expeditions, and on one occasion we suddenly encountered a
score of men of the South African Light Horse.

We noticed them in a "donk" (a hollow place) thickly covered with
trees and bushes, but not before we were right amongst them. It
appears they mistook us for Englishmen, while we thought at first they
were members of Colonel Blake's Irish Brigade. Many of them shook
hands with us, and a burgher named Vivian Cogell asked them in Dutch:
"How are you, boys?"

To which an Englishman, who understood a little Dutch, answered: "Oh,
all right; where do you come from?"

Vivian replied: "From Viljoen's commando; we are scouting."

Then the Englishman discovered who we were, but Vivian gave the man no
time for reflection. Riding up to him, he asked: "What regiment do you
belong to?"

"To the South African Light Horse," answered the Englishman.

"Hands up!" retorted Vivian, and the English-Afrikander threw down his
gun and put up his hands.

"Hands up! Hands up!" was the cry now universally heard, and although
a few escaped, the majority were disarmed and made prisoners. It had
been made a rule that when a burgher captured a British soldier he
should be allowed to conduct him to Pretoria, where he could then
obtain a few days' leave to visit his family. This did much to
encourage our burghers to make prisoners, although many lost their
lives in attempting to do so.

The next day, General Buller marched on Helpmakaar, passing close to
our position. We fired a few shots from our Creusot gun, and had
several light skirmishes. The enemy, however, concentrated the fire of
a few batteries on us, and our guns were soon silenced.

General L. Meyer had arrived with some reinforcements close to
Helpmakaar, but the position had never been strengthened, and the sole
defending force consisted of the Piet Retief burghers, known as the
"Piet Retreaters," together with a small German corps. The result was
easy to predict. The attack was made, and we lost the position without
seriously attempting to defend it. Buller was now, therefore, in
possession of the key to the Boer position in Natal, a position which
we had occupied for two months--and could therefore, have fortified to
perfection--and whose strategic importance should have been known in
its smallest details. I think our generals, who had a sufficient force
at their disposal, of which the mobility has become world-famed,
should have been able to prevent such a fiasco as our