Chapter Thirty Seven.

Clearing the Board.

After their long confinement in Kimberley, our heroes were rejoiced to get the chance of a gallop over the veldt with the hunters of Cronje and his flying army. They therefore joined General French, who with his cavalry hastened from Kimberley to cut off one line of retreat. On Sunday, February 18th, the Boers were brought to bay at Klip Drift, and a most desperate rearguard action was fought and won. Outflanked and surrounded on all sides, General Cronje took his last stand in the bed of the river, and prepared himself for his fate.

How many men he had on that Sunday will probably never be known, yet ten thousand was the estimated number. When he at last surrendered, only four thousand men were left to lay down their arms.

It was a terrific massacre, which lasted for ten days, as Cronje, with the desperation of a doomed pirate, sullenly refused to give in even after hope was extinguished, preferring to see his men and women slaughtered like rats in a trap, rather than own that he was conquered.

Doubtless his past atrocities and treacheries made him consider himself a doomed man if taken alive by the people whom he had hated so malignantly and treated so mercilessly. After the first few days, when he saw division after division come up and occupy the surrounding kopjes in grim and overwhelming numbers, this must have made him abandon hope of any outside aid. He was trapped, and in a position that was impossible to hold for long. As the guns poured their deadly fire over his laager, blowing up his ammunition carts and provision waggons, and destroying both men and cattle wholesale, he must have felt that just retribution had at last overtaken his blood-stained soul. Thinking possibly that, if taken, the only fate he could expect was the rope, he settled down sullenly to die at his post. With his customary callous indifference to the fate of others, he allowed no thought of his countrymen and their wives to influence him now. As he had ever been, he remained in this last tragedy the incarnation of ferocious obstinacy. He was Piet Cronje, the master criminal of the Transvaal.

It was not a pleasant task for the British or their leaders to continue this pitiless, yet necessary slaughter. During these ten days Cronje was given repeated chances to surrender, but he sullenly refused, even when he knew that the Boers had been driven off on all sides, who had come to break the environment of death. Trapped on the banks of that river in which they had burrowed like rabbits, he still continued fighting desperately, with the alternatives of death from lyddite, death from starvation, or death from drowning when the river became flooded.

This insensate and wasteful courage, while it filled the world with horror, yet won a certain admiration also. Had he and his men been only there, he might have been admired as a hero. But when he sacrificed women and children as well, it was utterly revolting. The heroes of Ladysmith, Mafeking, and Kimberley took every precaution to protect their women, but Cronje could not where he was placed. Therefore, as a brave man, he ought to have yielded. To hold out as he did was the act of a savage monster, not a man. While his character must for ever make him an object of loathing, as we loathe the memory of those black-hearted ruffians of the Spanish Main, his stubborn courage during those ten hellish days can only merit qualified respect.

It was like the last stand of Dan Morgan, the bloody Australian bushranger, and Morgan was as game as Cronje, with fewer crimes on his conscience.

While the artillery filled the sky with hurtling death, the captive balloon floated above and indicated the targets. It is not surprising if six thousand Boers perished during those ten days. The wonder is that four thousand escaped death. It also speaks significantly for Cronje’s discretion, that, when he surrendered, he was unwounded.

Our heroes saw a good deal of action during this time, as they were with those who had the duty to keep back the relieving forces. But they were trained soldiers now, and the constant movement and fighting made them happy. Meantime Lords Roberts and Kitchener watched keenly the progress of the siege, and let no chance escape for bringing it to a close with the least possible loss to their soldiers. Day after day the cordon drew closer round that death-trap, until the Imperialists were almost within speaking distance of the rebels.

At last the Canadians brought their trenches to within four hundred yards of the enemy; then the Boers would fight no longer. The thought of the next stage, cold steel, cowed them completely. Thus the sullen Cronje submitted, and placed himself and his followers at the discretion of his chivalrous conquerors. The shame of England, and the everlasting disgrace of those who placed this stain on our flag, was avenged. On the anniversary of Majuba Hill, February 27th, its blot was wiped out.

