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With Buller in Natal, Or, a Born Leader

by G. A. Henty · English · Gutenberg #7334 · 658,856 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: With Buller in Natal, Or, a Born Leader

Author: G. A. Henty


        
Release date: January 1, 2005 [eBook #7334]
                Most recently updated: June 2, 2012

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH BULLER IN NATAL, OR, A BORN LEADER ***




Produced by Tony Hyland, Charles Franks and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.










WITH BULLER IN NATAL


[Illustration: "CHRIS SPRANG AT HIM."]


WITH BULLER IN NATAL

OR, A BORN LEADER

BY

G. A. HENTY



PREFACE

It will be a long time before the story of the late war can be written
fully and impartially. Even among the narratives of those who witnessed
the engagements there are many differences and discrepancies, as is
necessarily the case when the men who write are in different parts of
the field. Until, then, the very meagre military despatches are
supplemented by much fuller details, anything like an accurate history
of the war would be impossible. I have, however, endeavoured to
reconcile the various narratives of the fighting in Natal, and to make
the account of the military occurrences as clear as possible.
Fortunately this is not a history, but a story, to which the war forms
the background, and, as is necessary in such a case, it is the heroes
of my tale, the little band of lads from Johannesburg, rather than the
leaders of the British troops, who are the most conspicuous characters
in the narrative. As these, although possessed of many admirable
qualities, had not the faculty of being at two places at once, I was
obliged to confine the action of the story to Natal. With the doings of
the main army I hope to deal next year.

G. A. HENTY



CONTENTS

I. THE BURSTING OF THE STORM

II. A TERRIBLE JOURNEY

III. AT THE FRONT

IV. DUNDEE

V. THE FIRST BATTLE

VI. ELANDSLAAGTE

VII. LADYSMITH BESIEGED

VIII. A DESPERATE PROJECT

IX. KOMATI-POORT

X. AN EXPLOSION

XI. BACK WITH THE ARMY

XII. THE BATTLE OF COLENSO

XIII. PRISONERS

XIV. SPION KOP

XV. SPION KOP

XVI. A COLONIST'S ADVENTURE

XVII. A RESCUE

XVIII. RAILWAY HILL

XIX. MAJUBA DAY

XX. LADYSMITH



ILLUSTRATIONS

"CHRIS SPRANG AT HIM"

CHRIS OFFERS HIS SERVICES TO SIR PENN SYMONS

CHRIS AND HIS COMPANIONS SCOUTING

"BOTH RIFLES CRACKED AT ONCE"

"THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS ROAR AND A BLINDING CRASH"

"WITH A SHOUT OF TRIUMPH THE TWO BOERS RAN DOWN"

"PRESENTLY FROM BEHIND THE FOOT OF THE HILL SIX HORSEMEN DASHED OUT"

THE NAVAL GUNS ON MOUNT ALICE

"ONE OF THE BOERS HELD UP HIS RIFLE WITH A WHITE FLAG TIED TO IT"

THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH




[Illustration: SOUTH EASTERN AFRICA]

WITH BULLER IN NATAL




CHAPTER I

THE BURSTING OF THE STORM


A group of excited men were gathered in front of the Stock Exchange at
Johannesburg. It was evident that something altogether unusual had
happened. All wore anxious and angry expressions, but a few shook hands
with each other, as if the news that so much agitated them, although
painful, was yet welcome; and indeed this was so.

For months a war-cloud had hung over the town, but it had been thought
that it might pass over without bursting. None imagined that the blow
would come so suddenly, and when it fell it had all the force of a
complete surprise, although it had been so threatening for many weeks
that a considerable portion of the population had already fled. It was
true that great numbers of men, well armed, and with large numbers of
cannon, had been moving south, but negotiations were still going on and
might continue for some time yet; and now by the folly and arrogance of
one man the cloud had burst, and in thirty hours war would begin.

Similar though smaller groups were gathered here and there in the
streets. Parties of Boers from the country round rode up and down with
an air of insolent triumph, some of them shouting "We shall soon be rid
of you; in another month there will not be a rooinek left in South
Africa."

Those addressed paid no heed to the words. They had heard the same
thing over and over again for the past two months. There was a
tightening of the lips and a closing of the fingers as if on a sword or
rifle, but no one replied to the insolent taunts. For years it had been
the hope of the Uitlanders that this would come, and that there would
be an end to a position that was well-nigh intolerable. Never before
had a large body of intelligent men been kept in a state of abject
subjection by an inferior race, a race almost without even the elements
of civilization, ignorant and brutal beyond any existing white
community, and superior only in the fact that they were organized and
armed, whereas those they trampled upon were deficient in both these
respects. Having no votes, these were powerless to better their
condition by the means common to civilized communities throughout the
world. They were ground down by an enormous taxation, towards which the
Boers themselves contributed practically nothing, and the revenue drawn
from them was spent in the purchase of munitions of war, artillery, and
fortifications, so enormously beyond the needs of the country, that it
was no secret that they were intended not only for the defence of the
republic against invasion, but for a general rising of the Boer
population and the establishment of Dutch supremacy throughout the
whole of South Africa.

The Boer government was corrupt from the highest to the lowest. The
president and the members of his family piled up wealth to an enormous
amount, and nothing could be done without wholesale bribery. The price
of everything connected with the mining industry was doubled by the
supply being in the hands of monopolists, who shared their gains with
high state officials. Money was lavished like water on what was called
secret service, in subsidizing newspapers to influence public opinion
throughout Europe, and, as it was strongly suspected, in carrying on a
propaganda among the Dutch in Cape Colony, and in securing the return
of members and a ministry secretly pledged to further in every way the
aims of the Presidents of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The
British and other aliens were not only deprived of all rights of
citizenship, but even freedom of speech and the right of public meeting
was denied them; they were not allowed to carry arms except by a
special license, their children were taught in Dutch in the schools,
they had no right of trial by jury; judges who had the courage to
refuse to carry out the illegal behests of the president were deprived
of their offices, and the few editors of newspapers representing the
Uitlanders--as all men not born in the state were called-were
imprisoned and their journals suppressed.

Intolerable as was such a state of things to a civilized community, it
might have been borne with some patience had it not been that the
insolence of their masters was unbounded. Every Boer seemed to take a
pleasure in neglecting no opportunity of showing his contempt for the
men whose enterprise and labour had enormously enriched the country,
and whose superior intelligence he was too grossly ignorant to
appreciate. A Boar farmer would refuse a cup of water to a passing
traveller, and would enforce his refusal by producing his rifle
immediately if the stranger ventured to urge his request. Of late the
insolence of the Boers had greatly increased; the manner in which
England had, instead of demanding justice with the sternness and
determination that the circumstances called for, permitted her
remonstrances to be simply ignored, was put down as a consciousness of
weakness. And having now collected arms sufficient not only for
themselves but for the whole Dutch population of South Africa, the
Boers were convinced that their hour of triumph had come, and that in a
very short time their flag would float over every public building
throughout the country and the Union Jack disappear for ever.

The long discussions that had been going on with regard to a five or
seven years' franchise were regarded with absolute indifference by the
Uitlanders--even the shorter time would have afforded them no advantage
whatever. The members from the mining districts would be in a hopeless
minority in the assembly; and indeed, very few of those entitled to a
vote would have cared to claim it, inasmuch as they would thereby
render themselves citizens of the republic, and be liable to be
commandeered and called upon to serve in arms, not only against the
natives, upon whom the Boers were always making aggressions, but
against England, when the war, which all foresaw could not long be
delayed, broke out.

For months the negotiations went on between President Kruger and Mr.
Chamberlain, the British colonial minister, and the certainty that the
Boers were bent upon fighting became more and more evident. Vast
quantities of rifles, ammunition, and cannon poured into the Transvaal,
their passage being more than winked at by the Dutch ministry of Cape
Colony.

It was that day known that President Kruger had thrown off the mask of
a pretended desire for peace, and that an ultimatum had been
telegraphed to England couched in terms of such studied insolence that
it was certain war must ensue. The greatest civilized power on earth
would have shown less arrogance towards the most feeble. Not only was
England called upon to send no more troops to South Africa, but to
withdraw most of her forces already in the country, and this by a state
that owed its very existence to her, and whose total population was not
more than that of a small English county.

The terms of that ultimatum had just become known in Johannesburg, and
it was not surprising that it had created an intense excitement. All
had long felt that war must come, and that at an early date, but the
step that had now been taken came as a surprise. From all appearances
it had seemed that the negotiations might be continued for months yet
before the crisis arrived, and that it should thus have been forced on
by the wording of the ultimatum showed that the Boers were satisfied
that their preparations were complete, and that they were in a position
to overrun Natal and Cape Colony before any British force capable of
withstanding them could arrive. England, indeed, had been placed in a
most difficult position. The ministry were not unaware of the enormous
preparations that the Boers were making, and had for some time past
been quietly sending out a large number of officers and a few
non-commissioned officers and men to the Cape. But so long as there was
a hope that the Boers would finally grant some redress to the
Uitlanders, they could not despatch any considerable number of troops,
for had they done so they would have been accused not only on the
Continent, but by a section of Englishmen, of forcing on a war with a
weak state, whereas in point of fact the war was being forced on by a
country that most erroneously believed itself to be stronger than
England. The Boers of the Transvaal knew already that the Orange Free
State would join them at once, and believed firmly that every Dutchman
in Natal and Cape Colony would at the signal take up arms.

Presently a gentleman detached himself from the crowd in front of the
Exchange, and joined a lad of some sixteen years old who was standing
on the other side of the street.

"Well, father, is it all true what they say?" the latter asked--"that
Kruger has sent such an ultimatum to England that war is certain?"

"It is quite true, Chris; war is absolutely certain. Kruger has given
the British Government only two days to reply to the most insolent
demand ever addressed to a great power, and worded in the most
offensive manner. I imagine that no reply will be given; and as the
ultimatum was sent off yesterday, we shall to-morrow morning be in a
state of war."

"Well, father, there is no doubt what the result will be."

"No doubt whatever as to the final result, but I am afraid things will
go very badly for a time. I am glad, very glad, that Kruger should have
sent such an ultimatum. It cannot but be accepted as a defiance by all
England; and I should say that even the opposition, which has of late
continually attacked Mr. Chamberlain, will now be silenced, and that
Government will be supported by all parties."

After a quarter of an hour's walk they arrived at home. It was a
handsome house, for Mr. King was one of the leading men in
Johannesburg. He had come out with a wife and son ten years before,
being sent by some London capitalists to report to them fully upon the
prospects of the gold-fields. Under his advice they had purchased
several properties, which had been brought out as companies, and proved
extremely valuable. He was himself a large holder in each of these, and
acted as manager and director of the group. "What is the news, Robert?"
his wife asked, as he and her son came in. "I have had three or four
visitors in here, and they all say that there is quite an excitement in
the town."

"It has come at last," he said gravely; "war is inevitable, and will
begin in twenty-four hours. Kruger has sent one of the most
extraordinary demands ever drawn up. He calls upon England to cease
sending out troops, and to speedily recall most of those now in South
Africa, and has given two days for a reply, of which one has already
expired. As it is absolutely certain that England will not grant this
modest request, we may say that the war has begun. I wish now that I
had sent you and Chris down to Durban a fortnight ago, for there will
be a fearful rush, and judging by the attitude of the Boers, I fear
they will make the journey a very unpleasant one. As we have agreed, it
is absolutely necessary that I should remain here. There is no saying
what steps the Boers will take with reference to the mines; but it is
certain that we must, if possible, keep them going--not for the sake of
the profit, which you may be sure Kruger will not allow to go out of
the country, but because if they were to be stopped it would cost an
immense deal of money to put them in working condition again,
especially if, as is likely enough, the Boers damage the machinery. I
shall do as little work as I can; and the Boers will not, I fancy,
interfere with us as long as they can benefit by the working. For
myself, I would risk any loss or damage rather than aid in supplying
them with gold, but for the sake of our shareholders in Europe I must
do my best to save the mines from destruction. Indeed, if I don't work
them, probably they will do so until the end is at hand, and will then
do as much damage as possible. You know we have agreed on this point."

"Yes, I suppose it is best, Robert; but it seems terrible leaving you
alone here, and I shall be in a perpetual state of anxiety about you."

"I don't think there is any occasion for that; as long as I am working
the mines and they are taking the gold, which no doubt they will have
to repay when our army are masters here, they will not interfere with
me. They treat us badly enough, as we know; but they love the gold even
more than they hate us, so I have no fear whatever as to my personal
safety. I am afraid, dear, that for a time things will go very badly
with us. Already we know that commandos have gone forward in great
strength to the frontier, and I should not be surprised if the whole of
South Africa rises; at any rate, the Boers are confident that it will
be so. Gladstone's miserable surrender after our disasters at Laing's
Nek and Majuba have puffed them up with such an idea of their own
fighting powers and our weakness, that I believe they think they are
going to have almost a walk over. Still, though it was certain that we
should have a hard time whenever war came, we have been hoping for
years that England would at last interfere to obtain redress for us,
and we must not grumble now that what we have been so long expecting
has at last come to pass. I believe there will be some stern fighting.
The Boers are no cowards; courage is, indeed, as far as I know, the
only virtue they possess. In the long run they must certainly be
beaten, but it will only be after very hard fighting."

"What do you think they will do, father?"

"I can't say what they will do, but I am sure that what they ought to
do is to merely hold the passes from Natal with enough men for the
purpose, and to march their whole force, broken up into half a dozen
columns, into Cape Colony. There is no force there that could resist
them, they would be undoubtedly joined by every Dutchman there, and I
am convinced that the Africander ministry would at once declare for
them, in which case England would have to undertake the tremendous work
of conquering the whole of South Africa afresh, for certainly she could
not allow it to slip from her hands, even if it should prove as stern a
business as the conquering of half India after the Sepoy Mutiny. Now to
business. Fortunately we sent down your clothes and everything we had
of value to our friends the Wilsons, at Durban, six weeks ago. What you
have remaining you must leave behind to take its chance. You will be
able to take no luggage whatever with you. We know how terribly the
trains have been packed for the past fortnight, and a week ago almost
all the carriages were commandeered for the use of the troops going
south.

"You must take with you a basket of provisions, sufficient, if
necessary, for two or three days for you both. There is no saying how
long you may be on your way to the frontier; once beyond that you will,
of course, be able to obtain anything you want. But you need expect no
civility or courtesy from the Boers, who, indeed, would feel a
malicious pleasure in shunting you off into a siding, and letting you
wait there for any number of hours. You must mind, Chris, above all
things, to keep your temper, whatever may happen. You know how our
people have been insulted, and actually maltreated in scores of cases,
and in their present state of excitement the Boers would be only too
glad to find an excuse for acts of violence. I was speaking to you
about it three days ago, and I cannot impress it too strongly upon you.
I have already given you permission to join one or other of the corps
that are being raised in Natal, and if anything unpleasant occurs on
the road, you must bottle up your feelings and wait till you get a
rifle in your hand and stand on equal terms with them."

"I promise that, father. I think, after what we have had to put up with
here, during the past two or three months especially, I can bear
anything for these last few days."

"Yes, Chris; but it will be more trying now that you have your mother
under your charge. It is for her sake as well as your own that I
impress this so strongly upon you. Now, will you go down at once to the
railway-station and enquire about the trains? I shall go myself to the
manager and see whether I can get him to make any special arrangement
in your mother's favour, though I have no great hopes of that; for
though I know him well, he is, like all these Dutchmen in office, an
uncivilized brute puffed up with his own importance."

Chris started at once, and returned an hour later with a very
discouraging report. The station was crowded with people. No regular
trains were running, but while he was there a large number of
cattle-trucks had been run up to the platform, and in these as many of
the fugitives as could be packed in were stowed away. As soon as this
was done the train had started, but not half the number collected on
the platform had found room in it. His father had left a few minutes
after him, and presently returned.

"From what I can hear," he said, "there is no chance whatever of your
being able to get any accommodation, but must take your chance with the
others. Viljoen told me that except the waggons there was not a
carriage of any sort or class left here, and that there was no saying
at all when any would return; but that even if they did, they would be
taken for the use of the troops going south. All he could say was that
if, when I came down to the station with you, he is there, he will see
that you go by the first waggons that leave."

"That is something at least," Mrs. King said quietly. "I certainly do
not wish to ask for any favour from these people, and do not want to be
better off than others. I have no doubt that it will be an unpleasant
time, but after all it will be nothing to what great numbers of people
will have to suffer during the war."

"That is so, Amy. And now I think that the sooner the start is made the
better. The rush to get away will increase every hour, and we shall
have the miners coming in in hundreds. Many of the mines will be shut
down at once, though some of them will, like ours, continue operations
as long as they are allowed to."

"Make your basket, or bag, or whatever you take your provisions in, as
small as possible, mother. I saw lots of baggage left behind on the
platform. You see, there are no seats to stow things under. I should
say that a flat box which you can sit on would be the best thing. And
you will want your warmest cloak and a thick rug for night."

"I have a box that will do very well, Chris. Fortunately we have plenty
of cold meat and bread in the house. I shall not be more than half an
hour, Robert."

In less than that time the party were ready. Chris's preparations had
been of the simplest. He carried over his arm a long, thick greatcoat,
in the pocket of which he had thrust a fur cap and two woollen
comforters. He had also a light but warm rug, for he thought it
probable that he might not be able to be next to his mother. He had on
his usual light tweed suit, but had in addition put on a cardigan
waistcoat, which he intended to take off when once in the train. In his
pockets he had a couple of packets of tobacco, for although he seldom
smoked, he thought that some of it might be very acceptable to his
fellow-passengers before the journey was over. He wore a light gray,
broad-brimmed wide-awake, with a white silk puggaree twisted round it,
for the heat of the sun in the middle of the day was already very
great, and would be greater still when they got down to Natal. The box,
which a Kaffir servant put on his shoulder, was about eight inches deep
and a foot wide, and eighteen inches long.

"What have you in it, mother?"

"Two tin bottles of cold tea, each holding a gallon."

"I should hardly have thought that we wanted as much as that."

"No; but there may be many women who have made no provision at all,
thinking that we shall at least be able to get water at any of the
stations we stop at. I have a small tin mug, and that joint of meat;
the rest of the box is filled up with bread-and-butter. I have cut it
up and spread it, so that it packs a good deal closer than it would do
if we put the loaves in whole."

Mr. King had his wife's thick-wadded winter cloak and a rug over his
arm, and a small hand-bag with a few necessaries for the journey. Mrs.
King was in her usual attire, and carried only a white umbrella.

"We look as if we were starting for a picnic rather than a journey that
will last three or four days," she said with an attempt at gaiety.
"There is one comfort, we shall have nothing to look after when we get
to the end."

Chris walked on ahead to let his father and mother talk together, for
although all arrangements had been discussed and settled during the
past two or three days, there was much they had to say to each other
now that the parting had come. The lad was a fine specimen of the young
Uitlander. A life passed largely in the open air, hard work and
exercise, had broadened his shoulders and made him look at least a year
older than he really was. He was a splendid rider and an excellent shot
with his rifle, for his father had obtained a permit from the
authorities for him to carry one, and he could bring down an antelope
when running at full speed as neatly as any of the young Boers. Four
days a week he had spent in the mines, for his father intended him to
follow in his footsteps, and he had worked by turns with the miners
below and the engineers on the surface, so that he might in the course
of a few years be thoroughly acquainted with all the details of his
profession.

