78 Pages - The Black Vault

horseshoe bend of the river, as this would allow anenemy practically to surround it. My choice thereforefell on a spot to which the ground gently rosefrom the river bank, some 700 to 800 meters southof the drift. Here I arranged to dig a trench roughlyfacing the front (north), which thus would have about800 meters clear ground on its front. We started tomake a trench about 50 meters long for my 50 men,according to the usual rule.(See Map 4.)Some little time after beginning, the patrols camein, having collected three Dutchmen and two boys,and about thirteen Kaffirs. The former, the leader ofwhom seemed a man of education and some importance,were at first inclined to protest when theywere given tools to dig trenches for themselves,showed bundles of “passes,” and talked very bigabout complaining to the general, and even as to aquestion in the “House” about our brutality. Thismomentarily staggered me, as I could not help wonderingwhat might happen to poor BF if the memberfor Upper Tooting should raise the point; but Westminsterwas far away, and I hardened my heart. Finallythey had the humour to see the force of the argument,that it was, after all, necessary for their ownhealth, should the post be attacked, as they, wouldotherwise be out in the open veld.The Kaffirs served as a welcome relief to my menas they got tired. They also dug a separate hole forthemselves on one side of and behind our trench, ina small ravine.By evening we had quite a decent trench dug--28