der-in-Chief of the British forces in
South Africa, who had been ordered to transmit at once to the British
Government any offers or proposals which might be made to him.

Lord Lansdowne concluded by saying that, if the Boers wished to
negotiate, it must be in South Africa, and not in Europe. For, if the
Deputation were to go to South Africa, at least three months must elapse
before anything could be effected, and, as hostilities must continue
during this delay, much suffering would be caused.

Vice-President Burger went on to say that when he received a copy of
this correspondence he could only conclude that Lord Kitchener,
indirectly at least, if not directly, was asking the Boer leaders to
negotiate with him. Accordingly, he wrote to Lord Kitchener for a free
pass, and, having obtained it, came with his Government by rail to
Kroonstad. He now, accordingly, requested President Steyn to let him
know when and where the two Governments could meet. He also intimated
that he had written to Lord Kitchener, informing him that he
wished--after consulting the Government of the Orange Free State--to
make a Peace Proposal.

President Steyn told me that when the Free State Government received
this letter from President Burger, they had not been able to see their
way to refuse what the latter asked, as the promise of a Peace Proposal
had already been sent. They had regretted, however, that the Transvaal
Government had made use of a safe conduct, and gone through the English
lines--not that they had for one moment distrusted the Government--but
simply because the proceeding had seemed to have been ill-advised.
Nevertheless the Free State, finding itself not only obliged to discuss
the matters in question with the Transvaal, but also, conjointly with
the Transvaal, to make a Proposal to Lord Kitchener, had appointed a
place of meeting in accordance with the request which had been addressed
to it.

This was what I learnt from President Steyn's letter.

On the 5th of April the President received another letter from President
Burger, arranging that the meeting should take place at Klerksdorp. A
safe conduct for the President and Government of the Orange Free State
was sent at the same time.

[Footnote 107: Shortly afterwards I heard that it was Colonel
Rimington's column who were encamped there. They discovered the cave,
and removed the documents and wearing apparel, leaving me with only a
suit of clothes--which I should have li