will bear that in mind in
deciding whether he has been guilty of these acts of inhumanity
charged against him or not.

"His character has been excellent. Coming back into danger again in
order to secure a remount for one of his men whose horse had been
shot, he was himself wounded, and ultimately captured. His conduct
on that occasion was that of a brave man, as it has been all
through the war. If there is a question of doubt I ask the Court to
bear in mind the character of the prisoner. All the evidence is
riddled with doubt, and you have to weigh this, sir. On the one
hand the native was shot in Kritzinger's absence. There is no proof
that it was done by his order, or with his consent. The evidence of
the natives in the 4th Charge is of the weakest description.
Against that you have his excellent character, and the story
corroborated by his own witnesses and corroborated in some respects
by the witnesses for the prosecution. I ask you, sir, to weigh that
evidence in the balance, and see which side is found wanting.

"Just a word more, and I have done. I know there are some people
who say it is unfair to try a man by a Court composed of men who
have been fighting against him. Sir, I have no such fear. I know,
sir, I feel sure that there is not an officer in South Africa who
would not gladly acquit the prisoner of the crimes laid to his
charge if he felt he could conscientiously do so. I therefore leave
in your hands the fate of a man whose bravery has been shown on
many occasions, in many a hard fight, whose honesty and humanity
have been, in many instances, conspicuous. More than that, sir,
should he be acquitted, when this war is over, he will, I feel
sure, be able and ready to do much to restore the good feeling
which we all hope will prevail between English and Dutch, I leave
his fate in your hands with the conviction that you will bring in
the only verdict warranted by the evidence, a verdict of 'Not
guilty.'"

This address gives you, reader, the gist of my trial. If you have had
the patience to read through it you will be able to have a fair
conception of what we had to pass through in the early days of March,
1902.

CHAPTER VIII.

WHY WE SURRENDERED.

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is