them. They
were now fighting for liberty, and it was the will of God. He said it
depended on the Afrikanders themselves whether they would for ever
continue to be ruled from Downing Street or become an independent
nation. So far, he added, their arms had been victorious, and God had
been with them.

* * * * *

Meanwhile Lord Methuen and his troops were preparing to march to the
relief of Kimberley _via_ Witteputs, and in expectation of his arrival
(of which they were duly informed by their many spies and the disloyal
Dutch in the neighbourhood), the Boers, reinforced, posted a cannon at
Belmont Station, and again took up a powerful position on the Kaffir's
Kop range of hills.

[Illustration: LIEUT.-GENERAL LORD METHUEN, C.B.

Photo by Elliott & Fry, London.]

THE BATTLE OF BELMONT

On the morning of Tuesday, the 21st of November, at three o'clock, Lord
Methuen's march to the relief of Kimberley definitely began. The force
consisted of the Naval Brigade, the 9th Brigade under Colonel
Featherstonhaugh, the Guards Brigade under General Sir H. Colvile, two
batteries of Field Artillery, Rimington's Guides, and the 9th Lancers.
The first halt was made at Fincham's Farm, some twelve miles off, where
the troops breakfasted, and whence the 9th Lancers and Rimington's
Guides started on a reconnoitring expedition, which was not without its
excitement. The Boers were reported to be somewhere in the vicinity, and
soon they were espied, some three hundred of them, climbing a kopje with
the evident intention of firing down on the party. This they did, and
with such rapidity that only by sheer luck the men escaped. They went on
to the farm of one Thomas, a supposed loyalist, for the purpose of
watering their horses. This person had declared that there were no Boers
in the neighbourhood; but no sooner had the tired beasts begun to dip
their dusty noses in the cool and longed-for draught than a brisk fire
was opened on them from all sides, and the troops had hurriedly to
return to the main body at Fincham's. But they lost three horses.

On the following day the division moved on to the said Thomas's Farm.
The advance party again came under fire--"Just by way of salute," as
Tommy said--but the enemy was promptly silenced. Here the troops
bivouacked.

On the night of the 22nd coffee was served out about twelve o'clock, and
after this the whole force prepared to move.

T