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Shuai Liu
Matt Glowatz
Marco Zappatore
Honghao Gao
Bing Jia
Alberto Bucciero (Eds.)
243

e-Learning, e-Education,
and Online Training
4th International Conference, eLEOT 2018
Shanghai, China, April 5–7, 2018
Proceedings

123
Lecture Notes of the Institute
for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics
and Telecommunications Engineering 243

Editorial Board
Ozgur Akan
Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
Paolo Bellavista
University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Jiannong Cao
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Geoffrey Coulson
Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
Falko Dressler
University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
Domenico Ferrari
Università Cattolica Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy
Mario Gerla
UCLA, Los Angeles, USA
Hisashi Kobayashi
Princeton University, Princeton, USA
Sergio Palazzo
University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Sartaj Sahni
University of Florida, Florida, USA
Xuemin Sherman Shen
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Mircea Stan
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
Jia Xiaohua
City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Albert Y. Zomaya
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8197
Shuai Liu Matt Glowatz
•

Marco Zappatore Honghao Gao

•

Bing Jia Alberto Bucciero (Eds.)

•

e-Learning, e-Education,
and Online Training
4th International Conference, eLEOT 2018
Shanghai, China, April 5–7, 2018
Proceedings

123
Editors
Shuai Liu Honghao Gao
Inner Mongolia University Shanghai University
Hohhot Shanghai
China China
Matt Glowatz Bing Jia
Quinn School of Business Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
University College Dublin Hohhot
Dublin China
Ireland
Alberto Bucciero
Marco Zappatore IBAM - Istituto per i Beni
University of Salento Italian National Research Council
Poggiardo, Lecce Rome
Italy Italy

ISSN 1867-8211 ISSN 1867-822X (electronic)

Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics
and Telecommunications Engineering
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 Preface

We are delighted to introduce in this volume the proceedings of the fourth edition
of the EAI International Conference on e-Learning, e-Education and Online Training
(eLEOT 2018) held in the dynamic, multifaceted city of Shanghai, PR China.
The main purpose of this conference is to offer a fruitful occasion for discussion,
dissemination, promotion, and cooperation in the core topics of e-Learning, e-Education,
and online training among the international scientific community. Therefore, our core
mission is to address the most recent and innovative trends in this broad area, ranging
from distance education to collaborative learning, from interactive learning environments
to the modelling of STEM (science, technology, mathematics, engineering) curricula.
The program of this year’s edition of eLEOT was especially interesting, as it
covered the advancements in the ICT sector, the most effective educational paradigms,
the most prominent learning strategies, and several other related topics, which were
brought to the attention of our community by engaged authors who sent their contri-
butions from all around the world.
This year, we received 120 submissions from seven countries. At least two Tech-
nical Program Committee (TPC) members were assigned for each submitted paper
during the rigorous, peer-review phase. At the end of the reviewing process, 74 papers
(acceptance rate: 61%) were accepted as they met the requirements of scientific quality,
novelty, and relevance set by the conference.
The coordination with the Steering Committee chairs, Prof. Imrich Chlamtac and
Prof. Giovanni Vincenti, proved to be key to the success of this event, as well as the
precious contribution of the general chair, Prof. Shuai Liu, the general co-chair,
Prof. Matt Glowatz, and the local chair, Prof. Honghao Gao. We also wish to thank the
publications chair, Prof. Marco Zappatore, the TPC chairs, Prof. Bing Jia and
Prof. Alberto Bucciero, and all the other conference chairs for their valuable support
during all the phases leading to the hosting of this conference. Special thanks also to our
EAI conference manager, Dr. Katarína Antalová, and to our EAI proceedings editor,
Dr. Eliška Vlcková, for their constant dedication and help during all these months.
We would also like to thank the City of Shanghai for hosting the conference and all
the authors who attended the event for their participation.
We hope that the readers find several interesting research themes and insights into
the topics in this volume and that they are encouraged to participate in the future
editions of eLEOT!

