d in removing the gun and Lee-Metford ammunition. We
carried away some six hundred cases of this ammunition,[48] and hid it
at a spot about three hundred paces from the station.

When the sun set, the burghers were again on the march. But what a
curious spectacle they presented!

Each man had loaded his horse so heavily with goods that there was no
room for himself on the saddle; he had, therefore, to walk, and lead his
horse by the bridle. And how could it be otherwise? For the burghers had
come from a shop where no money was demanded, and none paid!

But the most amusing thing of all was to watch the "Tommies" when I gave
them the order to march. The poor Veldtcornet, who was entrusted with
the task of conducting them to our camp, had his hands full when he
tried to get them away from the booty; and when at last he succeeded,
the soldiers carried such enormous loads, that one could almost fancy
that every man of them was going to open a store. But they could not
carry such burdens for long, and soon they were obliged to diminish
their bulk, thus leaving a trail of parcels to mark the road they had
taken!

And now it was time for the fire to do its work, and I ordered fifteen
men to set the great heap of booty alight. The flames burst out
everywhere simultaneously--our task was completed.

In an instant we had mounted our horses and were off.

When we had covered fifteen hundred paces, we heard the explosion of the
first shells, and wheeled round to view the conflagration. The night was
very dark, and this rendered the sight that met our eyes still more
imposing. It was the most beautiful display of fireworks that I have
ever seen.

One could hear, between the thunder of the big bombs, the dull report of
exploding cordite. Meanwhile the dark sky was resplendent with the red
glow of the flames.

I must now give some description of General Froneman's engagement to the
north of Rhenosterriviersbrug.[49]

The firing we had heard before sunrise came from the English outposts,
as they were retreating to their camp. The burghers and the English had
both seized positions on small hills and in abandoned Kaffir kraals.[50]

Although the English had very good positions, and out-numbered our men
by two to one, they found it impossible to hold out against our fire.
They had no guns, whilst we possessed, as the reader knows, two Krupps
and a quick-firing gun, which latter had the same effect as a
Maxim-Nordenfeldt. Thus