, and others did +not venture to go farther than the foot of the hill. + +Of the great drove of cattle not one had even reached the foot of the +hill. I make especial mention of this, because the English declared in +their account of the affair that General de Wet drove great numbers of +cattle against the forts and then burst through behind them. Only later +in the night did some herds get through in another place with about 500 +head; but the thousands of cattle, together with a considerable number +of burghers on horseback and all the persons in the buggies, spiders, +and carts, remained behind, and far the greater part fell into the hands +of the English four days after. It is a pity that they had not had the +courage to break through, for after the Commandants Ross and Botha had +taken the forts the way was open. Not all, however, who drove in the +carts remained behind, for the waggonette of the General and one cart in +which a wounded man was conveying a comrade who was ill with fever +accomplished the passage. Just as they were out of danger the sick man +died on the cart! + +We had a heavy loss to deplore--13 killed and about 20 wounded. Those +who had broken through hurried on, and reached the farm Bavaria, at +Bothaberg, just after sunrise. + +Here we buried in one grave a burgher of the President's staff named +Piet van der Merwe, and a boy of only thirteen years of age named +Olivier. When I was walking towards the grave I encountered a little +boy who had gone through the terrible night along with us. He wore a +suit made of sheepskin, and there were traces of fatigue on his drawn +face, while the light which should have sparkled from his eyes was +dimmed. Was this, I asked myself, the child whose cry I had heard in the +night, when the shells of the Maxim-Nordenfeldt flew over us? + +"What is your name?" I asked him. + +He told me his name. + +"How old are you?" + +"Oom, I am eight, and going on for nine." + +Such things happened in this war of ours, and England's boys of eight +and nine--those who were not left to their fate, with cold, blue, bare +feet, in the snow and ice on the streets of her great cities--did their +mothers snugly tuck them in their warm beds? But the mothers of our +children knew to what danger their boys were exposed, of being torn from +their arms and mercilessly carried off; and rather than see this happen, +they sent them away from their warm beds, to hear at midnight sounds and +see sights that the ears and eyes of strong men could hardly bear. + +That day the English remained where they were, but on the following they +proceeded and formed the great cordon on the bank of Cornelis River. + +Commandant Hermanus Botha then found an opportunity to bury our dead on +the battlefield. + +There had been a drive at the same time on the west of Wilge River, from +Scheurklip to Britsberg, and from there in a segment east of Kroonstad +to Lindley. This operation was the largest drive the English had +hitherto made. A few days after he had broken through, General de Wet +found an opportunity of examining the forts of the enemy. He found that +they had been such a protection to them, and so formidable to us, that +he wondered that more of our men had not been killed. + +While he was viewing the forts burghers rode past from time to time, +and informed him that during the preceding night (25th February) 500 +burghers had dashed through the cordon at Sterkfontein near the sources +of Cornelis River. We also heard that General Wessels had escaped near +Steil Drift without firing a shot, and somewhat later news came that +General Hattingh of Kroonstad had forced a passage, with all his men and +a considerable number of cattle, to the west of Lindley. + +These tidings encouraged us, but what a blow it was when soon after we +heard that Commandant Meyer, who had command of a portion of the +Harrismith burghers, had surrendered on the 27th not far from +Tandjesberg. We heard the particulars from an eye-witness, Patrick van +Coller. He had escaped, and had seen the sad incident from a hill on +which he had hidden himself. He said that he saw a man with a white flag +ride from the commando to the English. Thereupon these rode to the +burghers. The rifles were first demanded, then the saddles. The latter +were burnt in seven heaps. Our men were then marched to Harrismith as +prisoners-of-war. + +We afterwards heard that there had been five or six burghers who would +not surrender and who had raced away. They had succeeded in escaping, +notwithstanding that they had been pursued by the enemy. + +From time to time news reached us of remarkable escapes. I will only +mention the following case. + +Old Mr. Hendrik Barnard, who was between seventy and eighty years old, +was one of the great number of fugitives. He had fled with a cart until +he was forced to abandon it on the near approach of the English. Then he +hid himself in the reeds on the banks of a spruit. There he lay for two +days. Luckily he had with him a faithful Kaffir lad who cared for him as +a child. If the old man looked out to see whether the English were +near, the Kaffir boy would warn him, saying, "Look out, _ou baas_! the +Khakis will see you." Mr. Barnard had a little food with him, but not +enough. This was replenished after dark by the Kaffir boy, who fetched +from a neighbouring farm what they needed. Thus two days passed, and +then, with all manner of pain in all his limbs, occasioned through the +cramped position he had been forced to take, the old man could leave his +hiding-place. + +England spared neither women nor children nor old men tottering on the +brink of the grave! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +TO THE TRANSVAAL + + +Our horses needed rest after all the hard trekking. Luckily we were able +to grant them this on the farm Rondebosch, which we reached about a week +after we had effected the passage at Kalk-krans. There the horses not +only got some rest but also forage. This rest, however, did not last +long. After two days we heard that the English were again approaching, +and, as we had expected, were returning from Harrismith. We had now to +give way before the enemy once more. The question was, Whither? And as +it was clear to the President that his presence in the districts of +Bethlehem and Vrede was largely the cause of the continual reappearance +of English columns in those parts, the question arose, whether it would +not be better, in order to give these districts, which had latterly been +terribly harassed, as well as himself some rest, to leave them and +betake himself beyond the railway line to those portions of the Free +State which were then enjoying comparative repose. + +General de Wet, who was still with the President, approved of the idea, +and the plan was carried out. + +We saddled our horses with the intention of going to the district of +Fauresmith, but it turned out that we landed in the Transvaal. + +At sunset on the 5th of March we left Rondebosch. It was a dark night, +and the darkness was the cause of some loss to me, for we had hardly +commenced to trek when the pack in which my clothes and blankets were, +tumbled off. I was riding in front, and did not know that my little +Kaffir boy was struggling with the pack; but I soon heard that +everything was lost--my Kaffir boy too; for in running after a led horse +that had broken loose while he was busy with the pack, he got lost +himself, and although we shouted and searched for him we could not find +him. + +The commando had to proceed, and I had to proceed with it, possessing +nothing but what was in my wallets and the clothes I was wearing. I +thought it remarkable that while everything had been saved in the dash +through Kalk-krans, here, where there was no immediate danger, +everything should be lost. But I did not feel unhappy. On the contrary, +it was with a feeling of relief that I remembered I should not have the +trouble of having to look after worldly possessions, nor the care of the +little Kaffir, during the difficult journey that lay before us. He was +safer at his kraal, which was not far from the spot where the mishap had +occurred, and the "secret of Jesus," as Matthew Arnold calls it, became +clearer to me than ever before: that to gain life one must lose it. From +that evening up to the end of the war I rode on my pony with a few +blankets that I got the next day fastened on a led horse. I was without +cares. + +The English had approached to within nine miles of us on the following +day, and we saw that we should have to bestir ourselves. While hurrying +on our way to the Frankfort-Heilbron line of blockhouses we halted for +half an hour, while General de Wet, who was about to part from the +President, discussed the route that should be taken. He said that it +would be best to cross the railway line somewhere between Wolvehoek and +Vaal River, "and then," he said to Commandant van Niekerk, "you must"-- + +"But why should you not go with us?" the President asked. + +General de Wet replied that if he did this it would look as if he were +fleeing from the enemy. + +Judge Hertzog then showed that the presence of the General was urgently +required in the western district, and other members of the Executive +Council remarked that if he left the north-eastern portions of the State +for a while the people there would get some rest, and that, so far from +taking it amiss if he went away, they would be glad if he should absent +himself for some time. And now a strange thing happened. This inflexible +man, who never lost his presence of mind and always knew immediately +what course of action to pursue, said, "Well, then, I leave the matter +in your hands. You must decide." + +Of course everyone took the responsibility upon himself, and General de +Wet remained with us. How secure we all felt! + +In the afternoon we met with the burghers of Commandant van der Merwe, +who had been driven from Parys and Vredefort over the railway line some +months before, and who had remained in the Heilbron district since then. +The Commandant and his men wanted to get back, and were overjoyed when +General de Wet ordered them to accompany him. When it became dark we +proceeded on our way in order to break through the Heilbron-Frankfort +line of blockhouses to the east of the town of Heilbron. + +All went well. In complete silence--no officer has need to enjoin +silence when men are marching to blockhouses or the railway--we +approached the line. We expected every moment to hear shots; but nothing +happened. The foremost men had halted. A burgher cut the wires. Just as +one of the wires was cut the reports of two shots fell on the silence of +the night in quick succession. They were fired from rifles attached to +the wire. We waited a moment. But all was still. No other shot rang out, +and we passed through swiftly. + +After riding a few hours farther over an apparently endless plain, well +named Langverdriet (Long-sorrow), we off-saddled shortly before sunrise +on a farm in a hollow, with the blockhouses seven miles behind us. + +The morning of the 6th of March had now dawned. After breakfasting we +proceeded until twelve o'clock, and then rested till the sunset. We then +mounted our horses once more, and at eleven o'clock we were a few +thousand yards from the railway at a point somewhere between Wolvehoek +(station) and Vaal River. General de Wet did not wish to cross just +then, as he was of opinion that the guards on the line would be too +wakeful, and he ordered that we should halt there till one o'clock. We +thereupon tied our horses to one another and lay down on the ground. I +fell asleep immediately. Shortly before one o'clock I was awakened by a +sound which I had not heard for months--that of a passing train. What +memories mounted in my mind, and how the hot blood surged in my veins at +the thought that our railway was in the hands of the enemy! The order +was given to mount, and we rode on to about four hundred yards from the +line. + +Halt! + +A party of Commandant van der Merwe's men went on foot to cut the wires. +This was done. The whole commando now rushed to the line. It must have +been the tramp of our horses that woke the sentries, for when we had +already reached the line a shot rang out. We passed through a ditch and +then up a very slight embankment; and I saw again, as I had already seen +several times before, the two rails glide under me to the rear. A +feeling of relief took possession of me. The half of the commando had +crossed when shots from three rifles were heard from a railway cottage +in the direction of Wolvehoek, and the foremost men halted till all +should have crossed. But soon we heard the rattle of a Maxim, and +everyone then hurried on. + +We could still occasionally hear the Maxim; but at last it ceased, or +else we were too far off to hear its vicious cackling. We off-saddled at +sunrise, six miles from the line. + +In the course of the day we reached the farm of Salamon Senekal, two and +a half hours from the railway and one hour from the town of Parys, +grateful to God for His protection. + +There was another matter for which we had cause to be grateful: the +delicious fruit of the farm. Salamon Senekal had ridden on ahead, and +when the President and the General arrived there, he had spread, on a +plate of corrugated iron, under the great blue gum-trees, a splendid +collection of ripe figs, apples, pears, and great peaches. What a feast +had been prepared for the President! + +There were several other kinds of fruits in the garden besides these: +quinces, prickly pears, pomegranates in such quantities that when we, +about 150 men, left the farm, one could not have noticed that a commando +had been there. And we had not spared the trees. Whether any had +overeaten themselves I leave to the reader to determine. + +At the town of Parys, where we arrived on the following day, we found +three families, aged men and women and children. One old man had died +shortly before. This would have placed the aged survivors in a difficult +position if there had not been a young girl, Miss Greef, living in the +family in which the death had taken place. While one of the two +surviving old men made a coffin, the girl dug a grave in the garden and +took upon herself the greater part of the labour of interring the body. + +It is a pleasing duty to me, after having had to write so much to the +discredit of the English, to be able to relate that the families here in +Parys had no complaints to bring in against officers and men who had +been quartered here for some time. On the contrary, they declared that +the English had treated them with the greatest consideration, and had +also provided for all their wants. + +It was the intention of General de Wet to remain at Parys, and on the +following Sunday, March the 9th, to attend a service in the church. But +this was not to be, for the English had appeared behind us. We had +therefore to leave Parys on Saturday afternoon. In the evening we +reached the village of Vredefort, and I saw in the dusk the walls of the +burnt parsonage. I thought of the pleasure I had enjoyed when, seventeen +months before, I stayed there for a night. If anybody had said then that +the war would last another seventeen months, who would have believed +him? + +We found the blockhouses from Kopjes Siding to Potchefstroom and those +from Kroonstad to Potchefstroom broken up. We rode forward without +adventure to a place nine miles from Valsch River, and arrived at the +farm of Broekman's on Thursday, 13th March. We had trekked from the +district of Heilbron to where we now were in eight days, and during all +that time we had been in a completely devastated region. We had met no +one on the farms. Every house that we had passed was burnt or destroyed. +We had not seen a single horse, ox, or sheep. The veld was in splendid +condition--the grass waved in the breeze, but we had seen no cattle to +graze on it. We had ridden through a wilderness, excepting that the +ruins on the farms showed that the country had once been inhabited. At +Broekman's[15] General de Wet learned that there were blockhouses on the +left bank of the Valsch River, and at the same time word was brought by +the scouts that all the fords of the Vaal were occupied by the English. +He thereupon decided to cross through Valsch River and the blockhouse +line to the opposite side. + +[Footnote 15: We found a report here, fixed on a board, of an address +delivered by Lord Kitchener at Belfast on the 18th and 19th of December +1901, with this heading: _Burghers, read this!