hat about our oath of neutrality?" They were told that the oath of
neutrality need not disturb any one who wished to join the ranks of
the enemy; it would be nullified by the oath of allegiance, and was
declared to be "a mere formality." The noblest motives for uniting
their strength to that of the enemy, in the endeavour "to restore
peace to the land," were laid before the burghers of the Transvaal.
Not only would the helpless inmates of the Concentration Camps be
spared further suffering, but the deplorable loss of life of men on
both sides in the field would cease.

Then too, the pay was a consideration not to be despised in days of so
much hardship and privation. Large sums were paid for the capture of
each brother burgher, and so liberal a share in the plunder brought
home by them that there are, at the present time, well-to-do farmers,
poor before the war, now flourishing and well known in their districts
as successful "pocket patriots."[1]

The National Scouts became a strong and well-organised body of men,
versed in all the arts of Boer warfare, familiar with the country--a
dangerous and treacherous addition to the difficulties with which the
faithful burghers were beset.

It must be clearly understood that there can be no comparison between
the act of the men who, when condemned to death, saved themselves by
turning King's evidence and the treachery of the men who, voluntarily
and for greed of gold, took up arms against their fellow-countrymen.
Under the impulse of fear men may be guilty of a crime for which they
may have to do penance with lifelong remorse, and for these we may
feel pity, even if we do not understand and cannot enter into the
cowardly weakness by which they were driven to betray their comrades.
But in the case of the National Scouts there were no extenuating
circumstances except perhaps that the greater responsibility rested on
the men who paid in dross for the dishonour of their fellow-creatures.

It was the public recruiting of National Scouts from amongst the
burghers who had taken the oath of neutrality that first induced the
Boers who remained true to their cause to use their influence in
bringing the war to an end. But they determined to assist their
fellow-countrymen, not the enemy, and when the call came from the
field they were found ready to depart for active service or willing to
devote themselves to secret service in the towns, as the case may be.
I may say here that the appoin