urned to their forts,
and the firing subsided for a short time.

"At last the sun set, and at half-past seven we withdrew. We had
been on the hill for sixteen hours, under a most severe fire, and
now we retired; but we were not driven off by the Devons with
levelled bayonets, as I have read in an English book. We were not
driven off the hill. We held it as long as it was light, and when
twilight fell and no reinforcements came, we considered it useless
to remain there. Including the Transvaalers we had lost 68 killed
and 135 wounded."

(4) One instance more to show that the Boers behaved gallantly not only
under cover or when scaling mountains or hills occupied by the enemy,
but also when they met the foe on the plain without any cover at all.

Lord Methuen's column, 1,500 strong, was charged in broad daylight on
the open veldt by about 700 burghers. The whole convoy with four
Armstrong guns was captured. Besides this the enemy lost 400 in killed
and wounded, and 859 prisoners of war, including Lord Methuen himself,
who was wounded in the leg. The Boer casualties amounted to 9 killed and
25 wounded. Do not such engagements prove that the Boers could hold
their own not only behind stones and in trenches but also on the plain?

Lord Methuen's column was not the only one which was attacked and taken
on the exposed veldt. Some of the most brilliant achievements of the
Boers were accomplished when they were altogether exposed to the enemy's
fire and had to take the offensive. Was it then arrogance and vainglory
which prompted them to offer battle to one of the great Powers of the
world? Arrogance and vainglory would not have stood the test, but would
soon have vanquished like morning clouds before the rising sun. There
must have been some other cause. What was it?

Here, then, the reader has another reason why the Boers fought so long.
As a people they are brave, and thus scorn the very thought of
surrendering like cowards. They chose to die as _men_, and the memory of
those who fell as such shall ever be dear and sacred to us.

"For how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers
And the temples of his gods?"

Another trait in the Boer character is his wonderful resourcefulness and
his ability to cope with difficulties. It was as much this phase of his
character as his patriotism, religiosity and valour which enabled him t