he bivouacked in a small nek near by, intending to occupy the position early the following morning.  During the night the British discovered that the point was unoccupied and placed a strong force there.  In this manner the British wedge was forced into the Boschrand, and shortly afterwards the Boers were obliged to retreat across the Tugela and secure positions on the north bank of the stream.  Of less serious consequence was General De la Rey’s refusal to carry out a decision he himself had assisted in framing.  It was at Brandfort, in the Free State, several weeks after Bloemfontein was occupied, and all the Boer generals in the vicinity met in Krijgsraad and voted to make a concerted attack upon the British force at Tafelkop, midway between Bloemfontein and Brandfort.  Generals Smuts and Botha made a long night trek to the positions from which they were to attack the enemy at daybreak.  It had been arranged that General De la Rey’s commando should open the attack from another point, and that no operations should begin until after he had given a certain signal.  The signal was never given, and, after waiting for it several hours, the other generals returned to Brandfort only to find that General De la Rey had not even moved from his laager.

When the lower ranks of officers—­the field-cornets and corporals—­disobeyed the mandates of the Krijgsraads, displayed cowardice or misbehaved in any other manner, the burghers under their command were able to impeach them and elect other officers to fill the vacancies.  The corporals were elected by the burghers after war was begun, and they held their posts only so long as their behaviour met with the favour of those who placed them in authority.  During the first three months of the war innumerable changes of that nature were made, and not infrequently was it the case that a corporal was unceremoniously dismissed because he had offended one of his men who happened to wield much influence over his fellows in the commando.  Personal popularity had much to do with the tenure of office, but personal bravery was not allowed to go unrewarded, and it happened several times in the laagers along the Tugela that a corporal resigned his rank so that one of his friends who had distinguished himself in a battle might have his work recognised and appreciated.

However independent and irresponsible the Boer officer may have been, he was a man in irons compared with the Boer burgher.  The burgher was bound by no laws except such as he made for himself.  There was a State law which compelled him to join a commando and to accompany it to the front, or in default of that law to pay a small fine.  As soon as he was “on commando,” as he called it, he became his own master and could laugh at Mr. Atkins across the way who was obliged to be constantly attending to various camp duties when not actively engaged.  No general, no act of Volksraad could compel him to do any duty if he felt uninclined to perform it, and