as their feet. Barberton and the Boers saw the oncoming of
the British force with blank amazement. It was the last thing in the
world they expected. The Boer Commando in possession, six hundred
strong, had just time to escape from one end of the town as French
entered it at the other.

[Page Heading: A WAY WITH SNIPERS]

Enraged at the surprise that had been sprung on them, the Boers
commenced sniping the town from various vantage points in the
vicinity. But French knew how to treat the sniper. The following
notice was immediately dashed off by the local printing press and
posted all over the town.

TO THE INHABITANTS OF BARBERTON.

This is to give notice that if any Shooting into the Town or
Sniping in its vicinity takes place, the Lieutenant-General
Commanding will withdraw the Troops, and shell the Town without
further notice.

By order,

D. HAIG, Lt.-Col.
Chief Staff Officer to Lt.-General French.

_September 15, 1900._

The sniping stopped forthwith.

One of the first things that French did was to go and personally
rescue his old enemy, Schoeman, from the local jail. That worthy,
having surrendered, had come into bad odour with his fellow
countrymen. In consequence he had been incarcerated at Barberton. For
once the unfortunate Schoeman was glad to see the face of his old
enemy again!

French rested his forces in Barberton for three weeks, leaving the
town on October 3. The march back to Pretoria was, if anything, more
trying than the adventurous dash to Barberton had been. Apart from the
trying climb over the heights of the Kaapsche Hoop, and the eternal
sniping of the Boers, the weather now brought new sufferings. The men
were exhausted by days of heat, and soaked by nights of torrential
rain. It was a thoroughly tired and jaded force which finally reached
Pretoria on November 3.

One incident of that trying march shows how ably French dealt with
Boer bluff. The enemy had made prisoner a captain of the R.A.M.C, and
sent a message that they would shoot him unless General French pledged
his word that he would burn no Boer farms. French replied that unless
the captured medical officer were brought into the British camp next
morning, he would burn the town of Bethel to the ground; and, if he
were shot, ten Boer prisoners would be similarly put to death. The
doctor was brought into camp next morning.

[Page Heading: LORD ROBERTS' RETURN]

In inspecting the cavalr