r was discharged for some reason or other and
replaced by Attorney Beyers. General Erasmus suffered rather worse,
for he was deprived of his rank as a general and reduced to the level
of a commandant on account of want of activity.

Our retreat to Machadodorp was very much like previous experiences of
the kind; we were continually expecting to be cut off from the railway
by flanking movements and this we had to prevent because we had placed
one of our big guns on the rails in an armour-clad railway carriage.
The enemy took care to keep out of rifle range, and the big gun was
an element of strength we could ill afford to lose. Besides, our
Government were now moving about on the railway line near Machadodorp,
and we had to check the enemy at all hazards from stealing a march on
us. Both at Witbank Station and near Middelburg and Pan Stations we
had skirmishes, but not important enough to describe in detail.

After several unsuccessful attempts, the Boer Artillery at last
managed to fire the big gun without a platform. It was tedious work,
however, as "Long Tom" was exceedingly heavy, and it usually took
twenty men to serve it. The mouth was raised from the "kastion" by
means of a pulley, and the former taken away; then and not till then
could the gunner properly get the range. The carriage vacuum sucking
apparatus had to be well fixed in hard ground to prevent recoil.

The enemy repeatedly sent a mounted squad to try and take this gun,
and then there was hard fighting.

[Illustration: Fight With General Hutton at Olifantsfontein.]

One day while we were manoeuvring with the "Long Tom," the veldt burst
into flames, and the wind swept them along in our direction like
lightning. Near the gun were some loads of shells and gunpowder, and
we had to set all hands at work to save them. While we were doing this
the enemy fired two pom-poms at us from about 3,000 yards, vastly to
our inconvenience.

As my commando formed a sort of centre for the remainder,
Commandant-General Botha was, as a rule, in our immediate
neighbourhood, which made my task much easier, our generalissimo
taking the command in person on several occasions, if required, and
assisting in every possible way.

The enemy pursued us right up to Wonderfontein Station (the first
station south-west of Belfast), about 15 miles from Dalmanutha or
Bergendal, and waited there for Buller's army to arrive from the Natal
frontier.

We occupied the "randten" between