e ammunition which I had left at
Roodewal and to put it into some safe place. With this in view, I sent
the Commandants, when night had fallen, to Roodewal, each with two
waggons, and ordered them to bring it to my farm at Roodepoort, which
was three miles away from the railway bridge over the Rhenoster River.

There was a ford near my farm with sandy banks; and I told the
Commandants to bury the ammunition in this sand, on the south side of
the river, and to obliterate all traces of what they had done by
crossing and re-crossing the spot with the waggons. I found out
subsequently that the Commandants had left some of the ammunition behind
at Roodewal.

Before I conclude this chapter I have to record an event which filled me
with disgust.

Veldtcornet Hans Smith, of Rouxville, contrived to have a conversation
with Captain Wyndham Knight, who, as I have already stated, was one of
our prisoners. The Veldtcornet obtained from him a "free pass" to
Kroonstad through the English lines, and also a written request to the
British authorities there to allow him and twenty burghers to proceed
without hindrance to Rouxville. Alas! that any Free State officer should
be capable of such conduct!

Captain Wyndham Knight will be held in high esteem by all who truly
serve their country, for he was a man who never deserted the cause of
his fatherland, no matter what dangers he encountered.

Veldtcornet Hans Smith with his twenty burghers decamped on the night of
the 10th of June, but some days had passed before I discovered the mean
trick he had played.

It was far easier to fight against the great English army than against
this treachery among my own people, and an iron will was required to
fight against both at once. But, even though one possessed an iron will,
such events caused many bitter moments; they were trials which, as an
African proverb[52] says, no single man's back was broad enough to
carry.

[Footnote 45: Highlanders.]

[Footnote 46: A pond which only contains water during "the rains."]

[Footnote 47: The _Uitschudden_ (stripping) of the enemy had not become
necessary at that date. I can say for myself that when, at a later
period, it came into practice, I never witnessed it with any
satisfaction. Yet what could the burghers do but help themselves to the
prisoners' clothing, when England had put a stop to our imports, and cut
off all our supplies?]

[Footnote 48: At this time the burghers were beginning to use t