I am also deeply indebted to the _Official History of the War in South Africa_. Indeed, before the publication of this authoritative statement my task would have been impossible. To the facts therein recorded I have added extracts from officers' reports, and from Sir William's own letters, and also the words of certain important telegrams which I had found amongst his papers, and for the reproduction of which official permission has been graciously accorded. {xi} I beg the indulgence of the reader for faults of literary inexperience, and trust that he will recognise my honest endeavour to handle the facts fairly and dispassionately. BEATRIX GATACRE. _April_ 8, 1910. {xiii} CONTENTS CHAPTER I GATACRE . . . 1 CHAPTER II TO INDIA AND BACK . . . 13 CHAPTER III RANGOON . . . 38 CHAPTER IV SECUNDERABAD . . . 52 CHAPTER V BLACK MOUNTAIN EXPEDITION . . . 63 CHAPTER VI MANDALAY . . . 82 CHAPTER VII POONA . . . 98 CHAPTER VIII BOMBAY . . . 110 CHAPTER IX CHITBAL . . . 127 {xiv} CHAPTER X QUETTA . . . 145 CHAPTER XI THE PLAGUE . . . 161 CHAPTER XII FROM ALDERSHOT TO BERBER . . . 184 CHAPTER XIII ATBARA AND OMDURMAN . . . 198 CHAPTER XIV COLCHESTER . . . 214 CHAPTER XV CAPE COLONY . . . 221 CHAPTER XVI ORANGE FREE STATE . . . 239 CHAPTER XVII BACK TO COLCHESTER . . . 261 CHAPTER XVIII ABYSSINIA . . . 273 DESPATCH, APRIL 16, 1900 . . . 286 INDEX . . . 289 {xv} ILLUSTRATIONS MAJOR-GENERAL SIR WILLIAM GATACRE, K.C.B., D.S.O. (_Photogravure_) . . . _Frontispiece_ COLONEL W. F. GATACRE, D.S.O., 1888 . . . 74 KACHIN BRIDGE, OVER WHICH 500 MEN CROSSED IN ONE DAY . . . 90 GOORKHAS CROSSING THE LOWARI PASS . . . 134 ON THE ROAD TO CHITRAL . . . 138 GENERAL GATACRE AND HIS FAVOURITE PONY . . . 142 BELUCHI MURDERERS . . . 158 HINDU BURNING-GHAT . . . 162 HOUSE-TO-HOUSE VISITATION . . . 172 INVASION OF CAPE COLONY: THE BOERS MARCHING SOUTH OVER THE ORANGE RIVER AT ALIWAL NORTH . . . 224 MAPS _At the end_ MAP I. INDIA [Transcriber's note: this map was omitted, being too large to scan.] MAP II. EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN MAP III. EASTERN CAPE COLONY AND PART OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE MAP IV. ABYSSINIA {1} GENERAL GATACRE 1843-1906 CHAPTER I 1843-1862 GATACRE According to a venerable Shropshire antiquarian, that county "has ever been inhabited by a race of men characteristic for uniformity of principle and energy of action."[1] Mr. Eyton goes on to tell of various places mentioned in the Domesday Book, and among these of the Manor of Claverley, which included a very large tract of country, and is described as an "ancient demesne of the Crown." The Manor of Claverley was broken up into various townships, to three of which he accords special notice, "in regard that the King's Tenants thereof were of a rank superior to that of the average class of Freeholders in Royal Manors. These Townships were Broughton, Beobridge, and Gatacre."[2]