_ The contents were for +the most part the same as those of the extract of the letter already +given. Lord Kitchener declared that the behaviour of the Boers in the +veld seemed very foolish to him. It was not war that was now being +carried on, for the operations rather resembled police operations, +seeing that the troops had to capture the burghers. He said that the +English captured between four and five hundred burghers every week. The +Boers in the veld seemed to him like sheep without a shepherd. He feared +that the present leaders were animated by other motives than the welfare +of their country at heart, and that, unless the Boers acted for +themselves, they would be led to complete ruin. The destruction of +property which still continued was to be deplored, but it was the fault +of the present leaders, who misled the people by assuring them that they +would receive help from abroad. The burghers should judge for +themselves, Lord Kitchener advised. They ought to convene meetings and +vote, not by a show of hands, but by ballot, so that they might not be +accused of so-called high treason--whether they would continue the war +or not. If the majority were in favour of continuing the war, let them +do so; but he warned them that in that case the responsibility would +rest on the burghers themselves. If, however, the majority were in +favour of peace, the burghers should choose other leaders in the place +of those who had held them in the veld by means of lies and threats. +Lord Kitchener believed that if the Boers in the field chose a +committee, and sent this committee to him, he would receive them; and he +felt convinced that, before they left, they would have agreed on a peace +acceptable to both parties. Voluntary surrenders would be accepted, if +the men came in in parties, and their cattle and property would be +guaranteed. They would, however, do better work by remaining on the veld +and using their influence with the leaders to bring this about. Officers +surrendering with their men would not be banished. Lord Kitchener +further indulged in the spiteful remark that President Steyn and General +de Wet (he called them "Steyn" and "de Wet") profited financially by the +continuance of the war.] + +In the evening he crossed the river, while Commandant van der Merwe and +Commandant van Niekerk of Kroonstad remained behind to operate in their +own districts. We found the river almost too full to cross, but nothing +particular happened; and at the blockhouse line all went well, +notwithstanding a heavy fire which was opened on us. Only a few horses +were left behind. On the following morning we heard that General de la +Rey had come in contact with the enemy, and that he had captured a great +many waggons and mules. + +I must now state how it happened that we went to the Transvaal instead +of to the western portions of the Free State as we had intended. + +The question had often been considered of late whether we would go to +the western portion of our State or through the Vaal River. This was +decided at Rietyat by the consideration of various circumstances. +President Steyn had been suffering since 20th February from an affection +of the eyes which seemed to be getting more and more serious. Would it +not be best to go through the Vaal River in order to consult Dr. von +Rennenkamff, who had joined the commandos of General de la Rey? If this +were done, the opportunity would be offered also of consulting General +de la Rey before sending the messenger to Europe. This decided the +matter, and we resolved at once to cross into the Transvaal. This, +however, could not be done by means of the fords, for they were, as I +have said before, guarded by the English. We had therefore to avail +ourselves of a fearfully bad bridle-path, which led through the Vaal +River a mile and a half above the British guard at Commando Drift. + +On Monday, March the 17th, we reached Bosmansrust, and from there the +President, General de Wet, and the other members of the Executive +Council proceeded to Zendelingsfontein, where they were received with +great marks of honour. + +The burghers of General de la Rey were delighted to have the Free State +leaders in their midst, and presented President Steyn with three +addresses. + +There I heard the particulars concerning General de la Rey's operations. +There had been two battles. The first, at Yzerspruit, had taken place on +25th February, when 2 Armstrong cannon, 1 Maxim-Nordenfeldt, 153 loaded +waggons with their teams, 23 Scotch carts, 4 carts, 5 water carts, 460 +oxen, 200 horses, and 1500 mules had been taken. There had been 241 +prisoners-of-war, of whom 10 were officers. About 200 English had been +killed and wounded, and our loss 12 killed and 26 wounded. The second +battle had been fought on the 7th of March. Lieutenant-General Lord +Methuen had hastened to regain possession of the guns. His force, +numbering 1500 men, had been attacked at Klip Drift, Harts River, and +had fallen into the hands of General de la Rey. There had been captured +4 Armstrong guns, 75 waggons with their teams, 38 carts, and 518 horses. +Besides this there had been 400 killed and wounded and 859 +prisoners-of-war. Amongst these was Lord Methuen who was wounded in the +leg. He and General de la Rey had been opposed to one another since +Magersfontein, and had fought with varying fortune. Here de la Rey +triumphed. Our loss had been 9 killed and 25 wounded. The prisoners were +released after each of the battles. + +General de la Rey, after showing Lord Methuen every attention, allowed +him to be taken to Klerksdorp. This act of General de la Rey displeased +the burghers. They considered that as the enemy treated our captured +Generals in a different manner--the name of General Scheepers in the +Cape Colony was mentioned in this connection--the least that General de +la Rey should have done was to keep Lord Methuen prisoner. + +General de la Rey thereupon laid the matter before the Council of War, +and pointed out that, although it would have been his duty to keep an +officer who had nothing the matter with him, humanity demanded that +every possible help should be given to a wounded man. The other officers +agreed, and Lord Methuen, who had been stopped on his way to Klerksdorp +when the burghers had demurred, was set at liberty. + +To my great joy I met the Rev. J. Strasheim here, and went with him to +visit and address the commandos of General Kemp, Commandants de Beer and +Potgieter, and General Liebenberg. I was with the commandos of General +Liebenberg on Sunday night, 23rd March, when, at eleven o'clock, the +loud tramp of horses was heard on the road coming from Klerksdorp. + +We immediately saddled our horses and inspanned. It appeared on the +following morning that the English had come from Klerksdorp in four +divisions, and had been joined by other forces that had advanced from +Commando Drift (Vaal River) at the one end and from Vaalbank on the +other. When morning dawned, the English had accomplished the remarkable +feat of forming an arc in one night from Makwassie to Vaalbank, a +distance of seventy-two miles, and General Liebenberg saw that he was in +a tremendous kraal, as we called it. + +He was driven from Doornpoort to Leeuwfontein, and from there to +Limoenfontein. He endeavoured continually to break through towards +Vaalbank and in the direction of Schoonspruit, but fresh English troops +continually confronted his weary burghers. Near Limoenfontein the +English fired on us with shrapnel, and we hurried on to Buysfontein. Two +guns and one Maxim-Nordenfeldt had to be abandoned. At Buysfontein +General Liebenberg was forced to abandon his laager also, and the +commandos escaped by racing helter-skelter over the great stones down +the valley of Buysfontein, while the enemy harassed them with cannon and +rifle fire. In the evening, after having had our horses under saddle for +twenty hours, we rested until half-past eleven. We were apprehensive of +the enemy from the Makwassie end of the line; but the forces there had +advanced on both sides of us, and General Liebenberg succeeded in +passing in the night between two camps without knowing it at the time, +and unnoticed also by the English. + +On the following day we reached Zendelingsfontein. Thus I had been in a +kraal (drive) once more. + +On Wednesday, 26th March, we came to Doornkuil, and learnt that other +commandos had had very narrow escapes, and that unfortunately General de +la Rey's staff had been captured. I was glad, however, to learn that +President Steyn and his staff were safe. + + + + +PART III + +_RESIGNATION_ + + + + +CHAPTER I + +"WILL THIS LEAD TO PEACE?" + + +"Will this lead to peace?" the burghers asked one another, when, on 27th +March, the news spread through the commandos that there were messengers +from Acting President Schalk Burger seeking President Steyn. The +messengers, it was said, had a safe-conduct from Lord Kitchener, and +were provided with horses and rations by the English in order to be able +to travel rapidly. + +I got all the particulars when I returned to the laager of the President +on the following morning (Good Friday). Our Government had received an +invitation from the Government of the South African Republic to meet +them in order to discuss the question of whether a proposal of peace +could not be made to England. + +This invitation of the Transvaal Government was the result of Lord +Kitchener's having sent, on behalf of his Government, to President +Burger on the 4th of March a copy of the correspondence of 25th to 29th +January between Holland and England. + +Baron Gericke had asked the British Government whether the Netherlands +Government could not act as intermediary between England and the Boers +in the field. The Netherlands Government considered themselves justified +in making this request, as exceptional circumstances prevented the Boers +in the field from treating directly with the British Government through +their representatives in Europe. They therefore declared themselves +willing, if England consented, to act as a third party, and to ask the +Boer Deputation if they were willing to go to South Africa with a +safe-conduct from England to discuss matters with the Boers, and then +return to Europe with full powers to make a treaty of peace, which would +be binding in Europe as well as in Africa. + +Lord Lansdowne had replied that, although the British Government +appreciated the philanthropic motives of Holland, they adhered to their +decision not to accept foreign intervention. It was open, however, to +the Boer Deputation to lay a request for a safe-conduct before the +British Government, but that the Government could not decide on the +matter before knowing what the nature of such request was and the +grounds on which it was made. Lord Lansdowne had said that it was not +clear to the British Government whether the Deputation had still any +influence with the Boer representatives in South Africa; and that the +British Government was of opinion that all powers of government, +including that of negotiation, were vested in President Steyn for the +Boers in the Orange Free State, and Acting President Burger for those in +the South African Republic. He considered that the most speedy and +satisfactory manner in which a settlement could be arrived at would be +by direct negotiation between the Boer leaders in South Africa and the +Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, who had already been +instructed to forward immediately any offers he might receive to the +British Government. It had been said finally that the British Government +had decided that if the Boers in South Africa wished to negotiate, +negotiations had to be conducted in South Africa and not in Europe; for +at least three months would elapse if the Deputation went to South +Africa, and thereby hostilities would be protracted, and much further +suffering would be caused. + +On receipt of the copy of this correspondence, Acting President Burger +had asked Lord Kitchener for a safe-conduct for himself and the members +of his Government in order to meet President Steyn and the Executive +Council of the Orange Free State, and to discuss a proposal of peace +with them. Lord Kitchener had immediately granted him the safe-conduct, +and the Transvaal Government had proceeded by rail to Kroonstad, as they +considered that town, according to information received from Lord +Kitchener as to where President Steyn was presumed to be, the spot from +which they could most easily come into touch with the Free State +Government. + +Messages were sent from Kroonstad to search for President Steyn. They +found him at Roodewal, district Lichtenburg, and handed him the letter +of Acting President Burger. + +The letter contained a request for a meeting, for the purpose above +mentioned. President Steyn replied that he considered Klerksdorp, +Potchefstroom, or a spot in the neighbourhood of these towns, as the +best adapted for holding the conference. + +While waiting for an answer to this letter, a fight took place between +the commandos of General de la Rey and the English at Brakspruit, not +far from Roodewal. Here the English experienced once more what it meant +to be bombarded. No advantage was gained on either side, but the English +forces were arrested in their progress and retired to Van Tender's farm. + +A letter from Lord Kitchener reached President Steyn at Weltevrede on +April the 5th, containing Acting President Burger's answer, and a +safe-conduct from the English Commander-in-Chief for the Government of +the Orange Free State to Klerksdorp and back. + +On the 7th our Executive Council started, accompanied by General de la +Rey, who had been summoned by his Government, as one of the members, to +take part in the negotiations, and we arrived at Klerksdorp at twelve +o'clock on the 9th. + +President Steyn was received by Major E. H. M. Leggett, and quartered in +the Old Town. We heard that the Transvaal Government were already in +Klerksdorp, and that they had quarters in the New Town. The two +Governments were thus separated, excepting during the time they +conferred together. This was the case afterwards, at Pretoria also. + +We had hardly entered the house when the sounds of a bagpipe fell on our +ears, and soon a detachment of about twenty Highlanders, under the +command of Lieutenant Burn, marched up to the house. + +"This is a guard-of-honour for the President," said Major Leggett, who +had been charged to look after the Free State Government. "It was," he +said, "most annoying to be snapshotted and stared at by a gaping crowd." + +The President appreciated, of course, the honour, but it was clear to us +that the "guard-of-honour" was to keep an eye not only on intruders from +outside, but also upon us, so that no one from within should find his +way out. Indeed, it soon appeared that we were not allowed to go farther +than the boundaries of the plot of ground on which the house stood, and +if one wished to go anywhere farther one was always accompanied by one +of the military. But we did not take this amiss. It was war, and we were +inside the English lines. + +No one could complain of the treatment of the English. The President +was made as comfortable as possible, and all respect due to his position +was shown him. + +We were allowed to buy clothes, and when we met the Transvaalers that +afternoon we heard that some of them had written letters to their wives, +and had received answers. President Steyn, in view of his serious +indisposition, also availed himself of the opportunity afforded him, and +wrote to Mrs. Steyn from Pretoria, acquainting her with the state of his +health. + +At three o'clock on the afternoon of our arrival the two Governments +assembled in a large tent erected between the Old and New Towns. + +There were present--from the South-African Republic: The Acting +President, S. W. Burger, Commandant-General Louis Botha, State-Secretary +F. W. Reitz, General de la Rey, and Ex-Generals L. G. Meyer and G. C. +Krogh, also the State-Attorney, Mr. L. Jacobsz. + +From the Orange Free State: The State President, M. T. Steyn, General de +Wet, Acting State-Secretary W. J. C. Brebner, Judge J. B. M. Hertzog, +and General C. H. Olivier. + +For the Transvaal Mr. D. van Velden acted as secretary of the Executive +Council, and the Rev. J. D. Kestell[16] as acting-secretary for the Free +State Executive Council. + +[Footnote 16: I accepted the post of acting-secretary not for the +position, but in order to get material for my book.] + +There were also present the advocates J. Ferreira (State-Attorney for +the western district of the South African Republic) and N. de Wet +(secretary of Commandant-General L. Botha). Mr. B. J. du Plessis was +also present as private secretary to President Steyn. The Acting +President of the Transvaal delivered a short address of welcome to the +President and Executive Council of the Orange Free State, and asked the +Rev. J. D. Kestell to open the proceedings with prayer. He thereupon +explained the circumstances which had led up to the meeting of the two +Governments. + +He said that he and his Government considered the forwarding by the +British Government of a copy of the correspondence between it and the +Government of Holland as an invitation made by England to the two +Republics to discuss the question of peace. Viewing the action of +England in this light, he had requested a safe-conduct from Lord +Kitchener to be enabled to meet the President and Executive of the +Orange Free State, in order to have a conference with them, and, if +possible, to co-operate with them in drawing up a peace proposal to be +laid before the British Government. Before, however, they proceeded to +discuss the question, it was necessary, he thought, to hear particulars +of the conditions under which the war was being carried on, and he +thought that the general officers present should address the meeting. + +As it was decided not to hold minutes, I shall merely state that +Commandant-General Louis Botha, Chief-Commandant de Wet, and Assistant +Commandant General de la Rey addressed the meeting, giving an account of +the state of the country and of the numbers and condition of the +commandos. Several other members of the Government spoke. + +The next day the following resolution was agreed to:-- + +"The Governments of the South African Republic and Orange Free State, +having met in consequence of Lord Kitchener's having sent the +correspondence exchanged between the Government of His Majesty the King +of England and Her Majesty the Queen of Holland, concerning the +desirability of giving the Governments of these Republics the +opportunity of communicating with their authorised envoys in Europe, in +whom both Governments have all along had the greatest confidence; + +"Having marked the conciliatory spirit which appears therein on the part +of His Britannic Majesty, as well as the desire expressed therein by +Lord Lansdowne in the name of his Government, to put an end to this +struggle; + +"Are of opinion that it is now a suitable moment to show their +willingness to do all in their power to put an end to the war. + +"And therefore decide to lay certain propositions before Lord Kitchener, +as the representative of His Britannic Majesty's Government, which may +serve as a basis for further negotiations to bring about the wished-for +peace. + +"Furthermore, it is the opinion of both Governments, in order to hasten +the attainment of the desired end, and to avoid as much misconception as +possible, that his Excellency Lord Kitchener be requested to meet these +Governments in person at a time and place fixed by him, in order that +the Governments may lay peace-proposals directly before him, which they +are prepared to do, and thus to solve all difficulties which may exist +by direct verbal communication with him, and thus make sure that this +conference will bear the wished-for fruits." + +A letter signed by the two Presidents enclosing this proposition was +written during the meeting, and despatched to Lord Kitchener. The +meeting then adjourned till the afternoon, when much was said about the +proposals to be made to Lord Kitchener. + +Finally, at the instance of General de la Rey, seconded by Mr. L. +Jacobsz, the drafting of a proposal was relegated to a commission. + +This commission handed in the following report, which was accepted by +the meeting:-- + +"The commission, having taken into consideration the desire of this +meeting to draw up a proposal (in connection with the letter sent +yesterday by both Presidents to his Excellency Lord Kitchener), with a +view to a conference with Lord Kitchener, suggests the following +points:-- + + +"1. The making of an enduring treaty of friendship and peace, by which +is understood-- + + (_a_) Arrangement of Customs Union. + + (_b_) Postal, Telegraphic, and Railway Union. + + (_c_) Fixing of the Franchise. + +"2. Dismantling of all forts belonging to the State. + +"3. Arbitration in future disagreements between the contracting parties, +the arbitrators to be chosen by both parties, in equal numbers from +their subjects. With a final arbitrator to be chosen by the appointed +arbitrators. + +"4. Equal rights in regard to education in both the English and Dutch +languages. + +"5. Mutual amnesty." + + +Messrs. Krogh, L. Jacobsz, Judge Hertzog, and Commandant-General Louis +Botha then addressed the meeting. + +Shortly after General Botha had concluded his speech, General Wilson +came to the tent and brought a message from Lord Kitchener saying that +he was willing