May 2018 Shuai Liu

Matt Glowatz
Marco Zappatore
Honghao Gao
Bing Jia
Alberto Bucciero
 Organization

Steering Committee
Steering Committee Chair
Imrich Chlamtac Create-Net, Italy

Steering Committee Member

Giovanni Vincenti University of Baltimore, USA

Organizing Committee
General Chair
Shuai Liu Inner Mongolia University, China

General Co-chair
Matt Glowatz University College Dublin, Ireland

Technical Program Committee Chairs

Alberto Bucciero Italian National Research Council (CNR), Italy
Bing Jia Inner Mongolia University, China

Publications Chair
Marco Zappatore University of Salento, Italy

Web Chair
Marco Zappatore University of Salento, Italy

Publicity and Social Media Chair

Xiaochun Cheng Middlesex University, UK

Workshop Chair
Shuai Liu Inner Mongolia University, China

Sponsorship and Exhibits Chair

Xiaochun Cheng Middlesex University, UK
VIII Organization

Local Chair
Honghao Gao Shanghai University, China

Conference Manager
Katarina Antalova European Alliance for Innovation (EAI)

Technical Program Committee

Vladimír Bradáč Ostravská Univerzita, Czech Republic
George Evangelinos Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Luca Ferrari Università di Bologna, Italy
Athanassios University of Peloponnese, Greece
Jimoyiannis
Sabrina Leone Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Francis Otto University of Reading, UK
Jaime Ramírez Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Eusebio Scornavacca University of Baltimore, USA
Jaime Meza Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
Jamshid Beheshti McGill University, Canada
Dudley Turner The University of Akron, USA
Josep Monguet Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain
Amruth Kumar Ramapo College of New Jersey, USA
Aldo Torrebruno Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Robert Law Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
Nicoletta Purdue University, USA
Adamo-Villani
Marco Zappatore Università del Salento, Italy
Ilaria Bortone Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
Radhika Pai Manipal Institute of Technology, India
Han Zou University of California, USA
Weina Fu Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, China
Wuyungerile Li Inner Mongolia University, China
Stefano Za Università degli Studi eCampus, Italy
Roberto Paiano Università del Salento, Italy
Nicoletta Di Blas Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Anna Lisa Guido Università del Salento, Italy
Shyam Diwakar Amrita University, India
Juan Augusto Middlesex University, UK
Abdullah Abonamah Abu Dhabi School of Management, UAE
Funke Apata National Open University of Nigeria
 Organization IX

Ed Currie Middlesex University, UK

Brian Hainey Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
Sujan Shrestha University of Baltimore, USA
 Contents

Discussion on Training Students’ Ability to Solve

Complex Engineering Problems from the Perspective
of Professional Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Lina Yu, Haizheng Gao, Fang Hou, Zhengping Hu,
Zhaohui Li, and Yingwei Li

A Brief Discussion About the Accessibility and Usability

of Web-Based Instruction in Software Design Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Na Zong, Wuyungerile Li, and Bing Jia

Research on Data Mining Technology of Social Network

Associated Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Yanxin Jiang, Xian Mei, and Guanglu Sun

Teaching Effect of College English Based on Cloud Class Platform . . . . . . . 27

Wang Yongqin, Han Mingming, and Lang Fei

Research and Practice on Advanced Language Programming

Teaching Mode Based on O2O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Lijuan Jia, Mingming Han, Shuang Gao, Yanpeng Zhang,
and Guanglu Sun

Machine Learning and Modern Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Mengqiu Chai, Yun Lin, and Ying Li

Application of WINDLX Simulator in Teaching Practice

to Solve the Structural and Control Related in the Pipeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Li Jingmei, Wu Yanxia, Zhang Guoyin, Men Chaoguang,
Ma Chunguang, Li Xiang, and Shi Changting

Analysis Model of Teacher-Support and Learning Engagement

in E-Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Jinlong Liu, Zhutian Yang, Zhilu Wu, Zhendong Yin,
Shengyang He, and Yunpu Shi

An Early-Warning Method on e-Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Jinlong Liu, Zhutian Yang, Xiangyuhan Wang, Xingrui Zhang,
and Jianying Feng

Research on the Innovative Education Practical Teaching Mode

of Electronic Information for Outstanding Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Yingwei Li, Zhiwei Li, Quansheng Ren, Lin Li, Lina Yu,
and Zhengping Hu
XII Contents

