seventy-five casualties. This action of Middelfontein is
interesting as having been begun in Queen Victoria's reign, and ended in
that of Edward VII.

Cunninghame's force moved on to Krugersdorp, and there, having heard of
the fall of the Modderfontein post as already described, a part of his
command moved out to the Gatsrand in pursuit of Smuts. It was found,
however, that the Boers had taken up a strong defensive position, and
the British were not numerous enough to push the attack. On February
3rd Cunninghame endeavoured to outflank the enemy with his small cavalry
force while pushing his infantry up in front, but in neither attempt did
he succeed, the cavalry failing to find the flank, while the infantry
were met with a fire which made further advance impossible. One company
of the Border Regiment found itself in such a position that the greater
part of it was killed, wounded, or taken. This check constituted the
action of Modderfontein. On the 4th, however, Cunningham, assisted by
some of the South African Constabulary, made his way round the flank,
and dislodged the enemy, who retreated to the south. A few days later
some of Smuts's men made an attempt upon the railway near Bank, but
were driven off with twenty-six casualties. It was after this that Smuts
moved west and joined De la Rey's commando to make the attack already
described upon Lichtenburg. These six attempts represent the chief
aggressive movements which the Boers made against British posts in the
Transvaal during these months. Attacks upon trains were still common,
and every variety of sniping appears to have been rife, from the
legitimate ambuscade to something little removed from murder.

It has been described in a previous chapter how Lord Kitchener made an
offer to the burghers which amounted to an amnesty, and how a number
of those Boers who had come under the influence of the British formed
themselves into peace committees, and endeavoured to convey to the
fighting commandos some information as to the hopelessness of the
struggle, and the lenient mood of the British. Unfortunately these
well-meant offers appear to have been mistaken for signs of weakness
by the Boer leaders, and encouraged them to harden their hearts. Of the
delegates who conveyed the terms to their fellow countrymen two at least
were shot, several were condemned to death, and few returned without
ill-usage. In no case did they bear back a favourable answer. The only
result of