neral Kock, and now you lay all the blame for yesterday's
disaster on my shoulders. However, I am sorry to say General Kock is
wounded and in British hands. I don't know how many men we have lost;
I suppose about 30 or 40 killed and approximately 100 wounded. The
British must have lost considerably more, but I am not making any
estimate."

The grey-bearded generalissimo cooled a little and spoke more kindly,
although he gave me to understand he did not think much of the
Johannesburg commando. I replied that they had been fighting very
pluckily, and that by retiring they hoped to retrieve their fortunes
some other day. "H'm," returned the General, "some of your burghers
have made so masterly a retreat that they have already got to
Newcastle, and I have just wired Field-Cornet Pienaar, who is in
charge, that I should suggest to him to wait a little there, as I
propose sending him some railway carriages to enable him to retreat
still further. As for those Germans and Hollanders with you, they may
go to Johannesburg; I won't have them here any more."

"General," I protested, "this is not quite fair. These people have
volunteered to fight for, and with us; we cannot blame them in this
matter. It is most unfortunate that Elandslaagte should have been
lost, but as far as I can see there was no help for it." The old
General appeared lost in thought; he seemed to take but little notice
of what I said. Finally he looked up and fixed his small glittering
eyes upon me as if he wished to read my most inmost thoughts.

"Yes," he said, "I know all about that. At Dundee things have gone
just as badly. Lukas Meyer made a feeble attack, and Erasmus left him
in the lurch. The two were to charge simultaneously, but Erasmus
failed him at a critical moment, which means a loss of 130 men killed
and wounded, and Lukas Meyer in retreat across the Buffalo River. And
now Elandslaagte on the top of all! All this owing to the disobedience
and negligence of my chief officers."

The old man spoke in this strain for some time, until I grew tired and
left. But just as I was on the point of proceeding from his tent, he
said: "Look here, Commandant, reorganise your commando as quickly as
you can, and report to me as soon as you are ready." He also gave me
permission to incorporate in the reorganised commando various
Hollander and German stragglers who were loafing round about, although
he seemed to entertain an irradicable prejudice against the Dutch