Research on Elective Courses Construction of General Education

in Web Technology and Practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Bing Jia, Tao Zhou, and Wuyungerile Li

A Model of Mobile Learning Application for Tertiary Education

in Rural Area in China: A Preliminary Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Da Zhong, Steven Kwok Keung Chow, and Shipin Chen

Research on Learning Resource Design Model Based

on Mobile Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Fang Li, Fei Lang, and Zeguang Lu

Analysis of Course “Applied Mathematics” in Postgraduate

Education Based on Change of Training Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Shuai Liu, Weina Fu, and Qiang Li

Research on Cultivation of Internet+ Innovative

and Entrepreneurial Talents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Ying Qin, Dayong Gao, Fei Lang, and Zeguang Lu

Research on Collaborative Learning of Training Task Based

on Cloud Computing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Jiamei Xue, Yuntao Wei, Meishan Li, Fei Lang,
and Zeguang Lu

Correlation Analysis Between the Regular Performance

and the Final Performance of College Math Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Yanxia Lu, Fei Lang, and Zeguang Lu

Teaching Practice Research of Electric Power System Analysis

Based on CDIO Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Zhang Xiaoju and Wang Xin

Research and Practice of Project Teaching Method in CAD/CAM

Course Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Chunyou Zhang and Xiaoju Zhang

Research on Cultivation Mode of Innovative Talents

in Colleges and Universities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Chunyou Zhang, Xiaoju Zhang, and Xiaoqiang Wu

Teaching Reform and Practice of the Course Mechanism Manufacture

Technology Basis Based on CDIO Education Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Lihua Wang, Li Li, and Xiaoqiang Wu

The Application of Hybrid Teaching Model in Electrotechnics Course. . . . . . 169

Xueyan Chen and Xiaoju Zhang
 Contents XIII

Research on the Construction of Teachers’ Team in Higher Vocational

Education in the New Epoch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Ruican Hao, Junliang Jia, and Na Zhang

Application of WINDLX Simulator in Teaching Practice to Solve

the Data-Related in the Pipeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Li Jingmei

Evaluation of Undergraduate Teaching Quality in Local Colleges

and Universities Based on the Discreteness of Postgraduate
Entrance Examination Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Yunzhang Rao, Wen Zhong, Cong Gong, and Liansheng Liu

Optimization of Courses System for Mining Engineering Guided

by Engineering Education Accreditation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Wen Zhong, Kui Zhao, Xiaojun Wang, and Peng Zeng

Optimization and Practice of Talent Cultivation Scheme

of “Regression Project” in Mining Engineering Specialty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Wen Zhong, Kui Zhao, Xiaojun Wang, and Guangzhe Xiao

The Research of the Effect of Applying AR Technology

in the Teaching of Higher Vocational Training Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Zihao Jiang

Html5 Web Design Course Teaching Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Yan-wen Jiang

The Application Research of SPOC Mode in Mobile Terminal

Application Development Course Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Hongfang Cheng

Teaching Experience for Non-computer Major App Inventor

Program Design Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Xianchuan Tang

Promoting the Hands-on Skills of Engineering Students

by Blending Practice Teaching Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Kegang Li and Wen Zhong

Reform of Practical Teaching System for Metallurgical Engineering

Undergraduate Course Under New Engineering Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Pingguo Jiang, Chunfa Liao, and Huaping Nie

E-Learning Data Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

Yanqing Wang
XIV Contents

Construction of Engineering Graduate Education System Based

on Cultivation of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Jie Yang, Haining Jiao, Wenyu He, Zhenli Zhang,
and Pingguo Jiang

Research on Blended Learning Activity and Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

Yanqing Wang, Guanglu Sun, and Hui Shi

Construction of Teaching Quality Assurance System

in the Context of Engineering Education Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Jianguo Sun, Duo Liu, Liang Kou, and Yu Lin

Taking Students as the Center, Discussing Some Thoughts

on the Certification of Engineering Education Major . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Yun Lin, Duo Liu, Liang Kou, and Jianguo Sun

Regarding Engineering Education Professional Certification

as a Starting Point, Do a Good Job of Audit Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Jianguo Sun, Duo Liu, Liang Kou, and Yun Lin