to meet the Governments at Pretoria. General Wilson also +stated that arrangements would be immediately made for the railway +journey, and that the Presidents and their Executives could start for +Pretoria in the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A CONFERENCE WITH LORD KITCHENER AND LORD MILNER + + +At six o'clock in the morning on the 12th of April the Governments +arrived at Pretoria in two separate trains. + +The Transvaal Government were quartered in the house of Mr. C. Rooth, +adjoining that in which Lord Kitchener lived, while the members of the +Free State Government were taken to the residence of Mr. Philippe in +Arcadia. + +Nothing could surpass the friendliness of the English. Their hospitality +left nothing to be desired, and the considerateness of those who had the +difficult task to perform was admirable. + +Yet with all these signs of politeness, one could not help thinking of +what that same nation had done to our wives and children. The English +spread for our Governments a table with a menu as good as their +commissariat could supply, and at the same moment there were pining away +on desolated farms the women and children whose houses they had burnt +over their heads. + +One thing that impressed me very strongly was the strong desire which +the English could not conceal that Peace should be restored. They made +no secret of it. This will become more plain in this chapter, when the +telegrams exchanged between our Governments and that of the British come +to be read. + +But what sort of Peace? + +It soon became clear from conversations that we had with Major Leggett +and other officers, that it was a Peace based upon British conditions. +The English officers gave us to understand that it was taken for granted +by them that we were now going to negotiate with a Conqueror. The +annexation of the two Republics was regarded as an established, +irrevocable fact. They constantly spoke of the Orange River Colony. Then +they lost no time in informing us shortly after our arrival that Civil +Government had been partly restored in the Transvaal, and that since the +beginning of the month the High Court at Pretoria had been reopened. +They also asked what our leading men would consider the best way in +which the farms in the two States could be rebuilt and restocked. + +President Steyn and General de Wet answered very curtly, and it became +plain to the English officers that it was better not to hold such +conversations with the leaders of our people. + +With the exception of this, all went smoothly, and were it not that one +could always under the garb of politeness perceive an enemy, who had +destroyed our country, then certainly we might have looked back upon our +stay at Klerksdorp and Pretoria with the pleasantest recollections. + +We had not long been in the house in which we were to stay before a +message came from Lord Kitchener, that he desired to meet the +Governments. A hasty breakfast was eaten, and then the President and +General de Wet entered Lord Kitchener's carriage, and the other members +of the Executive the carts provided for that purpose, and were conveyed +to the house of the Commander-in-Chief. Conducted into a large hall, we +found the Transvaalers there already. Lord Kitchener stood on the other +side of the hall, and came forward to meet President Steyn. He shook +hands with him, as also with the other members of the Government. + +Then he stood erect in the attitude of a soldier, and a little general +conversation followed. After some moments Lord Kitchener said that the +work which had brought the Governments to Pretoria should be commenced, +and expressed it as his opinion that, as the negotiations were at first +to be conducted in an informal manner, the secretaries should retire. +Thereupon these gentlemen left the hall, the doors were closed, +everybody sat down at the table, and Lord Kitchener asked who was to +begin. + +President Steyn answered that Lord Kitchener should. Thereupon Lord +Kitchener began. He spoke in the tone of a person who had a grievance. +He wished, he said, to say something concerning what he had been +reported as having said in June 1901, when he had negotiated with +General Louis Botha. In connection with those negotiations, he declared +that he had been misrepresented, wrong motives having been imputed to +him. It had been said, for instance, that he had contemplated the +destruction of the Boers. He could, however, give the assurance that no +such thing had ever been his intention. Those who said so greatly +misrepresented him. Whether what he said was aimed at General Botha, +nobody can say--he mentioned no names. He spoke, however, in the tone of +a person who considered that he had been unfairly treated. "But," he +suddenly said, "that is past. I only say this because no official +minutes are being kept, everything must take place informally and in a +friendly manner.... I understand that you have something to propose. +This can be done now." + +Acting President S. W. Burger then introduced the question. He said that +both the Governments had drawn up a proposal at Klerksdorp, and he then +proceeded to read the proposal article by article. State-Secretary F. W. +Reitz acted as interpreter between the two parties. + +Then President Steyn spoke. He thanked Lord Kitchener for the readiness +with which he had consented to meet the Governments, and gave the +assurance that they were earnestly desirous that the war should cease. +He also wished, he said, to make an explanation, and this was with +respect to a misunderstanding which the British Government was +apparently labouring under in regard to the position of the Deputation +in Europe, in relation to the burghers in South Africa. From the +correspondence of Lord Lansdowne with the Dutch Government, it seemed as +if the Government of His British Majesty were in doubt as to whether the +Deputation in Europe still represented the Boers in the field. That they +still represented the Boers President Steyn declared was most certainly +the case. They still enjoyed the fullest confidence of both Governments. +Coming to the matter at issue, the President said that the Governments +and the People were very desirous that Peace should be restored. But the +Peace that was to be restored should be a lasting one, and that was why +the proposals were of the nature the Governments had proposed. They had +come there to attain no other object than that for which the People had +fought until this moment. + +Here Lord Kitchener interrupted President Steyn with a question which +seemed to express great astonishment. He drew up his shoulders, threw +his head forward to one side, and asked, "Must I understand from what +you say that you wish to retain your Independence?" + +_President Steyn._ Yes, the people must not be reduced to such a +condition as to lose their self-respect, and be placed in such a +position that they will feel themselves degraded in the eyes of the +British. + +_Lord Kitchener._ But that could not be; it is impossible for a people +that has fought as the Boers have done to lose their self-respect; and +it is just as impossible for Englishmen to regard them with contempt. +What I would advise you is, that you should submit to the British flag, +and should now take the opportunity to obtain the best terms in regard +to self-government and other matters. + +_President Steyn._ I would like to know from Your Excellency what sort +of self-government it would be? Would it be like that in the Cape +Colony? + +_Lord Kitchener._ Yes, precisely so. + +_President Steyn._ I thank Your Excellency. I put the question merely +for information. + +Lord Kitchener then proceeded to say that one should bear in mind the +British Colonists. "The Colonists," he said, "were proud of their own +nationality. If anyone, for instance, asked a Colonist in Australia +whether he was an Englishman, then his answer would be 'No, I am an +Australian.' And yet such a man felt himself to be one with the British +nation, and was proud of being a British subject." + +President Steyn then said that this comparison would not hold. In the +case of English Colonies one had to do with communities which from the +beginning had grown up under the British flag, with all the limitations +connected therewith. The Colonists had not possessed anything which they +had had to surrender, and having had nothing to lose they would have +nothing to complain about. In the case of the Boers it was quite +different. The Africanders in the two Republics were an independent +people. And if that independence were taken away from them they would +immediately feel themselves degraded, and a grievance would arise which +would necessarily lead to a condition of things similar to that in +Ireland. The conditions in Ireland had arisen mainly from the fact that +Ireland was a conquered country. + +Lord Kitchener replied that Ireland could not serve as a parallel, +seeing that it had never had self-government. + +To this President Steyn replied that the Irish had self-government, and +that in a measure that had never yet been granted to any Colony, seeing +that they were represented in the Imperial Parliament. Their power also +in this respect was so great that the Irish vote, under a strong man +like Parnell, could turn the scale in a Parliamentary question in one +way or another. + +Lord Kitchener then said that he was himself an Irishman, and therefore +better able to judge in regard to Irish affairs. He proceeded to say +that what was contemplated by the British Government was self-government +for the Boers, preceded by military rule for a certain period. That this +military rule as a preliminary measure was indispensable at the +commencement of Peace for the establishment and maintenance of law and +order; that as soon as this period had elapsed self-government would be +substituted for it, and then the Boers could annul any measure or law +made by the military authorities. He remarked, however, that he felt +sure that much that was good would be called into being by the military +government, which they would not desire afterwards to rescind. But the +People would have it in their power to decide in every case. + +A desultory discussion followed now, and Lord Kitchener urged that the +Governments should make a proposal in accordance with what he had +suggested; and both the Presidents replied that the Governments, +according to the constitutions of the Republics, were not qualified to +make any proposal whereby the Independence of the Republics should be +touched. + +When Lord Kitchener saw that he could make no progress he moved about +impatiently in his chair, and said,--again with the same gesture as +before: that if the Governments wished he would telegraph their +proposal to his Government, but he could guess--he did not know +officially what they would do in England, what he said was merely his +own opinion,--but he could guess what the answer would be. + +The Presidents then expressed their desire that Lord Kitchener should +send the proposal that had been made by them; but he thought that it was +not desirable to transmit it in the form in which it had been laid +before him. He thought it could be drafted in a more acceptable form. +Thereupon he took a pencil and roughly drafted the preamble of a +telegram. He read it aloud, and asked whether anybody wished to make any +remark upon it, in order to make the telegram still more acceptable; and +whether they wished to appoint anyone for this purpose. Mr. Reitz was +nominated, and the preamble of Lord Kitchener with the points of the +proposal (modified, as will be observed) was thus drawn up, approved of +by all, and, on the adjournment of the meeting, forwarded to the British +Government. + + +FROM LORD KITCHENER TO SECRETARY OF STATE. + + "PRETORIA, _12th April 1902_. + +"... The Boer Representatives wish to lay before His Majesty's +Government that they have an earnest desire for peace, and that they +have consequently decided to ask the British Government to end +hostilities and to enter into an agreement of peace with them. They are +prepared to enter into an agreement by which, in their opinion, all +future wars between them and the British Government in South Africa will +be prevented. They consider this object may be attained by providing for +the following points:-- + +"1. Franchise. + +"2. Equal rights for Dutch and English languages in educational +matters. + +"3. Customs Union. + +"4. Dismantling of all forts in Transvaal and Free State. + +"5. Post, Telegraph, and Railway Union. + +"6. Arbitration in case of future differences, and only subjects of the +parties to be the arbitrators. + +"7. Mutual amnesty. + +"... But if these terms are not satisfactory, they desire to know what +terms the British Government would give them in order to secure the end +they all desire." + + +After this conversation with Lord Kitchener the two Governments +consulted with each other, and agreed that when they again met the +representative of the British Government they would very clearly declare +their standpoint, namely, that in the matter of Independence it was the +People alone that could constitutionally decide. + +Sunday was passed quietly, and divine service was held in the house in +which the Free State Government was quartered. + +Early on Monday morning, the 14th of April, Lord Kitchener sent to the +members of both Governments a copy of the following telegram. He also +stated that Lord Milner would take part with him in the conference. + +The telegram was as follows:-- + + +FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO LORD KITCHENER. + + "LONDON, _13 April 1902_. + +"... His Majesty's Government sincerely share the earnest desire of the +Boer Representatives, and hope that the present negotiations may lead to +that result. But they have already stated in the clearest terms, and +must repeat, that they cannot entertain any proposals which are based +on the continued Independence of the former Republics which have been +formally annexed to the British Crown. It would be well for you and +Milner to interview Boer Representatives and explain this. You should +encourage them to put forward fresh proposals, excluding Independence, +which we shall be glad to receive." + + +At ten o'clock the members of the Government again assembled in Lord +Kitchener's house. + +Lord Milner entered the hall after the members of the Government had +assembled, and was introduced to the Representatives of the People by +Lord Kitchener. He greeted the Presidents as "Mr. Steyn and Mr. Burger." +But later, during the conference, he addressed each--was it +inadvertently--as President. + +It struck me that he had piercing eyes, that apparently strove to +penetrate the person on whom they were fixed. Those who had seen him +before, said that he had become very thin. He had grown grey, and +wrinkles were beginning to show on his forehead. He also looked pale, +and he seemed to show signs of fatigue. Before the conference was +continued, Lord Milner spoke a few words. He also wished to remove wrong +impressions. He declared that it had been said that he was not well +disposed towards the Boers. That was incorrect. He could give the +assurance that he wished to promote the interests of the Boers; and that +he, like themselves, desired peace. + +Thereupon Lord Kitchener laid the telegram from the British Government +on the table. Without entering into discussion on it, the Presidents +pointed out that it was impossible for the two Governments to act in +accordance with the desire of the British Government, seeing that, as +had already been said on Saturday, they were not qualified to discuss +the question of Independence before having consulted the People. + +_Lord Milner._ May I ask if the prisoners-of-war will also be consulted? + +_President Steyn._ Your Excellency surely cannot be in earnest in +putting this question? + +_Lord Milner_ (in a tone of annoyance). Yes, certainly. + +_President Steyn._ How can the prisoners-of-war be consulted?--they are +civilly dead. To mention one practical difficulty: suppose the prisoners +should decide that the war should be continued, and the burghers on +commando that it should not--what then?-- + +Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, seeing the absurdity, laughed aloud. +They quite agreed with President Steyn, and admitted that the difficulty +raised by him was to the point. + +Lord Kitchener, however, wished to call attention to the word +"excluding" in the answer of the British Government. He put it that the +words "excluding Independence" rendered a discussion, as to Dependence +or Independence, superfluous. The question should now be discussed as if +Independence were finally excluded; and assuming this, such proposals +should be made as it was thought would be acceptable as well for the +Boers as for the British Government. + +President Steyn then pointed out again that it was beyond the power of +the Government to do so. They had no right to make a proposal that even +assumed the exclusion of Independence. + +Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner here again agreed with the President. +Both said at the same time, "We agree--we agree." + +Meanwhile it had been urged several times that Lord Kitchener should +request his Government to make such proposals as might be regarded as +some kind of compensation, and which could, as such, be laid before the +People, in case the question of surrendering their Independence were +laid before them. + +Now this may look as if the Governments were already convinced that our +cause was a hopeless one, and that they, being themselves not qualified +to surrender the Independence, were only waiting for the decision of the +People thereupon. But I know well that the majority at least of the men +there did not think so, and that they felt convinced that, if they +appealed to the People, the People would with one accord say, "We will +retain our Independence, and if England does not agree to this, then we +shall go on with the war." + +The Representatives of the English Government would not, however, be +persuaded that the British Government should make any proposals, and +after much discussion Lord Milner said that it appeared to him that they +had come to a "Dead-lock." + +"It seems so to me too," said Lord Kitchener, "and that is just what I +wish to avoid.