lway and telegraphic communications in several places
over night, the latter were repaired in the afternoon, and the enemy's
reinforcements poured in from Pretoria as well as from Middelburg. I
observed all this through my glass from the position I had taken up on
a high point near the Douglas coal mines.

Amongst the prisoners we had made in the morning was a captain of the
"Buffs," whose collar stars had been stripped off for some reason, the
marks showing they had only recently been removed. At that time there
were no orders to keep officers as prisoners-of-war, and this captain
was therefore sent back to Balmoral with the other "Tommies," after we
had relieved them of their weapons and other things which we were in
want of. I read afterwards, in an English newspaper, that this captain
had taken the stars off in order to save himself from the "cruelties
of the Boers."

This, I considered, an unjust and undeserved libel.

CHAPTER XXVI.

BATTLE OF RHENOSTERKOP.

On the 27th of November, 1900, our scouts reported that a force of the
enemy was marching from the direction of Pretoria, and proceeding
along Zustershoek. I sent out Commandant Muller with a strong patrol,
while I placed the laager in a safe position, in the ridge of kopjes
running from Rhenosterkop some miles to the north. This is the place,
about 15 miles to the north-east of Bronkhorst Spruit, where Colonel
Anstruther with the 94th regiment was attacked in 1881 by the Boers
and thoroughly defeated. Rhenosterkop is a splendid position, rising
several hundred feet above the neighbouring heights, and can be seen
from a great distance. Towards the south and south-east this kopje is
cut off from the Kliprandts (known by the name of Suikerboschplaats)
by a deep circular cleft called Rhenosterpoort.

On the opposite side of this cleft the so-called "banks" form a
"plateau" about the same height as the Rhenosterkop, with some smaller
plateaux, at a lesser altitude, towards the Wilge River. These
plateaux form a crescent running from south-east to north of the
Rhenosterkop. Only one road leading out of the "bank" near Blackwood
Camp and crossing them near Goun, gives access to this crescent. On
the west side is a great gap up to Zustershoek, only interrupted by
some "randjes," or ridges, near the Albert silver mines and the row of
kopjes on which I had now taken up a position.

The enemy's force had been estimated at 5,000 men, mostly mounted,
who,