Research on the Related Teaching Method of Computer

Operating System Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Fu Weina, Yu Ping, and Liu Shuai

Build Up Peer Instruction Based Flipped Classroom

with Social Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Ying Chen, Fei Lang, Zeguang Lu, and Hui Shi

The Empirical Study on English Teaching Mode of Higher

Vocational Colleges Focused on Professional English Ability Training . . . . . 305
Lei Chen, Jie Yang, Xia Liu, Ze-guang Lu, and Fei Lang

A Survey on College Education Using Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

Xia Huang, Xia Liu, Yi-nan Chen, Ying-ying Liu,
and Fei Lang

The Construction and Practice of E-Teaching and Learning

Innovative Mode for the Design History Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tiejun Zhu and Michael Berry

Flipped Classroom Based on E-Learning in Computer Science

and Technology: A Case Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Chengyan Li, Jun Gao, Shenghui Liu, and Guanglu Sun

Using Twitter to Enhance the Students’ Skills: Motivation

– A Disregarded Factor in Educational Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Michele Della Ventura
 Contents XV

Mechanism of Virtual Learning Environment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346

Yanqing Wang

The Current Situation of Information Security and Prevention

General Course in Universities and a Teaching Approach Based
on Students Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Wuyungerile Li, Jiachen Liu, and Bing Jia

Research on Shared Information Management in University

College Reference Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Tao Bai, Yu Tian, and Wuyungerile Li

Author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373

 Discussion on Training Students’ Ability
to Solve Complex Engineering Problems
from the Perspective of Professional
Certification

Lina Yu, Haizheng Gao, Fang Hou, Zhengping Hu, Zhaohui Li,
and Yingwei Li(&)

School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University,

Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei, China
lyw@ysu.edu.cn

Abstract. China formally joined the “Washington Accord” and China’s engi-
neering education ushered in new opportunities and challenges. In order to meet
the requirement of “the ability to solve complex engineering problems”, we take
the profound teaching reform and the actual project as the background and take
the engineering technology as the main line. We should continue to enhance the
students’ practical ability. The development of new professional certification
standard can improve the level of engineering education at institutions of higher
learning and enhance the international recognition and competitiveness of
graduates. In professional accreditation, we should pay attention to the culti-
vation of students’ abilities to solve complex engineering problems, that is,
students are required to transform from learning book knowledge to solve
practical problems, which is in line with the idea of Outcome-Based Education.

Keywords: Complex engineering problems
Professional certification

Engineering education
Practical ability

1 Introduction

“Engineering education certification work guide” issued by China Engineering Edu-

cation Professional Certification Association: The teaching process of undergraduate
engineering education needs to be oriented to “complex engineering problems”. Under
the new situation in which the demand for innovative talents and advanced engineering
technicians in the country has risen sharply, the Ministry of Education has carried out
many engineering education reforms in practice, such as the excellent engineer edu-
cation and training program, the construction of CDIO [1]. How to cultivate students’
ability to solve complex engineering problems has become an important issue in
engineering education.
From the perspective of setting up teaching links in undergraduate course teaching,
project-based practical teaching and practical activities are highly significant links [2].
It is a comprehensive link for the professionals to achieve the goal of personal training.
It is a comprehensive innovative practice and a professional certification for graduation

© ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2018
S. Liu et al. (Eds.): eLEOT 2018, LNICST 243, pp. 1–7, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93719-9_1
2 L. Yu et al.

required the degree of achievement, which has a strong supportive role in the course.
With the goal of R&D, design, experiment and production, students should learn and
solve engineering problems in an active, which can enhance their knowledge of the
project, cultivate students’ basic knowledge of engineering, personal skills, interper-
sonal skills and teamwork Engineering System Capabilities to further enhance stu-
dents’ ability to solve complex problems. This article focuses on the analysis of the
specific connotation of complex engineering problems and puts forward some plans to
train students to solve complex engineering problems, with a view to gradually
improve undergraduate practical ability [3].

2 Constructing a Scientific Practice Teaching System

The result-oriented education is a kind of educational idea guided by the achievement-

oriented learning of students. The goal of instructional design and teaching is that the
students finally achieve the learning outcomes through the educational process [4]. The
core point is that students become “masters of learning”. Aiming at the ability to solve
complex engineering problems, this paper constructs a communication practice
teaching system scientifically and reasonably. As shown in Fig. 1.