The last two days in each week he had to himself, and with three or
four lads of his own age went for long rides in search of sport. A
couple of hours every evening were spent in study under his father's
direction. He was quiet in manner, and talked but little. He deeply
resented the position in which the British population in the Transvaal
were placed, the insolence of the Boers towards them, and their brutal
cruelty towards the natives. The restraint which he so often found it
necessary to exercise had had no slight influence on his character, and
had given a certain grim expression to the naturally bright face. Many
had been the discussions between him and his friends as to the prospect
of England's taking up their cause. Their disappointment had been
intense at the miserable failure of the Jameson raid, which, however,
they felt, and rightly, must some day have a good result, inasmuch as
it had brought out the wretched position of the Uitlanders, who, though
forming the majority of the population, and the source of all the
wealth of the country, and paying all the taxes, were yet treated as an
outcast race, and deprived of every right possessed by people of all
civilized nations.

They had wondered and fretted at the apathy with which the enormous
warlike preparations of the Boers were regarded at home, and the fact
that they were permitted to become a formidable power, capable of
offering a desperate resistance even by the armies of England; whereas,
before they had been enriched by the industry and enterprise of the
immigrants, they had been in danger of being altogether wiped out by
the Zulus and Swazis, and had only been saved by the interference on
their behalf of the British power. Thus, then, while the war-cloud had
been slowly but surely gathering, the lads had watched the approaching
crisis with delight, unmingled with the anxiety and foreboding of the
capitalists, who, without doubting what the end must be, were sure that
enormous losses and sacrifices must result before their deliverance
from Boer oppression could be obtained.

The scene at the station was an extraordinary one. Men, women, and
children of all ranks were crowded on the platform; the greater
capitalists, the men whose fortunes could be counted by hundreds of
thousands, had for the most part left, but many who in England would be
considered as rich men had remained in the town till the last moment,
to make their final arrangements and wind up their affairs. With these
were well-to-do storekeepers, with their wives and families, together
with mining officials, miners, and mechanics of all kinds. Piles of
baggage rendered movement difficult, for many had supposed that the
regular trains were still running, and that they would be able to carry
away with them the greater portion of their belongings. The scenes at
the departure of the previous trains roughly awakened them to the fact
that all this must be abandoned, and women were crying and men cursing
below their breath at this last evidence of Boer indifference to the
sufferings of those by whose work they had so greatly benefited. Mr.
King soon found that the manager was still there, but on speaking to
him he shrugged his shoulders, and said:

"I do not see what I can do. Look at the crowd there. When the waggons
come up there will be a rush, and I have no men here to keep such a
number in order."

"I see that, Mr. Viljoen, but if you would send a man with us to where
the waggons are standing in readiness to come up, my wife could take
her place then."

"Yes, I will do that at once. You had better go with her outside the
station, and the porter shall take you on from there. If you were to
get off the platform here and walk up the lines, others would notice
it, and there would be an immediate rush."

He called to one of the porters on the platform, and gave him
instructions, and in a few minutes Mrs. King was seated on her box in
the corner of a truck, which, with a few others, had a covered roof,
although it was entirely open at the sides. In the next half-hour eight
or ten others, who had been similarly favoured by the manager, joined
them. All these were known to the Kings, and it was a great relief to
them to find that they would travel together, instead of being mixed up
with the general crowd. They had packed themselves together as closely
as possible, so that when the train became crowded there should be no
room for anyone to push in among them. Among the party was John Cairns,
a great chum of Chris's. He and his father and mother had been waiting
for two hours at the station, and he told him that there were seven or
eight of their companions there.

"We will take our seats on that side," Chris said, "and as we move in
shout to them to join us. It will be a great thing to get as many
people we know in here as possible."

Presently the train began to move. Fortunately, at the spot where it
drew up, a group of their acquaintances were clustered together, and
these all managed to get into the truck, which was speedily filled up
until there was scarce standing-room. Three minutes later the train
moved on. A great number were left behind, although everyone made as
much room as possible, women especially being helped in after the
trucks seemed absolutely choke-full. As soon as the train was fairly in
motion many of the men climbed up on to the roofs of the covered
waggons, thereby relieving the pressure below, and enabling all the
women to sit down. Others ranged themselves along the sides, sitting on
the rail, and so minimizing the space they occupied. But even with all
this, the women were packed inconveniently together. All, however, were
so much pleased at their good fortune in having got away that there was
no complaining or grumbling. That the journey would be a long one, all
knew; but at least they had started, and would soon be a free people in
a free country. Chris and his friends had been among the first to climb
up on to the roof, and they sat down in a group at one end of it.

"It is going to be pretty cold here to-night, and desperately hot
to-morrow," Chris said; "but we can put up with that. I would stand it
for a month rather than stop any longer among these brutes." There was
a general murmur of agreement.

"Thank heavens," one of them said, "the next time we meet them will be
with arms in our hands. We have a long score to pay off, and we shall,
I expect, have plenty of chances. The Boers are boasting that they will
soon drive the last Englishman out of South Africa, and seem to regard
it as a sort of general picnic. They will find out their mistake before
they have done."

"Still, we must not think that it is going to be a picnic our way,"
Chris said. "They have quite made up their minds that every Boer in
Cape Colony and Natal will join them at once. If they do, it will be a
very long business to put them down, though I have no doubt it will all
come right in the end. Do you know anything about the others?"

"I know that Peters and Carmichael and Brown went off with their people
last night, but I don't know about the others."

"Capper and Willesden and Horrocks went yesterday," another lad said.
"Sankey and Holdsworth were on the platform, and no doubt got into
another truck.

"There are seven of us here," Chris said, "and as six have gone on,
that makes thirteen certain, and there are eight more to come. Most of
us will stop at Pietermaritzburg, but I suppose some, whose friends are
going straight home, will go down with them to Durban."

"There will not be many who have to do so," another said. "Sankey's
people and Carmichael's are going to Cape Town, but, so far as I know,
all the others will stay and see it out either at Maritzburg or Durban.
Do you think that we should take any others with us, Chris?"

"I don't think so. You see we all know each other, and it would be a
nuisance having fellows with us of whom we know nothing. They might not
pull with us, while we have been so much together that there is no fear
of our having any disagreement. I think we have all pretty well settled
that it will be much better to act by ourselves, instead of joining any
of the corps that are sure to be formed down there. Still, if we knew
one of the men getting up a corps--and some of our people are pretty
sure to do so--I do think it would be a good plan to join, if they
would accept us as a sort of independent troop, ready to act with them
when there is any big fighting, and to go about on our own account at
other times. You see, none of us will want any pay. We shall all
furnish our own horses and arms, and shall therefore be on a different
footing from men who have to draw pay and be equipped at the public
expense; and I don't see why any officer commanding a troop in one of
these corps should object to our joining him on those terms. But
anyhow, I feel sure that we should be able to do a great deal more good
by being free to move where we liked, and to undertake expeditions on
our own account, than if we were to act in a more regular manner."

There was a general chorus of agreement.

"Now, how long do you think it will be before we cross Laing's Nek? Of
course we ought to be there by to-morrow morning. It is only a hundred
and fifty miles, and at fifteen miles an hour, which is about their
usual rate of travelling, we should cross the frontier at two o'clock,
for it was about four when we started. But there is no saying. My
father thought we ought to take four days' provisions with us; I think
we could hold out for that time."

"You don't mean to say, Chris, he thought it possible we might be as
long as that?"

"He did think so, Peters. He considered that we might be shunted off
very often to let trains with men and stores for the troops go on ahead
of us."

"Well," the other replied, "I don't care so much for myself, though I
don't say that it would be lively to be stuck up here for four days and
nights, but it would be awful for the women; and I should say that very
few of them have got more than enough provisions for a day. Still, of
course, if we are shunted at a station we shall be able to buy things."

"I am not so sure of that," Chris said. "You know what the Boers are at
their best; and now that they believe the time has arrived when they
are going to be the absolute lords of all South Africa, they are so
puffed up that there is no saying what they may do to show their hatred
and contempt for us. And whatever happens, you fellows, you must keep
your temper. My father spoke to me very strongly about it. You must
remember that they will not mind what they do, and would shoot any of
us down on the smallest excuse, knowing well enough that we are
helpless, and that it is unlikely any enquiry would ever be made, or
anyone punished even if they shot a dozen of us. We must remember that
we intend to pay off old scores later on, and that we mean to do it
with interest."




CHAPTER II

A TERRIBLE JOURNEY


Twenty-four hours had gone, and not half the distance had yet been
covered. The night had passed painfully to all those in the waggons,
for though most of the women had provided themselves with wraps of one
sort or another, the cold was severe. This, however, was less felt than
the cramped position in which all had to sit on the floor, unable to
move or to stretch their legs, the only change obtainable being by
standing up. The pressure was most felt in the open waggons, where the
men as well as the women were packed together so closely that even
sitting down was impossible. Some slight relief had been afforded by
the men on the covered waggons taking as many from the uncovered trucks
as could lie down there with them; but as the latter were by far the
more numerous, a comparatively small number of men could be so
entertained.

For a time the rising of the sun afforded some relief, but as it gained
in power the position of the fugitives became almost unbearable. The
stoppages were frequent, and at all the stations the Boers from the
neighbourhood had assembled, some from curiosity, but the majority to
wait for the trains that were to take them to the front. Although
sometimes detained for three or four hours, the passengers were not
allowed to alight. The men, indeed, at times, by common impulse, sprang
out, but were soon forced to take their places again, some of the Boers
using their heavy whips over their heads and shoulders, while others
with pointed guns prevented any attempt at retaliation. Men, and even
women, crowded the platform, jeering and cursing those in the waggons,
menacing them with their whips and snatching at such trinkets, and even
cloaks as took their fancy. The men were all several times searched for
weapons, and made to turn their pockets inside out, the contents being
unceremoniously transferred to those of the Boers. Chris and his
companions would have taken their places below with their friends, but
these implored them not to do so, being afraid that they would be
enraged beyond endurance, and might in their anger say or do something
that would give an excuse to the Boers to use their rifles, which they
so often pointed threateningly at women as well as men. It was only
when the train was in motion that food and drink were passed up from
below, as these too would assuredly, had they been seen, have been
confiscated by the brutal tormentors.

When they steamed into Standerton in the afternoon, the distress of the
women and children for water was so great that men determined at all
costs to endeavour to get some for them. As if by one impulse, when the
train came to a standstill outside the station, they jumped out and
made for the little village. But here all refused to give or sell them
water or food, and in a few minutes a large party of Boers rode in, and
falling upon them with their whips, drove them back to the train. Had
they been armed the men would assuredly have resisted till the last,
although certain to be killed, so mad were they with passion. As it
was, it would have been throwing away their lives, without a chance of
even avenging themselves on their assailants. As they reached the
waggons and climbed into their places again, several had broad blue
weals across their faces, while many more were smarting from the cuts
they had received on the body. Chris and his companions had got out
when the others did so, but had not followed them. Their supply of
water and cold tea was not yet exhausted, as most of the ladies had
made preparations for a journey of two or three days, and Mrs. King and
the mothers of the other lads begged them not to go.

"The Boers are only waiting for an excuse to use their firearms," Mrs.
King said, "and whatever happens you had better stay here. You can do
no good by going." So, reluctantly, they had again taken their places
on the roofs of the carriages, and sat there with their pulses beating
and their fists clenched as they heard the shouts and the cracking of
the heavy whips in the village, and presently saw the men running back,
pursued by their cowardly assailants. Two or three of the lads were so
enraged at the sight that they would have jumped down had not Chris
laid a restraining hand on them.

"Wait your time," he said in a hard voice. "We can't repay them now,
but we will remember this when our turn comes."

The Boers, as they rode up, leapt from their horses, and with shouts of
exultation walked along the waggons, striking at the men, hurling every
epithet of contempt and hatred at them, and even spitting at them. Many
of the women were also struck as well as being grossly insulted.

"And these scoundrels call themselves Christian men, and their friends
speak of them as simple pious farmers! I call them, both from their
appearance and their actions, as unmitigated a set of ruffians as are
to be found on the face of the globe," Cairns exclaimed passionately.

They were indeed as unsavoury in appearance as they were brutal in
manner. Water is scarce in the Transvaal, and is used most sparingly
for all purposes of cleanliness. The Boer sleeps in his clothes, gives
himself a shake when he gets up, and his toilet is completed, unless on
very exceptional occasions when he goes outside the door to the
water-cask, fills his hands with water, and rubs them over his face.

Four times in the year, however, the Boers indulge in a general wash
before starting with their wives and families for four or five days'
stay at the nearest town to attend the services of the church and to do
their quarter's marketing. In dress the Boer is almost universally
slovenly, his clothes hang about him stained and discoloured by long
usage. In the majority of cases he is altogether without education, and
very many Boers are scarcely able to sign their names. Most of them
wear beards and long unkempt hair. But in point of physique they are
fine men, tall and powerfully, though loosely, built, but capable of
standing great fatigue if necessary, although averse to all exercise
save on horseback. All are taught to shoot from boyhood, and even the
women in the country districts are trained in the use of firearms, for
it is not so long since they lived in dread of incursions by the Zulus
and Swazis.

There was no attempt whatever at uniformity of dress. Most of the men
wore high riding boots. Some of the young men from the towns were in
tweed suits, the vast majority wore either shooting jackets or long
loose coats; some were in straw hats, but the elder men all wore large
felt hats with wide brims. They were all, however, similarly armed with
rifles of the best and most modern construction. Their general
appearance was that of a large band of farmers of the roughest type and
wholly without regard for their personal appearance.

It was fully an hour before the train moved again. Then it was shunted
on to a siding while the Boers entrained with their horses on a long
line of waggons which had just come up, and which started on its way
south as soon as they were on board. Then the emigrant tram crawled on
again. There was another night of wretchedness, and in the morning they
arrived at Volksrust, the frontier town. Here they were again closely
searched for arms, and what provisions remained among them were
commandeered, or as the emigrants called it, stolen. However, they knew
that their troubles were now nearly over, and did not grumble when they
were informed that the train would go no farther, and that they must
make their way on foot to Newcastle.

They were told tauntingly that they might find some of their friends
there if they had not already run away, and that if they stopped at
Pietermaritzburg for a week they would have another journey down to
Durban as prisoners. All were too glad to get out of the clutches of
the Boers to utter complaints which they knew would be useless, and
they went off at once. The prospect was not, however, a pleasant one.
Newcastle was nearly thirty miles away, but they hoped that at least
they might obtain shelter and rest and food for the women at some of
the scattered farms. At first their progress was slow, for after being
for more than two days and a half packed up like cattle, they had
almost lost the use of their limbs; but gradually the pace was
accelerated. Men took the little children on their shoulders, others
helped the women along. Charlestown, on the British side of the
frontier, was already occupied by the Boers, who hooted and abused them
as they passed through. At Laing's Nek there was a Dutch commando with
some guns.

Two miles on the women could go no further, and they halted at a large
farmhouse which had been deserted by its owners. All the men, however,
who were alone, determined to push on at once to Newcastle, and
promised they would send vehicles of some sort to take them on if they
could possibly be obtained. Mrs. King and the other ladies authorized
them to pay any sums demanded.

Thankful indeed were the tired women when they reached the farmhouse.
They found the doors unfastened, as the farmer knew that were he to
lock them the Boers would certainly batter them in when they arrived,
and would probably do greater damage to the furniture left behind than
if they had obtained an entry without trouble. The men soon found the
wood-shed, and in a short time great fires blazed in every room. The
bedding had been carried away, but utterly worn out as they were, the
women were only too glad to lie down on rugs and cover themselves with
their cloaks. The men gathered in the lower room and talked for some
time before thinking of going to sleep. There was scarce one who was
not determined to join one of the volunteer corps being raised at
Durban and Maritzburg, and to avenge the insults and ill-treatment to
which they had been subjected. The long-smouldering animosity towards
the Boers had been fanned during the past three days into a fierce
fire, and even those who had not before thought of taking part in the
struggle were now as eager as the others to do so.

In the morning all were astir early. Had they been supplied with food
they would have waited until waggons came out from Newcastle, but these
could hardly arrive until evening, and at any moment the Boer advance
might commence. They therefore determined to move on early, for if they
met the waggons half-way these could return with them at once to the
town. It was desirable to start as soon as possible so as to get well
on the way before the heat of the day was at its fullest. Accordingly
by six all were in movement. The long night's rest had done them good,
still more so the thought that by the end of the day they would be
among friends, and they were disposed to laugh and joke over their
present situation. All the men had cut themselves heavy cudgels from
the stock of firewood, and the fact that they were not as before wholly
defenceless was no slight gratification to them. Even the ladies spoke
confidently of being able to walk the twenty miles to Newcastle should
they not meet vehicles coming to fetch them. They could go ten miles
now and then halt till the sun was setting, and after such a long rest
could certainly go on to Newcastle.

"I am afraid, mother," Chris said as they started, "that what seems so
easy now will be too much for many of the women. We started without
breakfast, and unless we can get something by the way I doubt if many
will reach the town to-night. Of course for the men it is nothing. Very
often when I have been out on the veldt and have started early, I have
had nothing till I got back late in the evening. What are you wearing
that veil for, mother? I saw that you pulled it down over your face
yesterday afternoon. I suppose you did it to keep the dust out of your
eyes, but there is none now."

"I had a reason for doing it, but I can put it up now."

She lifted the white veil to its usual place round her hat; as she did
so, Chris uttered a sharp exclamation as his eye fell on a bluish-red
mark across her face.

"You don't mean to say, mother," he said in a tone of horror, "that one
of those scoundrels struck you?"

"They struck a good many of us, Chris, and there was no reason why I
should escape more than another."

The lad's face grew white.

"Why did you not call out? I would have--"

"I know you would," she interrupted gently, "and so of course I did not
cry out. You had all had enough to try you to the utmost, and I was not
going to risk your life by letting you know what had happened. It
flashed across me at once that if you had seen it happen you would have
been down from the roof in an instant and struck the man. Had you done
so, your fate would have been sealed, you would have had half a dozen
bullets in your body; therefore, I simply dropped my veil, and I can
assure you that the smart of the Boer's sjambok gave me less pain when
I felt that you knew nothing of it."

Chris walked along silently for a minute or two; then he said quietly:
"Thank you, mother. I am sure it would have been as you said. I could
not have helped it. No one could see his mother struck without
interfering."

"I can understand that, dear; but it would have been a poor consolation
for me had you been killed in endeavouring to right a wrong that I
could very well put up with, and shall forget in a week."

"I suppose so, mother. I should not so much mind if I only knew the
fellow's name, or even knew him by sight, so that I might possibly have
the chance some day of settling accounts with him."

They walked on until eight o'clock, and then rested under the shade of
some rocks. Fortunately there had been some rain two days before, and
they had been able to quench their thirst at a little stream that came
down from the hills. There were in all some thirty women and eighteen
men.

"Look here, Harris," Chris said, "there is a farmhouse over there, and
as I see cattle and horses, it evidently is not deserted. Let us go and
see if we can get some bread and some milk for the women."

"All right!"

The other lads were quite ready to go also, and they walked across to
the house, which stood some half a mile away. As they approached it a
Boer came out. On seeing them he re-entered it, and appeared again with
a rifle.

"I am afraid we shall get nothing here," Harris said. "The Dutchmen in
Natal are only waiting for the Boers to advance to join them."

"Well, we will try anyhow," Chris said doggedly. "I dare say that you
are right; but Boer or no Boer, if there is any food in that house I
mean to get it."

They went quietly on. When they were within fifty yards the Boer
shouted to them to go back.

"We have some women and children with us," Chris replied, continuing to
advance. "They are exhausted from want of food and fatigue, and we have
come to ask for some bread, and if you have it in the house, some milk."

