BOERS WATCHING THE FIGHT AT DUNDEE (Photograph by Reginald Sheppard, Pretoria.)

ELECTING A FIELD-CORNET (Photograph by the Author.)

KRIJGSRAAD, NEAR THABA N’CHU (Photograph by the Author.)

Boer commandants reading message from British officers after the battle of
Dundee
  (Photograph by Reginald Sheppard.)

GENERAL GROBLER (Photograph by the Author.)

SPION KOP, WHERE BOERS CHARGED UP THE HILLSIDE (Photograph by Reginald Sheppard.)

PLAN OF BATTLEFIELD OF SANNASPOST (Drawn by the Author under supervision of General Christian De Wet.)

VILLAGE AND MOUNTAIN OF THABA N’CHU (Photograph by the Author.)

THE AUTHOR, AND A BASUTO PONY WHICH ASSISTED IN THE FIGHT AT SANNASPOST (Photograph by T.F.  Millard, New York.)

CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO MAN CAPTURED CANNON AFTER SANNASPOST (Photograph by the Author.)

COMMANDANT-GENERAL CHRISTIAN H. DE WET (With Facsimile of his Signature.)

GENERAL PETER DE WET (Photograph by the Author.)

GENERAL JOHN DE LA REY (Photograph by the Author.)

PRESIDENT KRUGER ADDRESSING AMERICAN VOLUNTEERS (Photograph by R. Steger.)

BATTLEFIELD OF ELANDSLAAGTE (Photograph by Van Hoepen.)

COLONEL JOHN E. BLAKE, OF THE IRISH BRIGADE (Photograph by Leo Weinthal.)

MRS. GENERAL LUCAS J. MEYER (Photograph by Leo Weinthal.)

MRS. OTTO KRANTZ, A BOER AMAZON (Photograph by R. Steger.)

MRS. COMMANDANT-GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA (Photograph by Leo Weinthal, Pretoria.)

GENERAL HENDRIK SNYMAN

FIRST BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR CAPTURED NEAR DUNDEE (Photograph by Reginald Sheppard.)

CHAPTER I

THE WAY TO THE BOER COUNTRY

Immediately after war was declared between Great Britain and the Boers of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, the two South African republics became ostracised, in a great measure, from the rest of the civilised world.  The cables and the great ocean steamship lines, which connected South Africa with Europe and America, were owned by British companies, and naturally they were employed by the British Government for its