Introduction to Engineering Engineering Engineering

Engineering foundation Special Synthesis

Voice system
acquisition analysis Object-oriented
processing system programming

Computer
Infrared Field Analysis Integrated Integrated DSP Technology
and Optimal Design of communications Application and Application
T - Waveguide design project Design

Microcontroller
Long-distance principle and
communication system application
design

Student practice project system

Fig. 1. Student practice project system

The practice teaching system of communication is divided into the following

aspects. Engineering practice includes basic experiments such as physics and other
basic experiments and circuits. It focuses on cultivating students’ good practice habits
 Discussion on Training Students’ Ability 3

and the concept of learning to apply, cultivating students’ rigorous learning attitude and
meticulous working habits, and achieving the training of students’ basic engineering
practice ability; The practice of engineering technology is carried out according to basic
engineering training and comprehensive engineering training; Comprehensive practice
includes production practice, professional design, technological innovation activities,
etc., which can cultivate students’ good engineering quality, engineering norms,
engineering awareness and engineering practice ability [5].
During the four years’ study, students undergo a series of practical activities such as
teaching experiment, curriculum design, professional practice and graduation design,
and most of them have special training or practice every semester. In 2015, in the
practice of electromagnetic field and microwave course, we added the discussion of the
current distribution of rectangular section metal waveguide wall based on “Coulomb’s
law and Biot-Savart law”. And in 2016, the design and implementation of the auto-
matic temperature control system were added to the practice of Microcomputer Prin-
ciple course.

3 Training Students’ Ability to Solve Engineering Problems

The electronic information engineering specialty taught by the author is an excellent

pilot project. The author conducted a three-level project curriculum reform plan and
added the corresponding course. During the process of writing the self-assessment
report on professional certification, we have deepened our understanding of the com-
plex engineering problems in graduation design and explored innovative ideas to
enhance undergraduates’ ability to solve complex problems by the reform of profes-
sional teaching. The author conducted a three-level project curriculum reform plan and
added the corresponding course. Teachers design different projects according to the
content of the course, assign project topics to students and four or five students in each
group, students team members conceive, design, implement and operate the project
together and finally according to the student’s overall performance score. The project to
learn the basic methods to solve complex engineering problems, which are to solve the
core of complex engineering problems, lay the foundation for students to move to work
eventually.
Based on this, through the actual project implementation, students can sort out the
basic principles, basic knowledge and basic skills of the course they have learned while
in school, and establish an appropriate abstract model through in-depth engineering
principle analysis [6]. Most of the engineering students are engaged in solving practical
engineering problems. Display complicated factors as engineering problems, and rea-
sonably simplified them as scientific problems with mathematical models. This not
only enables them to learn the basic process of solving engineering problems through
curriculum knowledge through actual engineering projects but also help to develop
students’ team awareness and academic communication skills. Training students to
solve complex engineering problems, but also lay a solid foundation for their future
jobs.
4 L. Yu et al.

3.1 Construction of Practical Engineering Environment

As the state pays more attention to engineering students’ ability to solve practical
engineering problems, related universities in China have studied how to improve
students’ practical ability. Although there are different research angles in colleges and
universities, there is a common problem that the overall practice environment can’t
meet the training program [7]. In particular, the lack of advanced commercial equip-
ment and technology systems has let students simulate related experiments only
through software simulation. Inaccessible to the latest real equipment, engineering
practice skills such as empty talk.
In the view of the requirements of professional certification for the ability training
of complex engineering problems, combined with the specialty of communication
specialty and the development trend of the industry, the author’s institutions succes-
sively cooperated with Huawei Communication Technology Co., Ltd. and Ruijie
Networks Co., Ltd. to carry out the cooperation between school and enterprises based
on the technical equipment of enterprises advantages, in deepening the capacity of
student engineering practice to discuss training mechanism, formulated a number of
personal training program. Undertook such as “Huawei Cup Electronic Design Com-
petition”, internships and other practical activities. In recent years, the hurricane
software innovation laboratory created by our university has achieved some achieve-
ments by the enterprises putting into the project funds each year and adopting the
engineering management mode. Currently developed by Wantong Universal Financial
Software.