"If the house was full of both you should not have a crumb of bread or
a drop of milk. Halt! I say, or I will put a bullet into you."

Chris did not heed the command.

"We have plenty of money to pay you, and are willing to give ten times
its fair price."

He was now within ten yards of the farmer. The latter burst into a
torrent of abuse, and was in the act of raising his rifle when Chris
sprang at him. The Boer, who had no idea that this lad would venture to
attack him, discharged his rifle almost at random, and the ball passed
through the brim of Chris's hat. An instant later his heavy stick fell
on the Boer's head, and levelled him to the ground.

"Now, Harris," he shouted, "do you and the others go into the house,
and first of all bring me out one of these fellows' whips. Cairns, pick
up his rifle, and reload it. Sankey, do you and the others keep guard
at the door, and don't let those viragoes out"--for three women had
just appeared, and were cursing with a fluency that Billingsgate would
have envied.

Harris had already come out with a heavy whip by the time Cairns had
reloaded. Chris took it and said to the Boer, who, in view of the
formidable sticks the lads carried, had thought it best to lie quiet.

"Now you can get up, you hulking ruffian. I am going to give you a
lesson in civility. Oh, you won't get up? Well, it will make no
difference to me," and he proceeded to give the howling Boer a
tremendous thrashing. "There," he said, when his arm was tired, "you
may get up and go, and I hope that the lesson will do you good. Now,
Cairns, we will search the house. It is likely enough he has a lot of
rifles hidden somewhere, and perhaps when we have gone he may go and
fetch some more of his class. We may as well possess ourselves of them."

The seven lads went into the house, paying no further attention to the
Boer. In spite of the fury of the women, they searched the house
thoroughly, and in a large case in a disused room they found twelve
Mauser rifles, with a thousand cartridges. They then took a basket and
filled it with bread, and emptied the milk from two large pans into a
pail.

"We are not thieves and robbers, like your people," Chris said to the
women, as he threw five shillings on the table. "Your man has been good
enough to tell us that he will be in Maritzburg with the Boers in a
week's time. Therefore, as war has been declared, the muskets are
lawful spoil taken from a rebel. Now, boys, let's be off."

The cartridges were divided among them; then, with the thirteen guns,
the basket, and pail, they started to rejoin their friends. "Well, that
is a fair capture to begin with," Chris said. "As far as we are
concerned, the war has begun. The Boer has made off, I see. I should
not be surprised if we hear of him and some of his friends again.
However, now we are well armed they can come as soon as they like."

Great was the joy among the women and children when they returned with
the much-needed refreshment.

"I was getting very anxious about you, Chris," his mother said. "We
heard the man fire. But where have you got all these rifles from?"

"The owner of the farm is a Boer, mother, and as he told us, a rebel.
As he began the affair by putting a bullet through my hat, and abusing
us and our nation heartily, we took the liberty of searching his house,
with good success. I need not say that he did not give us this bread
and the pail of milk of his own free-will, but I left the money for
them."

His mother had turned pale when he said that a bullet had gone through
his hat, but she said nothing.

"What became of the man?" she asked. "You did not kill him, I hope?"

"No, mother; I contented myself with thrashing him with one of his own
whips until my arm ached."

There was enough bread for all to have a slice. The women and children
had as much milk as they could drink, the rest was divided among the
men. The extra rifles were given to those who could best use them. In
half an hour the women said that they were ready to go on again, and
that they would rather do that than wait, for they greatly feared that
the Boer might gather some of his friends and attack them. Feeling
greatly strengthened and refreshed, they started at a good pace. They
had gone about a mile when Sankey said to Chris:

"Look, there is a party of mounted men across the valley."

"Then we had better plant ourselves among the rocks, and let the
unarmed men go on with the women and children, and take shelter a bit
farther on. I don't suppose they will venture to attack us when they
find, to their disgust, that we are armed with as good rifles as their
own. They have a great respect for their lives."

Accordingly the seven lads and the six men with rifles at once took up
a position among the rocks. The rest of the party went forward two
hundred yards and then took shelter also. The Boers, feeling certain
that the party was unarmed, did not trouble themselves to open fire at
a distance, but rode forward in a clump at full gallop.

"They are about a thousand yards away now," one of the men said. "We
may as well give them a volley."

The thirteen rifles flashed out almost simultaneously. There were, as
they had counted, sixteen Boers. Five horses fell, three others
galloped off riderless, and the party broke up and rode off at full
speed in various directions.

"I don't think we need trouble any more about them," said Sankey's
father, who, was one of the party, as he rose to his feet. "You may be
sure that several of those who got away carried bullets somewhere about
them."

As they turned to rejoin their friends there was a general exclamation
of satisfaction, for two large waggons were seen coming along the road.
In ten minutes the women and children, with all the older men, were
comfortably seated and on their way to Newcastle. Chris and his party
accompanied them on foot so as to form a rear-guard. "We have won our
first battle," Chris laughed.

"But for you there would not have been any battle at all," Field said.
"I don't think any of us would have gone forward after that fellow
warned us back had you not done so."

"I was determined to get some milk for the children," Chris said, "and
would have gone forward even if I had been alone. I don't think I ever
felt such a satisfaction as I did in thrashing that Boer. One of them
struck my mother across the face, you know, in the train, and though it
was not the same man, I feel better now that I have taken it out of
someone."

At Newcastle they found a small British force, and learned that there
were four or five thousand troops at Dundee. Trains were still running,
and after only an hour's delay at Newcastle to obtain a meal, the whole
party went on. Late that evening they arrived at Colenso. Mrs. King and
the ladies and gentlemen of the party had decided to sleep there, but
hearing on the road that the little town was crowded with fugitives
from the Transvaal and the farms near the frontier, they determined to
continue the journey to the capital, which they reached the next
morning. The lads had quite decided upon their course before starting,
and had arranged with their parents to remain at Maritzburg. The
general opinion was that the British force at the front could not
possibly maintain itself, but that as soon as the invasion began in
force they must fall back, as the Transvaal Boers would be able to
attack them in front and on the right flank, while the Free Staters
would pour down through Van Reenen and De Beers Passes and make
straight for Ladysmith, and so threaten their line of retreat.

There were a few indeed who still believed that the Boers would stand
entirely upon the defensive so far as Natal went. They would occupy the
formidable passes through the Drakensberg and await attack there, while
they would invade Cape Colony at many points and raise the Boer
population. However, the general opinion was that they would advance
into Natal in great force, and in that case it was doubtful, indeed,
whether Sir George White could oppose them successfully north of
Maritzburg. He might even, it was thought, be obliged to fall back to
Durban until reinforcements arrived from England. Already there was a
rush to the offices that had been opened for the volunteer corps. Many
of the fugitives from the Transvaal had joined, as had most of the
young farmers who had been obliged by the hostility of their Dutch
neighbours to abandon their homes in the north of Natal, while numbers
of all ranks in Maritzburg, Durban, and other towns were giving in
their names. All the lads who had come down with Chris had some time
before obtained their parents' consent to join a volunteer corps, or
form one among themselves, and as it was evident that the crisis was at
hand no objections were raised to their doing so at once. Mrs. King
would go down to Durban with her friends, so that there was no need for
her son to accompany her.

It had been agreed by the other lads that they would all meet at ten
o'clock at the hotel where Chris put up, and the party mustered in
greater strength than had been expected, for they found that the boys
who had preceded them had all waited in the town, and were stopping at
the various hotels. They too had been as badly treated by the Boers as
the last arrivals, and were all eager to begin work.

"There is no getting a private room here," Chris said, "so we had
better go outside the town and talk things over." As they went they
chatted over their adventures on the road, and great satisfaction was
felt among those who had not been present on hearing how Chris had
thrashed the Boer, and had gone tip to him in spite of his threat to
shoot. At their last meeting at Johannesburg they had elected him their
captain, but he had at the time refused to accept the post, saying that
it would be wiser to decide that afterwards, as one of the others might
show himself better fitted for the position. However, their first step
when they sat down by the bank of the little river outside the town was
to again elect him by acclamation.

"Very well," he said, "as you all wish it I will accept the post. I
suppose we are well provided with funds. Our fathers all said they
would find our outfit, and money enough for all expenses." There was a
general assent. "Well, we start better than we had expected, for we
have thirteen rifles: twelve of them are Mausers, the other we will
sell; so we shall have to buy nine others. That had better be done this
morning, for we may be sure that there will be a rush to the gunsmiths'
shops. In the next place we must each buy a saddle and saddlery. We
have agreed that we will not have any approach to uniform; because, as
we all speak Dutch, we shall be able to pass unobserved, if necessary,
among them. But I have been thinking it over, and it seems to me that
if we have nothing of the sort we shall run the risk of being shot by
our own men."

"What are we to do, then, Chris?"

"I think that we had better get flat caps, like the fatigue caps our
soldiers wear. They can be carried in our pockets inside our shirts
when we are in the neighbourhood of the Boers, and when we are riding
anywhere near our own troops we can put them on instead of our felt
hats. It would alter our appearance altogether when riding in groups,
and even at a distance we could hardly be taken for Boers."

All agreed that it would be an excellent plan.

"We shall, of course, have bandoliers for our cartridges, and
haversacks for our provisions and spare packets of ammunition. Not an
hour must be lost in getting these things. I hear that Captain
Brookfield, who came up to Johannesburg last year and stayed a
fortnight with us, has raised a corps, which he has named the
Maritzburg Scouts. I will call upon him this afternoon and tell him
that there are one-and-twenty of us, all somewhere about my age, and
that we mean fighting; and that as we all speak Dutch we think we can
do more good by scouting about on our own account than by joining any
regular corps; but that at the same time we should like, if there was
anything like regular fighting, to place ourselves under the orders of
an officer like himself. It is rather difficult to explain, you know,
but I think he will understand what we mean. We should be, in fact, a
section of his troop, acting generally on independent service, either
scouting, or going in among the Boers and getting intelligence, trying
to blow up bridges, and engaging looting parties--for we may be sure
that the Boers will be scattering all over the country plundering.

"Of course I shall say, if he won't accept us on those terms, we shall
do as we best can on our own account; but that as we don't require pay,
and will provide ourselves with all necessaries, we do not see that we
should be any burden when we join him. I propose that we meet here
again this afternoon, and I hope that by that time we shall all have
got our mounts and saddlery. I hear that many of the loyal farmers
north have driven their animals down here, and are only too glad to
sell the horses at the usual prices. Mind, the clothes we have now
won't do; we must get them of farmer fashion. Don't go together to any
shop, but let each choose for himself; we don't want anything like
uniformity of pattern. The stuff must be strong. We shall each want a
couple of blankets; one of these, with a slit cut in the middle to slip
over the head, will serve as a greatcoat. Now, let us be off! To save
trouble, I should say that we had each better put a certain sum, say
twenty pounds, to go into a fund for general expenditure--food and
ammunition, and that sort of thing--into one of the banks, and we can
draw upon that as we require it."

"I should say, Chris," Sankey said, "that we had better put all our
money into the fund. Our people are all going to pay for our outfit,
and you know they have agreed to give us a hundred pounds each to last
us through the war. It is of no use carrying money about with us. I
think we should agree to pay it all into the common fund, and that at
the end of the business what remains is to be divided among those of us
who go through it."

"I think that is a good plan, Sankey. Certainly we cannot all expect to
come out alive, and that arrangement will save all trouble about money."

On going back into the town they learned that a large farmer had
encamped two miles away, with a big drove of cattle and a couple of
hundred horses, many of which were fine animals, and it was agreed at
once that Sankey, Carmichael, and Peters should hire a buggy and drive
over there and choose twenty-one good horses. Harris and Field
undertook the purchase of the rifles, and Chris went to the office
which Captain Brookfield, who had been an officer in the English army
had taken. He had sent in his name, and was at once shown in.

"Well, Chris," he said cordially as he entered, "I am glad to see you.
You have grown and widened out a good deal since last year. I suppose
your father and mother have both come down with you?"

"My mother has come down, sir, but my father thought that he ought to
remain behind to look after the mines."

"Have you come here to enlist?"

"Not exactly, sir, and yet I have to a certain extent;" and he told the
officer of the little corps that had been formed among his companions
at Johannesburg.

"A very good idea. Speaking Dutch, as you say they all do, they ought
to do good service as scouts. But why have you come to me?"

This Chris explained.

The captain laughed. "I suppose the fact is, Chris, you think that you
will be able to see and do more if you are altogether independent of
other people's orders."

"Perhaps that is it, sir; but if there is any cavalry fighting we
should much rather be under orders. Such a small corps would look
ridiculous marching out by itself."

"Well, I don't see any reason why you should not carry out your plan.
It would certainly be better that you should have some--what I may
call--official sanction. All the men in our corps are paid five
shillings a day, and as your troop would serve under different
conditions, you can to a certain extent dictate your own terms. I will,
if you like, accept you as an independent corps, attached to my command
when with me, but at other times free to scout and to act as you
choose; but mind, I cannot be responsible for any scrape that you get
into. You might call yourselves the Johannesburg section of the
Maritzburg Scouts, maintaining yourselves at your own expense, and
drawing neither pay nor rations."

"Thank you very much, sir; that is just what we want."

"Then, if you will bring your companions here this evening, I will
swear you in. I shall administer a different oath to you from that
which the others take, and merely pledge you, when under my orders, to
obey them, with permission to withdraw from the corps when you choose.
And indeed, receiving no pay or assistance from government, you would
naturally be free to do so."

Leaving Captain Brookfield, Chris went and bought his clothes,
bandolier and belt, and saddlery, and then returned to the hotel and
told his mother how he had got on, and that a horse and rifle would, he
hoped, be obtained that afternoon.

"It seems to me a terribly dangerous business, Chris; but as your
father agreed to it, of course I need say no more. I have a cheque for
five hundred pounds for my expenses and yours."

"Father gave me a hundred before I started, mother; that will more than
pay for my outfit. I don't know what we shall do for the horses, but
there will certainly not be much over."

"Yes, I know, Chris; and he told me to hand you over another hundred
when I went to the bank, which I shall do this afternoon."




CHAPTER III

AT THE FRONT


At five o'clock the lads from Johannesburg again met and reported the
result of the afternoon's work. The nine Mauser rifles had been bought,
and six thousand rounds of ammunition had been purchased. This appeared
an excessive amount, but as there might be a difficulty in obtaining
this ammunition, they bought up all that could be found in the town.
Peters and his party had chosen the horses for the troop. The farmer
was a well-known breeder of good stock, and was glad to dispose of some
of them at a fair price in order to lessen their number. He had already
had several enquiries from corps that were being raised, but the prices
were higher than could be paid for ordinary troopers, though several
had been bought by officers. The lot the lads had picked out had been
put aside, and they had given the farmer fifty pounds earnest-money, to
hold them till the next morning.

"They are as good a looking lot of horses as I ever saw," Peters said,
"in fact, by a long way the best. I always heard that he was one of the
largest breeders of good horses in South Africa. He had eight or ten
extraordinarily good ones, but, of course, he wanted extra prices for
these; but from the rest--and he has some three hundred of them--he let
us choose any we liked at one price, and I think I can say that we
shall be as well mounted a corps as any out here. Of course we avoided
the showy-looking horses, and chose those specially suited to the
country and likely to be fast. Mr. Duncan had several thoroughbreds
from home, and there is no doubt that his stock has benefited by it;
they are all of the country type, sturdy and compact, and yet somewhat
finer in the limb than any I ever saw in the Transvaal. We were
delighted with them."

All the lads were accustomed from childhood to horses, but those Chris
had selected as the committee of inspection were admitted by their
friends to be the best judges of horseflesh in the party, their fathers
being wealthy men who always bought the finest horses money could
obtain.

"We will go over in a body to-morrow," Chris said, "and pay for them
and bring them back. We are lucky indeed to have got hold of such a
good lot. Are they pretty even animals, Peters?"

"Yes, I really don't think there is anything to choose between them."

"Well then, the fair way will be, to make one-and-twenty tickets with
as many numbers and fasten one to the mane of each horse, then we will
put another twenty-one numbers into a hat and draw them; in that way
everyone will be satisfied. Those of you who have not got their money
from their people had better ask them for it this evening, so that we
can settle up to-morrow for the horses and rifles and ammunition. The
hundred pounds we have each been promised will well cover all our
expenses up to the moment we start, and I should think leave us with
something like twenty pounds apiece in pocket, but all we have and the
other hundred for future expenses we had better put into the bank here
to-morrow. We must arrange for four of us to sign cheques, each cheque
to be signed by two, but we had better give them all our signatures so
that in case what we can call the finance committee of four are all
killed or taken prisoners there will be no bother about having fresh
signatures to arrange about."

"Well," Sankey said, "we might as well settle that at once. I propose
that Field, Carmichael, Capper, and, of course, you form the
committee." As no amendment was offered, this was at once agreed to.

"What time did you say that we would come over to fetch the horses?"

"About ten o'clock."

"Well, will you all be at my hotel to-morrow at half-past eight with
your money? Then we will all sign our names on paper the committee
first; afterwards they shall go with me to the bank and pay all the
money in, give them the list of signatures, and tell them that until
further notice two of the four first names will sign the cheques, but
that should circumstances prevent any two of them being able to do so,
others will sign instead. The account had better stand as the
Johannesburg Scouts. When we have arranged that we will hire a couple
of light waggons and start. Have you all got your saddlery?"

"Yes."

"Well, we will take it with us, and then we can ride the horses back. I
will get the tickets made out."

As soon as the bank opened in the morning, Chris and his three
companions presented themselves, and had an interview with the manager,
who was somewhat surprised when twenty-one cheques and cash to the
amount of three thousand five hundred pounds were handed in, each
member having deducted the amount paid for saddlery and clothes. "We
wish the account to stand in the name of the Johannesburg Scouts, and
cheques will be signed by two of the four names standing first on this
list; but as casualties may occur, you will please accept any of these
signatures. Our little corps will form part of the Maritzburg Scouts,
but in money matters we keep to ourselves, being all volunteers serving
without pay."

The manager ran his eye over the cheques. All the names were well known
to him as those of prominent men at Johannesburg, and the great
majority had already accounts at his bank, as all had some time
previously made arrangements for drawing money in case of necessity.

"I suppose, Mr. King," he said, "that as you and your friends represent
the corps, you are all young men?"

"We are all boys," Chris answered with a smile, "but we are old enough
to do men's work, and in the Transvaal the Boers are commandeering all
boys two or three years younger than we are."

"Well, I congratulate you all both on your patriotism and your pluck,
Mr. King, and I have no doubt that you will do good service."

Receiving a cheque-book, they drew two hundred pounds for current
expenses, and then going back to the hotel found the two Cape-carts and
their companions ready, and the saddlery already stowed away. On
arriving at the farm all were highly pleased with the horses their
comrades had selected. They had on the way agreed that it would be a
good plan to buy four others to act as pack-horses, and to furnish them
with remounts in case any of their own were shot. These were to be sent
into the town by two Kaffirs, whom they arranged to take into their
service, for the farmer said at once, when they asked him that he could
very well spare them, as he would be parting with a considerable number
of his horses and cattle, and would not require so many hands as he had
at present. The two men he chose for them were both active young
natives; they made no objection to the exchange of masters, and,
indeed, seemed pleased at the thought of going with them to fight the
Boers, who were universally hated by the natives.

