. Such was the case with the men from Fauresmith and
Jacobsdal, and with a large proportion of the commandos from
Philippolis, Smithfield, Wepener, and Bloemfontein. But with these
burghers I was unable to deal on account of Lord Roberts' Proclamations,
which made it impossible for me to compel the burghers to join the
commando; and I decided that I had better wait until I had done some
good work with the men I had, before I made any attempt to bring the
others back to the commando.

On the 25th of March we went to Brandfort. The arrival of the burghers
at the village doubled and even trebled its population. I was forced to
close the hotels, as I discovered that my men were being supplied with
drink. From this I do not wish the reader to infer that the Afrikanders
are drunkards, for this is far from being the case. On the contrary,
when compared with other nations, they are remarkable for their
sobriety, and it is considered by them a disgrace for a man to be drunk.

[Footnote 29: The men I still had with me belonged to commandos from
Bloemfontein, Ladybrand, Wepener, Ficksburg, Bethlehem and Winburg. They
were respectively under Commandants Piet Fourie, Crowther, Fouche, De
Villiers, Michal Prinsloo and Vilonel; and these Commandants took orders
from Vechtgeneraals J.B. Wessels, A.P. Cronje, C.C. Froneman, W. Kolbe
and Philip Botha.

The Colesberg and Stormberg commandos had received the order to go
northwards in the direction of Thaba'Nchu and Ladybrand. These commandos
also had been panic-stricken since General Cronje's surrender.

The Kroonstad, Heilbron, Harrismith and Vrede burghers, under
Commander-in-Chief Prinsloo, were directed to remain where they were,
and guard the Drakensberg.

General De la Rey followed my example, and gave his men permission to
return home for some time.]

[Footnote 30: This council also enacted that officers should be very
chary in accepting doctors' certificates. The old law had laid it down
that if a burgher produced a medical certificate, declaring him unfit
for duty, he should be exempted from service. That there had been a
grave abuse of this was the experience of almost every officer. There
were several very dubious cases; and it was curious to note how many
sudden attacks of heart disease occurred--if one were to credit the
medical certificates. I remember myself that on the 7th of March, when
the burghers fled from Poplar Grove, I had thrust upon me suddenly eight
separat