--Would the gentlemen not," he continued, "first consult +about this privately? If so, Lord Milner and I can retire from the room +for a while, and the result of your deliberations can, when you are +ready, be communicated to us"-- + +But it was agreed to adjourn till three o'clock in the afternoon. + +It is not necessary to relate here the particulars of the private +conference which was held. I will only record the resolution that was +taken: "The Governments, considering that the People have hitherto +fought and sacrificed everything for their Independence, and as they +constitutionally have not the power to make any proposal touching +Independence, and as the British Government now ask for other proposals +from them, which they cannot make without having previously consulted +the People, they propose that an armistice be agreed upon to enable +them to do so. At the same time they request that a member of the +Deputation should come over to them." + +At three o'clock they again met the Representatives of the British +Government. President Steyn then began by saying (in the spirit of the +resolution that had been taken), that the Governments, having taken the +reply of the British Government into consideration, had concluded that +they could make no proposal on the basis therein suggested; but as they +were desirous of seeing Peace restored, they requested (1) that one of +our delegates (in Europe) should obtain a safe-conduct to come hither, +and that, if it were deemed inadvisable to allow him to return, he might +remain somewhere in South Africa, on parole, till the war was over; (2) +that an armistice should be agreed upon in order to enable the +Governments to consult the People regarding the question of +Independence. + +Lord Kitchener said, "This comes as a surprise on us!" + +The question as to allowing a member of the Deputation to come over was +now left unanswered. It had already been discussed in the forenoon, and +then Lord Kitchener had said, that it concerned a military question +regarding which he had himself to decide, and that he could not grant +the request, because it would be an exceptional mode of proceeding to +which he could not consent. + +As to an armistice, he now also at first said nothing; but after waiting +some moments he said, as if the thought had just occurred to him, that +it seemed better for him to ask his Government to make proposals which +could be regarded as compensation to the Boers for the surrender of +their Independence. But this was exactly what the Governments had +repeatedly desired of him, and which he, without positively refusing, +had ignored. Up to the moment that he made the proposal which he now +made, he and Lord Milner had been trying to compromise the Governments, +by binding them in one way or other to the surrender of Independence. He +now, however, no doubt perceived that there was a risk of the +negotiations breaking off, and proposed--as if it had come to him as an +inspiration--what the Governments had constantly, but without result, +desired of him. What he suggested was of course immediately accepted, +and the following telegram, drafted in accordance therewith, was sent by +him to his Government:-- + + +FROM LORD KITCHENER TO SECRETARY OF STATE, + + "PRETORIA, _14th April 1902_. + +"A difficulty has arisen in getting on with proceedings. The +Representatives state that constitutionally they have no power to +discuss terms based on the surrender of Independence, inasmuch as only +the burghers can agree to such a basis, therefore, if they were to +propose terms, it would put them in a false position with regard to +their People. If, however, His Majesty's Government could state the +terms that, subsequent to a relinquishment of Independence, they would +be prepared to grant, the Representatives, after asking for the +necessary explanations, without any expression of approval or +disapproval, would submit such conditions to their People." + + +The Governments waited for a reply the whole of Tuesday. On Wednesday +the officers--who had been absent from their commandos so long--became +impatient, and General de Wet was just about to proceed to Lord +Kitchener to inquire if matters could not be expedited, when a letter +was received from him saying that an answer from the English Government +had been received, acknowledging the receipt of the telegram that had +been sent on Monday, and adding that an answer to it would be sent +during the course of the day. + +But it did not arrive during the day, and the dissatisfaction of the +Generals increased. The impatience grew greater, especially when the +English gave accounts of a fight that had taken place with the commando +of General de la Rey after he had left it, and said that Commandant +Potgieter and 43 burghers had fallen. At last, on the following morning, +Thursday, the 17th of April, Lord Kitchener invited the members of the +Governments once more, and laid before them the following telegram:-- + + +FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO LORD KITCHENER. + + "LONDON, _16th April 1902_. + +"We have received with considerable surprise the message from the Boer +leaders contained in your telegram. The meeting has been arranged at +their request, and they must have been aware of our repeated +declarations that we could not entertain any proposals based on the +renewed Independence of the two South African States. We were therefore +entitled to assume that the Boer Representatives had relinquished the +idea of Independence and would propose terms of surrender for the forces +still in the field. They now state they are constitutionally incompetent +to discuss terms which do not include a restoration of Independence, but +ask us to inform them what conditions would be granted if, after +submitting the matter to their followers, they were to relinquish the +demand for Independence. + +"This does not seem to us a satisfactory method of proceeding, or one +best adapted to secure at the earliest moment a cessation of the +hostilities which have involved the loss of so much life and treasure. +We are, however, as we have been from the first, anxious to spare the +effusion of further blood and to hasten the restoration of peace and +prosperity to the countries afflicted by the war, and you and Lord +Milner are authorised to refer the Boer leaders to the offer made by you +to General Botha more than twelve months ago, and to inform them that +although subsequent great reduction in the strength of the forces +opposed to us and the additional sacrifices thrown upon us by the +refusal of that offer would justify us in proposing far more onerous +terms, we are still prepared, in the hope of a permanent peace and +reconciliation, to accept a general surrender on the lines of that +offer, but with such modifications in details as may be mutually agreed +upon." + + +The conference was not long. Our Governments left the hall to consult +with one another. They resolved again to ask Lord Kitchener that a +member of our Deputation should be allowed to come over to us, and that +an armistice should be agreed to, to enable us to consult the People. + +On returning and again making this request, Lord Kitchener without +hesitation replied that the Deputation would not be allowed to come. He +asked what the good of it would be, as nothing was really happening in +Europe that could help the Boers. This, he said, the Governments could +see for themselves in the newspapers. He could also give them the +assurance of it on his word of honour. He also gave his decision with +regard to an armistice. He could not grant it; but he declared that he +was willing to do what he could. He was prepared to give the Governments +every possible opportunity to enable them to get the votes of the +People. He would give the Generals the use for that purpose of the +railway and telegraph. They could go to the People, and call them +together to meetings where they could ascertain what the burghers +thought on the matter in question. + +The task of the Governments was for the present completed. All left the +hall excepting Generals Botha, De Wet, and De la Rey. These remained to +discuss with Lord Kitchener the method of getting about their work. The +Generals proposed to Lord Kitchener, and it was accepted by him, that +thirty burghers for each Republic--sixty in all--should be chosen by the +People at their meetings to express the will of the People. It was also +decided that after the sixty representatives had become acquainted with +the views of the People, they should acquaint the Governments with the +same on the 15th of May 1902, at Vereeniging, in order that they could +lay the same before the British Government. + +Lord Kitchener also granted an armistice of one day, at the centres +where the different meetings were to be held; and further, to those +commandos whose chief officers were chosen to represent the People at +Vereeniging, as long as these officers should be absent, in order to +attend the conference. It was also promised that the Governments would +not be interfered with where they waited until the assembly began on the +15th of May at Vereeniging. + +In the meanwhile the secretaries had been very busy writing out a +document which would explain the whole condition of affairs. This +document, to which the correspondence exchanged between Lord Kitchener +on behalf of the two Governments and the British Government was +appended, was to be given to the officers, to be read by them to the +People at their meetings, so as to enable them more easily to decide the +question. + +On Friday evening, the 18th of April, the Governments left Pretoria. The +three Generals and some of the members of the Executive Council went in +different directions to do their important work. The other members, to +whom no special work had been intrusted, sought a place somewhere, +where they could rest quietly and await the result of the voting. What +would that be? That question everyone asked with more or less +uneasiness, and all thought with anxiety of the future. But not alone +did the great importance of our cause weigh heavily upon us. There was +something else that disquieted us. President Steyn was very ill. The +condition of his eyes, of which I have already spoken, and which had +been part of the reason why he had come to the Transvaal, appeared to be +of a more serious nature than we had suspected. Dr. W. van der Merwe, of +Krugersdorp, had declared that it was a dangerous affection of the +nerves, and everyone could see now that it was so. The President +gradually became weaker and weaker, and when he took part in the +negotiations, it had already become difficult for him to ascend the +doorsteps. After the negotiations Dr. van der Merwe advised him strongly +not to return to the veld whilst we were waiting for the result of the +meetings of the People, and said that his house at Krugersdorp was at +his service. But the President, ill as he was, grateful though he was to +the kind doctor, said that he could not think of it, because, if he +remained at Krugersdorp, this would have a bad influence upon the +People; and he resolved to go out again. So he went from Pretoria to +Klerksdorp, and from there to Leeuwfontein, six miles from Wolmeranstad. +There he remained for a week, and then took up his abode in a +half-destroyed house in Wolmeranstad, which he did not leave until we +went to Vereeniging. + +The long time of rest stood me in good stead. I made use of it to write +my notes in connection with the negotiation. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE MEETING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE AT VEREENIGING + + +On Friday evening, the 18th of April 1902, the Generals had, as we saw +in the foregoing chapter, left Pretoria for the purpose of going through +the two Republics and ascertaining what the wish of the People was in +regard to the great matter on which the Governments themselves had no +power to decide. All went prosperously. The officers who held the +meetings were everywhere helped by the English. Rail and telegraph were +at their service, and when the 15th of May approached, all the meetings +had been held and all the representatives elected. + +On the 13th of May all the general officers had been elected, and had +left as Representatives of the People for Vereeniging. There was, +accordingly, an armistice from that day everywhere in the two States for +the burghers under the command of such officers. + +Together with President Steyn I set out for Vereeniging. On the way +thither he became gradually weaker, and when on the 14th of May we +arrived at Klerksdorp he could no longer dismount from his spider +without assistance. He could no longer walk without leaning on someone +for support. + +We went into the train immediately on our arrival at Klerksdorp, and the +journey began that same evening. The following morning we reached +Vereeniging. A thick mist covered the ground, and it was cold. There +was therefore nothing in Nature to cheer one, or to give a good omen for +the great work that lay before the Representatives of the People. + +We were immediately conducted to the camp[17] that had been prepared for +the Delegates, and we found that almost all the Representatives of both +the States had already arrived there. How pleasant it was to meet +friends and acquaintances from all parts. They had much to relate about +what had occurred since we had spoken to each other last, and we could +also tell much about our own experiences. Although they had arrived in +the camp only a little before us, they had the manner of people who knew +more about things than new arrivals, and took a pardonable pleasure in +instructing us as to the topography of the camp. We learned that tents +had been pitched for the Free State Representatives in the south-east +portion of the camp, and for those of the Transvaal in the north-west. +In the middle between the two "States" there was a large tent, where the +meetings were to be held. + +[Footnote 17: Here is a sketch of the camp-- + +Illustration: + + Orange Transvaal. + Free + State. + + 1 1' Tents of Delegates. + 2 2' Tents of members of Government. + 3 3' Dining-room of Delegates. + 4 4' Dining-room of members of Government. + 5 5 Tent for the conference. + 6 6' Tents of English officers who had the duty of + providing for the Delegates.] + +Everything was arranged with the object of making it as pleasant as +possible for the deputies. There was, we soon found, nothing to complain +of. The friendliness of the English left nothing to desire. The English +officers who had charge of the Delegates attended to every request and +granted everything that was asked, if it was in their power. Nothing was +wanting that could, under the circumstances, be provided. + +After breakfast, the Governments held a preliminary meeting in the tent +of President Steyn. It may well be imagined what the feelings of +everyone were at seeing the rapid decline that had taken place in the +health of the great leader. There was this strong man, seized in the +iron grasp of an inexorable malady, and it seemed as if within a short +month he had grown many years older. But his intellect was as clear and +as strong as ever, and his courage still greater than before. When he +spoke there was not the slightest sign of despondency in his words, and +his strong personality still, as in his best days, commanded respect. +But his body--his body had been stricken; and while the unconquerable +spirit was willing, the poor instrument of flesh and blood was unable to +accomplish. + +Words of heartfelt sympathy were spoken, or a silent pressure of the +hand was given. The Governments had met to make some preliminary +arrangements before the Delegates should meet. First a decision was +taken as to the oath which the deputies should take; and then the +commission which the Delegates had received from the People was +discussed. It appeared that at the meetings held by General L. Botha and +most of the Transvaal officers, and at those held in the Orange Free +State by Judge Hertzog, the Delegates had been fully empowered to act on +behalf of the People according to circumstances, and even to come to a +final decision. On the other hand, at the meetings held by General de +Wet in the Free State and by General de la Rey in the South African +Republic, the People had given to their Delegates a fixed and limited +authority, whatever else might be decided, in no case to relinquish the +independence of the States. The question was now raised, whether +representatives with such conflicting commissions could be lawfully +constituted an assembly, and the assembly to pass resolutions as to +matters treating of a final decision. The discussion of this question +threatened to take up too much time, and the Governments resolved to +leave this point to the decision of the Delegates themselves. + +At eleven o'clock there assembled in the large tent the following +Representatives of the People, who took the oath and signed it:-- + + +FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC. + +1. H. A. ALBERTS, General, Heidelberg. + +2. J. J. ALBERTS, Commandant, Standerton and Wakkerstroom. + +3. J. F. DE BEER, Commandant, Bloemhof. + +4. C. F. BEYERS, Assistant Commandant-General, Waterberg. + +5. C. BIRKENSTOCK, burgher, Vryheid. + +6. H. J. BOSMAN, Landdrost, Wakkerstroom. + +7. CHRIS BOTHA, Assistant Commandant-General, Swazieland, State +Artillery. + +8. B. H. BREYTENBACH, Field-Cornet, Utrecht. + +9. C. J. BRITS, General, Standerton. + +10. J. G. CILLIERS, General, Lichtenburg. + +11. J. DE CLERCQ, Assistant Commandant, burgher, Middelburg. + +12. T. A. DOeNGES, Field-Cornet, of the town of Heidelberg and bodyguard +to the Government. + +13. H. S. GROBLER, Commandant, Bethal. + +14. J. L. GROBLER, burgher, Carolina. + +15. J. N. H. GROBLER, General, Ermelo. + +16. B. T. J. VAN HEERDEN, Field-Cornet, Rustenburg. + +17. J. F. JORDAAN, Commandant, Vryheid. + +18. J. KEMP, General, Krugersdorp. + +19. P. J. LIEBENBERG, General, Potchefstroom. + +20. C. H. MULLER, General, Boksburg. + +21. J. F. NAUDE, burgher of Pretoria, with flying commando of General +Kemp. + +22. D. J. E. OPPERMAN, Field-Cornet, Pretoria South. + +23. B. J. ROOS, Field-Cornet, Piet-Retief. + +24. P. D. ROUX, Field-Cornet, Marico. + +25. D. J. SCHOEMAN, Commandant, Lydenburg. + +26. F. C. STOFFBERG, Acting Landdrost, Zoutpansberg. + +27. S. P. DU TOIT, General, Wolmeranstad. + +28. P. L. UYS, Commandant, Pretoria North. + +29. P. R. VILJOEN, burgher, Heidelberg. + +30. M. J. VILJOEN, Commandant, Witwatersrand. + + +FOR THE ORANGE FREE STATE. + +1. C. C. F. BADENHORST, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Boshof and Hoopstad, +western portion of Bloemfontein, Winburg, and Kroonstad. + +2. A. J. BESTER, Commandant, Bethlehem. + +3. A. J. BESTER, Commandant, Bloemfontein. + +4. L. P. H. BOTHA, Commandant, Harrismith. + +5. G. A. BRAND, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Bethulie, Caledon River, +Rouxville, Wepener, and eastern portion of Bloemfontein. + +6. H. J. BRUWER, Commandant, Bethlehem. + +7. D. H. VAN COLLER, Commandant, Heilbron. + +8. F. R. CRONJE, Commandant, Winburg. + +9. D. F. H. FLEMMING, Commandant, Hoopstad. + +10. C. C. FRONEMAN, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Winburg and Ladybrand. + +11. F. J. W. J. HATTINGH, Assistant Chief-Commandant, eastern part of +Kroonstad and Heilbron. + +12. J. A. M. HERTZOG, Commandant, Philippolis. + +13. J. N. JACOBS, Commandant, Boshof. + +14. F. P. JACOBSZ, Commandant, Harrismith. + +15. A. J. DE KOCK, Commandant, Vrede. + +16. J. J. KOEN, Commandant, Ladybrand. + +17. H. J. KRITZINGEN, Field-Cornet, Kroonstad. + +18. F. E. MENTZ, Commandant, Heilbron. + +19. J. A. P. VAN