alone to meet the column.  He states that when released after two hours’ delay he left the forces, and passing along the Rustenburg road met a commando of some 300 Boers with whom he made a circuit to avoid the column, and reached Krugersdorp before it did.  From this it is clear that the Boers were collecting in considerable numbers to meet the invading force, and were moving with much greater rapidity than their enemies.

On Wednesday morning, at about 5.30, Messrs. Theron and Bouwer (despatch riders), who had been sent by Sir Jacobus de Wet, British Agent at Pretoria, at 1.30 p.m. on the previous day with a despatch for Dr. Jameson, reached the column and delivered their letters, and stated that they had been instructed to take back a reply as soon as possible.  Dr. Jameson said, ‘All right; I’ll give you a reply,’ and within a few minutes he handed to them the following letter: 

  January 1.

DEAR SIR,

I am in receipt of the message you sent from His Excellency the High Commissioner, and beg to reply, for His Excellency’s information, that I should, of course, desire to obey his instructions, but, as I have a very large force of both men and horses to feed, and having finished all my supplies in the rear, must perforce proceed to Krugersdorp or Johannesburg this morning for this purpose.  At the same time I must acknowledge I am anxious to fulfil my promise on the petition of the principal residents of the Rand, to come to the aid of my fellow-men in their extremity.  I have molested no one, and have explained to all Dutchmen met that the above is my sole object, and that I shall desire to return at once to the Protectorate.  I am, etc.,

  (Signed) L.S.  JAMESON.

At about 10.30 a.m. on the same day (January 1) two cyclists, Messrs. Celliers and Rowland, carrying despatches from members of the Reform Committee, met the column.  The letters were received by Dr. Jameson, and taken with him as far as Doornkop, where, upon surrender of the force, they appear to have been torn up.  With that good fortune which seems to have followed the Boers throughout this business, these torn fragments were picked up on the battle-field by a Boer official four months later, having remained undisturbed during the severe rain and wind storms of the wet season.  Some portions were missing, but the others were pieced together and produced in evidence against the Reform prisoners.  The letters are printed hereunder as they were written, as testified by the writers, and, in the case of the first one, by others who read it before it was despatched.  The italics represent the fragments of the letters which were never found:{26}

DEAR DR.

The rumour of massa_cre in_ Johannesburg that started yo_u to_ our relief was not true.  We a_re all_ right, feeling intense.  We have armed a lot of men.  Shall be very glad to see you. We are not in possess_ion of the_ town. I shall send out some men to You are a fine fellow.  Yours ever