s
put it, "We are trying to make them frightened, but the thing to know
is, did they get frightened?" For this concluded our programme for the
day, and we retired for the night, leaving the enemy in doubt as to
whether we meant to give him any further trouble, yet without any
apology for having disturbed his rest.

The result of this bloodless fight was _nil_ in wounded and killed on
both sides.

On the 12th of February, 1901, the first death-sentence on a traitor
on our side was about to be carried out, when suddenly our outposts
round Belfast were attacked by a strong British column under General
Walter Kitchener. When the report was brought to our laager, all the
burghers went to the rescue, in order to keep the enemy as far from
the laager as possible, and beat them back. Meanwhile the outposts
retired fighting all the while. We took up the most favourable
positions we could and waited. The enemy did not come up close to us
that evening, but camped out on a round hill between Dullstroom and
Belfast and we could distinctly see how the soldiers were all busy
digging ditches and trenches round the camp and putting up barbed wire
enclosures. They were very likely afraid of a night attack and did not
forget the old saying about being "wise in time."

Near the spot where their camp was situated were several roads leading
in different directions which left us in doubt as to which way they
intended to go, and whether they wanted to attack us, or were on their
way to Witpoort-Lydenburg.

The next morning, at sunset, the enemy broke up his camp and made a
stir. First came a dense mass of mounted men, who after having gone
about a few hundred paces, split up into two divisions. One portion
moved in a westerly direction, the other to the north, slowly
followed by a long file, or as they say in Afrikander "gedermte" (gut)
of waggons and carts which, of course, formed the convoy. Companies of
infantry, with guns, marched between the vehicles.

I came to the conclusion that they intended to attack from two sides,
and therefore ordered the ranks to scatter. General Muller, with part
of the burghers, went in advance of the enemy's left flank and, as the
English spread out their ranks, we did the same.

At about 9 a.m. our outposts near the right flank of the English were
already in touch with the enemy, and rifle-fire was heard at
intervals.

I still had the old 15-pounder, but the stock of ammunition had gone
down conside