3.2 CDIO Engineering Teaching Philosophy to Improve the Teaching

The traditional teaching model adopts the inculcating education method, pays attention
to the students’ academic achievement but ignores the students’ application ability, the
design ability. In order to cultivate students’ abilities to solve complex problems, this
paper proposes the CDIO teaching concept, namely conceive, design, implement and
operation [8]. Taking the life process of products as the train of thought, from design
and development of research and development to actual assembly and off-line appli-
cation, students’ engineering design ability, engineering management ability and
innovation ability are exercised throughout the whole process so that students can
understand the current enterprises’ Problems in the processes and methods. The CDIO
teaching model is oriented toward engineering design and aimed to cultivate practical
ability. Students can take the initiative to participate and practice through the organic
combination of course. Specific project implementation plan is shown in Fig. 2.
In the concept session, teachers put forward the project requirements. Students
collect information to complete the project needs analysis, teachers comment on the
students’ project analysis, and gradually improve students’ ability of independent
thinking during the interaction. During the design process, students should take the
initiative to analyze the needs of the project according to the concept. By consulting the
data resources such as dissertations and technical resources, the overall design of the
project is designed. The teacher mainly analyzes the feasibility of the project. This
process can train students’ design ability. In the implementation process, the students at
 Discussion on Training Students’ Ability 5

Conceive Design Implement Operation

Project overall
Student group program Understand Run the
design the process system

Check the
Group Hardware Software
information Make PPT
discussion production production

group
discussion Detailed project Test Simulation Project
design Summary
Report
Project needs
Program
analysis software hardware optimization
Project reply
Project Project detailed Project work
Analysis design report summary
Report

Fig. 2. CDIO-based project implementation process

the laboratory site implementation, including the entire process, hardware equipment
building, software debugging, system debugging, program optimization and other
sectors. Finally, to complete the project implementation summary reports writing. This
process is mainly to cultivate students’ practical ability, teamwork ability and so on. In
the running session, teachers should check the quality of the project and analyze the
problems that occur in the student project to ensure the reliability of the project
implementation. Finally, the results show this process fosters students’ ability to
communicate and synthesize.

3.3 Establish a System of Assessment

In order to effectively cultivate students’ ability to solve practical engineering prob-
lems, all aspects must be close to the actual project. Therefore, the core of the
assessment mechanism is how to evaluate students’ ability to solve practical engi-
neering problems. This requires organizational units and mentors to strictly enforce
process monitoring [9].
Specific Requirements in the practice of the project, first of all, strengthen the
management of the practical aspects of the project topics, open questions, mid-term
inspection, project reply and performance evaluation and other aspects of the project to
ensure the orderly conduct of the project. Strictly require students to take project
practice seriously, while strengthening management of students should also strengthen
the management of the instructor, to seriously examine the work of the instructor, to
check the quality of their guidance. In addition, graduates of the outstanding perfor-
mance of the design of the students and instructors rewards, but for those who can’t
meet the requirements of graduate design guidance teachers and students should be
punished to some extent, so as to form a fine style of study and graduation design
tradition and enable students to graduate the beginning of the design is not lucky.
Since 2014, the author unit has conducted outstanding project practice exhibitions,
and all teachers and junior students are encouraged to vote. During the review process,
6 L. Yu et al.

all of the design prototypes and design prototype system to be examined. Personally,
for students participating in practical projects, the author sets out the clear requirements
of the project at the beginning of the project. As long as the students have reached the
project design goals and demonstrated in the project team, they will complete the
project practice. In this end, let students develop a graduation design timetable, require
students to complete the task in strict accordance with the time node. Form a weekly
report system. This system is a warning to some of the more inert students. Through
these practices, students can gradually improve their ability to solve complex engi-
neering problems.

