opinion of it,
and asking if he would come. The President, who was always ready to do
anything for his country or people, did not lose one moment, but came at
once. Meanwhile, I went on ahead with my staff, taking with me also
Captain Louis Wessels, and five of his men.

About the 15th of March I crossed the railway line, ten miles to the
north of Brandfort, during the night. There we placed some charges of
dynamite under the rails, but before we had completed our work, a train
came up so quietly that one might call it a "scouting train." It was a
dark night, and there was no lantern at the head of the engine, so that
we did not see it until it was close upon us. We had, therefore, no
chance to ignite the fuse. We retired to a distance of about one hundred
paces from the line, when a fierce fire was opened upon us from the
train. We replied to this as the train went past, to be succeeded
immediately afterwards by a second one. As soon as this also had passed
us, we fired the fuses and blew up the railway line at different places
close to each other.

Immediately after this two trains came up, stopping close to the place
where the explosions had occurred, and fired on us for about ten minutes
without intermission. We paid them back in their own coin, and then each
train went its way, leaving the repairing of the line to the following
day.

From there we marched on, without accident, except that a German
received a slight wound, and one horse was killed. We soon reached
Senekal (which had been abandoned by the English), where for the first
time I met Dr. Reich and his wife. The doctor received us very heartily;
although he did not belong to our Field Ambulance, he did everything
that he could for our wounded, as he had done for those of the enemy.

From Senekal I went on to pay a visit to the Heilbron commando, after
which I proceeded to Vrede, arriving there on the 24th of February.

It was at Vrede that I had asked Louis Botha to meet me, if he could
manage it, and the day after my arrival this meeting took place. The
General told me that the negotiations between him and Lord Kitchener had
resulted in nothing.

Although this was not very satisfactory, still it was just as well that
I should meet the Commandant-General of the Transvaal. We had much to
discuss and, after a long talk, we parted with the firm determination
that, whatever happened, we would continue the war.

On the 27th General Botha returned to th