ong as possible. I do not
insinuate that this was generally the case, and I am sure that Lord
Kitchener or any other responsible commanding officer would loudly
have condemned such tactics; but the fact remains that these
unpleasant incidents occasionally took place.

About the beginning of June, 1901 (I find it difficult to be accurate
without the aid of my notes) another violent effort was made to
capture the members of the Government and the Commandant-General.
Colonel Benson now appeared as the new "Boer-stalker," and after
making several unsuccessful attempts to surround them almost captured
the Government in the mountains between Piet Retief and Spitskop. Just
as Colonel Benson thought he had them safe and was slowly but surely
weaving his net around them--I believe this was at Halhangapase--the
members of the Government left their carriages, and packing the most
necessary articles and documents on their horses escaped in the night
along a footpath which the enemy had kindly left unguarded and passed
right through the British lines in the direction of Ermelo. On the
following day the English, on closing their cordon, found, as they
usually did, naught but the burned remains of some vehicles and a few
lame mules.

Together with the late General Spruit, who happened to be in that
neighbourhood, I had been asked to march with a small commando to the
assistance of the Government and the Commandant-General and we had
started at once, only hearing when well on our way that they had
succeeded in escaping.

We proceeded as far as the Bankop, not knowing where to find them, and
it was no easy matter to look for them amongst the British columns.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A GOVERNMENT ON HORSEBACK.

For ten days we searched the neighbourhood, and finally met one of the
Commandant-General's despatch-riders, who informed me of their
whereabouts, which they were obliged to keep secret for fear of
treachery. We met the whole party on William Smeet's farm near the
Vaal River, every man on horseback or on a mule, without a solitary
cart or waggon. It was a very strange sight to see the whole Transvaal
Government on horseback. Some had not yet got used to this method of
governing, and they had great trouble with their luggage, which was
continually being dropped on the road.

General Spruit and myself undertook to escort the Executive Council
through the Ermelo district, past Bethel to Standerton, where they
were to meet t