A cheque was given to the farmer for their purchase, then the horses
were chosen by lot as agreed, and were at once saddled and mounted.
They had all been partially broken in, and as the boys were good
riders, they were after a little preliminary struggle soon at their
ease, and, taking a couple of hours' sharp ride through the country,
returned on good terms with their mounts. Two or three hours were spent
in teaching the horses to stand steady as soon as the reins were thrown
over their heads, this being a training to which all horses in the Cape
are subjected. Then they rode back to the town and arranged with a
farmer near it to picket their horses in one of his meadows, and for
their feed while they remained there. The rest of the day was spent in
laying in their supplies. The rifles and ammunition were paid for, pack
saddles bought for the four spare horses, a brace of revolvers
purchased for each member, haversacks ordered for the whole party, and
bags to carry a supply of grain for each horse. In the evening they
went out to the farm, and after discharging their rifles a few times
fed their horses.

This they repeated in the morning, so as to familiarize them with the
sound of firearms; then they saddled and mounted them, and after riding
for half an hour drew up in line, as Captain Brookfield, who had sworn
them in on the previous afternoon, was to inspect them at eight
o'clock. They had all put on their working clothes, bandoliers and
belts, and high boots, and the captain on his arrival, after closely
inspecting them, expressed his strongest approval of their appearance.

"I really congratulate you, Mr. King," he said, "on having command of
twenty such serviceable-looking young fellows. As they all can ride,
and, as you tell me, can all shoot, they ought to do really good
service, and I should be well pleased if all my troop were composed of
such good material. From the fact that you can all speak Dutch, and
most of you Kaffir, you will have great opportunities of obtaining
information, and can, in case of need, pass as young Boers. In fact, I
may say that there is some danger of your being mistaken for them by
our men. I should take you for them myself, except that you all look
brighter and more wide-awake than Boers generally do; but an
artilleryman could hardly be blamed if he plumped a shell among you at
a distance of two or three thousand yards."

"We thought of that, sir;" Chris turned to his band, "Change caps!" All
pulled field-service caps from their pockets, took off the soft felts,
rolled them up and forced them into their valises, and put on the caps.

"That is excellent!" Captain Brookfield exclaimed. "That certainly
alters your appearance altogether, and as far as your figures could be
made out through a glass, it could be seen that you are an irregular
body of some sort. And this can be still more plainly seen if, as I
should advise you, you always ride in fours when you are approaching
our lines; there will then be little chance of a mistake being made.
Where did you pick up all those horses?"

"We bought them yesterday from a farmer named Duncan, who has brought
them down from his place near Dundee."

"Ah! that accounts for it; he is one of the best-known horse-breeders
in the colony. I had not heard that he had come down."

"He only arrived two days ago, sir. We were fortunate to hear of it,
and some of us rode over early yesterday and were lucky enough to
secure them."

"You were lucky. There are several mounted corps being formed here and
at Durban, and horses will go up in price rapidly. Where is he
staying'?"

"About a mile and a half farther out, sir. If you want horses I should
think that you had better go on at once, for he told me that he had
sold sixty yesterday, but that very few of them were anything like as
good horses as these."

"No. People are subscribing handsomely, but we cannot afford to mount
our troopers on such horses as these. A good many gentlemen have found
their own horses, and of course will be well mounted; but a good,
sound, country horse is all we can afford for the others; they are
excellent for ordinary work, though, of course, not so fast as yours,
nor quite so big. Your horses have all a strain of English thoroughbred
blood, and if you should at any time have to ride for it there would be
little chance of the Boers overtaking you, though some of them are very
well mounted, for the two things a Boer will spend money on, are his
horse and his rifle. And when do you start?"

"We are going to-morrow morning. I went to the station-master yesterday
evening and arranged for trucks for the horses to be attached to an
early train to Dundee. We want to get up in time to see the first of
it, and we should lose three days if we were to travel by road."

"That is the right spirit, and I wish I could go with you; but my troop
will wear a sort of uniform, Norfolk jackets and riding-breeches, and
the outfitters are so overwhelmed with orders that it will be another
couple of days at least before they are ready. Then the men must have
two or three days' drill before they start; I am still short of horses,
so I will ride on and see Duncan. I want thirty-five more, and as yet,
although subscriptions are coming in well, we are still a good deal
short of our requirements. However, I dare say I shall be able to make
some arrangement with Duncan, as I shall probably have enough to pay
him in full by the end of the week. Altogether, I don't suppose I shall
be ready to start for another ten days, and unless the Boers delay
their advance I am afraid that I shall not get to Dundee."

"Do you not believe that we shall be able to hold the town?"

"I hardly think that there is a chance of it, and I am sure we made a
mistake in sending a portion of the force there. I know the premier was
most anxious that our troops should be posted as far north as possible,
in order to save the loyal farmers from plunder. If the position were
stronger and impossible to be turned, the case would be different; but
it is not strong, and can be turned on each flank. If the Boers march
to attack General Symons, who is in command there, he may possibly beat
them off; but as they can advance towards Ladysmith either from the
Free State on one side or the Transvaal on the other, he and his troops
would be cut off, and the loyal farmers would be plundered just as much
as if Symons had remained at Ladysmith. I fancy all the military men
think that a grave mistake has been made, and that General White should
not have exposed half his force to disaster. Besides, the position of
Ladysmith is no more defensible than that of Dundee. The Tugela would
be the natural line of defence, but even that could be turned by troops
from the Transvaal going through Zululand, and the line of the river
would be very difficult to defend by a force of less than twenty
thousand men. However, we shall see how the thing works out--how
enterprising the Boers are, and how warmly the Free Staters throw
themselves into the work."

"You think that we shall have a hard time, Captain Brookfield?"

"Yes, I think that is certain, even if Cape Colony keeps quiet, which I
am very much afraid it will not do. If it rises, it will take all the
strength of England to put it down. Well, I wish you all luck. I can
assure you I feel proud of my Johannesburg section, and I shall be glad
when you join me."

He shook hands with the whole of the lads and then rode off.

"The train starts at eight o'clock," Chris said. "We had better get our
good-byes over to-night, get some breakfast if we are able to do so at
half-past five, and meet here at six. We ought to be at the station at
least an hour before the train starts. We shall not only have to get
the horses into the trucks, which is certain to be a troublesome
business, as they are altogether new to it, but we shall have to see to
our other stores and belongings. I have arranged that we shall travel
with the horses, so that we can each stand at the heads of our own
animals, and if they are very wild, we can blindfold them until they
become accustomed to the situation. I have bought a couple of trusses
of hay from Thomas, and he will send down two of his native boys to the
station. I should advise you all to put some food into your haversacks,
there is no saying how long we may be on the road."

"What sort of trucks are they, Chris?"

"They have high sides, but no roofs. Of course I would rather have had
roofs, but the station-master could not provide any waggons with them.
But he showed me these, and as the sides are quite high enough to
prevent the horses getting out, they will do very well."

The saddles were taken off and piled together. There was no chance of
rain, so they were left uncovered. The lads then walked back into the
town. There was, of course, a sad parting that evening between Chris
and his mother, but she bore up well. She knew that hundreds of other
women were parting with husbands or sons, and she felt that, as the
main cause of the war was to rescue the Uitlanders in the Transvaal
from the oppression of the Boers, it behooved all the fugitives from
that country to do their utmost.

In the morning the lads all arrived punctually at the rendezvous. The
horses were fed to the accompaniment, as usual, of pistol shots. Then
they were saddled up, the valises the lads had brought down with them
were strapped on, and with their rifles slung behind them they rode to
the station.

It was, as they had expected, a long and troublesome business to get
the horses into the trucks, but at last this was managed. Nose-bags
were put on, with a few double-handfuls of grain, then one trooper was
left to each two horses, while the rest saw to their bundles of
blankets, their stores of tea, sugar, and flour, preserved milk, cocoa,
bacon, and tinned food. A couple of frying-pans, and a canteen of tin
cups and plates, a knife, fork, and spoon each, and two kettles,
completed their outfit. They had put their soft felt hats in their
valises, and were all in their flat fatigue caps.

The train was a long one, but the carriages with it were empty, for
while the trains from the north were closely packed, there were few
persons indeed proceeding up country. The trucks, however, were well
filled, as great quantities of stores were being taken up, some to
Ladysmith, and others for the force at Dundee. The horses soon became
accustomed to the motion, and their masters took the opportunity of
familiarizing themselves with them, by talking to them, patting them,
and giving them pieces of bread and an occasional lump of sugar. The
two Kaffirs had brought on the pack-horses four water-skins and a
couple of buckets, and in the heat of the day the horses were allowed a
good drink, while their masters, whose haversacks had been filled by
their friends, enjoyed a hearty meal, washed down by tin mugs full of
champagne.

They were in the highest spirits, although the meal was taken under
difficult circumstances, for all were seated on the upper rails of the
trucks, there being no room for them to sit down among the horses. The
plates were all packed up, and fingers and teeth served for knives and
forks, which was the less important since chickens were the staple of
the meal; and these had been cut up before starting. Many were the
jokes that passed along the line. All felt that it was the last
experience they were likely to have of civilized food, and that it
would be a long while before champagne or any other wine would fall to
their lot. The Kaffirs, who had each charge of two spare horses,
enjoyed themselves no less, for they had a fair share of the provisions
of their masters, and were in a high state of contentment with their
prospects.

There was a halt of an hour at Ladysmith. Many of the officers and
soldiers gathered at the station, their work for the day finished, and
the arrival of the train being always an event of some importance in
the little town. They were amused and interested at the party of young
fellows who alighted to stretch their legs and get a change of position.

"Which is your leader?" a major asked Field.

"The one talking to an officer. His name is Chris King."

"Is he chosen because he is the oldest of you?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it. We are all within a year of the
same age. We have all been chums and friends, and have hunted and shot
together, and he is the one we elected as our leader, just as you would
choose the captain of a cricket club. We all come from Johannesburg,
find our own horses, arms, and outfits, and ask nothing whatever from
the government; and as we speak Dutch, and all know more or less
Kaffir, we fancy we can make a good deal better scouts than your
cavalry, who can't ask a question of a Boer or get information from a
native."

The major laughed. He saw that the lad a little resented the joking
tone in which he had asked the question.

"I have no doubt that you are right," he said, "and I am quite sure I
should like half a dozen of you as subalterns. When did you come from
Johannesburg?"

"We left there about a week ago, and as we were only at Maritzburg
three days, we have not lost any time."

"Indeed, I think that is a record performance. Of course you are all
looking forward to your first skirmish; I can assure you we are."

"We had our first on the way down here, when we were between Newcastle
and the frontier. Four or five of us went to a farmhouse to try and get
some food and milk for the women and children. It was a Boer's place,
and the fellow came out with a rifle and warned us off. We went
forward, and he took a shot at King when he was quite close to him, but
fortunately the bullet only went through his hat. Chris knocked him
down and gave him a tremendous thrashing with his own whip. Then we
took some provisions and paid for them, and searching the house, found
twelve Mauser rifles and a lot of ammunition. We took these off without
paying for them. The Boer had made off while we were searching the
house, and he and some twenty others pursued us, not dreaming that we
were now armed. However, we gave them a volley, and emptied three
saddles and killed three or four horses, and they moved off without
trying to make our further acquaintance."

"Well done, lads!" the officer said warmly, "that was an excellent
beginning, and I have no doubt that you will follow it up well."

Similar conversations were going on all along the platform, and when at
last the lads again took their places in the trucks, a hearty cheer was
given them. The sun was setting when they arrived at Dundee. It was a
larger place than Ladysmith, as there were some coal-mines in the
neighbourhood, and a considerable number of men were employed in them.
Like Ladysmith it is situated on a plain dominated by hills. The camp
was some little distance out of the town. An officer was at the station
with a party of men to receive the stores brought up by the train.
Chris at once went up to him and saluted.

"We have just arrived, sir; we are a section of the Maritzburg Scouts,
acting independently. As we are all from Johannesburg, and find our own
horses, equipment, and food, provide our own rations, and, of course,
serve without pay, we propose to scout on our own account, and as we
all speak Dutch well, I think that we may be useful in obtaining
information. We shall, of course, search the country in whatever
direction may be considered most useful."

"I have no doubt that you will be of good service, sir," the officer
said.

"I suppose we can camp anywhere we like."

"I should think so. As you do not draw rations, it can matter little
where you post yourselves; but I don't think that you will be able to
get tents to-night."

"We shall not want them, sir; we have each a large waterproof sheet,
and intend to use them as tentes d'abri. I suppose I had better report
myself at the headquarters of the general?"

"Yes, that would be the proper thing. The camp is a mile and a half
away; if you follow the Glencoe railway, you cannot miss it."

As soon as the horses were detrained and the baggage packed, the little
party mounted and left the station, and choosing a piece of unoccupied
ground a few hundred yards away, proceeded to unsaddle and picket the
horses, while Chris rode away to the camp accompanied by one of the
natives to hold his horse there. He had no difficulty in finding it,
and dismounting, walked to the group of head-quarter tents. His
appearance excited a good deal of amusement and some chaff from the
soldiers he passed. He looked, indeed, like a young Dutch farmer in his
rough clothes, and his rifle, and a bandolier of cartridges. Seeing a
young officer close to a tent, he asked him which was that of the
adjutant-general.

"He is there talking to the general at the door of his tent. Do you
wish to speak to him?"

"I should be glad to do so," Chris replied. The officer walked across
and informed the colonel that Chris wanted to speak to him.

"Bring him across, Mr. Williams," the general himself said. "He is
evidently a young farmer, and possibly brings in some news of the
enemy's movements."

The lieutenant returned to Chris and led him up to the general.

"You have some news that you wish to give us, sir?" Sir Penn Symons
said.

"No, general; but I hope to be able to do so to-morrow."

He then stated his position and the nature of his command.

"We are all very well mounted, sir," he went on, "and as we all speak
Dutch, hope to be useful. At any rate, we shall be no trouble to you,
as we draw neither rations nor pay. We think we can pass anywhere as
Boers; that is why we have not adopted any uniform."

"I have no doubt you will be of service," the general said, "though I
hardly think that you will pass as Boers with those caps."

"We have all wide-brimmed hats to use while we are scouting, general;
but we carry these too, so that on our return towards your lines we can
be recognized even at a distance as not being Boers, and so avoid being
fired at."

"Yes, that is a very necessary precaution. I will have officers
commanding cavalry and artillery detachments warned, that a section of
Maritzburg volunteers are dressed as farmers, but may be known in the
distance by having caps similar to the ordinary infantry field-service
caps.

"Well, sir, I shall be glad if you will to-morrow ride to the south,
following the river, and endeavour to find out whether the Boers have
any considerable force in that direction, either on this side of the
river or the other, I may tell you that five of the Natal police were
captured on the evening of the 13th at De Jagers Drift. The Boers have
been in possession of Newcastle for the past three days, and they are
certainly crossing the passes from the Free State. You must be very
careful, for they have scouting parties across the river almost as far
as the Tugela. However, we hardly expect any serious struggle for
another week or ten days; for all the accounts are to the effect that
the Boers are still very deficient in transport, and that for the past
week those at Laing's Nek, and the other passes, have been very much
straitened for provisions. It would be as well for you, while you are
at Dundee, to come over once a day to report your doings, and to
receive orders as to the point where we most need information. Have you
gone into lodgings in the town?"

"No, sir. We have waterproof sheets that form tentes d'abri, and we
prefer being with our horses, which were only bought a few days ago;
so, as we shall not have much opportunity of sleeping otherwise than in
the open for some time, we thought it as well to begin at once,
especially as the weather looks threatening, and the horses, being
unaccustomed to be picketed, might pull up the pegs and get loose were
there a heavy rain."

"You seem to be well fitted for the work, and to set about it in the
right spirit."

"We have all been accustomed to hunting expeditions, sir, when we have
often been out for some days, so that we understand how to shift for
ourselves, though we are new to campaigning."

"What rifles have you? that does not look like a Lee-Metford."

"No, general, it is a Mauser. We captured twelve of them, at a Boer's
farmhouse three or four miles this side of Newcastle six days ago. He
fired at us, and though his bullet only went through my hat, we thought
ourselves justified in searching his house."


[Illustration: CHRIS OFFERS HIS SERVICES TO SIR PENN SYMONS.]


"Certainly you were. We heard that there had been a skirmish on the
road, and learned the particulars from one of those who took part in
it, and who stayed here for two or three days before going down the
country. He said that four or five young gentlemen, who were coming
down with a party of women and children from Volksrust, had gone to a
farmhouse to try and get food, milk, and bread for the females. The
Boer farmer insulted them, and shot at one of them when but two or
three yards away; he had been tremendously thrashed by the young
fellow, and they returned laden with a good supply of milk and bread,
and twelve rifles and a lot of ammunition that they had found at the
farm. And with these they and some of the men had beaten off an attack
of a score of Boers without any loss to themselves."

"Yes, general, that was our party; we had sent forward for some
waggons, and got into Dundee two hours after the skirmish; and as there
was a train just going we went on at once, and reached Maritzburg the
next morning, where we were joined by some of our party who had come
down the day before. As we had made all our plans before leaving
Johannesburg, we were able to start this morning, which was the third
after our arrival there."

"You were prompt indeed," the general said with a smile, "and must have
needed money as well as brains."

"We had all obtained leave of our families, general, and were well
provided with funds to carry us through the campaign if it lasts for a
year. We wanted to be in time for the first fight."

"I think yours was the first fight, except that a few shots were
exchanged between our scouts and the Boers on the morning after the
ultimatum expired. Now, sir, if you should at any time be in want of
necessaries I shall be glad to supply you; but I cannot furnish you
with ammunition, as the Mausers carry a smaller bullet than our rifles."

"Thank you, general, but we have enough to last us for a considerable
time, having brought up six thousand rounds."

"A good provision indeed," the general laughed; "enough to last you
through half a dozen pitched battles. I shall be in the town at six
o'clock to-morrow morning, and shall be pleased to inspect your little
corps before you start."

"I thank you, general; we shall all be very proud to be inspected by
you."

Then saluting he returned to his horse and rode back to Dundee. He was
pleased to see that the eleven little tents had been erected strictly
in line, that the horses were all standing quietly at the picket-rope,
and that two of the troop were placed as sentries. A large fire was
blazing in front of the tents, the two natives were squatting by it,
the kettles were swung over it, and a joint of meat was roasting there.
Two or three of the lads were standing talking together; the rest had
gone into the town. Cairns came up to him as he dismounted.

"Have you heard the news, Chris?"

"No, I have not heard any particular news."

"I was at the station a quarter of an hour ago, and a telegram had just
been received that the Boers were, when it was sent off, entering
Elandslaagte station, and were in the act of capturing the passenger
train that was standing there. The message stopped abruptly, as no
doubt the Boers entered the room where the clerk was at work at the
needles."

"By Jove we are in luck!" Chris said. "Of course that was the train
that had to leave three hours after us. If we had stopped for that, the
horses, rifles, and kit would all have gone, and we should now be
prisoners. It is serious news, though, for it is evident that not only
are they marching against us in front, and on both flanks, but have cut
our communications with Ladysmith. There can be no doubt that, as
everyone said there, it was a mistake to send General Symons forward
here, as it was almost certain that with four regiments, three
batteries of artillery, a regiment of cavalry, and a few hundred of the
Natal police and volunteers, he could never maintain himself here. Why,
we heard at Ladysmith that a column had gone out the day before towards
Besters station, as the news had come in that they were even then in
the neighbourhood. It was a false alarm, but it was enough to show that
the Boers were likely to be coming down and cutting the railway in our
rear. General Symons told me that he did not expect any general advance
of the enemy just yet, because he heard that their transport was
incomplete, and that they were very short of provisions. But I don't
think the want of transport would prevent their advancing. We know well
enough that the Boers think nothing of going out for three or four days
without any prospect of getting any more provisions than they carry
about them, unless they have the luck to bring down an antelope. And as
Utrecht and Vryheid and Newcastle are all within a few miles of us, and
the Free Staters have already come down through some of the passes of
the Drakensberg, they must be within an easy ride of us; and if they
are in force enough to drive us out of this place, they must know they
would find themselves in clover, for we heard at Ladysmith that there
were provisions and stores for two months collected here."




