The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17

| the left Of the centre column. The British
forces were then moving down the s.ope
to the passage of the Vet River. Early in
the morning the last of the Boer transport
had crossed the drift, and their rear guard
was now holding the range Of high land
Nshich runs east and. west beyond the
crossing.
Instantly the former nature Of things
had vanished, and there came in its stead
the strange sense of uncertainty which
could only be cleared away by the results
of the threatening fight. A minute be-
fore the question had been uppermost as
to how many miles farther on was to be
the next camping ground. Now all such
things were swept away completely by
the sound of those distant guns.
The infantry spread out into those long
lines of skirmishers and advanced on the
left of the road. The naval guns were
hurried forward. The batteries of field ar
tillery chose positions in the centre and
on the right and opened fire on the further
range. The guns had fired some two or
three rounds apiece when the enemy re-
sponded with a heavy gun and the shells
began tossing up columns Of earth close
to the batteries and between the lines OF
infantry skirmishers.
Then the enemy drew their guns back
to a further position out OF range OF the
field batteries, SO that when the British
siege and naval guns came into action
there ensued long distance artillery duei
which lasted until shutdown. Then the
British turned back mile for the bivouacx
OF the night.
Early on Sunday morning the column
once more began the march northward.
Just on the other side of the drift and a
little to the left of the main road, there
stands large farmhouse. Here on this
Sunday morning farmhouse was COM
Wandered by the British. The owner OF
the property was q Free State burgher
who had fought in the Boer forces outside
of Kimberley. He was found on the prem
ises and arrested at once. There were
three other Beers arrested with him.
They were marched away from the house
down the bride path which led to the drift
and the main body OF the British forces.
Four women stood by the house door
and watched them go. One of them spoke
to a Kaffir boy, who Immediately started
on the run down the bride path carrying
a loaf Of bread in his hand. and the wo-
man shaded her eyes against the sunlight
and looked after him. The attic OF the
house was discovered to be full OF forage.
and because this was sorely needed by the
army some troopers were stationed in the
window Of the attic and began tossing cut
the bundles OF oat hay. These were piled
the wagon and the forage moved away
whilst the four women stood near the
doorway and watched the team wind
slowly over the veldt to join the line CT
the column.
The Women Cared For.
The women were to be left plenty to
live on, and the house was to remain un-
touched: but all else that was required
az Nv, YhA nf
heavy featured and expressionless. scarcely
any signs of emotion could be seen. Only
the one who had given the Kaffir boy the
bread had wonderfully hopeless look IN
her almost colorless eyes.
Now and then one of the other women
demonstrated in broken English with the
officer in charge, and he explained to her
the reason of these things. a boy child.
dressed in n child's ulster, carrying in
his hand a whip made of q stick of wood
and string tied onto the end. kept gall
Looping back and forth in front of the door
way, grooming some strange talk known
only to himself and trying to make his
ciiild's whip snap.
When some more soldiers came to find
fresh meat the child left off his galloping
to laugh to see the hens run screeching
around the yard. And always men were
riding up to the farm. tossing down o
bundle OF forage from the attic window to
give their horses a feed. standing there
chatting for a while. taking drink OF
water. mounting and riding away; and al
ways the four women watched them come
and watched them go with that same pas
sionless look in their eyes.
That evening the army bivouacked on
the northern outskirts Of the village OF
Smaldeel.