examined, but no evidence could be found
against their being bona-fide messengers. Paget told them that my
despatch was all nonsense, and did not give them the right to enter
his lines under the white flag, adding, while he handed them a letter
addressed to me:

"You can go now; tell your General that if he likes to fight I shall
be pleased to meet him at any time in the open. You have killed some
of my Red Cross people, but I know it was done by those 'damned'
unscrupulous Johannesburgers. Tell them I shall pay them for this!"

Before my adjutants left, a certain Captain ---- said to one of them:

"I say, what do your people think of the fight?"

"Which fight do you mean?" asked the adjutant.

"The fight here," returned the captain.

"Oh," remarked the adjutant, "we think it was rather a mismanagement."
To which the captain replied: "By Jove! you are not the only people
who think so."

The contents of General Paget's letter were short and rough; "The
responsibility for the suffering of women and children rests on the
shoulders of those who blindly continue the helpless struggle," etc.,
etc.

I may say here that this was the first time in this War the English
officers treated my despatch riders under the white flag in such a
manner, giving me at the same time such a discourteous answer.

No doubt we have had generals acting like this on our side, and I
admit that we did not always stand on etiquette.

As already stated, part of the enemy's forces were camping out near
Poortjesnek, so close by that we had to shift our laager and commando
to a more healthy part on account of the horse-sickness. The enemy
installed a permanent occupation at Rhenosterkop, and we moved into
the Lydenberg district, where we knew we should find some wholesome
"veldt" on the Steenkamps Mountains. We went through the forest near
Maleemskop via Roodekraal, to the foot of Bothasberg, where we had a
few weeks' rest.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE SECOND CHRISTMAS AT WAR.

The veldt was in splendid condition at the foot of Bothasberg, where
we had pitched our camp. We found mealies and cattle left everywhere.
The enemy did not know where we really were, and could not, therefore,
bother us for the time being. Our Government was at Tautesberg, about
12 miles north of Bothasberg, and we received a visit from
Acting-President Burger, who brought with him the latest news from
Europe, and the reports from the other commandos. Mr. Burger sai