DER MERVE, Commandant, Heilbron. + +20. C. A. VAN NIEKERK, Commandant, Kroonstad. + +21. H. VAN NIEKEK, Commandant of bodyguard to President Steyn. + +22. J. J. VAN NIEKERK, Commandant, Ficksburg. + +23. J. K. NIEUWOUDT, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Philippolis, +Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, and a portion of Bloemfontein. + +24. H. P. J. PRETORIUS, Commandant, Jacobsdal. + +25. A. M. PRINSLOO, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Bethlehem and Ficksburg. + +26. L. J. RAUTENBACH, Commandant, Bethlehem. + +27. F. J. RHEEDER, Commandant, Rouxville. + +28. A. ROSS, Commandant, Vrede. + +29. P. W. DE VOS, Commandant, Kroonstad. + +30. W. J. WESSELS, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Harrismith and Vrede. + + +The Representatives chose General C. F. Beyers as chairman; and as +secretaries, Mr. D. E. van Velden, Minute-keeper of the Government of +the South African Republic, and the Rev. J. D. Kestell, Acting Secretary +of the Executive Council of the Orange Free State. + +The chairman asked the Rev. J. D. Kestell to open the proceedings with +prayer, and then Acting President S. W. Burger declared the meeting to +be legally constituted. Thereupon the meeting was adjourned. + +In the afternoon the Delegates met at three o'clock. Before beginning +the discussion of the important subjects, the chairman said it would be +well if the Acting President of the South African Republic were first to +address some words of explanation to serve as a guide to the meeting. + +Acting President Burger then addressed the meeting, and explained, as +already stated earlier in this book, that it was the correspondence +between Holland and England that had brought about, first a meeting +between both the Governments at Klerksdorp, and subsequently a meeting +with Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner at Pretoria. The presence of the +Delegates at Vereeniging at that moment had resulted from the fact, +that when it appeared that the British Government insisted on the +surrender of Independence the two Governments had declared that it was +beyond their power constitutionally to enter into discussions on that +point; of that the People alone could treat. Thereupon both Governments +had made arrangements with Lord Kitchener to proceed to the People and +hear what they desired. The People had elected representatives, and +these were now assembled at Vereeniging to inform the Governments what +the will of the People was. President Burger then proceeded to state +that the English Government would not entertain the idea of Independence +for the two Republics, and that the Delegates there present should bear +this in mind; they would have to give information as to the condition of +the country, and to decide whether, bearing that condition in mind, the +struggle could still be continued. Whether the destruction of the entire +nation would not be the result of continuing the war, and whether it +would be right to do this. He then referred to the question which had +arisen as to the qualification of the members to sit together in +conference and to decide upon questions, seeing that some Delegates had +received full powers to act, whilst others had only a limited +commission, which bound them to a certain course of action. He trusted, +however, that this would place no insurmountable obstacle in the way. +Finally he expressed the hope that they would bear with one another, and +warned the members against divided counsels. + +Thereupon the chairman asked General L. Botha to address the meeting. +The General replied that he did not see his way to doing this, since the +question as to the powers of the Delegates was not yet clear to him. It +was then that Judge J. B. M. Hertzog explained that a Representative of +the People, from a legal point of view, could not be regarded as a mere +agent or mouthpiece of his constituents; but that he, in matters of a +public nature, held a general power with the right of acting according +to his convictions, whatever might be the special injunction that had +been laid upon him by the constituents. General J. C. Smuts, +State-Attorney of the South African Republic, was of the same opinion. + +This satisfied the Commandant-General, and he commenced with a general +statement as to the condition of his commandos. General de Wet and also +General de la Rey addressed the meeting. They stated, however, that they +were purposely brief, because the making of formal reports should be +left to the Delegates themselves. + +The Representatives then addressed the meeting, and the first and a part +of the second day were spent in the hearing of reports. The Delegates +spoke till late at night, for they desired not to lose any time. From +the reports of the members of the meeting it was evident that the +condition of the country was miserable. There were no less than fourteen +districts of the Transvaal that had become so exhausted that the +commandos would no longer be able to continue in them. Food had become +exceedingly scarce everywhere, and in some parts the burghers were +dependent solely on the Kaffirs for their supplies. Everywhere the +"horse sickness" was causing great uneasiness, and the number of those +who had to go on foot was daily increasing. Special reference was made +to the distress caused by the sad fate of the women, who were still +found in greater and smaller numbers in different parts of the two +States. They often suffered great want, and were constantly exposed to +dangers at times when their husbands could afford them no assistance. + +In the Orange Free State matters were somewhat more favourable. + +It was true that some portions of this country were exhausted; but in +general the Delegates from there thought that the war could still be +continued for six months or a year. Still, there were some who related +sad facts and who were not silent as to the sufferings of the women in +that Republic. On the second morning this resolution was adopted:-- + +"That the Governments be requested through Lord Kitchener, to thank His +Majesty the King of England and Her Majesty the Queen of Holland for +their interposition in connection with the bringing about of peace +negotiations, as appears from the correspondence between the said +Governments, and to express their regret that His Majesty's Government +had not adopted the suggestion of Her Majesty's Government, to give our +Delegates in Europe, who still possess our fullest confidence, the +opportunity of coming to the Republics, and also that Lord Kitchener has +refused to accede to a similar request made by our Governments." + +After this resolution had been adopted by the meeting, almost all the +Delegates had given their reports on the condition of both States. The +chairman then caused the letter, together with its annexures, which had +been addressed by the Governments from Pretoria to the burghers in the +veld, to be read. After that it became the duty of the Delegates to +consider what was to be done. + +In the letter sent by the Governments at Pretoria to the burghers it was +stated that the British Government still adhered to the same proposals +that they had made to General L. Botha at Middelburg on the 7th of March +1901. The British Government demanded that a general surrender should +first take place, and if that were done they would grant the Boers +certain privileges, and as soon as possible Self-Government. + +The question now before the meeting was, whether the Representatives +would accept this proposal of England, or--reject it and continue the +war? + +It was immediately evident that the meeting was, to express myself so, +divided into two camps: the one forced to the conviction, that it was no +longer possible to resist the inevitable; the other holding that the end +had not yet come, and that, if England would negotiate upon no other +basis than that which insisted upon the surrender of Independence, the +war ought to be continued. + +The Free State Delegates, with the exception of two or three, were with +one accord of the latter opinion, whilst the majority of the whole +assembly were convinced of the opposite. Among the Transvaalers there +were some who had come to the meeting with the motto, "Independence, or +else fight on!" But these, with the exception of six, came to the +conclusion during the discussion that it was their duty for the sake of +others to modify their views. + +The reasons for ending the struggle, which were given by those Delegates +who now declared that it could no longer be proceeded with, were more +particularly the following:-- + +The country was, as already briefly indicated above, so devastated and +exhausted by the burning and destruction of farms and villages, the +removal of all cattle and sheep, the ruthless slaying of sheep, and +destruction of grain of all sorts, that we were standing upon the +threshold of a famine. It was further pointed out that horses were +becoming more and more scarce, and what would the burghers signify +without horses? + +But it was the condition of the women, above all, that went to their +hearts. The condition of the women was most pitiable. They were almost +naked and suffered from hunger. They were exposed to dangers just at the +times when the men had to retire before overwhelming odds, and thus had +no protection just when they stood most in need of it. It was also shown +that the commandos were becoming weaker and weaker, and that if in the +future matters took the same course as in the past, nothing remained for +us but certain destruction. Acting President Burger and +Commandant-General Botha spoke in this strain. The former warned the +leaders that they should not continue the war merely for the sake of +their own honour, and that they had no right to sacrifice a nation to +their own ambition. The latter said that he was not thinking of himself, +when he declared that they could not continue the struggle. He himself +could still go on, for his family was provided for. He had horses too; +he wanted nothing. Besides, it was his earnest desire to continue the +war. But he dared not think of himself only. Constantly the question +arose in his mind, what would become of the People? and without +intermission, a voice spoke within him that it was his duty now, whilst +it was yet possible, to do the best he could for his People. He also +referred to the fact that it had been repeatedly declared that we should +continue to the "bitter end." He would ask _where_ that bitter end was? +Would it be reached when the last man lay in his grave or had been +banished, or had it been reached when the nation had striven until it +could do so no longer? General de la Rey, too, spoke in the same spirit. +He could still continue, he declared. His commandos were still able to +continue the struggle, but this many others could not do--and if all +could not do it, then a portion could not. From all that he had heard at +the meeting he had come to the mournful conclusion that the war should +be discontinued. He also referred to what had been said as to enduring +to the end. "Fight to the bitter end?" he asked, addressing the +meeting,--"do you say that? _But has the bitter end not come?_ Each one +of you must decide that question for himself." + +With regard to the expectations we had of the Cape Colony, these +evaporated when General Smuts said that there was no possibility in the +Cape Colony of a general revolt. He declared that everything possible +had been done there. The Colonists could not have done more than they +had done, but a general rising was, for various reasons, impossible. If, +therefore, a reason for continuing the struggle in the Republics +themselves did not exist any longer, it would be idle to go and seek it +in the Cape Colony. + +The Delegates on the other side did not deny that the condition of +things was appalling, and that there was great distress everywhere; that +especially the sufferings of the women were so great that one could not +think of it without danger of becoming weak and despondent, and that +there were large portions of the country that had become entirely +exhausted. But it was argued that this was also the case, or at least +had been said to be the case, a year ago, when General Smuts, the +State-Attorney, had in his telegram to our Deputation in Europe +described the condition of the country as being most dreadful. Then also +it had been said by many that through want of ammunition, and of other +things absolutely necessary for the continuance of the war, we could +fight no longer; and yet the struggle had been continued after that for +twelve months. + +With respect to what had been said concerning the districts which would +have to be abandoned, it was urged that in the Free State there were +portions which had been entirely destroyed and consequently abandoned; +but these had nevertheless later on been again inhabited and supplied +with cattle. And then it was asked, whether the war had not been begun +in faith, and whether it could not be carried through in the same faith? + +General de Wet spoke in this strain. He pointed with earnestness to the +fact that times of depression had been surmounted in the past, and that +they should be surmounted again. If there were those who could not +provide for themselves, then it was the duty of the meeting to do so for +them, and to continue the war. + +Referring to the charge made by some, that those who wished to continue +the war did not take facts into consideration, he said that he had +nothing to do with facts, it was a war of faith; he had to concern +himself with _a fact only when he had to clear it out of the way_. + +And yet, it was these facts that were constantly being pointed at. They +were declared to be insurmountable. Many advised those who wished to +continue the war, to consult not only their hearts but their common +sense, and if they did this they would see what God's purpose with us in +this war was. One Delegate said that the war had been commenced with +prayer and with the Mauser, and, he asked, what had been God's answer to +this prayer? "Can you not see," he continued, "that the hand of God is +stretched out against us?" + +The Middleburg proposals then were before the meeting. The question now +was, what the meeting was going to do in regard to those proposals? It +was soon evident that the Delegates were not prepared to accept them, +and were of opinion that before deciding another endeavour should be +made to see whether the British Government was not inclined to conclude +peace upon some other basis, a basis which would not exclude the +Independence of the two States. It had, however, become plain to all +that, as matters then stood, the People could not expect to have the +same measure of Independence which they had enjoyed before the war, and +the Delegates felt that they would have to concede and surrender much. +The State-Secretary, Mr. F. W. Reitz, had suggested what might be +surrendered. We could, he said, agree to the surrender of a portion of +our territory--the goldfields and Zwasieland, for instance. We could +relinquish our foreign policy. We could even agree to an English +protectorate. There were those who were opposed to this idea, yet it +seemed that Mr. Reitz's view was in accordance with the sentiments of +the meeting, and several members expressed themselves to the same +effect. + + * * * * * + +I have now briefly summed up, and arranged in order, what was discussed +by the Representatives of the People at Vereeniging. I have now in this +chapter only to add that on the third day of the meeting, on Saturday, +17th May, two resolutions were adopted. The first empowered both +Governments to conclude peace on this basis:-- + +The retention of a limited Independence, with the power to offer, over +and above what had already been offered, by both Governments in their +negotiations of 15th April 1902-- + +1. The relinquishment of foreign relations and embassies. + +2. The acceptance of the protectorate of Great Britain. + +3. The surrender of a portion of the territory of the South African +Republic. + +4. The conclusion of a defensive treaty with Great Britain with regard +to South Africa. + +The second proposal authorised the Governments to appoint a commission +to negotiate with Lord Kitchener on any subject that might lead to a +satisfactory peace, and to submit, through the Governments, the result +of their labours to the meeting for ratification. + +Shortly after these two resolutions had been agreed to the meeting was +closed with prayer, and adjourned until the report of the commission was +handed in. + +Immediately after the close of the meeting the Governments met in the +tents of President Steyn, who had been too weak to be present except at +two of the sessions, and they nominated the Generals L. Botha, C. R. de +Wet, J. H. de la Rey, J. C. Smuts, and Judge J. B. M. Hertzog as the +commission to negotiate at Pretoria. The following day a service was +held in the large tent, and those present were addressed on the striking +words of Paul: "I am not speaking falsely, and my conscience, +enlightened by the Holy Spirit, bears me out when I say that I am +greatly pained, and that my heart is never free from sorrow. I could +wish that I were accursed, and severed from the Christ, for the sake of +my brothers--my own countrymen" (Rom. ix. 1-3).--_The Twentieth Century +New Testament._ + +In alluding to this divine service, I may also note that every morning a +prayer-meeting, and every evening a short service, was held during the +whole time that the Representatives of the People were at Vereeniging; +and thus the People remained faithful to the last to that spirit which +since and before the days of Sarel Celliers had inspired the Africander +nation. The God of their fathers was not forgotten. Their posterity also +said of that Lord, "God is our refuge and our strength." In the +afternoon the Governments received a reply from Lord Kitchener and Lord +Milner that the request of the Delegates for a conference was acceded +to, and that the commission could come to Pretoria. + +The commission left about sunset, and arrived at Pretoria at about nine +o'clock. