The 1st of September was a red-letter day in the annals of the campaign, for Lord Roberts took the occasion to issue from the army headquarters, Belfast, proclamations formally announcing the fact that "The Transvaal will henceforth form part of her Majesty's dominions." The campaign was now developing into little more than guerilla warfare, for Mr. Kruger's days in the Transvaal were numbered, while he had practically abdicated the functions of government. Certainly he had gone through the form of appointing Mr. Schalk Burger to take his place, but the action was a mere figure of speech, this Dutchman being nicknamed "flighting general" by his own burghers, and his nomination was of no account in regard to the proceedings which were expressly made public to bring home to the minds of the burghers the real facts of the situation and the futility of flying longer in the face of the inevitable. This definite move afforded considerable satisfaction even among the supposed "irreconcilables," as the inconvenience of serving two masters had rendered their situation almost unbearable. The 2nd of September found Lord Dundonald's mounted troops at Nooitgedacht, and General French's Cavalry at Waterval Onder, while General Buller was engaged in making a reconnaissance of the Boer position towards Lydenburg, the dispersed parties having so disposed themselves that the complete scouring of the surrounding country became necessary. (It must be noted that the Natal Field Force at this time was divided, part of it being occupied in guarding the line of communications. General Wolfe Murray protected the district between Ladysmith and Newcastle; General Hildyard that between Newcastle and Platrand; and General Clery that between Platrand and Heidelburg.) In the passes of the impenetrable mountains overlooking the town of Lydenburg, Botha, with 2000 burghers, was found to have fortified himself. He took care on the advent of the South African Light Horse to give the dashing Colonists a reception with three Long Toms and a high-velocity gun, which put to the test their admirable courage and that of the Composite Regiment which occupied the right of the basin into which murderous missiles poured the whole day without stint. The Boers in their precipitous cliffs and their forbidding ravines were too strong to be turned, and fortunately there was no necessity now for the frontal attacks which had been forced upon General Buller in the early days of the war when he had been left to fling himself against living mountains with the thinnest of "thin red (or khaki) lines." He forthwith called for reinforcements, and quickly got them. General Ian Hamilton (who had arrived with a strong force at Belfast) pushed along the direct Belfast-Dulstroom road to his succour. Assisted by Brocklehurst's brigade of cavalry, amidst passes, and gorges, and acclivities, he endeavoured to work round by Helvetia to turn the Boer right flank, while Buller