strange and inexplicable occurred, which really decided the fate of the enemy.  It was this:  the burghers had hardly gone 300 yards, when the British abandoned en masse the hill, and retreated, almost as fast as the former, in the opposite direction.  Whether they feared another and more determined onslaught, or whether there was the usual misunderstanding, I wot not.  Be it as it may, the position we so coveted was abandoned; it was for us to seize it at once.  With a little encouragement the charge was repeated, the hill taken, and in less than twenty minutes the white flag announced the surrender of Spragge’s column.

“Between 60 and 70 of the enemy were wounded and killed, while the rest were made prisoners.  It was their first interview with the Boers.  After a four days’ siege a bath and a good meal must have been welcome.

     “From the veldt we took our surrendered friends to the village.  The
     wounded were placed in the local hospital, and the officers found
     lodgings for the night in an hotel.

“I escorted Spragge to the village.  On the way he had a long talk with me about the war, and wished to know why the Free State had cast in her lot with the Transvaal.  He failed to see, and had to be reminded that Free Staters and Transvaalers were essentially one people; that the Vaal River divides the two States, but not the people, as far as blood was concerned.

“On being asked why they had evacuated the hill, which was their chief stronghold, he replied:  ‘That was a mistake.’  We do not object to such mistakes.  If this had not been committed, Spragge would in all probability have remained a free man, and his column would not have fallen into our hands, for that was our last and only chance.  Early the next morning the reinforcements appeared on the adjacent hills, but they were too late to rescue Spragge’s column.  The prisoners were sent on to Reitz, and from there to the Transvaal.”

[Illustration:  AN INTERESTING GROUP.

The three seated in the centre are MR. MCDONALD, COMMANDANT LOUIS
WESSELS, and the late LIEUT.  P. TROSKIE.]

CHAPTER IV.

IN TIGHT CORNERS.

    Daring the event to the teeth ... 
    And danger serves among them.

Shakespeare.

    Come, let us make an honourable retreat,
    Though not with bag and baggage.

Shakespeare.

The above heading may seem strange, and yet we presume that most officers, as well as many privates, who had taken a leading part in the late South African War can record many instances where they escaped by the skin of the teeth.

How often a shell exploded like a thunder-clap in one’s immediate vicinity!  How many a bullet just missed its mark as by a hair’s breadth, whizzing past the ear with lightning speed!  Well I remember how, on one occasion, a shell exploded right overhead with such tremendous force that both rider and horse rolled in the dust by the violent concussion produced by the explosion.  The burghers, some distance away, watching me, thought that would be the last of Kritzinger.  To their surprise I rose again, shook off the dust, mounted my steed, and rode on to the position they were defending.