Of our dear wives and children he burned the happy homes,
He likes to worry Tantes but fears the sturdy Ooms.

But his old 'Lady Roberts' (the lyddite-spitting gun),
He sent her to Helvetia to cheer the garrison;
He thought she would be safe there, in old Smith-Dorrien's care;
To leave the kopjes' shelter the Boers would never dare.

Well done, Johannesburgers, Boksburgers, and police,
Don't give them any quarter, don't give them any peace;
Before the sleepy "Tommies" could get their stockings on,
The forts were stormed and taken, and all the burghers gone.

We took 300 soldiers, provisions, and their guns,
And of their ammunition we captured many tons.
'This is guerilla warfare,' says Mr. Chamberlain,
But those we have bowled over will never fight again.

Let Roberts of Kandahar, and Kitchener of Khartoum,
Let Buller of Colenso make all their cannon boom.
They may mow down the kaffirs, with shield and assegai,
But on his trusty Mauser the burgher can rely.

For now the white man's fighting, these heroes dare not stay,
Lord Kitchener's in Pretoria, the others ran away.
Lord Roberts _can't_ beat burghers, although he _Can_dahar,
The Lords are at a distance, the Generals few and far!

They may annex and conquer, have conquered and annexed,
Yet when the Mauser rattles the British are perplexed.
Stand firm then, Afrikanders, prolong the glorious fight,
Unfurl the good old 'Vierkleur.' Stand firm, for right is might!

What though the sky be clouded, what though the light be gone;
The day will dawn to-morrow, the sun will shine anon;
And though in evil moments a hero's hand may fail,
The strong will be confounded and right will yet prevail!"

CHAPTER XXIX.

A DISMAL "HAPPY NEW YEAR."

This is the 31st of December, 1900, two days after the victory gained
by our burghers over the English troops at Helvetia, at the same time
the last day of the year, or, as they call it, "New Year's Eve"; which
is celebrated in our country with great enjoyment. The members of each
family used to meet on that day, sometimes coming from all parts of
the country. If this could not be done they would invite their most
intimate friends to come and see the Old Year out--to "ring out the
old, and ring in the new," for "Auld Lang Syne." This was one of the
most festive days for everybody in South Africa. On the 31