"I don't wish to cause an alarm, but on coming along about a mile from
here we heard men calling to each other in English. At one o'clock the
British were only fifteen miles from here; your bonfire may have drawn a
patrol hither."
"What is it? Who has arrived?" asked Steyn, coming out of his tent. We
gave him all the information we had gained. He immediately ordered all
lights to be extinguished, and sent the guard to find out what the
voices meant. All were relieved when it turned out to have been merely a
couple of the President's bodyguard searching for their horses.
Early the next morning a couple of deserters were brought in. They had
been caught trying to slip past in the night. One said he had a sick son
at home, and was only going to see him, perhaps for the last time. The
other was going home to fetch better horses, and so forth. They were so
unfortunate as to call upon the Deity to testify to the truth of their
assertions. This roused Steyn's ire.
"How dare you be guilty of such sacrilege?" he cried. "It is this cursed
habit of yours of using God's name upon every trivial occasion that
makes our enemies think us a nation of hypocrites! Back to your
commandoes at once!"
The men slunk away. We enjoyed their discomfiture in a measure, for,
with all reverence for true religion, it must be confessed that many of
these gentry thought psalm-singing all that was required of them, and
did not hesitate to leave their less "elect" brethren to bear the brunt
of the fighting.
After breakfast I walked down to the telegraph line connecting Heilbron
and Frankfort, which ran past this point. Taking about ten yards of
"cable" wire, I cleaned about a foot of it in the middle, tied one end
to my spanner, and threw the latter over the line. The swing carried it
over a second time, the two ends hanging just above the ground.
Attaching one end to the instrument, I heard the English telegraphist
in Heilbron calling up Kroonstadt, and the Boer telegraphist in
Frankfort working to Reitz.
I immediately climbed the pole and cut the Frankfort side of the line.
Then I took another piece of cable, and connected the earth terminal of
the vibrator with the telegraph pole. The British signals now came
through beautifully clear. The first message that passed was one from
General Hamilton to Lord Roberts, announcing his arrival at Heilbron,
the details of the two engagements fought during the march, the number
of killed and wounded, and the state of his force--"often hungry, but
cheerful." Then followed some others of lesser importance. The
President's party were just driving away. I left my assistant with the
vibrator, ran across to the road, and handed His Honour the messages. He
smiled as he read the report and appeared highly gratified. After a few
words of encouragement to me he drove on, and I returned to the line.
The signals were now so weak, however, that nothing could be
distinguished.
We saddled our horses and rode towards Heilbron, intending to try again
closer to the town. We had not gone far before the captain of the
despatch riders and one of his men overtook us. They had been ordered by
the President to place themselves at my disposition. Four men would
have attracted too much attention, however, and I persuaded them to
return. We two rode on until almost on top of the hill overlooking
Heilbron, when we dismounted. Drawing the horses behind a low stone
wall, we attached the instrument to the line. I listened. There were no
fewer than five different vibrators calling each other, some strong and
clear, others sounding weak and far, like "horns of Elfland faintly
blowing." Presently the disputing signals died away, and one musical
note alone took up the strain.
Never was lover more absorbed in the thrilling sound of his divinity's
voice than I in the notes of that vibrator, seemingly wailing up from
the bowels of the earth.
Nor was my attention unrewarded.
"From Chief of Staff, Honingspruit," came the words, "to General
Hamilton, Heilbron." Then followed orders. How Hamilton was to march
from Heilbron; how Broadwood was to move from Ventersburg, the entire
plan of campaign for the next few weeks! A mass of information to
gladden the heart of our steadfast chief. "Hurrah!" we whispered to each
other, as I carefully put the precious message in a safe place.
Then some harsh, grating sounds were heard in the microphone. The wires
were evidently being overhauled in Heilbron. Complete silence followed.
Hearing a couple of shots fired on our left, we removed all traces of
our work and rode back to our starting-point, well satisfied with the
valuable information we had so fortunately obtained. I at once sent my
assistant after the President with the despatch. Fearing that the enemy
might send a patrol here during the night, I left for Frankfort, and
arrived there at midnight. Before leaving, however, I had instructed my
assistant to join up the line where I had cut it, if upon his return the
next morning he should find the place still free from the enemy.