On Thursday, February 15, huge clouds of dust appeared upon the horizon, and the tidings spread throughout the town that the relief column was in sight.  Every available eminence was speedily crowded with people eager to catch a glimpse of the coming troops.  Bugle warnings and shells were things of the past.  Here they come!  They have travelled far and fast!  Look at them!  Worn and weary, they can hardly sit their horses.  But they are here, and at their head is the most famous cavalry officer of the war—­our Aldershot cavalry leader, General French.  Ahead of his troops, fresh and vigorous, as though he had only just started, he proudly rides into the town.  The people gather round and cheer; they almost worship the soldiers who have brought them relief, and then, secure for the first time for four long months, they turn to greet friends and relatives, and the glad intelligence spreads far and wide—­Kimberley is relieved!

=Christian Work after the Relief.=

Very speedily a branch of the South African General Mission was established in Kimberley, and was soon in good working order.

The tent of the S.C.A. was opened in Newton Camp, Kimberley, on March 12.  The Mayor of Kimberley was present, and Mr. A.H.  Wheeler, the organizing secretary of the association, took charge of the proceedings.  The soldiers’ roll-call hymn was sung.  In this tent large numbers afterwards gave themselves to Christ.

The Rev. Mr. McClelland, Presbyterian chaplain, also moved into Kimberley from Modder River, and for some time assisted in the work.  He tells of the sad death of the Rev. Cathel Kerr, of the Free Church Highland Committee.  He had been acting chaplain to the Scots Guards, and died in Kimberley hospital.

During the siege an eminent South African missionary passed away—­the Rev. Jas. Thompson, M.A., ex-President of the South African Wesleyan Conference.  He died with the sound of bursting shells in his ears, wondering what was in store for his church and people.  He died as Christians die, and passed

    ‘Where beyond these voices there is peace.’

The work of God spread from Kimberley on every hand.  The S.C.A. workers spread out as far afield as Boshof, worshipping in the Dopper Church, and making it ring with Sankey’s hymns, where all had been the quiet of the Psalms.  We read of conversions here and there and everywhere.  Thus in Kimberley also the word of God ‘had free course and was glorified,’ and the workers ‘thanked God and took courage.’

Chapter X

WITH GATACRE’S COLUMN

We turn now to another part of the field of operations, and the place that demands our attention is Sterkstroom.  Here, following the disaster to the Northumberland Fusiliers, there was a long halt.  General Gatacre could not advance without reinforcements.  Those reinforcements were not for a long time forthcoming, and all that he could do was to keep that part of Cape Colony clear of the enemy, and ultimately join hands with General French.