The rivers in South Africa are subject to rapid fluctuations in volume. A river which is easily fordable in the morning, may by night be quite impassable, and this fact has had to be reckoned with by our Generals. Buller, in particular--"The Ferryman," as a humourist dubbed him on account of his frequent crossing and recrossing of the Tugela--found his operations greatly obstructed by the swollen river.] [Sidenote: Despatch of the Fifth and Sixth Divisions.] [Sidenote: NOV.-DEC. 1899.] _Despatch of the Fifth and Sixth Divisions._] When the news of the defeat of Sir George White on October 30 reached England the Government did not, as might have been anticipated, gather from this the extreme need for large reinforcements, or awake to the gravity of the war. Three battalions were ordered out to replace the men lost at Nicholson's Nek, but a steady stream of reinforcements was not kept flowing towards the Cape. There was talk of mobilising a Fifth Division, but the mobilisation was not begun until November 13, and thus 10 days were wasted at a time when every moment was precious. Nor was there any haste in the despatch of this Division; the first transport conveying troops belonging to it did not leave till November 24, the last not until December 9, forty days after the disaster. The Sixth Division was not mobilised until December. Had both divisions been mobilised on November 3 or 4, it may safely be predicted that the misfortunes which befell British arms in South Africa during the second week of December would not have had to be recorded. Whatever may have been the cause of these delays, it is certain that they occasioned deep disappointment, not only to the generals at the front, whose despatches again and again adverted to the necessity for more men, and especially for more cavalry and artillery, but also to the public at home, who throughout had manifested their readiness to meet any expense and to make any sacrifice to secure a prompt and permanent settlement. There were rumours of friction between the War Office and the Treasury, but Sir Michael Hicks-Beach has indignantly repudiated the charge of parsimony. Lord Wolseley has, however, frankly admitted that the forces of the enemy were underestimated; an error into which, unfortunately, we fall again and again. [Illustration: [_Photo by Argent Archer._ RESERVISTS AT KILKENNY. The photograph represents the playing into barracks at Kilkenny of the last batch of reservists of the King's Royal Rifles (3rd Battalion). Of this regiment the Duke of Cambridge is Colonel-in-Chief, and Sir Redvers Buller Colonel-Commandant.] [Illustration: PLAYING THE BOER GAME. British soldiers using ant-hills and boulders for cover.] [Illustration: _S. Charlton._] BRITISH CAVALRY DRIVING IN A BOER OUTPOST.] CHAPTER V. THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVANCE IN NATAL AND CAPE COLONY.