mongst the Dutch.
The troops halted at Krugersdorp next day, and the town was formally
taken over in the Queen's name, an impressive parade for that purpose
being held in the market square. Each regiment furnished a Guard of
Honour of 100 men. The Royal Dublin Fusilier Guard was under the
command of Major English, with Captain Higginson and Lieutenant
Haskard. It was extremely interesting for those of us who were not on
duty to watch the faces of the large numbers of Boers, male and
female, who watched this ceremony and the hoisting of the Union Jack.
On the whole they took it extremely well, and for the most part
behaved like brave men, who, having fought and lost, were content to
make the best of the situation.
[Illustration: Johan Meyer's House, five Miles outside Johannesburg.]
The trek commenced again on the 22nd, and this time we felt convinced
our destination must be Johannesburg, as we were marching along the
Witwaters Rand straight for it. A halt was made after some ten miles,
at Florida, rather a pleasant sort of Saturday-to-Monday resort of
Johannesburgers, with a nice lake and pleasant woods.
At last we seemed about to receive our reward, only to have our hopes
dashed rudely to the ground. True, we marched to Johannesburg, and
even through it, but only through the most miserable of its slums,
seeing nothing of its fine buildings, nothing of the wealth and
magnificence we had confidently expected. But, indeed, even the
finest part of it was only a sorry spectacle in those days, and for
many a weary month afterwards. Skirting the racecourse, we marched on
to a spot some six miles from the town, near the house of Johan Meyer,
a brother of Lucas Meyer. Colonel Hicks and Captain Fetherstonhaugh
called on this gentleman, and got a lot of interesting information
from him. His house was one of the finest we saw in the whole
Transvaal, and from its site--at the head of a fine valley--commanded
a magnificent view of the country almost as far as Heidelberg.
But, as some set-off to our disappointment and long, tiring march of
fifteen miles, Captain Sir Frederick Frankland, who had gone on to
Joh'burg, as it is universally called, to buy what stores he could,
turned up just before dinner, not only with a large amount of
provisions, but also with a case of excellent champagne, which he
presented to the mess, God bless him! We were very proud of our noble
Baronet that night, and he had to reply to the toast of hi
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