Then,
having left them, and walked boldly back towards their stronghold, he
crept away amongst some rocks and rejoined me.
His was an example of the work of a field spy which, although in a way
it may be cunning and deceitful, at the same time demands the greatest
personal courage and astuteness. It is something greater than the
ordinary bravery of a soldier in action, who is carried on by the
enthusiasm of those around him under the leadership of an officer, and
with the competition and admiration of others.
The pluck of the man who goes out alone, unobserved and unapplauded,
and at the risk of his life, is surely equally great.
The Boers used field spies freely against us in South Africa.
One English-speaking Boer used to boast how, during the war, he made
frequent visits to Johannesburg dressed in the uniform taken from a
British major who had been killed in action. He used to ride past
the sentries, who, instead of shooting him, merely saluted, and he
frequented the clubs and other resorts of the officers, picking up
such information as he required from them first hand, till evening
came and he was able to ride back to his commando.
CONVEYING INFORMATION.
On our side various methods were adopted of conveying information
in the field. My spies employed native runners (especially the most
astute cattle-thieves) to take their despatches to me.
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