British some thirteen guns, one pom-pom,
and a few maxims with all their ammunition. In the pass at Salmon Raads,
General Hector MacDonald met Olivier with the guns. He at once ordered
him to go no farther, as he was a surrendered man. Olivier tarried as
long as it pleased him, and then proceeded, taking the guns along with
him.

Of all the Boer forces concentrated in the Wittebergen, only about six
hundred did not surrender. To secure these also every means were
resorted to. No fewer than three times were messengers sent to them with
reports from the enemy. At first we were courteously invited to return
and surrender. To prove to us the validity of the surrender, all the
papers bearing on the negotiation from first to last were forwarded to
us. The excellent conditions granted to the surrendered burghers were
also transmitted to us. In these conditions we observed that the
surrendered burghers would each be provided with a horse to ride to
their destination, which would be Winburg, till further orders. We saw
also that they would be kept as prisoners-of-war until the war was over,
which meant, though they did not suspect it then, two years longer.
Their private property was to be respected. How the last condition was
violated is well known.

Olivier and his men were, however, not to be easily ensnared. He
politely rejected the proffered terms, stating at the same time that
Prinsloo's surrender was illegal. A few days later, and lo! in the
distance we beheld another flag-of-truce, a second report. The polite
request had failed, intimidation must now be tried--that might succeed
better. We were admonished urgently to come back at once, and surrender
without further delay. Failing that, we must not expect to receive such
generous and lenient treatment as would be extended to those surrendered
already. All our goods would be confiscated, etc.

On receiving this report, Olivier sent back the somewhat curt and abrupt
reply: "That if the British wanted his rifle they would have to capture
him as a man, for he would not surrender like an old woman. And he would
receive no more white flags on this matter." Consequently the third
messenger was sent back without being interviewed.

So much for the Prinsloo disaster. It was a sad one for those still
struggling against overwhelming odds. Many a heart beat low, and many a
sigh was heaved. That was an "unkind cut," which wounded the hearts of
thousands. Many a one, even of those