Leaving Bank, as it got to be called later on, we struck off from the
railway, left shoulders up, in a bee-line for Johannesburg, the city
of our dreams, which it was hard to believe was not paved with gold,
if one listened to the reports of those who had been there before the
war. After a short march of ten miles we halted at a farm called
Gemsbokfontein, and looked with longing eyes at the distant ridge,
peeping over which could plainly be seen the huge mine-chimneys, like
sentinels along the hills, duly noting our arrival.

A fierce grass-fire broke out here, which necessitated the active
co-operation of all hands, and all blankets, to oppose it, one
too-adventurous officer getting rather scorched for his pains.

As we sat at lunch we could see General Mahon's mounted column
ascending the long rise to Randfontein, on our left front, and heard
they had gone to Krugersdorp.

'Krugersdorp! Where's that?' 'Let's look at your map,' and so on.
Well, we undoubtedly knew where it was a few weeks later. Moreover,
there must be Boers there, for had not a party on an engine come out
that very day, and after destroying a small bridge, and firing a
couple of shots, snorted their way back to the Dorp.

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers supplied the advanced guard on the 19th,
and duly started for Johannesburg, but a message very shortly came
ordering a left incline, and nominating Krugersdorp as our objective.
It was disappointing, but General Mahon had reported the
Krugersdorpers 'truculent,' and we had to make a demonstration. This
we most certainly did, halting above the railway, just outside the
town, and then--producing drums and fifes--forming up and marching
through to 'St. Patrick's Day' and the 'British Grenadiers.' But,
unlike the peaceful and amiable agriculturist, these townsfolk had no
smiles of reciprocation to our advances, and we marched through long
lines of scowling male faces, with here and there one or two of the
fair sex, but also, alas! sombre to a degree.

[Illustration: Hoisting The Union Jack at Krugersdorp.]

After emerging on the far side of the town we passed the famous
Paardekraal Monument on our right, and finally camped about half a
mile further on. It appears it was a very close thing whether they
opposed us or not, and the peaceful solution that eventually took
place was largely due to the tactful intervention and determination of
an Englishman, Mr. W. Bruce Honman, who had considerable influence
a