CHAPTER IV

DUNDEE


After picketing his horse, Chris went into the town. He found the
streets full of excited people, for the news that the railway had been
cut was serious indeed, and the scene reminded Chris of that which he
had witnessed in the streets of Johannesburg but eight days before.
Only eight days! and yet it seemed to him as if weeks had passed since
then. So much had been done, so great had been the changes. As at
Johannesburg, a considerable portion of the population had left, seeing
that, although the troops might for a time defend the town, the Boers
were certain to cut the line of railway. Work at the coal-mines had
been pushed on feverishly of late, for strangely enough there was no
store of coals either in Dundee itself or at any of the stations down
to Durban, and the authorities had only woke up a few days before to
the fact that coal would be required in large quantities for the
transports on the arrival of the troops. But now all this was to come
to a stop. The hands would be thrown out of employment, and the town
would become stagnant until it was captured by the Boers, or until an
army arrived of sufficient strength to clear Natal of its invaders.
That evening many who possessed vehicles started by road for Ladysmith,
feeling that in another twenty-four hours it might be too late.

At seven o'clock, as had been arranged when they arrived, all the
members of the band met at the bivouac for supper. There was a general
feeling of excitement among them. They had known that hostilities must
soon begin, but to find that the line had already been cut, and that
the enemy were closing in in all directions, came almost as a surprise.
This, however, in no way prevented them from enjoying their meal. After
it was over they held, at Chris's suggestion, a sort of council. He had
already told them what the general had said to him, and that they were
to be inspected in the morning. As their saddlery was all new, there
was nothing to be done in the way of burnishing buckles and rubbing up
leather. As Chris remarked, all that would be necessary was an hour's
work in the morning grooming their horses.

"Now," he said, "that the work is going to begin, we must draw up a few
rules, for, volunteers though we are, we must have some regulations. In
the first place, I find that the troops all parade in order of battle
before daybreak, so as to be able to repel a sudden attack or move in
any direction that may be required. If it is necessary for them, it is
still more necessary for us, and I think that it should be a standing
rule that we are all ready to mount at daybreak. Sentries must be
posted at night, however safe we may feel. I think there should be two,
relieved every two hours. There will be no hardship in that, as each
would only go on duty every other night. In the next place, I think
there should be what they call an officer of the day, who would
generally be in charge of the arrangements, see that the Kaffirs
attended to their horses properly, and so on. You see, we shall not be
always acting together, but might sometimes be broken into four troops,
in which case one in each five should command. I think the same lot
should always keep together. What do you think? Would it be better that
in each group of five one should be in charge each day, or that each
group should choose one to act as non-commissioned officer?"

There was no reply.

"What do you think yourself, Chris?" Sankey asked after a pause.

"You are as well able to judge as I am," he replied. "I think that it
would perhaps be the best way to write down the twenty names and put
them in a hat, and draw them one by one. The first five should be
number one squad. I don't know whether that is the right word, but
anyhow it will do for them. The next five number two, and so on. Then
each five can vote whether they would prefer alternate commands, or to
choose one of their number as permanent non-commissioned officer. If
they prefer this, they must then ballot as to which among them shall be
leader. If you can think of any way that you would like better, by all
means say so."

All agreed that the plan that he proposed should be adopted. Four
groups were first chosen. Before they proceeded to the next step,
Peters said:

"Of course I am quite game to carry it out as you suggest, Chris, but
don't you think it would be a good plan to let the final decision stand
for a week or two, each taking the leadership of his group in rotation?
At the end of that time we should be better able to make a choice than
we can be now."

"I think that is a very good idea, Peters. What do you all say? Will
you each take your turn alphabetically for the present, and at the end
of fifteen days, when each of you have led three times, you can decide
whether each squad shall choose a permanent leader or go on as you have
begun."

All at once agreed to the proposal. They felt, good friends as they
were, that it would be very difficult to decide now.

"Very well, then, it shall be so," Chris said. "To-morrow we shall
certainly do some scouting, but in a day or two you may be shut up
here; and until we get away there will be no scouting to be done. We
must have some signals. Suppose we are scattered over two or three
miles, we may want to assemble, and must be able to signal. I thought
of it before we started from home, and put down in my pocket-book the
sort of thing that I fancied would be wanted. I will read it out to
you."

He stirred the fire into a blaze and then read:

"One shot followed by another and a third, with ten seconds between
them, will mean 'Enemy seen on the right'; with twenty seconds between,
'Enemy seen on the left'; then, after a pause, two shots in quick
succession will mean 'Enemy in strength'; three shots will be 'Small
party only'; one shot, followed at an interval of ten seconds by two in
succession, will mean 'Retire to the point agreed on before we
separated'; followed by three shots in quick succession, will be 'Close
in to the centre'. We can think of others afterwards, but I think that
will do to begin with. I know that you have all pocketbooks, so take
down these signals at once."

"We ought to know where you will be," Field said, "so that we could
rally round you ready for the next order."

"That might be so; therefore we had better fix on three shots in quick
succession, followed in ten seconds by a fourth. The sound will be
sufficient to let you know pretty well where I am, and you will on
hearing it, join me at once. Are there any other suggestions?"

There was silence and then the books were closed.

"I cannot too strongly impress upon you all," Chris said, after they
had chatted for some time, "the necessity for being extremely cautious.
We know how slim the Boers are, and how accustomed they are to stalk
game; and we shall have to be as watchful as deer, more so, in fact,
since we have not their power of smell. When we break up into four
parties, each party must scatter, keeping three or four hundred yards
apart. On arriving at any swell or the crest of a hill, a halt must be
made, and every foot of the country searched by your field glasses, no
matter how long it takes. You must assure yourself that there are no
moving objects in sight. When you get near such a point you must
dismount, and, leaving your horse, crawl forward until you reach a
point from where you have a good view, and on no account stand up.
While you are making your observations any Boers who might be lying in
sight would be certain to notice a figure against the skyline, and we
know that many of them are provided with glasses as good as our own. We
must be as careful as if we were out after game instead of men. You all
know these things as well as I do, but I want to impress them upon you.
You see, they have captured five of the Natal police, who are a very
sharp set of fellows. However, a few days' scouting will show us far
better what is required than any amount of thinking beforehand. There
is one thing that I want to say to you. You elected me for your leader,
but it is quite probable that when we have worked together for a bit
some of you may prove much better qualified for the post than I am.
What I want to say now is, if this is the case, I shall feel in no way
aggrieved, and shall serve just as cheerfully under his orders as I
hope you will under mine so long as I command you."

There was a general chorus of "No fear of that, Chris. We all know you
well enough to be sure that we have made a good choice. We knew it
before we left Johannesburg, but your pluck in walking up to that Boer
with his loaded rifle clenched the matter."

"Well, we shall see," Chris said. "I shall do my best, but, as I said,
the moment you want a change I shall be ready to resign; and now I
think that we may as well turn in. It is nine o'clock, and we must be
up at daybreak. Squads number one and two will each furnish a man for
the first watch, taking the first on the list alphabetically. At eleven
they will be relieved by two from squads three and four; then one and
two furnish the next pair, and so on. Four watches will take us on till
daybreak. The two of each squad who will be on duty to-night turn in to
the same tent together, then the others will not be disturbed."

The blankets were spread in the little shelter tents, and all except
the two men on duty were soon asleep. Chris had a tent to himself,
there being an odd number, and an extra waterproof sheet had been
carried for this purpose. Before leaving Maritzburg twenty-two poles, a
little longer than cricket stumps, had been made under Chris's
direction. They were shod with iron, so that they could be driven into
hard ground. At the top was a sort of crutch, with a notch cut in it
deep enough to hold another of the same size. Twenty-two other sticks
of the same length were to form the ridgepoles. Half these were
provided with a long brass socket, into which its fellow fitted. The
whole, when they were accompanied by the spare horses, would be packed
with their stores and spare blankets. At other times each rider would
carry two of the poles strapped to his valise behind him.

Chris was the first to stir in the morning. There was but the slightest
gleam of daylight in the sky, but he at once blew a whistle that he had
bought that evening in the town, and heads appeared almost immediately
at the entrances of the other tents, and in half a minute all were out,
some alert and ready for business, others yawning and stretching
themselves, according to their dispositions.

"First of all, let's put on the nose-bags, and let the horses have a
meal," Chris said; "then set to work to groom them. Remember, there
must not be a speck of yesterday's dust left anywhere."

All were soon hard at work. The Kaffirs stirred up the embers of the
fire, which they had replenished two or three times during the night,
hung the kettles again over it, and cut up slices of ham ready to fry.
By half-past five Chris, after inspecting all the horses closely,
declared that nothing more could be done to them. Then they were
saddled, the valises, with a day's provisions and a spare blanket,
being strapped on. Then all had a wash, and made themselves, as far as
possible, tidy. By this time breakfast was ready, and they had just
finished their meal when a party of horsemen were seen in the distance.
Rifles were slung over their shoulders, and bandoliers and belts full
of cartridges strapped on, and they donned their forage-caps after
coiling up the picket-ropes and halters and fastening them with their
valises to the saddles. Then they mounted and formed up in line just as
the general, with two of his staff, rode up. After saying a few words
to Chris, the general examined the horses and their riders closely.

"Very good and serviceable," he said, "and a really splendid set of
horses. Of course, gentlemen, you would look better if you were in
uniform, but for your purpose the clothes you have on are far more
useful. Let me see you in your hats; I can then better judge how you
would pass as Boers."

The lads all slipped their forage-caps in their pockets, and put on
their felt hats, which were of different shapes and colours. As they
had agreed beforehand they at once dropped the upright position in
which they had been sitting, and assumed the careless, slouching
attitude of the Boers.

"Very good indeed," the general said with a laugh. "As far as
appearances go, you would pass anywhere. The only criticism I can make
is that your boots look too new, but that is a fault that will soon be
mended. A few days' knocking about, especially as I fancy we are going
to have bad weather, will take the shine out of them, and, once off,
take good care not to put it on again. A Boer with clean boots would be
an anomaly indeed. Now, I will detain you no longer."

The only manoeuvre the boys had to learn was the simple one of forming
fours. This they had practised on foot, and performed the manoeuvre
with fair accuracy. Then Chris gave the word, and, after saluting the
general, led the way off at a trot.

"They are a fine set of young fellows," the general said to the two
officers with him. "They are all sons of rich men, and have equipped
themselves entirely at their own expense. They are admirably mounted,
and provided they are not caught in an ambush, are not likely to see
the inside of a Boer prison. It says a good deal for their zeal that
they are ready to disguise themselves as Boer farmers instead of going
in for smart uniforms. However, they are right; for, speaking Dutch, as
I hear they all do, they should be able singly to mingle with the Boers
and gather valuable information."

As soon as they were fairly south of the town, Chris said:

"Now our work begins. Number one squad will make its way towards the
river, and follow its course, keeping always at a distance from it, so
that while they themselves would escape notice, they can ascertain
whether any bodies of the enemy are this side of it, or within sight
beyond the other bank. Number four will take the right flank, and keep
a sharp look-out in that direction. Squads two and three will, under my
command, scout between the flanking parties, and examine the farmhouses
and the country generally. The whole will, as I said last night,
maintain a distance of about three hundred yards apart, and each man
will as far as possible keep those next to him on either hand in sight."

The two flanking companies starting off, those under Chris separating
as they rode off until they were as far apart as he had ordered, and
then moved forward. When on level ground they went fast, but broke into
a walk whenever they came to the foot of rising ground, and when near
the top halted, dismounted, and crawled forward. Each man carried a
Union Jack about the size of a handkerchief, elastic rings being sewn
to two of the corners. When necessary these flags could be slipped over
the rifles, and a signal could be passed from one to another along the
whole line--to halt by waving the flag, to advance by holding the
rifles steadily erect. Other signals were to be invented in the future.
Chris took his place in the centre of the line, in readiness to ride to
either flank from which a signal might be given.

For five or six miles no signs of the enemy could be perceived. Most of
the fields were entirely deserted, but round a few of the scattered
farmhouses animals could be seen grazing, and these Chris set down as
belonging to Dutch farmers who had no fear of interference by the
Boers, and were prepared to join them as soon as they advanced. Many of
these, indeed, during the past fortnight had trekked north, and were
already in the ranks of the enemy. Presently Chris, who was constantly
using his glasses, saw the flutter of a flag on a hill away to the
left, and a minute later the signal to halt passed along the line. It
had been agreed that signalling by shot should not be attempted unless
the enemy seen were so far distant that they would not be likely to
hear.

"What do you see, Brown?" Chris said as he reached the lad who had
first signalled.

"There are a good many men and animals round a farmhouse about two
miles away. The house lies under the shoulder of a hill to the left, I
suppose that that is why the others did not see it."

Dismounting, Chris crawled forward with the other until he could obtain
a view across the country. As Brown had said, the farmhouse stood at
the foot of the line of hills they were crossing, and was fully a mile
nearer to those on the right flank than to the point from which he was
looking at it, but hidden from their view. Bringing his glass to bear
upon it, he could distinctly make out that some forty or fifty men were
moving about, and that a large quantity of cattle were collected near
the house.

"It is certainly a raiding party," he said to his companion. "They are
too strong for us to attack openly, at least if they are all Boers. It
would not do to lose half our number in our first fight. Still, we may
be able to frighten them off, and save the farmer, who is certainly a
loyalist, and cattle. You gallop along the line as far as it extends
and order all to come over to the right. I shall go on at once and get
a view of the ground close by. By the time they have all assembled we
can see what had best be done."

Going back to their horses they started in opposite directions. In a
few minutes Chris reached a point which he believed to be nearly behind
the farmhouse, picking up some of the scouts by the way.

"I expect I shall be back in about a quarter of a hour," he said as he
dismounted. "You, Peters and Field, may as well come with me, I may
want to send back orders."

They walked forward fast until so far down the hill that they could
obtain a view of the farmhouse. The moment they did so they lay down,
and made their way across some broken ground until they were within a
quarter of a mile of it; then seated among some rocks they had a look
through their glasses, and could see everything that was passing as
clearly as if they had been standing in the farmyard. It was evident
the Boers had only arrived there a short time before Brown noticed
them. Parties of two or three were still driving in cattle, others were
going in and out of the house, some returning with such articles as
they fancied and putting them down by their horses in readiness to
carry them off. Two men and some women and children were standing
together in a group; these were beyond doubt the owners of the
farmhouse.

"How many Boers do you make out? I have counted thirty-eight." Peters
had made out forty, and Field forty-three, the difference being
accounted for by those going in and out of the house and sheds.

"Well, we will say forty-five, and then we shan't be far wrong. We
certainly can't attack that number openly, but we may drive them off
empty-handed if we take them by surprise." He examined the ground for
another minute or two, and then said: "I think we might make our way
down among these rocks to within three hundred yards of the house. I
will send six more down to you. With the others I will go down farther
to the left, and work along in that little donga running into the flat
a hundred yards to the east of the house. You keep a sharp look-out in
that direction, and you will be able to see us, while we shall be
hidden from the Boers. We shall halt about three hundred yards beyond
the house. As soon as we are ready I will wave a flag, then you and
your party will open fire. Be sure you hide yourselves well, so that
they may not know how many of you there are; they are certain, at the
first alarm, to run to their horses and ride off. Directly they do so
we will open fire on them, and finding themselves taken in the flank
they are likely to bolt without hesitation. Don't throw away a shot if
you can help it, but empty your magazines as fast as you can be sure of
your aim. Between us we ought to account for a good many of them."

"I understand, Chris; we will wait here till the others join us, and
then, as you say, we will work down as far as we can find cover."

Chris at once returned to the main party, who had by this time all
assembled. "We can bring our horses down a good bit farther without
being seen," he said. "There is a dip farther on with some rough
brushwood. We had better fasten them there; they have learned to stand
pretty fairly, but they might not do so if they heard heavy firing."

Leading their own horses and those of Field and Peters they walked down
to the spot Chris had chosen, and there threw the reins over the
horses' heads as usual, unfastened the head ropes, and tied them to the
bushes. Chris had already explained the situation to the troop, and had
told off six of them to go down to join Peters. He now advanced
cautiously with these till he could point out to them exactly the spot
where the two scouts were lying. Then he returned to the others, and
they walked along fast until they came upon the break in the hill,
which lower down developed into a depression, and was during the rains
a water-course. Down this they made their way. On reaching the bottom
they found it was some twelve feet below the level of the surrounding
ground.

A couple of hundred yards further they could tell by the sound of
shouting, the bellowing of cattle, and other noises, that they were
abreast of the farmhouse, and going another three hundred yards they
halted. Chris went up the bank until he could obtain a view, and saw
that he was just at the spot he had fixed on. Making signs to the
others, they took their places as he had directed, some ten yards
apart. Then he raised his rifle after slipping the little flag upon it.
A moment later came the crack of a rifle, followed by other shots in
quick succession. Chris, with his eyes just above the level of the
ground, could see all that was passing round the farmhouse. With shouts
of alarm the Boers at once rushed towards their horses, several
dropping before they reached them. As they rode out from the yard the
magazine rifles kept up a constant rattle, sounding as if a strong
company of troops were at work. Chris waited until they were nearly
abreast of his party, and then fired.

His companions followed his example, and in a moment a fire as rapid
and effective as that still kept up from the hill was maintained. This
completed the stampede of the enemy. They were soon half a mile away,
but even at that distance the Mauser bullets continued to whistle over
and among them, and they continued their flight until lost in the
distance. Chris's whistle gave the signal for ceasing fire, and the two
parties sprang to their feet, gave three hearty cheers, and then ran
towards the farmhouse. In the yard lay five Boers and seven or eight
horses; the riders had jumped up behind companions, for as they passed,
Chris had seen that several of the animals were carrying double. The
little group, so lately prisoners, advanced as they came up, almost
bewildered at the sudden transformation that had taken place, their
surprise being increased on seeing that they had apparently been
rescued by another party of Boers, and still more when on their
reaching them they found that these were all mere lads.

"We are a party of Maritzburg Scouts," Chris said, with a smile at
their astonished faces; "though, as you see, we are got up as Boers so
as to be able to get close to them without exciting suspicion. We were
fortunate in just arriving in time."

"We thank you indeed, sir," the settler said, "for you have saved us
the loss of all our property, and, for aught I know, from being carried
off as prisoners. We were intending to trek down to Ladysmith today,
and had just driven in our herds when the Boers arrived. If they had
been content with stealing them, they would have been away before you
arrived; but they stopped to plunder everything they could carry off,
and, as I should say, from noises that we heard in the house, to smash
up all the furniture they could not carry off. We are indeed grateful
to you."

"We are very glad to have had the chance of giving the plunderers a
lesson," Chris said. "It will make them a little cautious in future.
But I think that you are wise to go at once, for there are certainly
parties between this and Elandslaagte, where they have cut the line; so
I should advise you to travel west for a bit before you strike down to
Ladysmith. We have not heard of any of them being beyond the line of
railway yet. Now we have work to do. Number one and two squads will at
once go up and fetch down the horses, number three and four will
examine the Boers who have fallen here and out on the plain and will
bring in any who may be only wounded."

He went out with this party; they found that eight more had fallen.
Three of these lay at a short distance from the farmhouse, and had
evidently fallen under the fire of the party on the hill; the others
had been hit by those in the ambuscade. Altogether ten horses had been
killed. Five of the Boers were still alive.

