had inflicted a
crushing defeat on Methuen at Magersfontein; Botha had crippled Buller
at Colenso; and Gatacre's force had met with a reverse at Stormberg.
Elated by his colleagues' successes, Schoeman was spoiling for the
fray. Could he once gain a victory over French, the whole of Cape
Colony would probably join the rebellion. Both east and west the Dutch
population were simply waiting a sign to rise.

With the whole of South Africa in revolt, our position of "splendid
isolation" in Europe might well have induced Continental
complications. The foreign Press, indeed, was almost unanimous in its
jubilations over this series of disasters. The German papers in
particular, filled their pages with the most atrocious insults and
jibes. Such was the situation in "Black Week." There was much ominous
talk on the Continent about "the flowing tide." Only one obstacle
prevented these dire prophecies from coming true. French and his
little force possibly stayed the tide of a world conflict, through
checking the rebel torrent between Naauwpoort and Colesberg.

[Page Heading: A TIGHT CORNER]

It is typical of his perfect _sang froid_, that in this excessively
tight corner, French found time to send a cheering Christmas greeting
to friends at home. "We shall drink your health on Christmas Day," he
wired on behalf of himself and his staff, "and we hope you are well,
and having as good a time as we are."

French's use of Arundel was masterly. For him to attack was
impossible; about this time he was outnumbered by something like five
to one. His one aim, therefore, was to keep the Boers from the
railway line. The moment that his scouts discovered the Boers throwing
out detachments to defend a kopje, French would have an elaborate
attack, or a reconnaissance in force to drive the enemy in. At this
time scarcely a day passed without its "affair" of one sort or
another. If it was not a night attack, then it was a miniature siege,
or a flanking movement--or a piece of bluff! His men were in the
saddle night and day. One of those present has related how he
practically lived on his horse for two months.

Did Schoeman attempt to force a pitched battle, then French, by a
series of simultaneous flank and rear movements, would harass him out
of the possibility of a general action. It is doubtful, indeed,
whether during this lively period of his life the Boer commander ever
really had time to meet either his fellow commanders or his
lieutena