him." I happened to be riding a black horse, taken from one Captain
King. That horse was so well known to the enemy that at a great distance
they could recognise me.

These are some of the narrow corners in which we found ourselves during
the war. I could multiply them, but 'tis needless. They will give the
reader some idea of what we often had to pass through.




CHAPTER V.

TO THE CAPE COLONY.


From March to December, 1901, the area of war operations was limited
exclusively to the two Republics. All the British forces were
concentrated there. Gradually the fact dawned upon us that, unless we
contrived to draw the British forces, in some way or other, off the
Republics, the latter would eventually be exhausted of all provisions,
which would necessitate their surrender. They could not for ever supply
Boer commandoes and British columns with provisions, especially when
farming pursuits were so disturbed and hampered by the enemy. It became
quite clear that, in the event of a long campaign, our whole salvation
would be in the Cape Colony. There we would be drawing on the enemy's
resources, and the British Government would indirectly be supporting us
in compensating colonists for losses sustained by Boer commandoes. An
additional advantage, should the scene of operations be transferred from
the Republics to the Cape Colony, would be that many colonists would