work which can have no reward save the knowledge of duty
done. Among many successful raids and skirmishes may be mentioned two by
Colonel Park from Lydenburg, which resulted between them in the
capture of nearly 100 of the enemy, including Abel Erasmus of sinister
reputation. Nor would any summary of these events be complete without a
reference to the very gallant defence of Mahlabatini in Zululand, which
was successfully held by a handful of police and civilians against an
irruption of the Boers. With the advent of winter and of reinforcements
the British operations became very energetic in every part of the
country, and some account of them will now be added.

CHAPTER 34. THE WINTER CAMPAIGN (APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, 1901).

The African winter extends roughly from April to September, and as the
grass during that period would be withered on the veld, the mobility
of the Boer commandos must be very much impaired. It was recognised
therefore that if the British would avoid another year of war it could
only be done by making good use of the months which lay before them.
For this reason Lord Kitchener had called for the considerable
reinforcements which have been already mentioned, but on the other
hand he was forced to lose many thousands of his veteran Yeomanry,
Australians, and Canadians, whose term of service was at an end. The
volunteer companies of the infantry returned also to England, and so
did nine militia battalions, whose place was taken however by an equal
number of new-comers.

The British position was very much strengthened during the winter by the
adoption of the block-house system. These were small square or hexagonal
buildings, made of stone up to nine feet with corrugated iron above it.
They were loopholed for musketry fire and held from six to thirty men.
These little forts were dotted along the railways at points not more
than 2000 yards apart, and when supplemented by a system of armoured
trains they made it no easy matter for the Boers to tamper with or
to cross the lines. So effective did these prove that their use was
extended to the more dangerous portions of the country, and lines
were pushed through the Magaliesberg district to form a chain of posts
between Krugersdorp and Rustenburg. In the Orange River Colony and on
the northern lines of the Cape Colony the same system was extensively
applied. I will now attempt to describe the more important operations
of the winter, beginning with the incur