he rifles
which they had taken from the enemy.]

[Footnote 49: Rhenoster River bridge.]

[Footnote 50: These dated back to the time of Moselekatze (Umzilygazi).]

[Footnote 51: He was afterwards appointed Commandant.]

[Footnote 52: Literally the proverb runs as follows: "There are some
trials which will not sit in one man's clothes."]

CHAPTER XV

I Make Lord Kitchener's Acquaintance

On the morning of June the 10th my anticipations were realized by the
approach of a large English force from Vredefortweg and Heilbron.
Commanded by Lord Kitchener, and numbering, as I estimated, from twelve
to fifteen thousand men, this force was intended to drive us from the
railway line.

I gave orders that the few waggons which we had with us should proceed
in the direction of Kroonstad, to the west of the line; once out of
sight, they were to turn sharply to the west, and continue in that
direction. This manoeuvre, I hoped, would serve to mislead the enemy,
who was on the look-out for us.

So much for the waggons. For the rest, I felt that it would never do for
us to withdraw without having fired a shot, and I therefore got my men
into position on some kopjes (where Captain Wyndham Knight had been four
days previously, and which lay to the north of Rhenosterriviersbrug) on
my farm Roodepoort, and on the Honingkopjes.

The English, with their well known predilection for a flank attack on
every possible opportunity, halted for an hour, and shelled our
positions with Lyddite and other guns. This did _not_ have the desired
effect of inspiring terror in the burghers who were under my command at
Honingkopjes.

Then the enemy began to move. I saw masses of their cavalry making for a
piece of rising ground to the north of Roodepoort. As the burghers there
were hidden from me, I was unable to observe from where I stood the
effect of this flank movement. Knowing that if they were able to give
way and to retreat along the river we should have no means of
discovering the fact until it was too late and we were surrounded, I
came to the conclusion that it was essential for me to go to Roodepoort
to assure myself that the cavalry had not yet got round. But it was most
important that no suspicion of the danger which threatened us should be
aroused in the burghers--anything calculated to weaken their resistance
was to be avoided on such an occasion. Accordingly I merely told them
that I was going to see how affairs were progress