ucting 25 per cent.
for the British Government.

A long and extensive correspondence now took place about this matter
between myself and Lord Kitchener. I wished first to know whether the
gang was a recognised part of the British Army, as otherwise I should
have to treat them as ordinary brigands. After some delay Lord
Kitchener answered that they were a part of His Majesty's Army. I then
wished to know if he would undertake to try the men for their
misdeeds, but this was refused. This correspondence ultimately led to
a meeting between General Bindon Blood and myself, which was held at
Lydenburg on the 27th August, 1901.

The captured kaffirs were tried by court-martial and each punished
according to his deserts. The 24 Englishmen were handed over to the
enemy, after having given their word of honour not to return to their
barbarous life. How far this promise was kept I do not know; but from
the impression they made upon me I do not think they had much idea of
what honour meant. The captured cattle which we had hoped to find at
the fort had been sent away to Komati Poort a few days before our
attack and according to their "books" it must have numbered about
4,000 heads. Another section of this notorious corps met with a like
fate about this time at Bremersdorp in Swaziland. They did not there
offer such a determined resistance, and the Ermelo burghers captured
two good Colt-Maxims and two loads of ammunition probably intended for
Swaziland natives.

CHAPTER XLI.

AMBUSHING THE HUSSARS.

On August 10th, shortly after our arrival with the prisoners-of-war at
Sabi, and while I was still discussing with Lord Kitchener the
incident related in the previous chapter, General Muller sent word to
me from Olifant's River, where I had left him with my men, that he had
been attacked by General W. Kitchener three days after I had left him.
It appears that his sentries were surprised and cut off from the
commandos, these being divided into different camps.

The burghers who were farthest away, the Middelburg and Johannesburg
men, had, contrary to my instructions, pitched camp on the Blood
River, near Rooikraal, and were suddenly and unexpectedly attacked by
the enemy at about two o'clock in the afternoon, whilst their horses
were grazing in the veldt. Some horses were caught in time and some
burghers offered a little resistance, firing at a short range, several
men being killed on both sides. The confusion, however, wa