to his destination. The native
replied that he was on his way to Pretoria, and the happy thought
occurred to Mr. Celliers to ask this native to let his wife know that
her husband was in perfect safety.

Now the remarkable part of this incident was, that that unknown native
took the trouble to deliver his message faithfully and conscientiously,
and it was only after the war that Mr. Celliers heard from his wife
that she had received news of his successful escape from a strange
Kaffir, who said he had been sent by her husband. This is a striking
instance, well worth recording here, of the sagacity and fidelity of
some members of the heathen tribes.

It was on September 13th that unexpected deliverance came in the shape
of a Boer waggon in search of green forage for the horses on commando.
Mr. Celliers instantly decided to accompany the waggon back to the
lager, and prepared himself for departure that very day. Tender,
grateful leave was taken of the good friends who had harboured him so
long, and he drove away, seated, with his few worldly possessions
beside him, on the top of a load of green forage.

The next day he arrived at the lager of Commandant Badenhorst's
commando on the farm Waterval near the "Sein koppies," and now we
close the chapter with the following words, which I have translated
from his diary:

"The crown has been set on my undertaking. God be thanked, I find
myself again amongst free men, with weapon in hand. For the first time
in the past four months I feel myself secure. There is no one, on my
arrival, who gives one sign of interest or appreciation; one burgher
even asks me why I had not rather remained in Pretoria.

"This stolid and philosophic view of life is characteristic of the
Boer and certainly does not discourage me.

"Excitement and enthusiasm do not appear to be the children of the
great solitudes, the slumbering sunlit vastnesses; nay, rather do they
spring from the unbroken friction of many spirits, sparks bursting
from the anvil of the great, restlessly driven activity of the world."

* * * * *

Mr. Celliers remained in the field until the war was over.

CHAPTER X

A LITTLE ADVENTURE WITH THE BRITISH SOLDIER

The exquisite summer of 1901 was drawing to a close.

January and February had been months of unsurpassed splendour and
riotous luxury in fruit and flowers, each day being more gorgeous than
the last. The glorious sunsets, the mys