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +SWIMMING AGAINST THE STREAM + + +On Monday morning, the 19th of May 1902, the commission met early, and +wrote a letter, intended to be read to Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, +in which the desire of the Representatives of the People was explained. +As the committee was empowered to negotiate with the British Government +as to any subject that might lead to peace, they also now discussed the +question, what, in case the desire of the Delegates were not acceded to, +the terms should be on which peace could be concluded. The following +points were thereupon taken down:-- + + +1. A date to be fixed for the establishment of responsible government. + +2. All burghers of both Republics to retain the franchise, and this +right to vote to be further regulated on the basis of the existing +franchise law of the Cape Colony. And the electoral divisions to be +fixed more or less in accordance with the number of electors. + +3. All families and prisoners to be brought back to their dwellings, as +soon as arrangement could possibly be made for their conveyance, as +indicated in Lord Kitchener's letter of the 7th of March 1901. + +4. Both the Dutch and English languages to have the same rights. + +5. Payment to be made + + (_a_) Of Government notes of the South African + Republic issued during the war. + + (_b_) Of all receipts given according to the custom + of the Republics, for goods, etc., requisitioned + for the use of the commandos. + + (_c_) Of all direct damage caused to burghers in + connection with military operations. + +6. The legal status of coloured persons to be the same as in the Cape +Colony, and no right to vote to be given to them before responsible +government shall have been introduced here under the laws to be adopted +by the future Parliaments. All native tribes within and on the borders +of both Republics to be disarmed immediately after the conclusion of +peace. + +7. Amnesty to be granted for all acts done in connection with the war by +burghers of both Republics and of the Colonies, and no accounts to be +demanded from officers of State monies spent during the war for military +purposes. + +8. Cessation of hostilities to be arranged with the chief officers. + + +At ten o'clock the commission was invited to the dwelling of Lord +Kitchener. Immediately on their arrival in the hall, where both +Governments had a month previously negotiated with the British +Government, Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner made their appearance, and +seats were taken at the table. + +General L. Botha began by saying that, although the negotiations had +lasted longer than had been expected, he could give the assurance that +the burghers were acting in good faith, and that everything was done +with the earnest desire to bring about peace. + +Thereupon the Representatives of the British Government inquired what +the proposals of the Delegates at Vereeniging were, and the letter +prepared by the commission was read as follows:-- + + +TO THEIR EXCELLENCIES LORD KITCHENER AND LORD MILNER, PRETORIA. + + "PRETORIA, _19th May 1902_. + +YOUR EXCELLENCIES,--With the object of finally putting an end to the +existing hostilities, we have the honour, by virtue of the authority +granted us by the Governments of both Republics, to propose the +following points as a basis of negotiations over and above the points +already offered in the negotiations of April last:-- + +(_a_) We are prepared to relinquish our independence as regards foreign +relationships. + +(_b_) We wish to retain internal self-government under a British +protectorate. + +(_c_) We are prepared to surrender a portion of our territory. + +If your Excellencies are prepared to negotiate upon this basis, the +above-named points can be further discussed in detail. + +We have the honour to be, your Excellencies' obedient servants, + + LOUIS BOTHA. + C. R. DE WET. + J. H. DE LA REY. + J. B. M. HERTZOG. + J. C. SMUTS." + + +In this letter, then, the commission laid before the British Government +the wish of the Delegates. How little, indeed, it was that the People +desired!--a Limited Independence! They wished to retain their own flag, +and were prepared to make, besides what they had already given in blood +and treasure, other sacrifices for it, and that by agreeing thenceforth +to signify nothing in the outside world, surrendering all relations with +other powers; also, even in regard to their internal government, to have +their wings clipped by submitting to the protectorate of England, and to +become yet smaller than they were by surrendering a portion of their +already small territory. + +All that they wished for was to be independent, even if it were only +partly so. + +It was in vain! + +First Lord Kitchener then Lord Milner said that the difference between +what the People desired and what the British Government had proposed was +too great; and when the commission replied that there was no distinction +in principle, that they would actually be independent no longer if +England agreed to the little that was asked, they were curtly answered +that it could not be. The States had completely to surrender their +independent existence! + +And thereupon the Representatives of the British Government refused to +discuss the proposal any further. They refused even to telegraph it to +England, declaring that they were certain it would not be agreed to +there, and that it might injure the cause of the Boers. + +What was the commission now to do? Return to the Delegates and inform +them that England would not grant what they desired? No! they had +authority to negotiate on _any_ subject that would lead to the desired +peace, and they would now negotiate further, and see what England's +intention was. They therefore asked what terms England was prepared to +give in case the States surrendered. + +In the afternoon the following preamble was read as an answer to this +question:-- + +"The undersigned leaders of the burgher forces in the field, accepting +on their own behalf and that of the said burghers the annexation +proclaimed by Lord Roberts, and dated respectively on the 24th May in +the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred, and No. 15 dated on the first day +of September in the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred, and accepting as +a consequence thereof their status as British subjects, agree +immediately to lay down their arms, surrendering all cannon, guns, and +munitions of war in their possession, or under their control, and to +cease from all further opposition against the authority of H.M. King +Edward VII., or his successors. They do this, relying on the assurance +of H.M. Government that they and the burghers surrendering together with +them shall not be deprived of their personal liberty or of their +property, and that the future actions of H.M. Government with regard to +the consequences of the war shall be consistent with the declaration +here-under set forth. It is clearly understood that all burghers who are +now prisoners-of-war, in order to share in the enjoyment of said +assurance, shall declare their acceptance of the status of British +subjects." + +"Must we understand," asked General L. Botha, when Lord Milner had read +this document,--"must we understand that our proposal is rejected +entirely?" + +Both Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner replied, "Yes!" + +It was plain to everyone in that room who heard that answer, that we +were regarded as having been conquered--completely conquered. + + * * * * * + +It was now indicated that something in the spirit of the Middleburg +proposal would follow upon the preamble that had been read there, and +that the exact contents and form of it would have to be agreed upon. The +commission began by taking exception to the preamble, as well as to the +proposal itself, and explained their objections. + +No progress could be made. + +After much had been said on both sides the Representatives of the +British Government proposed that a sub-committee of the commission +should be elected to draw up a document, together with Lord Milner, +which should, if possible, be acceptable. It was then agreed that +General Smuts and Judge Hertzog should act as such a sub-committee, to +draft a proposal in co-operation with Lord Milner, advised by Sir +Richard Solomon. + +The two men who constituted the sub-committee did much. They opposed all +endeavours to make the oath of allegiance obligatory. They succeeded in +arranging that no judicial steps, either civil or criminal, should be +taken for acts done during the war. They insisted that the Governments +of both States, if a treaty of peace were made, should sign it as the +Governments respectively of the South African Republic and of the Orange +Free State, and thus virtually forced the British Government to treat +the "annexations" of the two Republics as non-existent, and to negotiate +not with late Republics, but with existing States, whose official names, +and not the new names given in the annexation proclamation, it would +recognise through the signatures of its Representatives. + +The sub-committee also championed the cause of the colonists who had +fought on our side, and although Lord Milner positively objected to any +interference with what he called a matter between the Colonial +Government and their own subjects, the members of the sub-committee +nevertheless indirectly received the assurance that the colonists would +be treated as leniently as possible. + +After the sub-committee had, together with Lord Milner, drawn up the +document, it was laid before the two parties. A clause was still wanting +which should provide for the payment of receipts which officers in the +field had given for provisions bought for the use of the commandos +during the war, and in the document no sum of money was named that +should be paid to the burghers as compensation for damages. + +The necessity of paying these receipts was discussed, and it was sad to +hear the haggling that went on in regard to this matter. Lord Milner +said it could not be expected that the British Government should pay the +war costs of both sides; to which it was replied that these receipts +were a lawful debt of the country, and that if England took possession +of the assets of the country, worth millions of money, she should also +be responsible for the debts. It was also pointed out that there were +many men who possessed nothing but receipts, and if they were to lose +these also, then they would possess nothing whatever. + +Eventually it was agreed that in the draft proposal a clause should be +added providing for the payment of the receipts, and that it should be +proposed that the sum of L3,000,000 should be given for the payment of +these and of the government notes. + +The commission also wished to have an article providing for the +protection of those who had debts to pay. They pointed out that if these +people were forced to pay immediately after the war, they, having lost +all, would not be able to do so, and would therefore be ruined utterly. +The commission desired that no creditor should have the right to take +steps against his debtor till after the lapse of a certain period. This +matter was regarded by Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner as being one +connected with a legal question of so intricate a nature that they did +not consider it desirable to have it mentioned in the document itself. +But they promised to bring it to the notice of the British Government +and to recommend it to their earnest consideration. + +The draft proposal was then concluded, and telegraphed to England in +the afternoon (21st of May). For a whole week we had to wait before a +final answer was received from England, for meanwhile telegrams were +being sent backwards and forwards. At last, on the 28th of May, the +answer came, stating that the draft proposal was accepted with certain +modifications, and that the proposal as now amended could no longer be +altered. It was to be laid before the Representatives of the People at +Vereeniging, who were to give a "yes" or "no" vote on it. The following +is the proposal in its final form:-- + + +"General Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, Commander-in-Chief, and His +Excellency Lord Milner, High Commissioner, on behalf of the British +Government, and Messrs. S. W. Burger, F. W. Reitz, Louis Botha, J. H. de +la Rey, L. J. Meyer, and J. C. Krogh, acting as the Government of the +South African Republic, and Messrs. M. T. Steyn, W. J. C. Brebner, C. R. +de Wet, J. B. M. Hertzog, and C. H. Olivier, acting as the Government of +the Orange Free State, on behalf of their respective burghers, desirous +to terminate the present hostilities, agree on the following articles:-- + +"1. The burgher forces in the field will forthwith lay down their arms, +handing over all guns, rifles, and munitions of war, in their possession +or under their control, and desist from any further resistance to the +authority of His Majesty King Edward VII., whom they recognise as their +lawful sovereign. The manner and details of this surrender will be +arranged between Lord Kitchener and Commandant-General Botha, Assistant +Commandant-General de la Rey, and Chief-Commandant de Wet. + +"2. Burghers in the field outside the limits of the Transvaal and Orange +River Colony, and all prisoners-of-war at present outside South Africa, +who are burghers, will, on duly declaring their acceptance of the +position of subjects of His Majesty King Edward VII., be gradually +brought back to their homes as soon as transport can be provided and +their means of subsistence ensured. + +"3. The burghers so surrendering or so returning will not be deprived of +their personal liberty or their property. + +"4. No proceedings, civil or criminal, will be taken against any of the +burghers so surrendering or so returning for any acts in connection with +the prosecution of the war. The benefit of this clause will not extend +to certain acts contrary to the usages of war which have been notified +by the Commander-in-Chief to the Boer Generals, and which shall be tried +by court-martial immediately after the close of hostilities. + +"5. The Dutch language will be taught in public schools in the Transvaal +and the Orange River Colony where the parents of the children desire it, +and will be allowed in courts of law when necessary for the better and +more effectual administration of justice. + +"6. The possession of rifles will be allowed in the Transvaal and Orange +River Colony to persons requiring them for their protection, on taking +out a licence according to law. + +"7. Military administration in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony +will at the earliest possible date be succeeded by civil government, +and, as soon as circumstances permit, representative institutions, +leading up to self-government, will be introduced. + +"8. The question of granting the franchise to natives will not be +decided until after the introduction of self-government. + +"9. No special tax will be imposed on landed property in the Transvaal +and Orange River Colony to defray the expenses of the war. + +"10. As soon as conditions permit, a commission, on which the local +inhabitants will be represented, will be appointed in each district of +the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, under the presidency of a +magistrate or other official, for the purpose of assisting the +restoration of the people to their homes and supplying those who, owing +to war losses, are unable to provide for themselves, with food, shelter, +and the necessary amount of seed, stock, implements, etc., indispensable +to the resumption of their normal occupations. His Majesty's Government +will place at the disposal of these commissions a sum of three million +pounds sterling for the above purposes, and will allow all notes issued +under Law No. 1 of 1900 of the Government of the South African Republic, +and all receipts given by the officers in the field of the late +Republics, or under their orders, to be presented to a judicial +commission, which will be appointed by the Government; and if such notes +and receipts are found by this commission to have been duly issued in +return for valuable consideration, they will be received by the +first-named commissions as evidence of war losses suffered by the +persons to whom they were originally given. In addition to the +above-named free grant of three million pounds, His Majesty's Government +will be prepared to make advances as loans for the same purposes, free +of interest for two years, and afterwards repayable over a period of +years with 3 per cent. interest. No foreigner or rebel will be entitled +to the benefit of this clause." + + +There, then, lay the proposal. Nothing could be added to it; nothing +could be taken from it. The Delegates at Vereeniging would have to adopt +it as it was, or reject it. + +With regard to the colonists who had fought on the side of the +Republics against their own Government, a document was read in which it +was stated that the Cape Government had resolved that the "rank and +file," if they surrendered, would have to sign a document before a +resident magistrate, acknowledging themselves to have been guilty of +high treason, and that their punishment would be the loss of the +franchise for life; and that persons who had occupied positions under +the Cape Government, or who had been officers of commandos, would have +to submit to trial on the charge of high treason, on the understanding, +however, that in no case would the penalty of death be inflicted. The +Natal Government, always small, never large-hearted, was of opinion that +the colonists who had risen should be treated in accordance with the +laws of the colony (Natal). + +The task of the five men was completed. They had done everything in +their power to carry out the wishes of the Delegates, but they had not +been able to succeed. They had been swimming against a stream that was +too strong for them. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE BITTER END + + +That same evening, the 28th of May, the commission returned to +Vereeniging, and the following morning a meeting of both Governments was +held in the tent of President Steyn to hear the report of the five men. +The commission read the following letter:-- + + +TO THE HONOURABLE GOVERNMENTS OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE AND THE SOUTH +AFRICAN REPUBLIC. + + "PRETORIA, _28th May 1902_. + +"HONOURABLE SIRS,--In accordance with our commission from both +Governments to proceed to Pretoria for the purpose of negotiating with +the British authorities on the question of peace, we have the honour to +report as follows: The sessions lasted from Monday the 19th May till +Wednesday the 28th May, and the delay was chiefly caused by the long +time which had to be given to the cable correspondence with the British +Government. First of all, we submitted a proposal in which we +endeavoured to negotiate on the basis of a limited Independence, with +the surrender of a portion of our territory. Lord Kitchener and Lord +Milner positively refused to negotiate upon this basis, and informed us +that if this proposal were telegraphed to the British Government it +would be detrimental to the negotiations. At the same time we were +informed that, as already stated to the two Governments, the British +Government was only prepared to negotiate on the basis of the Middleburg +proposal, with minor modifications. In order to throw this proposal into +a final shape, Lord Milner asked the assistance of some members of the +commission; and this was agreed to, on the understanding that the help +of these members should be given without prejudice. + +"As the result of the labours of this sub-committee, Lord Milner laid on +the table a draft proposal to which we insisted that the new article +should be added, which was agreed to (No. 11). This draft proposal was +then telegraphed to the British Government, and was by them altered into +a final form, which was communicated to us. This final proposal is +annexed hereunto. We were also informed on the part of the British +Government that this proposal could not be further altered, but had to +be either adopted or rejected as it stood by the Delegates of both +Republics: at the same time we were informed, that this adoption or +rejection had to take place within a fixed time. We thereupon told Lord +Kitchener that this final decision would be communicated to him not +later than Saturday evening next (the 31st of May). + +"During the formal negotiations some informal discussions also took +place regarding the British subjects in the Cape Colony and Natal, who +have fought on our side. As the result of these informal discussions, a +communication was made to us by the British Government, which we annex +hereunto.