In his gracious reception of Cronje, Lord Roberts proved to posterity how impossible it is for a Briton to cherish revenge for private wrongs. He had lost his son at Colenso. His heart must have been bleeding for that loss, yet this gave no tinge of bitterness to his kindly and flattering welcome to his captive. He granted freely all that Cronje asked, and treated him with the same consideration that an honourable enemy might have expected. This is one of the greatest acts in a life covered with glory.

Now began the triumphant march to Bloemfontein, with the joyful tidings of the relief of Ladysmith. In every direction victory favoured our British armies. The Boers fled panic-stricken before them. Their day was over, and it was all in vain that the ogre of Pretoria, Oom Paul Kruger, hurried to the front, with his accomplice Steyn. They could not stop the run.

Oom Paul shed tears, for he was an adept at this kind of thing. He threatened to throw up his post as president, if they did not show fight. But as even, to the most ignorant of his burghers, that post was already over, this threat was poured into deaf ears. The Lord of battles had been appealed to, and He had decided with justice and humanity against murder and oppression.

Two of our heroes, however, were fated to stop their battle career outside of Bloemfontein. Ned Romer and his friend Clarence Raybold each received wounds in the same charge as they approached the town, and were carried to the rear. Fortunately the bullets were neither explosive nor coated with verdigris, so that no amputation was necessary.

But the wounds were serious enough to incapacitate them from further fighting that campaign. The young men were therefore taken down to Cape Town, leaving Fred Weldon to represent them on the triumphant march to Pretoria. It was a sorrowful parting between the three heroes, but neither anticipated it would be long before they were together again.

“We can only pray that you may be in at the wind-up of our old enemy, Oom Paul, Fred,” they said on parting. “Also that you may escape any of these Mauser button-holes in your carcase, that we have to carry with us.”

“Cheer up, boys,” cried Fred. “I guess you’ll both be up again at the front before we reach Pretoria. I want you to help me to capture Paulus—that is our ambition, you know.”

Bloemfontein had been taken two days before they were permitted to leave with the other wounded, and the doctor assured the two invalids that, if they took care, they would be ready for the saddle again in a week or two. Ned had a puncture through his sword-arm, and Clarence was wounded in the thigh, but the wounds were clean, and already showed signs of mending.

Among the wounded who were brought in before they left were several Boers, who had been abandoned by their countrymen. In one of these Fred recognised Stephanus Groblaar. He had died a couple of hours after his admittance to the hospital. When this news was communicated to Ned, he murmured—

“I am glad he did not owe his death to me. It is better to miss than to accomplish a private revenge. ‘Bobs’ has set us all a splendid example in forbearance.”

“Yes; that noble action of Lord Roberts represents the feelings of the British army from commander to private. To think only of one’s duty to the Empire, to fight only for right, to subdue all private feelings and sink animosity,—this is the code of honour of all true empire-makers.”

Necessarily our story cannot end at present, since our three heroes have been so busy seeking after adventure that they have not yet had time to fall in love, and no story can be quite complete without a wedding.

Therefore, while two of our heroes are recovering from their wounds, and the other is riding under the orders of the gallant General French, we may safely prognosticate the future of the rotten Transvaal Republic with that of its foolish victim, the Orange Free States.

Universal law and order for South Africa, with equal rights for Boer and Briton under the Flag that means equality and freedom for every human being, white-skinned or black. Blue for truth, red for love, and white for purity,—these are the signs of the Union Jack, and the combination means freedom, equality, and fraternity, while Justice holds it in her grasp. Where it waves, oppression and slavery cease to exist.

As for the rebels and traitors. Forgiveness towards the misguided, after they have paid their fines for their sins. To the traitors, punishment and contempt. To the hoary sinner, who has led these two nations astray and destroyed them, the same punishment which he meted out to the reformers—imprisonment; until he has disgorged his ill-gotten and secreted wealth. After that, watchful surveillance, such as ticket-of-leave convicts are placed under, so that during the scanty remnant of his blood-grimed life he may do no further harm to humanity. He has been the plague-spot of Africa. Let him be placed where he may propitiate his Maker, if he can. Years after this the Boers, as they become educated and civilised, will marvel at their stupendous folly, and curse the hated name of Kruger; therefore, like Attila and other historic monsters, his memory is not an enviable one. No human punishment can meet his case. He must be left to God.

Our heroes have won riches, therefore it is not impossible that they may also obtain happiness.

The End.