nial officer, General Brabant. This took its direction to the
eastward of the easternmost railway system, midway between it and the
Basutoland boundary, traversing the mountainous region in which lay
the districts of Cape Colony, Herschel, Aliwal North, etc., that early
in the war had been annexed by proclamation of the President of the
Free State. After crossing the Orange, this division continued to
skirt the Basuto line by Rouxville and Wepener, thus entering the
region south and east of Bloemfontein, which shortly became the scene
of the enemy's movements threatening Roberts's communications with
Cape Colony--movements characterised by a certain daring in conception
and execution, but to which the customary caution of the Boers
{p.312} gave a direction too eccentric to constitute a home-thrust.

From February 11, when Roberts left the Modder, to March 13, when
Bloemfontein was occupied, his operations and forward movement had
been practically continuous. The subsequent halt, imperative as it was
for the reasons stated, gave the Boers breathing time in which to
recover themselves. Advance in force by the British main body was not
resumed until May 2, but detachments were moved about in various
directions on the near front, and on flank and rear, to occupy
necessary outposts, to secure the communications, and to insure quiet
among the inhabitants. During this prolonged period of recuperation
and preparation the enemy resumed activity, scouring the country with
their mounted men, seeking to cut off exposed parties, and by menacing
the communications, to embarrass and retard the British commander in
his new arrangements. In the first of these measures the Boers
attained some successes; but in the second, either their numbers were
too few for their object, or their habitual caution prevented {p.313}
resort to action in such force and at such risk as is absolutely
necessary either seriously to "interrupt" communications--in the
military sense of the phrase--or to produce any deterrent impression
upon a commander of the experience and sound judgment of the one with
whom they were dealing. Not only did they not materially threaten the
communications, but it was perfectly evident that, whatever their
reasons, they dared not attempt to do so.

As regards the cutting off of British detachments, of which the
affairs of Reddersburg and of Koorn Spruit, near Thaba Nchu, were the
most conspicuous illustrations, the only thing ess