"Have you a spare cart?" Chris asked the farmer.

"Yes, I can spare one. Fortunately I have a small one besides two large
waggons. May I ask what you want it for?"

"I want it to carry these wounded men to within reach of their friends.
Which is the nearest drift?"

"Vant's Drift, and it is there, no doubt, that the party crossed. It is
a little more than two miles away."

"Then we will place the wounded in the cart, and you might send one of
your Kaffirs with it to the drift and stick up a pole with a sheet on
it; they are sure to have halted on the other side, and will guess that
there are wounded in it. As soon as the Kaffir comes within two or
three hundred yards of the river he can take the horses out and return.
I dare say he will be back again before you are off."

The cart was driven along the line that the Boers had taken, the
wounded being carefully lifted and placed in it as it reached them. Two
more were found dead and three wounded some distance beyond the spot
where the searchers had turned, having fallen nearly a mile from the
farm; the lads who accompanied the cart then returned. Long before they
reached the house the horses had been brought down. The settler and his
Kaffirs were hard at work loading the stores into two ox-waggons. The
lads all lent their assistance, and in less than an hour the settlers
started for Ladysmith, the women and children in the wagon, and the men
on horseback driving their herds with the aid of the Kaffirs. After a
hearty adieu, Chris and his party rode on together for some little
distance before again scattering widely to recommence their work of
scouting. Hitherto they had been too busy for conversation, but now
they were able to give words to the satisfaction they all felt at their
success.

"It has been splendid!" Sankey said enthusiastically. "We have defeated
a force twice as strong as ourselves, have killed or badly wounded
eighteen of them, and you may be sure that of those that got away
several must have been hit. Not one of us has a scratch."

"Splendid!" another exclaimed. "It could not have been better managed.
I think we ought to give three cheers for Chris." Three rousing cheers
were given. "After this, Chris," Carmichael said, "I don't think you
need talk any more about resigning the command. General Symons himself
could not have done better."

"I think, at any rate, we have begun to wipe off old scores," Chris
said. "We have paid for a few of the insults the ladies had to submit
to as we came along, and I am heartily glad that we were in time to do
it. We have baulked them of the haul they expected to make, and saved
something like a thousand head of cattle for the colony, to say nothing
of preventing these people from being absolutely ruined. It is only a
pity that we had not our horses with us. If we had, not many of the
Boers would have recrossed the river. But we could not have taken them
with us without being detected before we got into position, and in that
case we might have had a hard fight, and matters would probably have
turned out altogether differently."

There was a general expression of assent, for all felt that in an equal
fight the Boers, being twice their own numbers, would have been more
than a match for them. It was evening when they returned to Dundee,
having come across no more Boers during the day's work. Directly they
arrived at the little camp where they had left the tents standing in
charge of their two Kaffirs, Chris wrote a short report of their
doings, stating briefly that they had come upon a party of forty-five
Boers in the act of driving off the cattle and sacking the house of Mr.
Fraser, a loyal settler. Having dismounted and divided into two
parties, they had attacked the Boers and driven them off, with the loss
of ten killed and eight seriously wounded left on the field. Many of
their horses had been killed. The wounded Boers had been sent in a cart
to Vant's Drift, and the farmer and his herds had been escorted as far
as the line of railway, which they had crossed and were making for
Ladysmith. There had been no casualties among his party.

Field rode over with this report and delivered it at headquarters,
remaining to ask whether there were any orders for the next day. When
he returned he brought a line from the general. It contained only the
words, "I congratulate you most heartily. The affair must have been
managed excellently, and does you all the greatest credit. Continue
scouting on the same line to-morrow."

The lads were all highly delighted when Chris read this aloud, and then
sat down to a well-earned meal, which was the more enjoyed as it had
been voted that Field, as one of the finance committee, should go into
the town and buy half a dozen of champagne in honour of their first
victory. In the course of the evening one of the general's staff rode
into camp on his way to town, having been requested by him to obtain
full particulars of the fight at Eraser's farm. He took his seat by the
fire with them, and Chris gave him a full account of their proceedings.

"Upon my word, Mr. King," he said, "you managed the matter admirably;
no cavalry leader could have done it better."

"There is no particular credit about the management," Chris said; "we
acted just as we should have done had we been stalking a herd of deer
instead of a party of Boers. One always manages, if possible, to put a
party on the line by which they are likely to take flight, before
crawling up within shot. If we could have taken our horses down with us
before we opened fire we should have done so, and being so well
mounted, I think few of them would have got away; but we could not
manage it without risking being seen, and in that case the Boers, on
making out what our strength was, would certainly have shown fight; and
even if we had beaten them, which I don't suppose we should have done,
we should have suffered heavily."

"You were quite right not to risk it," the officer said; "we know by
old experience that the Boers are formidable antagonists when behind
shelter, and, accustomed as they are to shooting on horseback, I dare
say they will do well when not opposed by regular cavalry, who, I am
convinced, would ride through and through them. I am quite sure that in
the open they will not be able to make any stand whatever against
infantry, which is the more important, as in so hilly a country as
Natal our cavalry would seldom be able to act with advantage."

In the course of conversation he told them that there was no news of
any large body of the Boers being near. Joubert's force had not moved
out of Newcastle, and nothing had been heard of the Free Staters or of
the Utrecht force under Lucas Meyer. "We have sentries on all the lower
hills round here and Glencoe, and there is no fear of our being
surprised. The sooner they come the better, for we are all longing to
get at them; and I can tell you we felt quite jealous when we heard of
your spirited affair to-day. I can assure you that we shall have a
greater respect for the volunteers than we had before, and if all do as
well as you have done to-day they will be a most valuable addition to
our force."

After their visitor had left, they sat chatting round a fire till ten
o'clock, and then turned in.




CHAPTER V

THE FIRST BATTLE


All in the little camp, save the two sentries, slept soundly until, at
two in the morning, they awoke with a sudden start. A deep boom and a
strange rushing sound was in their ears. With exclamations of surprise
they all scrambled out of their tents.

"What is that?" Chris asked the sentry.

"It is a big gun on the top of that high hill they call Talana. We saw
the flash of light, and directly after heard the report, and a rushing
sound. I suppose it was a shot overhead; if it had been a shell we
should have heard it burst and seen the flash. It must have been fired
at the camp."

The horses, startled by the report, were plunging and kicking, and the
lads at once ran to their heads and patted and soothed them. Not until
they were quiet did they gather again.

"What time is it?" Chris asked.

"The clock on the church struck two a few minutes ago," Brown, who was
on sentry, said. As he spoke another gun boomed from Talana, or as it
was generally called in the town, Smith's Hill, from a farm owned by a
settler of that name at its foot. It was about a mile and a half east
of the town, and therefore some three miles from the camp.

"It must be a very heavy gun by its sound--as big as the largest of
those we have heard fired from that fort above Johannesburg. Joubert
must have started from Newcastle early to have managed to get it up
there by this time, or it may be the force from Utrecht; anyhow, they
must be strong to venture to attack us in this way. We may as well
saddle up, though it is hardly likely the cavalry will be engaged. I
shall not send to camp for orders; the general will have enough to
think about, and it will make no matter where twenty men place
themselves. However, I shall ride over to camp and see what is going on
there; it is likely enough that there will be an attack by the Free
Staters on the other side. Carmichael and Horrocks, do you run into the
town and see what is going on there. I will not start till you get
back; if any of the staff see me they may ask some questions about it."

In a quarter of an hour the two lads returned. The people there were
completely scared at the unexpected attack, and the streets were full
of half-dressed men; however, they seemed to be getting over their
first terror, now that they found it was the camp and not the town that
was being fired at, and the volunteer corps was already gathering in
readiness for orders.

"We may be pretty sure that nothing will be done till daylight," Chris
said. "Our men know the ground now, and none of the Transvaal Boers can
do so, and I don't think they will venture to move till they can see
their way about. I am glad, indeed, that most of the women and children
were sent off two days ago, and that the scare on the evening that we
arrived, when the news came of the railway being cut at Elandslaagte,
sent the greater part of the men who had remained behind, and who did
not mean fighting, off by road. If they bombard the town they may do
damage to property, but there will be no great loss of life. You had
better give the horses a feed--that is, if they are disposed to eat at
this hour--while I am away."

On reaching the camp, Chris found all the troops under arms. They had
been roused before the Boer fire began, as a picket to the east of
Dundee had been attacked and driven in. It was not, however, supposed
that the Boers were in force until their guns opened fire. All lights
were out in the camp, and the enemy's shot had gone wide. It was by no
means clear why the Boers should have betrayed their presence on the
top of the hill until it was light enough for them to use their guns
with effect. Chris had, before starting, put on his flat cap.

As he approached the camp he was challenged by a sentry: "Who comes
there?" and on his replying, "An officer of the Maritzburg Scouts," the
sentry called out: "Advance, officer of the Maritz Scouts, and give the
countersign."

Fortunately, as it happened, the officer had given it to Chris on his
visit to their camp, and he therefore answered at once, "Ladysmith,"
and was relieved when the sentry called out, "Ladysmith pass, and all
is well."

When he entered the camp he found the men were standing in lines, but
at ease, with their rifles piled in front of them, and there was a hum
of conversation in the ranks. At the head-quarter tents everybody was
astir. Presently an officer came up.

"Who are you?" he asked as he advanced.

"I am in command of the party of Maritzburg Scouts."

"Mr. King, is it not?" the officer asked.

"Yes, sir. I have ridden in to ask if there are any orders."

"No, and there will be none issued until it is daylight, and we can
make out how matters stand and what is the force of the Boers. It is
not likely that you will have any special orders, but can act with the
cavalry and mounted infantry."

"Thank you, sir. Then I will ride back at once." On returning to camp,
he said: "There is nothing to be done till morning. So far they have no
idea of the force of the Boers. This is just the work we were formed
for. Peters, you and Field and Horrocks certainly speak Dutch better
than any of the others. It is half-past two now, and we have at least
two and a half hours of darkness, therefore I propose we try to find
out what force the Boers have got up there. It is no use for more than
four of us to go, so the others can turn in, except the two sentries;
but all will, of course, be ready to mount in case any party of Boers
should come down upon the town before it is light. The next time I want
three men on special duty I will give others a chance."

"Shall we ride, Chris?"

"I think so. Of course it will be more difficult getting up there in
the dark; but I shall make a detour of three or four miles, and come up
on the other side, and we should be much more likely to be questioned
if we were on foot than on horseback. Should we come upon any party of
armed Boers, remember we have just arrived from Standerton, and finding
when we got to Newcastle that the force had moved on, and were to take
up their station at Talana Hill, we rode on to overtake them. When we
get fairly there among them, we will dismount; Field and Peters will
stand by the four horses, Horrocks and I will go on. If you hear a row,
you will mount and wait a minute or two, and then if we do not come,
you will ride off with our horses as well as your own. We shall try and
make our way to the edge of the hill, and ought to be able to slip away
in the darkness if we can get there before we are shot down or
overtaken. However, I don't think there is much chance of our being
recognized. Indeed, I expect most of them will be lying down for a
sleep before the time comes for action. If there is one thing a Boer
hates it is being kept awake at night. I will take one of the Kaffir
boys with us. They can see in the dark a great deal better than we can;
and as the Boers are sure to have some natives with them, he is quite
as likely to pick up news as we are--more so, perhaps, for the natives
will sit and talk all night while their masters are snoring. I think
the one we call Jack is the sharpest."

Jack was called up, and on being told what was required, at once agreed
to accompany them.

No time was lost. Chris and his three companions mounted, and with the
Kaffir running alongside they set off at a trot. Keeping to the north
of east, they rode on for some two miles, Jack leading the way with as
much ease as if it had been daylight. When they had, as they
calculated, come upon the ground the Boers must have passed over, they
turned south, and kept on until they saw the dark mass of Talana on
their right, and made towards it. On this side the hill sloped
gradually, while on that facing Dundee it was extremely steep and
strewn with boulders. They were now going at a walk, and they soon came
upon an immense gathering of waggons, carts, oxen and ponies, crowded
without any order, just as they had arrived two hours before. "There is
no fear of our being detected," Chris said in a whisper, "and we can't
do better than stop here. There is no getting the horses through this
crowd, and if we did manage to do so there would be no getting them
back, certainly not in a hurry. You had better lie down beside them, it
is not likely that any Boers will be coming up or down. If the whole
camp is like this there is not the slightest fear of our getting
caught." Jack had already been instructed that when he got into the
camp he was to leave them and join any party of Kaffirs he found awake,
and talk to them as if he were one of the bullock drivers. As Chris and
his companions returned, the former would blow his whistle softly, and
he was then to make his way down to the horses at once.

Passing on unquestioned they neared the top of the hill, having left
the mass of the vehicles behind them. There were, however, large
numbers of ponies assembled here in readiness should their masters
require them. Hitherto they had heard no voices since entering the
camp, but as they went farther they heard talking. Here the fighting
men were assembled. For the most part they were lying down; some were
asleep; others, however, were moving about, and joining or leaving
groups gathered together discussing the events of the next day.
Horrocks and Chris now separated and joined different parties, some
twenty yards from each other. They attracted no attention whatever.
Their appearance in their broad hats and rough clothing, their
bandoliers and rifles, was precisely similar to that of the men
standing about.

No doubt whatever that the morning would bring them a brilliant
victory, appeared to be entertained by the enemy. The artillery would
first crush that of the British, then they would charge down and finish
the affair. "They say that they have less than four thousand
altogether," one said. "We are as many, and, as everyone knows, one
Boer is a match for any three rooineks. It will not be a fight, it will
be slaughter. We shall stop a day to gather the plunder and send it off
in the waggons, then we shall go south and destroy the force at
Ladysmith. Three days later we shall be in Maritzburg, and within three
or four days afterwards shall drive the British on board their ships at
Durban. We shall get grand plunder there and at Maritzburg. But I think
it is time now to take a hand at building up that wall along the front.
Ebers' commando have been at it for three hours, and it is our turn
now."

[Illustration: CHRIS AND HIS COMPANIONS SCOUTING.]

There was a general movement, which was accelerated by a sharp order,
and a minute later Horrocks and Chris again came together and moved on
with the others. Three hundred yards farther they came upon six guns,
beyond which a number of men were at work carrying and placing great
stones to form a rough wall. These left off their work as soon as the
party arrived. Having now seen all that was necessary, the two lads
joined them and returned with them down the hill. The others threw
themselves down near their horses, but Chris and his companion went on.
Through the huge gathering of waggons they made their way with great
difficulty, Chris giving a low whistle occasionally. At last they were
through the camp. Jack was standing by the horses, and Peters and Field
at once rose to their feet. Without a word they mounted, and rode
without speaking till they were some little distance from the waggons.

"You are back earlier than I expected," Field said. "You have been gone
scarcely an hour."

"No; the only difficulty we had was making our way through the mass of
waggons and animals all mixed up higgledy-piggledy, and there has been
no more excitement than if we had been walking through Dundee. We have
got all we wanted to know. Their strength is about four thousand. They
have six guns. They are building a stone wall along the brow of the
hill, and they are cock-sure that they are going to thrash us without
difficulty." Field and Peters laughed.

"They are fools to count their chickens before they are hatched," the
latter said. "If they think it is going to be another Laing's Nek
business they will find themselves mightily mistaken, though it will be
a very difficult business to scale that hill from the other side under
such a rifle fire as they will keep up."

Jack had now taken his place ahead of them again, and kept there with
ease, although, they broke into a canter as soon as they reached the
level ground. In half an hour they reached their camp.

"Now, Jack," Chris said when he had dismounted, "we have not heard what
news you have picked up."

"Not much news, baas. Talk with some Kaffirs; all hope that we beat
them to-day, but think we cannot do so. Too many Boers and big guns.
They say Boers very angry because the other commandos not here, and
Free State Boers not arrived. They sure going to beat the rooineks, but
are afraid that some may get away. If Joubert and Free Staters here,
catch them in a trap and kill them all."

Such was the substance of Jack's answer in his own language. By this
time the rest of the party had turned out to hear the news. They had
had but little sleep, for all were intensely anxious as to the fate of
their four comrades, and although delighted that they had returned
safely, were a little disappointed on finding that the affair had been
so tame and unexciting. While they were talking the two Kaffirs had
stirred up the fire, put some wood and some coal on, and hung up the
kettle.

"That is right, Jack," Chris said; "day will begin to break in half an
hour, and we may have to be moving." All was quiet until half-past
five, and the lads had just finished their meal when the Boer guns
opened fire, and two or three minutes later those of the British
replied.

"It is an uncomfortable feeling sitting here with that terrific roaring
noise overhead," Chris said. "One knows that there is not the slightest
risk of being hit, but, to say the least of it, it is very unpleasant.
There, a shell has just burst over the camp. So it is shell that they
are firing."

Indeed, the Boers had been using these missiles only, but owing to some
fault in the loading, or the badness of the fuses, they fell for the
most part without bursting. It was soon evident to the lads that the
range of the British guns was shorter than that of the heavier pieces
from Talana. The distance was five thousand yards, and the elevated
position of the Boer guns added to the advantage given by their
superior weight.

"I will ride in now," Chris said as he got up from breakfast, "and tell
the staff what we have gathered as to the Boers' strength." He had on
his way down the hill exchanged his hat for his forage-cap, and taking
Horrocks with him he galloped to the camp. Sir Penn Symons was standing
on a small elevation watching the fire. Chris rode up and saluted.

"I have no orders for you, Mr. King, except that when the fighting is
over you will join the cavalry in pursuit."

"Thank you, sir; I have not come for orders, but to report to you that
with Mr. Horrocks and two others, and one of our Kaffir servants, I
entered the Boer camp last night in order to ascertain their strength."

"You did!" the general exclaimed in surprise. "You hear that,
gentlemen?" he said, turning round to three or four of his staff
standing but a short distance behind him. "Mr. King and three of his
party absolutely entered the Boer camp last night to discover their
force. Well, sir, what was the result?"

"There are about four thousand of them, sir, over rather than under,
and they have six guns, all of heavy calibre. When I was there they
were at work building a thick wall some five feet high of rough stones
along the edge of the hill. It will scarcely shelter the guns, but it
will provide cover for the riflemen at the edge of the hill. There is
an immense gathering of waggons and carts--there are certainly not less
than a thousand of them--in a confused mass behind the hill. Arriving
in the dark, each seems to have gone on until it could get no farther.
The fighting men are all on the top of the hill, and between them and
the waggons are their ponies. They certainly could not ride away till
the waggons have been passed through, but possibly a passage may have
been left on each side of these for them to get through, in order, as
is their intention, to charge your army when their guns have silenced
your artillery. I gathered that expected commandos had not come up.
They were disappointed at hearing nothing of the Free Staters, who they
expected would have attacked Glencoe from the other side. They are
absolutely confident of success, and expect to overwhelm General White
at Ladysmith in three days from now, and to be in Pietermaritzburg in a
week, and are talking of driving the last rooinek on board the ships at
Durban shortly after."

The general smiled. "I am much obliged to you for your information, Mr.
King, and am much pleased at the courage with which you and your
companions entered the Boer camp to obtain it. It is satisfactory to
learn that their force is not much greater than our own. It is also
useful to know that their ponies are gathered so close to them, for
shells that go over the hill may burst among them; and I believe that
one of the Boers' most vulnerable points is their horses, for without
them they would feel absolutely lost. I am sure, Mr. King, that you
would wish to be in the thick of the fighting, but I would rather that
you curbed your impetuosity, for after the manner in which you obtained
this news for me, I can see that your party will do far greater service
in scouting and in gaining intelligence than they could afford in
action. I should advise you to shift your camp, as the troops are about
to advance into the town, and the enemy's shot will soon be falling
there."

