They were so
unfortunate as to call upon the Deity to testify to the truth of their
assertions. This roused Steyn's ire.
"How dare you be guilty of such sacrilege?" he cried. "It is this cursed
habit of yours of using God's name upon every trivial occasion that
makes our enemies think us a nation of hypocrites! Back to your
commandoes at once!"
The men slunk away. We enjoyed their discomfiture in a measure, for,
with all reverence for true religion, it must be confessed that many of
these gentry thought psalm-singing all that was required of them, and
did not hesitate to leave their less "elect" brethren to bear the brunt
of the fighting.
After breakfast I walked down to the telegraph line connecting Heilbron
and Frankfort, which ran past this point. Taking about ten yards of
"cable" wire, I cleaned about a foot of it in the middle, tied one end
to my spanner, and threw the latter over the line. The swing carried it
over a second time, the two ends hanging just above the ground.
Attaching one end to the instrument, I heard the English telegraphist
in Heilbron calling up Kroonstadt, and the Boer telegraphist in
Frankfort working to Reitz.
I immediately climbed the pole and cut the Frankfort side of the line.
Then I took another piece of cable, and connected the earth terminal of
the vibrator with the telegraph pole.
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