第31部分(第5/7 頁)

xpected　battle　between　the　invading　Boers　and　the　reinforcements　was　actually　to　take　place　on　the　following　day　at　a　drift　of　the　Ingagaan　River　upon　our　own　farm；　Rooipoint。　It　was　added；　probably　with　truth；　that　the　main　body　of　the　Boers　intended　to　occupy　my　house　and　the　hill　behind。　This　was　too　much；　so；　abandoning　everything　except　our　plate；　we　retreated　into　laager　at　Newcastle；　and　there　spent　several　very　unfortable　days。　For　some　reason　that　never　transpired；　however；　the　Boers　never　delivered　the　expected　attack。　It　was　the　one　military　mistake　that　they　made；　for　had　they　done　so　I　believe　they　would　have　cut　up　the　long　line　of　reinforcements；　and　subsequently　have　taken　the　town　of　Newcastle　without　much　difficulty。　On　the　contrary；　they　withdrew　to　the　Nek　as　silently　and　swiftly　as　they　had　e。

On　February　17th　the　reinforcements　marched　safely　into　Newcastle。　General　Wood；　however；　who　I　think　acpanied　them；　was　sent　down…country　by　Colley　to　bring　up　more　reinforcements　and　to　look　after　stores；　a　task　which　to　the　lay　mind　might　have　been　equally　well　performed　by　some　subordinate　officer。　I　should　add　it　was　said　that　by　mutual　agreement　of　these　two　generals　no　further　offensive　movement　was　to　take　place　until　Wood　returned　again。

If　so；　that　agreement　was　not　kept；　since　on　Sunday；　the　27th　of　February；　I　heard　the　sound　of　distant　guns；　which　most　of　the　others　attributed　to　thunder。　So　certain　was　I　on　the　point　that　some　of　us　rode　to　the　camp　to　make　inquiries。　On　our　way　through　the　town　we　learned　that　messages　were　pouring　down　the　wires　from　Mount　Prospect；　and　found　the　place　full　of　rumours。　At　the　camp；　however；　nothing　was　known；　indeed；　several　officers　to　whom　we　spoke　laughed　at　us。　It　would　almost　seem　as　though　C