4 Conclusion

The ability to solve complex problems is an important part of undergraduate training,

and which an inevitable requirement for students to practice and innovate. In the field
of education, the vast majority of front-line teachers backbone and have a major
responsibility. Hoping that through in-depth study of undergraduate expertise during
the study for students to lay a solid foundation for work. Fully mobilizing the enthu-
siasm of instructing teachers and students and strengthen the effective management of
all intermediate links to students’ learning and life so as to develop students’ ability to
solve complex system problems and improve students’ practical ability.

Acknowledgments. This research is supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Pro-

vince, China under Grant No. F2015203253, Key Project of Science and Technology of Hebei
Education Department, China under Grant No. ZD2016161, Teaching Research and Reform
Project of Yanshan University, China under Grant No. JG2017PY03 and No. LRJG2017WT12.

References
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system reform and exploration. Chin. Univ. Teach. (314), 51–54 (2016). (in Chinese)
2. Li, Y., Wang, H., Wu, Y., Dong, P.: Construction of diversified practical teaching system
facing the ability of solving complex engineering problem. Cult. Educ. Mon. (741), 186–188
(2017). (in Chinese)
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(2013). (in Chinese)
 Discussion on Training Students’ Ability 7

8. Yang, Y., Meng, B., Wang, W.: How to solve the difficulties of “complex engineering
problems” in engineering education-based on the enterprise technology innovation perspec-
tive. High. Eng. Educ. Res. (274), 72–78 (2017). (in Chinese)
9. Yang, W., Liu, W., He, X.: Research on training model of electrical excellence engineer for
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Chinese)
 A Brief Discussion
About the Accessibility and Usability
of Web-Based Instruction in Software
Design Teaching

Na Zong, Wuyungerile Li(B) , and Bing Jia

Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China

31709080@mail.imu.edu.cn, gerile@imu.edu.cn

Abstract. Web-based instruction is the product of the new era and it

has the characteristics of time and place. So people can arrange their
own learning time and place freely when they are learning through the
network. Software design is composed of the processes of requirement
analysis, outline design, detailed design, implementation and testing.
Software design does not require too much basic knowledge for learners.
The software design processes can be realized easier via computer, so it is
suitable for network teaching. Now, the web-based instruction of software
design already exists, but it still has some shortcomings and needs to be
improved. In this paper, we first introduce the traditional teaching and
web-based instruction as well as the existing software design web-based
instruction. Then analyze the accessibility and usability of web-based
instruction in software design teaching.

Keywords: Software design · Web-based instruction

Traditional teaching

1 Introduction

The development of Internet technology has promoted the development of var-

ious businesses. We have made new changes in all aspects of our life and work,
including education. E-schools with different teaching mode have appeared in
the public field of vision, and web-based instruction has become a very common
phenomenon. Broadly speaking, web-based instruction refers to the teaching
methods that use multimedia devices or network technologies. In a narrow sense,
it refers to the distance learning method that connects teachers and students
through the Internet and computer [1]. The teaching of web-based instruction
in software design in this article refers to the web-based instruction in a broad
sense.

c ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2018
S. Liu et al. (Eds.): eLEOT 2018, LNICST 243, pp. 8–16, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93719-9_2
 Web-Based Instruction 9

1.1 Classification of Web-Based Instruction

There are many ways to classify web-based instruction. According to synchro-

nization of the web-based instruction, it is usually divided into two types, one is
the live mode, the other mode is taped. In a nutshell, live streaming is a simul-
taneous teaching of teachers and students. A live room usually has a dialog box
to get students’ real-time feedback on the content of the course. So the teacher
can master the teaching progress. The live mode has no spatial requirement,
but has strict temporal requirement. The teacher records the teaching video in
advance in recording mode. Then students watch and study. There are no real-
time dialogs in this format, but the teaching video can be viewed repeatedly.
Hence, the space and time are not required strictly in recording mode.
According to the spatial limitation of web-based instruction, it can be divided
into: short distance web-based instruction and long-distance web-based instruc-
tion. Short-distant web-based instruction is limited by space and time, so it is
basically the form of live broadcast. It is usually the case that the teacher and
the students are in the same room in short-distant web-based instruction. If only
teacher client, then teacher makes presentations. If not only the teacher client
but also student client, then teacher can do some operations as explains knowl-
edge, distributes file and locks student-side operations etc via teacher client.
Long-distance web-based instruction does not require teachers and students to
be in the same place. In other words, long-distance web-based instruction is not
limited by space, so it can use live form or recording form. But teachers can use
fewer operations that they generally have operations of explanation of knowledge
and prohibition of students’ speech. The short distance web-based instruction
is always as the auxiliary means of traditional teaching, but the long-distance
web-based instruction can completely replace the traditional teaching [2].
According to the network range, web-based instruction can be divided into
LAN teaching and Internet teaching. LAN teaching is required for space and
time, so it is suitable for the teaching of short range network. And the Inter-
net teaching is suitable for both short distance web-based instruction and
long-distance teaching.

