s holy
war? We do not despise but we pity you, and wish it were otherwise.

Not only did these "National Scouts" lead the British to the Boers, but
they were the principal instruments in the hands of the enemy to clear
the Republics of all foodstuffs and ammunition. They knew precisely
where their fellow-burghers had stored away their meal, corn, fodder,
and ammunition, knew where the oxen and sheep were grazing, and
forthwith to these they conducted the enemy's forces, and thus was
brought to pass that state of affairs which necessitated the Boers to
lay down their arms. Without the assistance of the deserted burghers it
would have taken the enemy ever so much longer to have exhausted the
Republics entirely of all their resources. To a large extent these very
republicans who sided with their country's enemies became the despoilers
of the once so fair Republics. Ah me, that this should be recorded!

Besides, by assisting the enemy they not only encouraged them, but
greatly discouraged their brethren in the field. The burgher who really
meant well naturally became disheartened that those who fought with him
for one and the same object could turn against him and play such a low
and treacherous part. How men, who have stooped to deeds so mean and
foul, shall defend their loathsome actions at the bar of Conscience and
Justice, I know not.

In addition to the "National Scouts"--as though these were not more than
sufficient--we had to contend against thousands of blacks, aboriginal
natives armed by the British and taken up in their ranks. We naturally
felt indignant at the adoption of coloured races in the British army;
for we regarded it as an unwritten agreement between the respective
Governments that no blacks were to be involved in the war. It was to be
white _versus_ white, Boer _versus_ Briton. Hence, when the natives
became embroiled in the struggle we refused to acknowledge and treat
them as combatants. No quarter was given to armed natives that were not
British subjects, and even these forfeited their lives on more than one
occasion. This action, regarded superficially, may seem cruel and
unjust, but remembering that war had not been declared against the
natives, and also that, if we did treat them as English soldiers, we
would simply have courted the opposition of all the natives, it does not
seem quite so cruel and unjust. We had to resort to severe measures so
as to let the natives fully realise that they were n