THE GREAT BOER WAR. 
993 
suspense, at times hardly daring to hope, at the repeated gallant 
attempts to bring her relief. It was the stubborn defence of that 
outwork which stayed the advance against the Capital of your 
Country.” 
Colonel Royston, the gallant Commandant of Natal 
Volunteers, contracted fever during the seige, which, to the 
profound regret of his fellow-colonists, resulted in his death. 
The death-roll of our volunteers is a long one, and bears the 
names of ır1 Natalians who lost their lives during the 
Boer campaign. A tablet inscribed with their names has 
been placed to their memory in the Town Hall of Maritzburg. 
I£ sorrow and suffering, and loss of precious lives be the 
price of Empire in South Africa, then Natal has paid her 
share in full. 
Two New Colonies. 
The advancing force under Lord Roberts made a long 
but necessary halt at Bloemfontein. The men required rest 
after their arduous marching, and fresh horses had to be 
obtained for the mounted troops. . The railway line behind 
them, without which the vast army could not be fed, had to 
be repaired and secured. The Boers had torn up the line in 
many places, and destroyed bridges and culverts. "This 
enforced delay resulted in the renewed activity of the Boers. 
Led by General de Wet, they ambushed a force under 
Colonel Broadwood at Sanna’s Post, and captured 7 guns. 
Part of General Brabant’s Colonial‘ Division was isolated in 
Wepener, on the Basuto border, but succeeded in holding 
out until relief arrived. The Boer leader, General Joubert, 
died at Pretoria on the 26th March, and was succeeded by 
Louis Botha, as Commandant. He proved himself an able 
general both at Colenso and elsewhere. 
The advance from Bloemfontein began on the 3rd May 
Lord Roberts occupied Kroonstadt on the 12th without