A few minutes later two field batteries moved forward and took up their
position south of Dundee, escorted by the mounted infantry and the
rifles. The third battalion of the Lancashire regiment remained to
protect the camp should it be attacked by the Free Staters, while the
Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Fusiliers were to march through
the town to a donga or river-bed half a mile to the east. Beyond this
the long ascent to Talana begins. The King's Royal Rifles were to take
up a position under cover to the east of the town.

Chris had ridden back fast to Dundee. The work of taking down the tents
and packing their materials and all the stores on to the spare horses
took but a few minutes, and two of the lads went with the two natives
and saw the horses safely placed in a sharp depression half a mile
away, in which they would be safe from Boer shells. Chris had told his
companions what the general had said. They all looked disappointed.

"We shall have plenty of opportunities afterwards, and it is a
compliment that he considers we had better reserve ourselves for
scouting, which, after all, is the work we always intended to carry
out. Still, though, after what he has said, we cannot absolutely join
the cavalry, we will manage somehow to see some of the fighting without
getting into the thick of it. Besides, I should say that in any case
the whole brunt of the affair must fall upon the infantry and
artillery. If they silence the Boer guns and capture the hill, the
battle is won, and the cavalry will have to wait for their chance till
they can get the Boers to fight on ground where they can act."

Drizzling rain had now set in, but this and the fact that they had
started without breakfast in no way abated the spirits of the troops
who soon came along, marching with light step and eager faces which
showed that they were delighted at the prospect of action. The
batteries to the right had already come into play, and a vigorous
cannonade was being directed at the crest of the hill, from which the
Boer guns kept up a slower though steady fire in return.

"While nothing else is doing we may just as well ride over and see how
things are getting on there," Chris said. And as soon as the two Irish
regiments had passed, the little troop trotted across to the rising
ground and dismounted a few hundred yards from the guns. They soon saw
with satisfaction that the fire of the Boers was far from effective,
their aim was not good, and a very small proportion of the shells
burst; while on the other hand the shrapnel from the British batteries
burst with splendid accuracy over the crest of the hill. For two hours
the artillery duel continued, then the Boer guns gradually ceased their
fire. The mist that had partly shrouded the summit of Talana, eight
hundred feet above the plain, and the smoke that still hung thickly
there, rendered it impossible to say whether they had all been put out
of action or simply withdrawn, but when it cleared off they could no
longer be seen. It was now the turn of the infantry. Beyond the donga
in which they were lying the rise of the ground was gradual, up to a
plantation which surrounded Smith's farm. Beyond this the ground was
rocky. The men advanced at the double in open order, and the moment
they were seen by the Boers a continuous fire of musketry was opened.
The distance was about a mile, but the Mauser rifles had a much greater
range than this and the bullets pattered thickly on the ground. Only
four men, however, fell. The two regiments halted in the plantation and
farm buildings, and the advanced line at the edge of the trees opened
fire in answer to that to which they were exposed. The general at first
had taken up his position with the guns, but as soon as the men
advanced from the donga he joined them and accompanied them as far as
the plantation. Then he returned to the battery, which continued its
fire with greater activity to prepare the way for the further advance
of the infantry.

The Rifles had joined the two Irish regiments, and at half-past nine
General Symons galloped up to the farm and gave the order for the
advance. This was received with a cheer by the men, who had been
impatiently awaiting it. Scarcely had the cheer died away when the
general was mortally wounded by a bullet that struck him in the
stomach. Unconscious that the wound was so severe he retained his seat
a minute or two, and was then carried by the Indian bearer company into
the town. The troops, ignorant of the misfortune that had befallen
them, were now working their way up the hill, taking advantage of every
stone and boulder, and although exposed to a terrific fire, gradually
pushing on until they reached a stone wall which ran round the face of
the hill. Beyond this the ground was much rougher and very much
steeper--so steep, indeed, that it was almost impossible to climb it.
The fire of the enemy was now terrific. The troops were some three
hundred yards from the crest, and it was certain death to show a head
above the wall. An officer placed his helmet on the end of his sword,
and the moment he raised it, it was riddled by five balls.

For a time it was impossible to advance farther, but when the Boer fire
moderated a little the order ran along the line for the men to storm
the position. A signal was made to the artillery to cease fire, and as
it did so the men leapt over the wall and rushed forward. There was now
no thought of taking shelter or returning the Boers' fire, every effort
was needed for surmounting the difficulties in their way. In some
places the rock was so steep that the men had to climb on their hands
and knees, sometimes those below pushed their comrades up and were in
turn assisted by them to climb. The roar of musketry was unceasing. It
seemed to be an impossibility for any man to reach the top unscathed,
and yet there was no hesitation or wavering. Numbers fell, but panting
and determined the rest pressed on. The Rifles suffered most heavily,
and out of the seventeen officers who advanced with them five were
killed and seven wounded. At last the steepest part of the ascent was
surmounted. Those who first reached this point waited until joined by
others, and then fixing bayonets they rushed up the slope to the edge
of the plateau cheering loudly.

The Boers did not await the onset; the great body had already fled.
They had believed it impossible for mortal men to scale the hill under
their continuous fire, and our steady advance through the hail of
bullets had astounded them and shaken their courage. The artillery,
after ceasing fire, had galloped off at full speed and taken up their
position on the ridge known as Smith's Nek, overlooking the plain
behind the hill. For a distance of three miles this was covered with
waggons and galloping men. The guns were about to open fire upon them
when a white flag was hoisted, and, believing that the Boers had
surrendered, the gunners abstained from firing. It was, however, but
the first of numerous similar acts of treachery, and the Boers were
thus enabled to make their escape.

The appearance of the plateau gained by the troops was appalling. Some
five hundred of the Boers lay dead or wounded, and many had doubtless
been carried off. Three of the guns lay dismounted, the others had been
removed; for as they could not be sufficiently depressed to bear upon
the stormers, they had been taken off as soon as the advance began in
earnest. Beyond the plateau smashed waggons and dead animals lay
thickly. Great numbers of the Boer ponies had been killed; many were
still standing quietly waiting for their masters, lying dead above.

Pursuit was out of the question. The men were exhausted by their
efforts; they were wet to the skin by the rain that had for nine hours
come down unceasingly; they had had no food since the previous day, and
the tremendous climb had taxed their powers to the utmost. For a time
they cheered vociferously, the first joy of victory overcoming the
thought of their dead and wounded comrades, who had to be collected and
carried down. The loss had been severe, ten officers and thirty men had
been killed, twenty officers and a hundred and sixty-five men wounded;
and nine officers and two hundred and eleven men did not answer to the
roll-call. This loss was unaccountable.

Chris, as soon as the infantry advance began, had, after talking with
the others, agreed to set out in the direction in which the three
squadrons of cavalry had started in the morning with instructions to
work round, and be prepared to cut off the enemy's retreat. They had
with them some of the mounted infantry and a machine-gun.

As the whole Boer force would be concentrated on the hill, Chris
thought that there would be no danger in riding round, especially as,
even had the Boers posted a force to protect their line of retreat, he
was confident that the speed of his horses would prevent any chance of
capture. From some natives he learned the direction that the cavalry
had taken, and presently on rising ground, saw two parties halted in
hollows some two miles apart. The farthest out on the plain appeared to
be the largest, and to this he rode. The officer in command had seen
him in camp, and as he saluted on riding up, said:

"So you have come to lend us a hand, sir? Can you tell me how matters
are going on at Dundee?"

"At the time we rode off, sir, the advance of the infantry had just
begun, the Boer guns had been silenced, and our men were advancing from
Smith's farm under a very heavy fire of the enemy, which continued
without intermission as long as we were within hearing distance."

"Did you see the other squadron as you came along?"

"They are in a hollow two miles away."

"Ah! that is where we left them."

The troopers were all dismounted, and the scouts followed the example.
The boom of the British guns was continuing unabated. "They can be
getting on but slowly," the officer said. "I am afraid we shall find it
a very tough job. I suppose there is a strong force up there?"

"Over four thousand."

"How do you know?"

"I was up there last night," Chris said, "with three of the others. We
did not go up in these caps, as you may suppose, but in wide-brimmed
hats. We were able to get about without exciting any suspicion
whatever. We found they had six guns and over four thousand men. As we
all speak Dutch fluently there was really no chance of our being
detected."

The other officers of the squadron had all gathered round.

"Danger or no danger, it was a very plucky action," their leader said.
"I suppose that was the news you brought in just before the troops
marched off. Well, I wish that we had got our breakfast and the horses
a feed before we started. It is more important for the horses than it
is for us, though I should not be sorry for breakfast myself."

"We have some food in our haversacks, sir. We breakfasted before we
started, and we filled our haversacks with biscuits, thinking that
perhaps they would be welcome, for we knew that none of the troops had
anything to eat before leaving."

"You are very good to offer it," the colonel said. "But we could not
eat while the men have nothing."

"It will go round, sir, though it will be but a small portion for each.
We each put about ten pounds of biscuits in our haversacks, and shall
not be sorry to get rid of the weight. It will make something like
three-quarters of a pound per man all round."

"More than that," the officer said. "I am indeed greatly obliged to
you."

The haversacks were emptied and divided into four heaps of equal size,
with a proportionate heap for the ten officers. Four men were called up
from each troop, and in a short time the soldiers were all munching
biscuits, every man dividing his rations with his horse. The sight of
the rough-looking troop had at first excited some amusement and a
little derision among the soldiers, but this feeling was now exchanged
for gratitude, and it was unanimously agreed that these young farmers
were a capital set of fellows. The hours passed slowly until the
officers, through their glasses, saw a great movement in the encampment
on the hill. The waggons standing lowest separated from the others, and
gradually a general movement set in.

"Our men must be gaining ground," the colonel said, "and the Boers are
beginning to funk."

The bits were put into the horses' mouths again, the saddles buckled up
tightly, and an expression of satisfaction succeeded that of disgust at
the long hours standing in the pouring rain. Presently, when the
leading waggons were abreast of them, at a distance of about a mile,
the order was given to mount, and the two squadrons dashed across the
plain and were soon among the fugitives. There were many mounted men
among them, these being the first to steal away from the fight. They
opened fire as the cavalry approached, but were soon overthrown or
driven away in headlong flight. Many of the waggons were seized, but
each moment their defenders became stronger. The Boers were now
flocking down in great numbers, and seeing their teams and property in
danger they dismounted, formed some of the waggons up in a square, and
from them opened a heavy fire upon the troopers. Chris dismounted his
party, and returned the fire, but the officer in command, seeing that
with so small a force of infantry he could do nothing, and that the
numbers of their enemies were increasing, drew off. He would have
continued the fight, but he supposed that the artillery would soon be
at work, and knew they could not open fire as long as he was engaging
the Boers, he therefore retired with the long train of captured
waggons, and late in the afternoon reached camp.

Nothing was seen of the other squadron and mounted infantry, nor was
any news received of them until the following day, when a medical
officer with some wounded men came in. Like the larger force, they too
had ridden in among the waggons, but had taken a more northerly line,
and had come on a point where the Boers were thickest. They had charged
and taken several prisoners, and inflicted severe loss on the enemy.
These, however, had swarmed round them, keeping up an incessant fire
and barring their retreat. They took up a defensive position in a farm,
and for three hours repelled all the attacks of the Boers, until their
horses were all killed or had broken away and the ammunition exhausted,
while the Boers had just brought up the three guns they had withdrawn
from the hill. Further resistance would have ended in the extermination
of the whole party, and Lieutenant-Colonel Möller was therefore obliged
to surrender.




CHAPTER VI

ELANDSLAAGTE


The scouts erected their tents again on their former ground. The
remaining inhabitants of Dundee were jubilant over the victory that had
been won, and did their best, by hanging out flags from the windows, to
decorate the town. Jack and his companion had returned to the camp with
the spare horses as soon as the hill was carried, and had the fires
lighted by the time the party came in. In spite of having worn their
blankets as cloaks, all were wet through, but after changing their
clothes, they went into the town to gather the news of how the hill had
been won, and by the time they returned their meal was ready.

"What do you think of affairs, Chris?"

"I think that the officer at Ladysmith was right, and that it was a
frightful mistake to divide the force and send four thousand men up
here. They have thrashed the Boers today, but they may be back again on
the top of that hill tomorrow. Besides, we know that Joubert's force
was not engaged to-day, and they and the Free Staters will be gathering
round. We might win another victory, but we are certain to be obliged
to fall back soon, and my opinion is that we shall be very lucky if we
get through safely."

"Why not start to-morrow morning, Chris?" Peters said. "We shall be of
no use scouting here, and not much use if there is hard fighting. I
hear that some natives have brought in the news that there was some
firing to-day at Elandslaagte. If that is the case, we must have troops
there, and the chances are that they will be there to-morrow."

"Yes, that is very likely," Chris agreed. "General White will be sure
to hold the line there if he can, for he must feel sure that the force
here will have to retreat now that it is attacked in earnest. When we
were talking to-day to the cavalry, one of the officers mentioned that
we had still telegraphic communication with Ladysmith, for although the
wires by the railway are cut, it is possible to communicate through
Helpmakaar. The Boers seem to have forgotten that, for it is quite out
of the direct line, and nearly double as far round. Well, as we had no
orders to come here, I suppose there is no occasion to get orders to go
back. I think Peters's proposal is a very good one, but on a point like
this everyone ought to give an opinion. My view is that we might be a
great deal more useful there than here, and that if we stop we shall
run a great chance of being captured. I think that it would be a fair
thing to put it to the vote."

He took two or three leaves out of his pocket-book, and tore them up
into narrow slips of paper.

"Now," he said, "write 'Yes' if you are in favour of going back, 'No'
if you are for stopping here. Drop them into my cap and the majority
shall decide."

When the strips of paper were examined, it was found that only two out
of the twenty-one were in favour of remaining.

"That settles it," Chris said. "It is thirty miles down to Elandslaagte
by road, and as from here to Glencoe is five miles, and we are no
nearer there than we are here, by cutting across to Waschbrank we shall
have only five-and-twenty miles to ride. It is well that we should get
there as early as possible, so we will settle to start at five o'clock,
which will take us there by eight, in time to see anything that is
going on. No doubt we shall be able to hear from natives as we go along
whether the troops are still there; at any rate if they are, we are
sure to hear firing before we get there, unless, of course, the Boers
have retired."

The horses had already had an extra feed, and the Kaffirs were warned
of the hour at which they were going to start. The pack-horses were
able to keep up with the rest, for their loads were by no means
heavy--in fact, they carried less weight than the others. The two
hundred pounds of biscuits given to the hussars made no difference in
their baggage, for this had been bought at Dundee, as the lads decided
to keep their stores as far as possible intact for a time when they
might for some days be away scouting in a district where no provisions
could be obtained.

At four o'clock the sentries roused the others, and having taken a cup
of coffee and some cold meat and bread, and led the horses down to the
stream while the Kaffirs were loading up the packets and bundles, they
mounted at five o'clock and set off at a trot, Jack and Japhet, a name
suggested by Field, who was the wag of the party, were allowed to ride
on two of the horses that carried the lightest burdens. All the lads
were provided with compasses, but these were not necessary, as both the
natives were well acquainted with the country, which was wild and
mountainous.

When they reached Wessels station, nine miles from Elandslaagte, they
heard the sound of guns. At this proof that there was still a force
there, they turned off from the road, and riding west, struck the point
where the main road to Meran crossed the Sundays River, and then, still
keeping a mile west of the line of railway, found themselves abreast of
the station. Just as they did so, a body of mounted volunteers galloped
up towards them. As soon as they were seen, they exchanged their hats
for forage-caps, and some of them, by Chris's orders, hoisted their
union-jacks on their rifles.

"It is well that you raised those flags," the officer in command said.
"We made sure by your appearance that you were Boers, and rather took
your change of caps as one of their slim devices, and had our rifles
ready to give you a warm reception. I suppose you come from Dundee? We
heard news yesterday evening of the battle, and were sorry to hear how
heavy the losses were, and particularly of General Symons' wound. I
suppose you have no later news?"

"No, beyond that we heard he was very dangerously hit indeed. He is
either at the church or town-hall. Both have been turned into
hospitals."

"There is a good deal of anxiety at Ladysmith," the officer said. "The
general opinion is that, with the Boers closing in all round it, the
position is a very serious one."

"I am afraid so, sir. There is nothing to prevent the Boers from
returning to their position on Talana Hill to-day; and soon after we
left the town this morning we heard the sound of guns away on the
right, and supposed that the Free Staters had approached Glencoe. As
mounted men are of very little use there, and our party is too small to
be able to do any good, we thought it would be best to come back here,
especially as there was a native report that there was firing in this
direction."

"Yes; a party of our cavalry under French came up with a battery of
field artillery. There was a little skirmishing, but in the evening the
Boers were strongly reinforced, and our cavalry returned to Ladysmith.
It was only a reconnaissance to ascertain the general situation. To-day
we are stronger. Squadrons of the 5th Dragoon Guards, 5th Lancers, the
Natal mounted, battery, and several detachments of mounted volunteers,
including the Imperial Light Horse, and half the Manchester Regiment,
are coming up in an armoured train. I suppose you are not attached to
any other corps?"

"Yes; we form a section of Captain Brookfield's corps of Maritzburg
Scouts. As you see, we are not in uniform; it being thought that, as we
are all from Johannesburg, and speak Dutch and Kaffir, we should be of
more use for scouting if able to appear as Boers."

"A very good idea," the officer said, "but somewhat dangerous; for if
they caught you they would assuredly shoot you as spies."

"We don't mean to be caught if we can help it, as you see we are very
well mounted."

"Uncommonly well. Brookfield's subscriptions must have come in
handsomely for him to be able to buy such horses as those."

"We provide our own mounts and equipments," Chris said, "and consider
ourselves very lucky in getting hold of this batch of horses from Mr.
Duncan on the day he arrived at Maritzburg. I really think they were
very cheap at sixty pounds each."

"They were not dear, certainly; and the fact that they came from him is
in itself a sufficient recommendation. We have got some thirty from
him, but they are a different stamp of animal and did not cost half
that figure. And now we must be riding to join the rest of our fellows.
We made you out when you were a couple of miles away, and were sent off
to ascertain what you were. By the way, you will find Brookfield there.
He arrived with his men by rail last evening." Riding on, they soon
came upon the mounted corps, and were warmly received by Captain
Brookfield.

"You are back just in time," he said. "I suppose that you saw something
of the fight yesterday, but, as I see your number still complete, you
can scarcely have been in the thick of it?"

"We were with two squadrons of Hussars, and captured a good many
waggons and did a little fighting, but nothing very serious. There were
only a few casualties. We heard, however, from Colonel Yule, who has
succeeded poor Symons, that up to ten o'clock last night, another of
the squadrons of the Hussars and a company of mounted infantry with
them had not returned, and nothing was known of their whereabouts."

"Had they not got into camp when you started?"

"I did not hear, sir. In fact, we set off by daylight. But last night
it was hoped that the squadron, which was acting independently, had
lost their way, and would come in this morning. Where is the Boer force
now?"

"Our batteries have shelled them out of the station. They were wholly
unprepared for it, and bolted at once to those hills a mile and half
east of the line. Their camp lies at the bottom of that conical hill.
You can make them out from here with your glass. There, French is
moving forward."

