long, and soon messages were gaily buzzing to and fro over the fence.
There was naturally a great loss of electricity, but not enough to
prevent the working of the sensitive little vibrator.

As with the cable in Natal, however, there were frequent interruptions.
A herd of cattle would knock a few poles over, a burgher hurrying across
country would simply cut a passage through the fence, or a farmer in
passing through a gate would notice the cable, dig it up, and take it
along, swearing it must be dynamite, and that the English were trying to
explode the Free State with it.

All this necessitated constant repairing, but on the whole the system
proved fairly satisfactory, allowing the Government in Kroonstad to keep
in constant touch with the fighting line.

In Natal everything was very quiet; here, on the contrary, the British
were pushing forward vigorously. General Louis Botha came down from
Glencoe to aid De Wet, leaving his brother Christian to oppose bulldog
Buller, or "Red Bull," as we called him.

In spite of Louis' presence the enemy continued to gain ground, and it
was not long before Brandfort had to be given up. The enemy next took
Thabanchu, and it became clear that our positions at Menschvretersberg
could not be held much longer. President Steyn himself visited the
positions, cheering and encouraging the men, but the strain of
attempting to stem the British advance could no longer be sustained.
Within a few days we received orders to retire to Lindley.

Retire! But how? We were three, our horses two, our luggage heavy. By a
stroke of luck we managed to hire a cart and two. Hitching our horses on