d to call on his Burghers to
"stand up as one man against the oppressor and violator of rights."
Twenty-four hours later they were over the border, tearing up railway
lines and severing telegraph wires, and thus cutting off communication
between Mafeking, Vryburg, Rhodesia, and Cape Colony. The investment of
Kimberley was imminent, but it was generally believed that the Diamond
City was strong enough to hold its own till our troops should come to
the rescue. The First Brigade of the Army Service Corps started on the
20th of October from Southampton, the second left on the following day,
and the third sailed on Sunday the 22nd. About the same time the
Canadian Government decided to contribute 1000 men for service in South
Africa, and the New Zealand Contingent sailed for the Cape.

[Illustration: THE OUTBREAK OF WAR--THE DRAKENBERG MOUNTAINS WHERE THE
BOERS WERE LAAGERED.]

In spite of the energetic movements that were suddenly set on foot, a
few pessimists ventured to declare that we would be bound to reap the
results of our previous unpreparedness, and that in consequence of our
procrastination and the weakness of the Government in not having taken
the initiative and allowed us to mobilise earlier, the Boers would get a
good six weeks' start--a loss it would be hard for the best tacticians
or the finest fighting men in the world to retrieve. But the mouths of
the grumblers were silenced. Every one was convinced that the fate of
the nation was perfectly safe in the hands of Sir Redvers Buller and Mr.
Thomas Atkins, and, so convinced, thousands upon thousands flocked to
see them off, and roared their God-speed with cheery British lungs,
albeit with sad and anxious hearts.

THE OCCUPATION OF DUNDEE

Late in September a force consisting of two battalions of infantry, a
regiment of cavalry, and two field-batteries was hurriedly pushed
forward to occupy Dundee. Affairs between the British and the Boers were
nearing a crisis. It was beginning to be believed that the Dutchmen
meant to take the initiative and strike a blow against our supremacy in
South Africa, though some at home were still shilly-shallying with
sentimental arguments as to the propriety of fighting our "brother Boer"
at all. As we now know, it wanted but the smallest move on the part of
the British to bring things to a head. Large commandoes were gathered
together with a rapidity which would have been marvellous had the Boers
not d