The British Pressure At
Klerksdorp Had Become Severe, And Thither In May Came The
Indefatigable Methuen, Whom We Last Traced To Warrenton.
From this
point on May 1st he railed his troops to Mafeking, whence he
trekked to Lichtenburg, and south as far as his old fighting ground
of Haartebeestefontein, having one skirmish upon the way and
capturing a Boer gun.
Thence he returned to Mafeking, where he had
to bid adieu to those veteran Yeomanry who had been his comrades on
so many a weary march. It was not their fortune to be present at
any of the larger battles of the war, but few bodies of troops have
returned to England with a finer record of hard and useful service.
No sooner, however, had Methuen laid down one weapon than he
snatched up another. Having refitted his men and collected some of
the more efficient of the new Yeomanry, he was off once more for a
three weeks' circular tour in the direction of Zeerust. It is
difficult to believe that the oldest inhabitant could have known
more of the western side of the Transvaal, for there was hardly a
track which he had not traversed or a kopje from which he had not
been sniped. Early in August he had made a fresh start from
Mafeking, dividing his force into two columns, the command of the
second being given to Von Donop. Having joined hands with
Fetherstonhaugh, he moved through the south-west and finally halted
at Klerksdorp.
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