were
allowed until the 25th November to obey orders. The public offices there
were closed, and preparations were made to occupy the town.

Here must be noted the story of a woman in a thousand--the post-mistress
of Ladygrey. When the Boers came to seize the post-office, she "stuck to
her post" with a vengeance. She refused to budge or to give it up, and
when the Free State flag was hoisted, she promptly hauled it down and
substituted the Union Jack. Not content with this, she tore down the
proclamation of the Boers annexing the district, and put in its place
the Governor's proclamation against treason. Pluck carried the day; the
Boers were worsted, and the post-mistress remained mistress of the
situation. What became of this heroine of the war is not yet known.

Proclamations emanating from Bloemfontein, and signed by Mr. Wessels,
President of the Volkraad, were also issued, declaring the whole of
Griqualand West, except Kimberley and Mafeking and the districts four
miles around each of these places, to be Free State territory. In the
face of these energetic movements action on the part of the British was
necessary to restore the confidence of the wavering people, and
consequently the following telegram was despatched by the General
Commanding in Chief to the officer commanding at Queenstown:--

"_November 15._--General Gatacre, with the 1st Battalion of the
Seventh Brigade, left yesterday for East London. More troops
will follow as they arrive.

"Owing to the distance from England, it has not been possible
to give the frontier districts, at first, the protection they
merit, and the enemy's troops have in places entered our
territory.

"Make known as widely as possible that her Majesty's Government
will exact compensation for any actual injury done to the
property of individuals who remain loyal, and take every means
in your power to obtain and record the names of any who may act
disloyally, with a view to the consideration of their cases
afterwards. Circulate this as widely as you can in English and
Dutch."

On the other side the enemy exerted himself freely. A curious appeal was
made to the farmers about Colesberg by the Boer commander. He addressed
the crowd with great fervour, and called on all to join the Republican
cause and to throw off the yoke of England, whose tyranny could no
longer be endured. War, he declared, had been forced upon