asing owing to the
reinforcements which kept pouring in from over the ocean.

Great things were expected of Sir Redvers Buller, to whom the Boers, by
a play of words, had given a somewhat disrespectful nick-name. He had
not been long in Natal before his chance came. I must, however, be
silent about his successes and his failures, for, as I left Natal on the
9th of December, I had no personal experience of his methods. But this I
will say, that whatever his own people have to say to his discredit, Sir
Redvers Buller had to operate against stronger positions than any other
English general in South Africa.

[Footnote 15: A table-shaped mountain.]

CHAPTER IV

I am Appointed Vechtgeneraal

Up to the 9th of December I had only been a Vice-Commandant, but on the
morning of that day I received a telegram from States-President Steyn,
asking me to go to the Western frontier as Vechtgeneraal.

This came as a great surprise to me, and I telegraphed back to the
President asking for time to think the matter over. To tell the truth, I
should have much preferred to go through the campaign as a private
burgher.

Almost immediately after this there came another telegram--this time
from Mr. A. Fisscher, a member of the Executive Council, and a man whom
I respected greatly on account of his official position. He urged me not
to decline the appointment, but to proceed at once to the Western
borders. I did not know what to do. However, after deliberating for a
short time, and with great difficulty overcoming my disinclination to
leave my present associates, I decided to accept the post offered to me.
Commandant Steenekamp was kind enough to allow me to take with me
fourteen men, with whom I had been on especially friendly terms; and,
after a few parting words to the Heilbron burghers, in which I thanked
them for all the pleasant times I had passed in their company, I left
the laager.

It was heart-breaking to tear myself away from my commando: that 9th of
December was a day which I shall never forget.

The following morning I arrived, with my staff, at Elandslaagte Station,
on our way to Bloemfontein. A special train, provided by the Transvaal
authorities, at the request of my Government, was waiting for us, and
we started without a moment's delay. As we journeyed on, the conductor
would sometimes ask me whether I should like to stop at such and such a
station, but my answer was always:

"No! no! hurry on!"

But when