CHAPTER XIV.
ACROSS THE TRANSVAAL TO PRETORIA DURING THE WAR "There never was a good war or a bad peace."-- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
On Sunday morning, June 4, we packed into a Cape cart, with four siege horses in fair condition, and started to drive to Zeerust.

It was a glorious day of blue skies and bright sun, with just enough breeze to prevent the noonday from being too hot.

As we left Mafeking and its outworks behind, I had a curious feeling of regret and of gratitude to the gallant little town and its stout citizens: to the former for having been a haven in the midst of fierce storms during all these months; to the latter for their stout arms and their brave hearts, which had warded off the outbursts of the same tempests, whose clouds had hung dark and lowering on our horizon since the previous October.

We also experienced a wonderful feeling of relief and freedom at being able to drive at will over the very roads which we had seen covered by Boer waggons, burghers, and guns, and, needless to say, we marked with interest the lines of their forts, so terribly near our little town.

We noted the farmhouse lately the headquarters of General Snyman, standing naked and alone.