The order had indeed been given to advance, the artillery accompanying
the cavalry, and halting every two or three minutes to deliver their
fire. The ground was flat, but cut up by gullies. As soon as they came
within range, the colonials dismounted and added their fire to that of
the guns. An immense confusion was seen to reign in the Boer camp, and
thirty-seven British subjects, including the officials and staff at the
railway-station, and some of the coal-miners, took advantage of this
and ran forward to join their friends. They were at once sent back into
Ladysmith, after having given the information that General Koch was in
command of the Boers, and that Commandant Miellof and the German
Colonel Shiel, with many of the Johannesburg commando, were there.
Chris and his comrades felt great satisfaction at the news.

"We have a chance of paying off old scores on the right persons now,"
Chris said. "I do hope that the fellows who insulted us when we were
coming down are here, and that we shall manage to get among them."

For the time, however, this wish was not gratified. The Boers now
seeing that they had such a small force opposed to them, steadied
themselves and opened fire with some guns, Maxims, and rifles from the
crest of the hill, while a swarm of horsemen and dismounted men poured
out to threaten the flanks of the British. The odds were too great; the
comparatively heavy guns of the enemy were well aimed and served, and
quite overpowered the fire of the light cannon of the field and
mountain batteries. The order was given to fall back, which was done in
good order, though the troops were harassed by a hot fire from the
enemy concealed in the gullies. On reaching the high ground near Modder
Spruit, the country was more in favour of the British, who were now
extended on each flank. The Boers were unable or unwilling to move
their heavy guns from their position on the hill, and being now beyond
their range, and exposed to the fire of four batteries as well as the
infantry, those pressing forward fell back. General French had brought
out a signalling apparatus with him, and the telegraph wires were
tapped, and a message sent to General White asking him for
reinforcements in order to carry the Boer position.

The fight now ceased for a time. A party of the Boers occasionally
crept forward and opened fire, but the Colonial Horse dashed forward
and sent them flying back to the hills. From nine o'clock till a
quarter to two the troops remained idle, but the reinforcements then
arrived, a battery of field artillery, several squadrons of Dragoons,
Lancers, and Colonials, and the Devonshire regiment and Gordon
Highlanders, the infantry being brought up by train. These were under
the command of Colonel Ian Hamilton, who had a thorough knowledge of
Boer tactics, and knew how to handle his troops. It was well that it
was so, for, led by a less experienced commander, they would have
suffered terribly in their advance. While the infantry detrained, the
Colonials, followed by the 5th Lancers, rode towards some low hills,
whence some parties of Boers had maintained a distant fire. These were
at once scattered. The infantry marched along some ridges parallel with
the railway, but a mile away, while the Devonshire regiment kept along
the low ground by the line. The 5th Dragoon Guards, with some troops of
Colonials and one of the field batteries, moved forward on the left.

The Manchesters were on the right of the infantry, the Gordons in the
centre, and the Devons on the left, as they set their faces towards the
Boer position. At three o'clock the action began, the Boer riflemen
opening a heavy fire. It was still too distant, however, to do any
serious execution, and the British moved forward as regularly and
unconcernedly as if it had been a field day. The Boer fire grew in
intensity, and one of our batteries opened with shrapnel to drive them
from the lower ridges. At half-past three the Boer artillery joined
their deeper roar to the rattle of musketry and the sharp cracks of the
British guns. Although it was still early the light was indistinct, for
a heavy thunder-storm had been for some time brewing, and this burst
before the heat of the action really began. The darkness was all in
favour of the advancing infantry, who in their khaki uniforms were
almost invisible to the Boers.

The troops were now in extended open order, and advanced towards the
foot of the hill by rushes, taking advantage of the ant-hills that
studded the plain and afforded an excellent cover, being high enough to
cover them while lying down, and thick and compact enough to resist the
passage of a Mauser bullet. The Highlanders were suffering the most
heavily, their dark kilts showing up strongly against the light sandy
soil, and while the Devons and Manchesters sustained but few
casualties, they were dropping fast. They and the Manchesters were
somewhat in advance of the Devons, who were guarding their flank, which
was threatened by a large number of Boers gathered on the ridges on
that side.

The storm was now at its height, the thunder for a time deadening the
roar of the battle, but through the driving rain the infantry pressed
on until they reached the foot of the Boers' hill. Large numbers of the
enemy were on the slope, hidden from sight by the boulders, but these
could not long maintain their position, for the British marksmen shot
as straight as the Boer. Our batteries, which had almost silenced those
of the enemy, scattered their shrapnel among those higher up the hill,
and as the Boers rose to fly before the bayonets of our cheering
troops, they were swept away by volleys of the Lee-Metfords. So, with
short pauses when shelter was obtainable, our troops bore upwards,
cheering and even joking, until they reached the last shoulder of the
hill. The Boers made a short but plucky struggle, numbers pushing up
from behind to help their comrades, but nothing could check the
impetuosity of our troops. The magazines of the rifles were now for the
first time set in action, and the Boer force withered away under the
terrible storm of shot.

The men of the Imperial Light Horse, who had dismounted and joined in
the advance, were fighting side by side with the Highlanders and
Manchesters. The pace was now increased to a run, and shouting and
cheering the men went forward with levelled bayonets. Many of the
Boers, lying behind rocks, maintained their fire until the troops were
within two yards of them, and then rising, called for quarter. The men,
furious at seeing their comrades shot down when all hope of resistance
was over, would have spared none, had not the officers with the
greatest difficulty restrained them from bayoneting the Boers, and many
of these were in fact killed. As the troops, now joined by the Devons,
were rushing down upon the camp, the Boers raised a white flag, and the
bugle sounded "Cease firing". The men halted for a moment and then were
advancing quietly when a tremendous fire broke out from the Boers, who
were scattered over the ridges of the hillside and a slope leading to
its summit.

Hitherto the British loss had been wonderfully small considering the
storm of bullets through which they had passed, but numbers now
dropped, and taken wholly by surprise, the troops ran up the hill
again. But not for long. Halting when they reached the crest, and
furious at the treachery that had been practised with such success upon
them, they turned again, and rushed down the hill, scattering the
Boers, who still clung to their shelters, with their fire. It was just
six o'clock when the Devons carried the last defence of the Boers and
then with the Manchesters swept down into the camp. It was now the turn
of the cavalry. These had in the darkness moved forward unnoticed, and
the Lancers and Dragoons, with a few of the Colonials, among whom were
the Maritzburg Scouts, fell upon the flying Boers and cut them up with
great slaughter, and, although it was now quite dark, followed them for
upwards of two miles, and then returned to camp.

The losses were heavy. The Gordons had lost four officers killed and
seven wounded, and a total of a hundred and fifteen casualties among
the four hundred and twenty-five men led into action. The Imperial
Light Horse lost their colonel and had seven officers wounded, and
eight men killed and forty wounded. Two hundred of the Boers lay dead
upon the field. Their wounded were vastly more numerous, and most of
the principal officers were killed or captured. General Koch, two of
his brothers, a son, and a nephew were all wounded; Shiel, Viljoen, and
many others killed or captured. Everything had been left behind. Three
guns, all their baggage, their waggons, a great quantity of arms and
ammunition, and many horses fell into the hands of the victors. Several
battle flags were also captured, and two hundred prisoners were brought
in by the cavalry. The night was a dreadful one, the rain still
continued to come down, the cold was bitter, and it was next to
impossible to find, still less to bring down, the wounded. Nevertheless
the soldiers carried on the work during the greater part of the night.
Boer waggons were turned for a time into hospital tents, and here by
the light of their lanterns the surgeons laboured unweariedly in giving
what aid was possible to those brought in, whether Boers or Britons.
Chris and his band worked as hard as the rest, and carried down a great
number of wounded; but in spite of all the exertions of the troops many
remained on the hillside all night, the sufferings from the wounds
being as nothing to that caused by the wet and cold. The lads' flasks
were of great use now, and enabled many a man, too badly wounded to be
carried down the rough hillside, to hold on till morning. General White
had arrived from Ladysmith while the battle was going on, but he left
the command in the hands of General French. On the following morning
orders came for General French to retire, as strong parties of the
enemy had been seen further south, and it was hourly becoming more and
more evident that it would be impossible to hold the country beyond
Ladysmith, and many were of opinion that even this position was too far
advanced.

The splendid valour shown by our soldiers at Dundee and Elandslaagte,
and the heavy losses they suffered, had been practically thrown away.
The coal-fields of Northern Natal had been lost, the loyal settlers had
been plundered and ruined. Colonel Yule's force was in imminent peril,
and all that had been obtained was the temporary possession of the two
heights, both of which had to be relinquished on the following morning.
Beyond showing the Boers how enormously they had underrated the
fighting powers of the British troops, no advantage whatever had been
gained by the advance beyond Ladysmith.

Three of the Johannesburg Scouts had been wounded in the charge among
the Boers. None of the injuries were severe, being merely flesh wounds,
of which they were hardly conscious during the fighting, and which
would not be likely to keep them long from the saddle. None of them
applied for medical assistance, as the surgeons were so fully occupied
with serious cases. Their comrades bound up the wounds and placed them
in the most sheltered position they could find, five of their comrades
remaining in charge of them and the horses, there being no possibility
of finding the two Kaffirs and the spare animals in the confusion and
darkness.

"We have had one lesson," Chris said, as at seven in the morning the
party assembled, worn out by the long night's work, "and that is, that
blankets are well enough against a passing shower, but that when there
is any probability of wet we must carry our waterproof sheets with us.
Of course they would have been no good last night, but on occasions
when there is no need for us to be using our hands they will be an
immense comfort."

"But we should have been wet through before we lay down, Chris."

"Yes, they would not have kept us dry, but they would have gone a long
way towards keeping us warm. It would be like putting oilskin over wet
lint; we should have felt as if we were in a hot poultice in a short
time. And even while riding it would have been very comfortable, if we
had worn them as we did the blankets, with a hole in the middle to put
our heads through."

"But that would spoil them for tents," Carmichael said.

"Well, we could have flaps sewn so as to cover the hole."

"Our blankets were very useful last night," Horrocks remarked. "I don't
know how we could have got many of those poor fellows down the hill if
we had not carried them in the blankets. It was infinitely easier for
them and a great deal easier for us. I saw lots of soldiers using
theirs in the same way."

"Are you sure you will be able to sit your horses down to Ladysmith?"
Chris asked Brown, Capper, and Harris, the three wounded.

All laughed. "One would think that we were babies, Chris," Harris said.
"We could ride to Maritzburg if necessary, though I feel my arm rather
stiff, and no doubt it will be stiffer still to-morrow. I felt a bit
miserable at sunrise after lying there shivering, and envied you
fellows who could keep yourselves warm by working; but I am beginning
to thaw out now, and the sight of the Kaffirs coming towards us with
the horses half an hour ago, and the thought of hot coffee, did even
more than the sun to warm me."

"It will be ready soon," Willesden, who was specially in charge of the
stores, said. "It was a capital idea bringing that large spirit stove
and the paraffin with us; even a native could not find any dry sticks
this morning."

"Except as the soldiers have done," Chris said, pointing to where, a
quarter of a mile from the spot where they had gathered, a dozen fires
were blazing, the soldiers having utilized some of the Boer waggons
that had been smashed by the shell for the purpose of firewood.

"Yes, but if we were by ourselves, Chris, there would be no broken
waggons; besides, after all I should not care to go down and scramble
with the soldiers for a place to put a kettle on. At any rate, the
stove will be invaluable out on the veldt."

"We all agree with you, Willesden," Peters said, "and it was because
you were the one who suggested it that we promoted you to the office of
superintendent of the kitchen. It is a comfort, too, that we have some
clear water instead of having to get it from one of these muddy
streams. The storm has done good anyhow, for if it had not been for
that there would have been no breakfast for the troops until they had
moved to the river."

In another twenty minutes they were drinking hot coffee and munching
biscuits. At ten o'clock the bugle sounded the assembly, and the troops
formed up, the wounded were placed in ambulance waggons or carried on
stretchers, and all returned to Elandslaagte station. Here the wounded
were sent on by train, while the infantry and cavalry returned by road.
Talking to some of the officers of the Imperial Horse, several of whom
were friends of his father, and had only left Johannesburg a short time
before the declaration of war, Chris learned that the principal object
in fighting the battle was to drive the Boers off the line by which the
Dundee force would retreat; for Colonel Yule in his telegraphic
despatch had stated, that although a victory had been won he felt that
the position was untenable, and that he might at any moment be forced
to evacuate it. He also learned that the safety of the line beyond
Ladysmith was already threatened, but whether Sir George White would
decide upon falling back towards Pietermaritzburg or would hold
Ladysmith no one knew. Certainly nothing could be determined upon until
General Yule rejoined with the division from Dundee.

The position there was indeed growing worse every hour. While the
battle of Elandslaagte was being fought the Boers had opened fire from
the hills above Glencoe on the British camp, and had compelled it to
shift its position. The next day they were again obliged to move by
artillery on the Impati mountain, and it was then that General Yule
decided to retire at once on Ladysmith. A cavalry reconnaissance which
was sent out found that the Boers were in great strength in the pass of
Glencoe, and it was therefore determined to move by the roundabout way
through Helpmakaar. Some stores of ammunition that had been left under
a guard in the other camp were fetched, and with full pouches the
little army started on its long and perilous march at nine o'clock on
the evening of the 22nd. The camp was abandoned as it stood. The
wounded remained with some surgeons under the protection of the Red
Cross flag. All the available transport accompanied the column, but the
men's kits and all other encumbrances were left behind. They were
obliged to pass through Dundee to get upon the southern road, but so
quietly was the movement effected that but few of the townsmen knew
what was happening.

The column was led by Colonel Dartnel, chief of the Natal Police, whose
knowledge of the district was invaluable to the troops. The roads were
heavy, and the rain continued to pour down in torrents. Each man
carried three days' provisions; they tramped along silently through the
night; stoppages by swollen streams were frequent, and by daybreak the
next morning they had only accomplished nine miles of their journey.
Early in the morning the townspeople had woke up to the fact that the
army had gone, and there was a general exodus of all who could obtain
conveyances. The Boers remained for some time in ignorance that the
force whose capture or destruction they had regarded as certain had
slipped away. They saw the tents, but the fact that neither men nor
horses were visible puzzled them, and it was eleven o'clock before some
of the more venturesome galloping down found that the English force had
escaped.

Then from all sides they poured into the town. Had they at once pursued
they might still have overtaken the retreating force before nightfall;
but they immediately set to work to loot the great stores of provisions
left behind, and to gather their pickings from the deserted houses of
Dundee, and so let slip their opportunity, and no pursuit whatever was
attempted. For four days the column continued its march, resting for a
few hours each day and usually marching all night. The road was
terribly bad, leading through narrow mountain passes, and had but a
small force of the enemy held the Waschbrank gorge, where the sides
were for three miles nearly perpendicular, a terrible calamity might
have taken place. Happily, however, the Boers were in absolute
ignorance of the road which the British troops were following, and
concluded that they must have somewhere crossed the railway and were
making their way down by the roads to its west. That they had gone
through Helpmakaar does not appear to have occurred to them, for after
marching some thirty miles to that town the column was as far off
Ladysmith as when it started.

The anxiety at the latter town was intense. The line being still uncut,
the arrival of the column at Helpmakaar was known, but beyond that no
communication could be received. On Tuesday the 24th Colonel Dartnel
arrived in Ladysmith with the news that the column was now twenty miles
away, all well, and he at once returned to them with supplies and a
small relief force. On Wednesday many of the men came in, and on
Thursday the remainder arrived and were heartily greeted. On the
24th--in order to divert the attention of Joubert and the Free State
Boers, both of whom were converging upon General Yule's column, still
making its way through the passes--a force composed of three regiments
of cavalry, four of Colonial Mounted Infantry, three batteries, and
four infantry regiments went out. The enemy were found near
Reitfontein. No actual engagement took place, but for some hours an
artillery and rifle duel was maintained and the Boers fell back. The
number of casualties was not large, and these were principally among
the Gloucester regiment, who, on entering a valley supposed to be
untenanted, were received by a heavy fire from a strong party of the
enemy hidden there. The fight, however, fulfilled the object for which
the advance was undertaken, that of occupying the Boers' attention and
enabling the column from Dundee to make its way into Ladysmith
unmolested. The Boers were now closing in on the latter town from all
directions, and preparations for defence at once began. The town-hall
and the schools were fitted up as hospitals and everything arranged for
the reception of wounded. As the Boers had already been seen near
Colenso, sixteen miles to the south, it was certain that the
communications would ere long be cut.

No more unsuitable place for a military camp could well have been
selected than Ladysmith, which had indeed been chosen, years before the
war was thought of, on account of its position on the railway, and the
vicinity of the Klip river. The fact that the country immediately round
was fertile and forage was obtainable no doubt influenced the military
authorities in their selection. Lying in the heart of a mountainous
country, it was commanded by steep and rocky hills at a distance of
from two to four miles. Just as many castles built in the days before
firearms were in use were rendered untenable against even the clumsy
cannon of early days placed on eminences near, so the improvement in
artillery and the possession of powerful modern guns by the Boers had
gravely imperilled the position of Ladysmith. The military authorities
could never have anticipated that the town would be besieged by foes
armed with artillery that could carry over five miles. But such was the
case now, and all there felt, as soon as it was decided to defend the
place till the last, that the position was a precarious one.

Fortunately, a considerable store of provisions had been collected, and
so long as the line was open additions were being sent up by every
train. The line was a single one, winding along through passes among
the hills, and therefore open to attack by small bodies of the enemy.
In point of size Ladysmith was the third largest town in Natal. Durban
boasted a population of thirty thousand, Pietermaritzburg of twenty
thousand, and Ladysmith of four thousand five hundred, being four
hundred larger than that of Dundee. It was the point at which the line
of railway forked, one branch running north through Glencoe to the
Transvaal, the other northwest through Van Reenen's Pass to
Bloemfontein. It was a pretty straggling town with its barracks,
government buildings and large stores. Almost all the houses were
detached and standing in their own gardens, and as these were largely
wooded its appearance was very picturesque, with the Klip river, a
branch of the Tugela, running through it. The houses were, for the most
part, one-storied, and the roofs were all painted white for the sake of
coolness. No perfectly open town had ever before undergone a siege by
an army of some thirty thousand men provided with excellent guns, and
yet the garrison awaited the result with perfect confidence.




CHAPTER VII

LADYSMITH BESIEGED


On the 30th, the Boers being now in force on many of the hills around
the town, and having inflicted the first annoyance upon Ladysmith by
cutting the conduit that brought down the water-supply to the town from
a reservoir among the hills, and so forced it for the future to depend
upon a few wells and the muddy water of the river, it was determined to
make an effort to drive them back and to gain possession of some of the
hills from which it was now evident the town would stand a risk of
being bombarded. Hitherto there had been considerable apathy in taking
measures for keeping the enemy as far as possible out of range. A few
redoubts thrown up during the last week and strongly held would have
been invaluable, but it seemed to be considered by the military
authorities that the siege could be but a short one, and that the Boers
would speedily be driven off by the troops now pouring into Durban.

An effort was now to be made to repair the consequences of this
remissness and to drive the Boers off the positions they occupied, and
it was hoped that if a heavy blow were dealt them they would draw off
altogether. The forces of Joubert, Meyer, and the Free Staters were now
all within a distance of a few miles, and were all to be beaten up.
Their central position was on a hill afterwards known as Signal Hill,
and on this they had already planted a forty-pounder gun. A force
composed of six companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, four and a half
of the Gloucesters, a mountain battery and a troop of Hussars started
at midnight towards a hill known as Nicholson's Nek, occupied by the
Free Staters. Major General Hunter wi

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