.

THE CLEARING OF THE SOUTH-EAST.
Lord Roberts never showed his self-command and fixed purpose more clearly than during his six weeks' halt at Bloemfontein.

De Wet, the most enterprising and aggressive of the Boer commanders, was attacking his eastern posts and menacing his line of communications.

A fussy or nervous general would have harassed his men and worn out his horses by endeavouring to pursue a number of will-of-the-wisp commandos.

Roberts contented himself by building up his strength at the capital, and by spreading nearly twenty thousand men along his line of rail from Bloemfontein to Bethulie.