--We have the honour to be your Honours' obedient servants, + + "LOUIS BOTHA. + J. H. DE LA REY. + C. R. DE WET. + J. B. M. HERTZOG. + J. C. SMUTS." + + +That the Governments were greatly disappointed it is needless to say, +that they did not say much may be well imagined. Still, questions were +asked as to the meaning of conditions that appeared to require +explanation, and these were answered by the commission to the best of +their ability. + +President Steyn made a few remarks, and pointed out how objectionable +the proposal was. He expressed himself strongly against the acceptance +of it. + +General de la Rey pointed out that the Representatives of the People +should have to choose one of these three ways out of the difficulty: (1) +To continue the struggle; or (2) To accept the proposal of the British +Government; or (3) Unconditional surrender. + +Hereupon President Steyn remarked that there was still a fourth: viz. To +insist upon our cause being decided in Europe by persons empowered, and +sent thither by us. + +"But," he added in a sad tone, "I am like one who had been wounded to +death. I can no longer take part in the struggle, and have therefore +perhaps no right to speak any more. To-day I must, on account of my +serious illness, resign my position, and now the matter is in your hands +and in those of the Representatives of the People!" + +It was a hard thing to hear those words: "I am as one who has been +wounded to death." Our hearts were broken at the thought that the +President could not wield the sword. He had in the long and dreadful +struggle lived each day on the very summit of determination and of +courage. Never, not even when he saw that his bodily strength was +rapidly failing, had he shown the slightest sign of discouragement. + +And now he could no longer take part in the struggle. Many things in +this war had weighed heavily upon us; but the fate of President Steyn +broke our hearts. + +Having conversed together some moments longer, the Governments proceeded +to the tent of assembly, and there laid the letter of the commission +before the Delegates. + +It was a blow for these Representatives of the People, a blow which, +though it did not come unexpectedly, was nevertheless overwhelming. It +stunned them like the thunder-clap which, expected from moment to +moment, at last explodes. + +The clouds lowered, and their sombre shadow lay upon the meeting until +the end of the discussions. + +In the first place, the commission was asked for explanations regarding +the various articles of the British proposal, to which "Yes" or "No" was +now to be the answer. It was as if they were seeking for something in +the proposal that could not be found there. + +There were all sorts of conditions in it, but all were on one condition: +_The Republics must surrender their Independence!_ + +During the adjournment in the afternoon the Free State Delegates met in +the tent of General de Wet to accept there the resignation of President +Steyn. They received a letter from him, in which he said that he was +obliged to do this on account of his serious illness. He further stated +that, according to a law which gave him that power, he had appointed +General C. R. de Wet as Acting State President. + +Just when the letter had been read and discussed, something happened in +the tent that drew the heart of the Free Stater closer to that of the +Transvaaler than before. Acting President Burger gave, on behalf of his +Government to the Government of the Orange Free State, a sum of +money--not so much, he said, as they would have desired--for the use of +President Steyn. All were moved, and Judge Hertzog expressed the +feelings of all when accepting the gift, as chairman, he said that they +were deeply touched by the thoughtfulness of the Transvaalers, and that +their deed afforded a new proof of our indissoluble union. + +Shortly before three o'clock horses were harnessed to the vehicle of +President Steyn, and accompanied by Dr. van der Merwe he got into it. +Dr. van der Merwe was now going to take him to his own house at +Krugersdorp, and there to take further charge of him. And here I must +not let the opportunity pass without bearing witness to the +unselfishness and self-sacrifice of this doctor. Everyone appreciated +what he had done for the President, and I feel assured that the +Africander nation will bear it in thankful remembrance. + +The President said farewell to those who loved him, and rode away. I sat +writing in another tent on some business of his, and did not see him +depart. + +The carriage rolled away, and I had not said farewell to him. I could +not let him go without a last pressure of the hand. I ran after the +vehicle. The guards stopped it, and so I could reach him. I grasped the +hand of the sick man. I still see him as he sat in his carriage. He +looked to me like the personification of all that was noble, of all that +was heroic: a man who for a great idea could sacrifice all. + +I feel the pressure of his hand yet, I still hear his words, but how he +looked, and what he spoke, I may not, and what passed through my heart, +I cannot set down here. + +The carriage drove away. + +The curtain had fallen upon a tragedy: Martinus Theunis Steyn had +disappeared from the scene. + +It was as if an arrow had gone through my heart. + +I went to the tent of assembly. I listened to the words of the +Delegates, and mechanically made notes of what was said; but my heart +was elsewhere. It was with the man who had striven as few could, and +who was now being carried away by the train farther and farther from the +arena. + +For a considerable time longer the Delegates continued asking for +explanations of the articles of the British proposal. At last nothing +remained to be asked; then it was that one of the Delegates girded +himself to the task of placing himself face to face with the question, +"What we were to accept: whether we should continue this struggle, or +whether we should accept the terms of the British Government, or whether +we should surrender unconditionally." + +The Delegate who spoke first said that the terms of the English were not +such as had been desired, but that under the circumstances no better +ones could be expected. It was his opinion that they should be accepted. +This Delegate had hardly sat down when General Nieuwoudt rose and +expressed it as his view that the meeting should immediately proceed to +vote. + +This was a bold move, intended, as everyone could see, to obtain a vote +for the continuance of the struggle. And this would have happened if a +vote had now been taken, for the meeting was just then in a mood to +reject the English proposals, which had made a very unfavourable +impression. This was well understood, and several members remarked that +in such an important matter the meeting should be careful, and not act +without due caution; if it did it might prove fatal. The discussions +then continued, until a resolution was come to on the afternoon of the +third day, Saturday, the 31st of May. + +As things had gone in the beginning, so they went now. There were two +parties, and the views were distinctly and clearly marked; the one side +maintaining that it was the duty of the people to continue the struggle, +whilst the other party held that, whatever one might wish, it was no +longer possible to do so. I shall not note here all that was said, for +much that had been said on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of May was +repeated. I shall now again, as I did in a former chapter, summarise and +arrange. + +There were some who pointed out that, however one might regard the +matter, it was impossible to continue the war. As before, it was +remarked that we stood on the threshold of a famine, and that it was +want of food that was forcing us to discontinue the struggle. It was +also stated that horses had become so scarce that almost three out of +every ten burghers had to go about on foot, and that the horses which we +still possessed were so weak that they were unable to do the work that +was required of them, especially now that no forage was any longer +obtainable and they had to subsist on grass only. It had also become +undeniably evident that the commandos had grown gradually weaker. Where +we lost men we could not fill up their places. Thus General de la +Rey--the man who had never shown any signs of discouragement--declared +that since his last great fights he had lost 300 men, dead, wounded, and +prisoners, and that his cattle had been captured by 40,000 mounted +troops. Commandant-General Botha also referred to the fact that the +English had 31,400 of our men prisoners-of-war, that of these 600 had +died, and that 3800 of our burghers had fallen in battle. He said that +if the war continued in the same manner we should eventually be +exhausted, and should not again have a chance to negotiate. General +Smuts made it clear to the meeting that it was possible to continue the +war from a military point of view for three or six months longer; but +the war was not a mere _military_ matter, it was a _national_ matter; +and he added, "Why did we fight? Merely for the sake of fighting; merely +to shoot and be shot? No, it was for our Independence. Well, then, was +there any chance left, humanly speaking, of retaining it?" + +But what was more specially urged was the miserable plight of our +women. Many of them had hardly any clothes left, and they were in danger +of dying of famine. When the commandos brought them food it was taken +away by the English forces, so pitilessly that they took, as it were, +the food out of the mouths of the children. So far from the truth was it +that the English had removed our wives to the concentration camps from +charitable motives, that during the last six months they had refused to +receive them when, driven by want, they had sought refuge in the camps, +and had, since the need had become most pressing, sent them back to +their ruined dwellings when the women had gone to the towns for help. +Moreover, every Delegate there knew well to what dangers the women were +exposed, and that whenever they most required the protection of the men +those men had to retire before the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, +thus leaving the women behind, exposed to indescribable insults from +Kaffirs and soldiers. This surely could not continue. + +On the other hand, it was argued that if the proposal was accepted the +nation would thereby be extinguished. It was said that if the war was +continued then there was a hope of winning it; but by accepting the +proposal the deathblow would be given to our national existence. The +unsatisfactory nature of the terms offered by England were also dwelt +upon. The arrangement offered in the proposal as to compensation for +losses suffered by the war was insufficient, and the people would be +reduced to the greatest poverty. It was further urged that we should not +allow our courage to sink on account of the dark hour we were passing +through. In the past there had also been dark days. Dark had been the +days when the chief towns had been taken by the enemy, when General +Prinsloo surrendered, when the railway lines fell completely into the +hands of the enemy. But we put our trust in God and carried on the +struggle, and no one was made ashamed. After the sifting, those who were +left had remained steadfast. The outlook had also been dark when the +ammunition was spent. General de Wet said that he used to shudder when +he saw a burgher coming towards him with an empty cartridge-belt. And +yet later on so much was taken from the English that there was now a +sufficient supply. The fact also that England was at this moment ready +to negotiate was a proof that by persisting we had gained something, for +there had been a time when Lord Salisbury had insisted on unconditional +surrender. Another Delegate also reminded the meeting that there was a +time when Lord Roberts would not meet General Botha, and now the English +were negotiating with us! Why then, some Delegates asked, should this be +the last chance of negotiating? Even if the proposal was now +declined--this had been done before several times in the past--England +would be willing to negotiate, and the chances were that at each +negotiation they would obtain better terms. + +So the Representatives of the People discussed the great question; but +it was as if they were grasping at the last straw floating on the stormy +waters of a whirlpool. We could not resist the conviction that the +Africander nation was exhausted. Gradually it was becoming evident that +it was impossible to continue the war. Even those who saw a chance to +hold out in their own districts and with their own commandos began more +and more to perceive that they could not do so if they stood alone. + +This conviction acted on the minds of the Delegates, and, as General +Beyers remarked, a spirit of aversion to further resistance arose. +Against this spirit it was seen to be impossible to struggle. Judge +Hertzog also showed that, although he wished to make no accusation +against anyone, the holding of this meeting had been a great mistake, +for the meeting had taken away the last plank upon which they had stood. +For at this meeting the Delegates had been obliged to declare what the +true state of the country was, and those who still had courage would +now, after learning to what a pass matters had come, grow disheartened. +General de la Rey also pointed to this when he said, "You may say what +you will, resolve what you will; but whatever you do, here in this +meeting is the end of the war!" The same was said by General Smuts. +"This is for us," he said, "a great moment, perhaps the last in which we +shall meet as a free people and a free Government." + +It was in vain that voices were still raised for continuing the +struggle. In vain that one referred to posterity, and declared that +future generations would blame their forefathers that they had laid down +their arms when they should have continued the struggle. In vain was it +shown that they had been enjoined by their constituents to continue the +struggle. "Injunction or no injunction, it is you," said General de la +Rey to the Delegates, "who must decide, and you will have to decide, not +for your own village or for your own district, but for the whole +country." + +The inevitable, the hard inexorable, stared the meeting in the face. It +was simply impossible any longer to struggle against the stream. It was +evident that although, from a military point of view, we had not been +conquered, yet the war could not, for the sake of the People, be carried +on any longer. The Boers had held out as long as they could; nay, months +and months longer than they really could, and now--THE BITTER END HAD +COME! + +But how should we surrender? Unconditionally? That was what the warrior +would wish. He would have wished to receive no favour from the enemy; he +would have wished to listen to no terms from his adversary. He would +have wished to say to his enemy, "I can do no more; there is my sword! +Do with me now what you will!" + +But this could not be. THERE WERE THE PEOPLE! + +What would become of the People if their leaders, in order to gratify +their own military sentiment, surrendered unconditionally? "No!" said +the leaders of the People, "we cannot do this." Here it was that I +learned to respect General L. Botha, and with him other Generals, more +than ever before. They sacrificed themselves, at the last moment, once +more for the People. Repeatedly at the meeting at Vereeniging, and +previously at Klerksdorp, the interests of the People had been referred +to, especially by General Botha. Repeatedly, too, the colonists who had +fought along with us had been mentioned, and it had been shown that if +we accepted the terms of the English, then the People would retain +possession of their personal liberty, and would eventually obtain +self-government; and the colonists, although deprived of the franchise, +would remain free. For the sake, therefore, of the People, the chiefs +sacrificed their military pride; and in order to be able to provide for +their kith and kin, and to be able to some extent to heal their wounds, +they said, "We shall not surrender unconditionally; we shall advise the +Delegates to adopt the proposal of the enemy." + +Now there were a considerable number of Delegates that still desired to +continue the war. They were principally Free Staters, but there were +also Transvaalers who were unwilling to give up the struggle, just as +there were also some from the Free State who could no longer persist. +The disposition of these was, at all events, to persist until the +discussions were closed, and if it then became evident that there were +so many who voted against the continuance of the struggle that it would +be impossible for them to carry on the war alone, then to say, "You who +are for yielding force us also to surrender. We are driven to it." +Thus, they thought, the whole world would see who the men were who, at +the last gathering of the Africander nation, had endured unto the end. + +To the views of these Delegates expression was given on Saturday +morning, the 31st of May, by a resolution proposed by General Nieuwoudt, +seconded by General Brand. That resolution proposed that the terms of +the English should be rejected. Another proposal was drawn up by General +Smuts, and laid before the meeting by Mr. R. R. Viljoen and General H. +A. Alberts. This draft proposed that the meeting should authorise the +Governments to adopt the proposal of the British Government, and fully +set forth what the reasons were that forced the Delegates to do so. + +There now lay the two proposals. Would the Delegates be divided? Would +they part from each other in anger? Would they for all future time look +back upon this, the greatest moment in the history of South Africa, with +bitter reproaches against each other? + +But something great occurred. Was it not God's guidance to keep the +People united to the last moment? It was this: those who wished to +continue the war, instead of striving after the honour of being renowned +as the steadfast ones who had only been forced by the surrender of +others to surrender also, ranged themselves by the side of those who +could no longer continue the contest, feeling that as they had fought +and suffered together, they should also fall together. + +It happened in this way. General Botha and General de la Rey went to +General de Wet early on the morning of the 31st of May, and pointed out +to him that it had after all now become plain that they could not go on +with the struggle. Why should there still be division amongst them? they +asked. If they had been united in the struggle until now, then surely +it would be wrong to be divided at the last? General de Wet saw that +this was so, and agreed with the other two Generals to meet his burghers +separately, whilst the other two would speak to their burghers apart, +with the object of arriving at unanimity. + +At the meeting General de Wet suggested that in order to avoid division +a commission should be appointed to draw up a third proposal that would +be acceptable to both parties; and that whilst the commission was busy +at this work the Free State and Transvaal Delegates should consult +separately, with the object of arriving at a unanimous conclusion. The +meeting approved of this, and appointed General Smuts and Judge Hertzog +to carry out the resolution. Then the Free Staters went to the tent of +General de Wet, while the Transvaalers remained in the tent of assembly. + +I went along with the Free Staters. Never shall I forget what I +witnessed there. General de Wet showed that there was no chance any +longer of continuing the struggle, and said that they ought not to be +divided, but if possible unanimously vote for one resolution. I see him +yet, that unyielding man, with his piercing eyes, his strong mouth and +chin--I see him there still, like a lion fallen into a snare. He will +not, he cannot, but he must give up the struggle! I still see the stern +faces of the officers who up to that moment had been so unbending. I see +them staring as if into empty space. I see engraved upon their faces +something indescribable, that seemed to ask: Is this the bitter end of +our sufferings and our sorrows, of our faith and of our strong crying to +God? + +General de la Rey had on the previous day exclaimed in the meeting, "You +speak of faith. What is faith?... Lord, Thy will, and not mine, be done! +I eliminate myself under God's will!" Then those strong men who had led +the People until that moment felt what those words implied! + +How great was their emotion! I saw the lips quiver of men who had never +trembled before a foe. I saw tears brimming in eyes that had been dry +when they had seen their dearest laid in the grave.... + +The men agreed to remain united! + +They again assembled in the tent. The draft of General Smuts, amended by +him and Judge Hertzog, was read by the latter, and ran as follows:-- + +"This meeting of Representatives of the People of the S.A.R. and O.F.S., +held at Vereeniging from the 15th May 1902 to the 31st of May 1902, has +learnt with regret of the proposal made by His Majesty's Government in +regard to the cessation of existing hostilities and of the intimation +that this proposal must be accepted or rejected in an unaltered form. + +"The meeting regrets that His Majesty's Government has absolutely +refused to negotiate with the Governments of the Republics upon the +bases of our Independence, or to permit our Governments to enter into +communication with our Deputation. + +"Our Peoples have indeed always thought that not only on the ground of +Right, but also on the ground of the great material and personal +sacrifices that they have made for their Independence, they have a just +claim to such Independence. + +"This meeting has earnestly taken into consideration the condition of +land and people, and has more especially taken into account the +following facts: + +"1. That the military tactics pursued by the British military +authorities has led to the entire ruin of the territory of both the +Republics, with burning of farms and towns, destruction of all means of +subsistence, and exhaustion of all sources necessary for the support of +our families, for the maintenance of our forces in the field, and for +the continuation of the war. + +"2. That the placing of our captured families in the concentration camps +has led to an unprecedented condition of suffering and disease, so that +within a comparatively short time about 20,000 of those dear to us have +perished there, and the horrible prospect has arisen that by continuing +of the war our entire race might be exterminated. + +"3. That the Kaffir tribes within and without the borders of the +territories of both Republics are almost all armed and take part in the +struggle against us, and by perpetrating murders and committing all +kinds of horrors, an impossible state of affairs has been brought about +in many districts of both Republics, an instance of which took place +lately in the district Vrijheid, where fifty-six burghers were murdered +and mutilated in a shocking manner at the same time. + +"4. That by proclamations of the enemy, which he has already carried +into effect, the burghers still in the field are threatened with loss of +all the movable and immovable property, and so with total ruin. + +"5. That through the circumstances of the war it has already long ago +become impossible for us to retain the many thousands of +prisoners-of-war taken by our forces, and that we thus could do but +comparatively little damage to the British troops, whilst our burghers +captured by the British are sent abroad; and that after the war has +raged for nearly three years there remains only a small portion of the +forces with which we entered into the war. + +"6. That this remnant still in the field, which forms but a small +minority of our entire people, has to contend against overwhelming odds, +and moreover has reached a condition virtually amounting to famine and +want of the necessary means of subsistence--and that notwithstanding our +utmost endeavours and the sacrifice of all that we value and hold dear, +we cannot reasonably expect a successful issue: + +"This meeting is therefore of opinion that there is no reasonable ground +for thinking that by continuance of the war our People will retain the +possession of its Independence, and considers that under the +circumstances the People is not justified in carrying on the war any +longer, as that can alone tend to bring about the social and material +destruction not only of ourselves but also of our descendants. + +"Urged by the above-mentioned circumstances and motives, this meeting +authorises both Governments to accept the proposal of His Majesty's +Government, and on behalf of the People of both Republics to sign the +same. + +"This meeting of Delegates expresses the confident hope that the +conditions which have now been called into being by adopting the +proposal of His Majesty's Government may soon be ameliorated in such a +way that our nation may thereby attain the enjoyment of those privileges +to which it considers that not only on account of its past, but also on +the ground of its sacrifices in the course of this war, it can justly +lay claim. + +"This meeting has noted with satisfaction the resolution of His +Majesty's Government to grant a large measure of amnesty to those +British subjects who took up arms on our side, and to whom we are bound +by the ties of blood and honour, and expresses the hope that it may +please His Majesty to extend this amnesty still further." + +With fifty-four against six votes the meeting adopted this proposal. + +Clearly and fearlessly there were reasons set forth in this resolution +why the Representatives of the People felt themselves obliged to give up +the long struggle. + +For a year past it had been impossible to continue, and yet the +Africander people had with wonderful endurance continued to stand firm. +Not easily had they been induced to see that the struggle was a hopeless +one, and when at last they were compelled by the overwhelming force of +circumstances to give up the contest, they did not sink down paralysed +to the earth, as if they no longer retained any self-respect; but they +made themselves felt for the last time, by a resolution which will take +rank in history as one of the great manifestos, which will be valued +according to its true worth by future generations, better than we can +value it to-day. + +The Boers had sacrificed everything. They had seen their houses given as +a prey to the flames. They had seen their property destroyed. They had +seen their cattle driven away in large numbers, and their sheep done to +death in heaps of tens of thousands. They had shed their blood like +water. Everything, everything, they had offered up for freedom and +independence. Nay, more than this had they laid on the altar. They saw +that for the great cause their mothers, their wives, their daughters, +their sisters, had suffered hunger, had been carried away, had died by +thousands in the camps, that they had been ill-treated, insulted and +slandered, and violated ... they had drunk of the cup to its last bitter +dregs. + +Could they do more? It was already too much. They had made the greatest +sacrifice that could be demanded, and they had made it in a +materialistic age, in which gold exercises a tyrannic influence, and +much that is noble is trodden down under its remorseless heel. In these +times, when many believe no more in such a thing as a pure love for +Liberty, a love that can lead a man to the performance of sublime deeds; +in these times, when men contemn the ideal, and speak with pity of noble +aspirations, as being illusions or puerilities;--in these times, a drama +had been acted before the eyes of the whole world by a people that +could still sacrifice all for a great and holy ideal. Still in these +times of unbelief there had been seen the heads of two States openly +calling upon the name of God, and the world had seen a nation that could +carry on war believing in God. And had these ideals now been rudely +dragged through the mud by the bitter result? Had the faith of the +People been in vain? Had that People appealed to God, and had He +declared Himself against them? + +Let no man say this! + +God has formed the Africander nation in this great struggle. It has not +been exterminated; its language has not been destroyed. The might of the +enemy has overwhelmed it, has gone over it like a mighty wave, but +Africander sentiment still exists. No weapon can bend that will, no +violence can suppress that spirit! The Africander nation remains an +indestructible element in the British Empire. Let no man say that God +has not heard the prayer of the Africander nation. Many have not been +able to understand the will of God, and have been overthrown by the +insulting question, "Where is now your God?" but I say again, let no man +assert that God has not heard the prayer of the Africander people. He +who has eyes to see can see that the Africander race has been more +firmly welded together by the glowing heat of this struggle, and our +People will be held together chiefly by those who passed through the +greatest heat of the fire--our mothers. For it was they who suffered +most; it was they who made the greatest sacrifices. Words fail me when I +endeavour to speak of the women and of what they had to endure. I have +found them in their burnt-down dwellings, in stables, and in +waggon-houses. I have endeavoured to speak words of encouragement and +consolation to them when I met them in the veld, fleeing before the +enemy. I have seen them almost unrecognisable, tanned by sun and wind, +and seen how thinly they were often clad. I have sat with them at their +meals, in the burnt houses or on the ground in the veld, and when I +thought of their scanty food it was as if the morsel in my mouth had +grown too large, and I could not swallow it. And never did I hear them +complain. They were ever ready to bear every burden, to make every +sacrifice, if only the Independence of the People were not lost. It is +they who will hold our People together. + +It is because we have such mothers that we look into the future with +courage, and feel that, although we now are under the British Empire, +and as subjects of that Empire will bear ourselves peaceably, yet our +own nationality will ever be something great and sacred to us. And we +shall always consider it the greatest honour still to be known as +Africanders. + +Thus God has heard our prayer. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +EXIT + + +"Here we stand at the grave of the two Republics," said Acting President +Burger when the resolution had been taken by the meeting. There was a +great silence while he spoke. "For us," he continued, "there remains +much to be done, and we must devote ourselves to it. Although we can no +longer do so in the official capacities we have heretofore held, let us +not draw back our hands from doing what is our duty. Let us pray God to +lead us, and to show us how we can keep our People together. Of the +unfaithful ones also we must be mindful. We may not cast out that +portion of our People; let us learn to forgive and to forget." + + * * * * * + +That evening, shortly before eleven o'clock, both the Governments were +back at Pretoria. With the utmost haste they were conducted to the house +of Lord Kitchener. + +For a few moments they were left alone, because they wished once more to +hear the resolution of the Delegates read, and assure themselves that it +was correct. + +When this had been done Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner entered. + +The two Representatives of the British Government sat at the head of the +table, alongside each other, at the south side of the hall. Next to Lord +Milner, on his left hand, sat Acting President S. W. Burger, and next +followed, on that side of the table, State-Secretary F. W. Reitz, +General L. Botha, General J. H. de la Rey, Mr. Krogh, and General L. J. +Meyer. + +Next to Lord Kitchener, on his right hand, sat Acting President C. R. de +Wet, General C. H. Olivier, Judge J. B. M. Hertzog, and Acting +Government Secretary W. J. C. Brebner. + +The contract had been written in quadruple on parchment by a typewriter. +One copy was intended for the King of England, one for Lord Kitchener, +one to be preserved in the archives of Pretoria, and one in that of +Bloemfontein. + +Everything was as silent as death when Acting President Burger took the +pen in his hand. + +I looked at my watch; it was five minutes past eleven on the 31st day of +May in the year Nineteen Hundred and Two. + +President Burger signed. After him the other members of the Government +of the South African Republic; then Acting President de Wet, and after +him the other members of the Free State Government. Lord Kitchener +followed, and Lord Milner signed the last of all. + +President Steyn was not there. Our hearts bled at the thought that he +had been seized by a dangerous malady; and yet it seemed to me as if I +owed some obligation at that moment to that malady, since it was owing +to it that the President of the Orange Free State was prevented from +doing what would have caused him the greatest pain in the world. He had +said once, "To set my hand to a paper to sign away the Independence of +my People--that I shall never do." Sad circumstances, which he might +then almost have called fortunate, had brought it about that he _could_ +not do what he _would_ not do. + +The document was signed! + +All were silent in that room where so much had been spoken. + +For a few moments longer they sat still. Then the members of the +Republics, which had now ceased to be, rose up as if dazed, to retire +from the hall. + +Lord Kitchener passed from one to the other, and shook hands with all. +"We are good friends now!" he said. + +Did this give him satisfaction? Did no dart of pain, no pang of sorrow, +pass through his heart at the thought that he had taken a great share in +the extinction of a free people? + +But he spoke as a soldier should to a brave enemy who had been forced to +give up his sword; and the members of the Governments strove to take +what he said in the spirit in which it was spoken. But their hearts were +broken. + +Then they left the hall. + + + + +EPILOGUE + + +Do I feel any remorse, now that all is over, because I struggled on to +the end? Is there any feeling of regret in me, when I look back, that I +persisted even when I sometimes thought that there was no hope--when, as +at Nauwpoort in the dark last days of July 1900, and several times +after, I thought that all was lost? No, nothing troubles me. On the +contrary, whilst I am writing this I am experiencing an indescribable +feeling of satisfaction--something that tells me, You have--very +inefficiently, it is true--but yet you have endeavoured to do your duty. + +I constantly felt that as long as my Government stood it was not for me +to ask _why_ or _wherefore_-- + + "Their's not to reason why, + Their's but to do and die." + +Moreover, I deemed it a sacred privilege to be, in my capacity as a +minister of God's word, with my people in the time of their greatest +trouble; to bind up the broken-hearted, to encourage the despondent, to +comfort the suffering--especially the much-suffering women, our +heroines--to bring the word of God to them who would otherwise have been +deprived of it, and to point the dying to the Cross. I heard from time +to time that my work had not been without blessing, and it was always a +source of joy and gratitude to me to know that there were other brothers +in Christ who were also in the field; while it pained me to know that +others had been prevented by unavoidable circumstances from labouring +with the small band in the field. + +Once more, there is no sense of regret in my mind. I thank God that He +enabled me to remain on commando until the end; and with regard to the +charge flung at the heads of the leaders, that instead of leading they +had misled the people, I can say this, that never, not even in the +darkest hours, could I know what might happen, nor what God had destined +for our people--and this, too, was always clear to me, that if every +cause had been abandoned when it was apparently hopeless, then some of +the most glorious victories that the world has seen would never have +been won. + +With the deepest gratitude to God for His protection in the many dangers +of the war, I now lay down my pen. + + +PRINTED BY + +MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through Shot and Flame, by J. D. Kestell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH SHOT AND FLAME *** + +***** This file should be named 37083.txt or 37083.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/0/8/37083/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Christine P. Travers and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |