pondence with the Government on the
matter, and begged them to forbid it. But here again my efforts were
unavailing. Later on, we shall see in what a predicament the Republican
laagers were placed through the toleration of this irregularity.

Meanwhile, the inevitable results of Cronje's policy became more and
more apparent to me, and before long we had to suffer for his obstinacy
in keeping us to our trenches and _schanzes_.[16]

[Footnote 16: A shelter-mound of earth and boulders.]

CHAPTER V

The Overwhelming Forces of Lord Roberts

I speedily discovered the object which the English had in view in taking
such advanced positions and in bombarding Magersfontein. They wished to
give us the impression that they were able to attack us at any moment
and so to keep us tied to our positions. In the meantime they were
making preparations in another direction, for the movement which was
really intended--namely, the advance of Lord Roberts with his
overwhelming force.

The Commander-in-Chief, Piet de Wet (and before him Commandant H.
Schorman), had plenty of work given them by the English. But General De
la Rey had been so successful that he had prevented Lord Roberts,
notwithstanding the enormous numbers he commanded, from crossing the
Orange River at Norvalspont, and had thus forced him to take the Modder
River route.

Lord Roberts would have found it more convenient to have crossed the
Orange River, for the railway runs through Norvalspont. Yet had he
attempted it, he would have fared as badly as Sir Redvers Buller did in
Natal. Our positions at Colesberg, and to the north of the river, were
exceedingly strong. He was wise, therefore, in his decision to march
over the unbroken plains.

It was now, as I had foreseen, that the English renewed their flanking
tactics.

On the 11th of February, 1900, a strong contingent of mounted troops,
under General French, issued from the camps at Modder River and
Koedoesberg. This latter was a kop on the Riet River, about twelve
miles to the east of their main camp.

At ten o'clock in the morning, General French started. Immediately I
received orders from General Cronje to proceed with three hundred and
fifty men to check the advancing troops. As I stood on the ridges of
Magersfontein, I was able to look down upon the English camps, and I saw
that it would be sheer madness to pit three hundred and fifty men
against General French's large force. Accordingly I asked that o