Boer " Voortrekkers " and Commandos 99 



guards firing, and I had to confess that it was an 

 experiment in alarm drill. I was sorry it was not 

 appreciated, but it had its moral for the " park of 

 artillery," (two 32 pounder ships guns), could easily 

 have been spiked when they were deserted outside 

 the old Court House (where the Law Courts now 

 stand on Church Square). 



I had several queer experiences during this war. 

 I never could make out what they were quarrelling 

 about. Rensberg's Government adherents would 

 occupy Pretoria and commandeer sugar, coffee, etc., 

 and then Schoeman's lot would come in, and the others 

 would clear out ; and the commandeering was done 

 all over again. I had no interest in the matter, so paid 

 both sides and was allowed to continue my journeys 

 to Natal as usual. On my return from one trip I 

 heard that Schoeman's commando was at Block Drift 

 on Vaal river. My wagons were outspanned at 'Turf 

 Sluit " on the Pretoria side of the river, when who 

 should ride up but Field Cornet Jan Kock (who was 

 afterwards as General Kock killed at Elandslaagte.) 

 He had come from Schoeman's laager and said that 

 he wanted gunpowder. I had a large quantity in 

 one wagon, but pretended that I thought he wanted 

 a little for game shooting, so I ostentatiously emptied 

 my powder flask giving him more than half, saying 

 that I must keep a few charges for springbok near 

 Heidelberg. He said he thought I had a quantity, 

 but I asked him if he thought I would risk taking 

 ammunition about in war time. I gave what I had 

 to him so cheerfully, that he was misled and rode 

 back to the laager. As soon as he was over the rise, 

 I " inspanned " at once, gave all the boys a stiff glass 

 of gin, told them to keep up to my leading wagon, 

 and anyone causing a stoppage would be punished, 

 we did go all that long night, the boys being primed 



