The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29
WITH ROBERTS COLUMN.
Crossing the WAL River Into the
Lane! of the Beers


Roberts column crossed the Val River
into the Transvaal-and Pretoria is only
seventy miles away. The history OF the
long days of the march when the British
army was creeping northward mile by
mile the places where the bivouacks were
mace which marked the end of each day S
progress, the pans where there was water
and the pans which have dried, the lone
farmhouses, with always the illclad col
orless woman standing near the doorway;
the cold OF the dawn when the army start
ed forward; the heat of midday, and the
dust; the endless talk which recommended
VIXEN night came as to how far away now
was the Val, and the same slow-heaving
country, reaching far ahead toward the
north; all this has suddenly vanished
grown very dim. at least, in the mist
which covers happenings long ago-because
today after many months of almost IN
cessant war the main column of the Brit
ish forces has crossed the Transvaal
boundary line-the Val River.
OF course the end OF the journey Is
still some miles farther on. and just
north of the drift across wide stretch
of fiat land a range CT high hills lit tall
and silent into the blue haze and the
sunlight. Here it is expected that the
Beers will make stand to dispute the
further invasion of their country. 50 mat
tomorrow, or the next day, perhaps, IL
is thought that a great battle VIII be
fought, which may bring finish IL the
war.
1t was early this morning-that is.
some time before sun up-that the troops
which were stationed at the head OF the
column about fourteen miles south OF the
Val River packed their saddles, formed IN
line, and began again the forward march
This advance force consisted OF the Fourth
and Eighth Corps of mounted infantry, two
gaIloping Colts automatics, and Battery
of the Horse Artillery. In approaching
YiIjoen. where there is a cool and seal
tered collection of tin-roofed houses gain
cred in disordered array in the near dis
trict. the foreriders of this force were
fired upon from the village and were con-
sequently compelled to retire to a proper
distance So the battery unlimoered IN
the centre Of great cornfieid ana snelieo
the village.
THE sound of these made 1t known to
lis who were following few miles ID the
rear that in front some kind OF action was
in progress, and we came to the COT u
and the battery Just after the time Wnen
the order to cease fire had been given. and
the guns once more were IN line. Ihere
was high wind blowing. The dead corn
stalks creaked necessarily in the hresZe.
and broke off with snap beneath the
wheels of the moving battery On the
right there was a vast cloud OF dust mt
ing -lways from the same place and hurry
ing ALWAYS with the wind As the guns
passed on through the cornstalks. SWING
ing a little TO the right, the blurred snap Is
of houses appeared through the w!nd ana
the dust. This, then, was the coiiler VII
lage of Viljoen-
Soor afterward the advance force entered
the streets OF this place. Or rather the
troops entered among the houses, be-
cause there were no streets, nor curb
stones. nor sidewalks; there were only the
Stag heaps, three tall chimneys, and the
tin shanties built In the sand-and the
sand rose I'D on the high wind and drove
away in clouds. great number OF
strangely dressed Kaffiss shouted to the
| troops as they passed. This was only
mile and a nalf from the drift across tie
| Val.
Straight ahead, half clouded in dust,
there we're seen more Stag heaps. more tin
houses. more chimneyS, which belonged 10
another mine and its village. The troops
continued hurrying forward toward the
drift. with the horses, head down. p-odilng
heavily through the deep sand, and the
| sand dripping like water from the wheel
strong They came to the cutting where
| the road dove Down to the river The
mounted infantry splashed through the
| ford. up the opposite cutting. and stood en-
| Transvaal land.
In front Law the second collier village
Here also were the huge heaps of Stag.
! and the tin houses. and the tall chimneys.
4 Here also there were no streets nor SIDE
walks. Just the bare. trodden ground be-
! tween the buildings. And now the quick
sound of rifle shots could be heard from
| somewhere ahead. The road into the VII
| Iage. or what might be taken for the road.
led UP from the drift over a sharp rise in
the ground The troopers rode up this rise
! in scattered parties. An officer, with few
more following close. passed up and around
| to the right. Still the reports of the rifles
were heard, as IL fired from the farther
houses.
| The place seemed all dirt and Stag
| mounds. and as barren as the ash heaps
| and novels at a citys edge. Some or the
houses, indeed, had enclosures of half-dead
| shrubbery about the walk, and by such
| attempt at q garden. which had failed
these places of greenery only added TO the
hopelessness OF the dreary scene.
| When the British founders came to the
| higher part of the road in the centre of the
| village Il was discovered that some mount
| ed infantry were there before them. Be
hind one of the farther houses cluster o
| horses were tied to the fence Then a
| another house was seen a like cluster o
| horses The dismounted troopers were
| concealed behind sheets OF corrugated iroI
on the northern verandas, and were firms
over the ratings toward the houses o
Vereeniging, which stood only a short dis
lance away to the northeast on the otheI
side Of a level stretch of plain. Mor'
troopers were lying in the yellow gras
close by Some were hidden in the shrub
lary. There were more men coming III
from the drift-scattered riders, these gal
looping past over the hare road between
the buildings. There were orderlies ridint
back with messages. There were thu
punches of waiting horses, with all thu
tails and the names blown one way. Ant
| always came the sudden reports Of thu
| near rifles, some OF them sounding strange
" loud under the roofs of the verandas.
When the commanding officer-the SAM
who had ridden round to the right few
| minutes before-came near to these horse
an officer of Loch's Horse stepped GU
from the shrubbery. rifle in hand. to NEE
him. This second officer was thick-se
man. His hair was white. His beard wa
white. The skin of his face was red AM
delicately traced with tiny veins. He woT
a SLOUGH hat, and heavy boots indeed,
the teachings of the stage are true, in al
but the uniform, he bore the look of
general in the civil war. He touched hi
hat when he spoke to his superior officer.
I'VE saved the mines, sir" he said. an
he smiled with the genuine pleasur. of
schoolboy who has accomplished some fea
of strength. I'VE crossed further west.
|, Loch's officer continued, ''cut along tn
northern hank of the river and so got int