1.2 Traditional Teaching

Traditional teaching is face-to-face teaching, and its teaching environment is

generally composed of blackboards, students’ tables and chairs, and lecturing.
Because of face-to-face teaching, teachers can capture students’ real and effec-
tive responses to the contents explained in a timely manner. Subsequently teach-
ers quickly adjust the contents, teaching ways and so on. Moreover, if a student
happens to be absent from class, teachers can generally find out and stop it in
time. If students have any questions, they can consult teachers separately after
the class.
On the traditional teaching class teacher teaches students in one-to-many
way. Because of limited teaching time and heavy teaching tasks, in general,
it is mainly the teacher explains and students listen in the class. During the
10 N. Zong et al.

class, teachers may ask questions and students think and answer. Students lack
initiative and enthusiasm for the reason that they rarely ask questions voluntarily
[3]. In the traditional teaching, the teacher’s explanation is generally irreversible.
That is to say, students need to follow their teacher’s explanation for better
understanding. If someone is hard to understand or distracted, or cannot see
clearly because of seat location, light or other reasons, it is likely to miss the
teacher’s explanation. If the student wants to complement the knowledge, he or
she can only ask teachers and classmates in private or wait for the teacher to
repeat this part of the knowledge. But because of this, students will learn more
seriously.

1.3 Web-Based Instruction

Web-based instruction is generally composed of multimedia devices, networks

and other teaching environments.
In the broad sense, there is also face-to-face teaching mode in the web-based
instruction, which is usually only the auxiliary means of traditional teaching.
Face-to-face web-based instruction has the advantages of traditional teaching:
teachers can obtain students’ real and effective responses, and teachers can
remind students of bad situations. And it has corrected the shortcomings of
traditional teaching, such as the use of computer fonts instead of handwriting
to avoid the misclassification of students. However, some shortcomings in the
traditional teaching are also reflected in the face-to-face web-based instruction,
such as the mode in which the teacher talks and students listening [4,5].
In the narrow sense, web-based instruction is long-distance web-based
instruction, and it can be a substitution for some courses. Long-distance web-
based instruction does not exist poor seat position, blackboard reflective and
so on as long as the network to keep it open. For students, the teaching effect
of long-distance web-based instruction is not different from that of traditional
teaching. Long-distance web-based instruction does not limit time and space,
so the degree of students’ freedom is greatly improved. And because it is not
face-to-face in long-distance web-based instruction, the shyness of students is
greatly diminished, so that they dare to ask their own questions directly [6].
Whether live (can be recorded in a live screen) or recorded, long-distance web-
based instruction generally allows multiple watch. It’s helpful for students to
understand the difficulty. But long-distance web-based instruction adds some
difficulties to teachers. Generally speaking, long-distance web-based instruction
can only watch teachers, and can not see the state of students, so the teacher
can not know the students’ response to the teacher’s explanation in time. Even
in the form of live broadcasting, teachers can only get feedback from students
by asking questions. This way not only the teacher grasps the situation inac-
curately, but also delays the time. And if students have problems, it is not as
convenient as traditional teaching, especially after class.
 Web-Based Instruction 11

2 Analysis of the Existing Web-Based Instruction

of Software Design

The theoretical part of the software design is not very different from the
traditional teaching in the web-based instruction. Their differences lie in the
practical part of software design. The practice parts of the existing software
design are generally divided into two kinds. One is short-distance. We can call it
classroom web-based instruction. One is remote, and we call it remote web-based
instruction. Classroom web-based instruction is generally the teacher’s on-site
operation for students to watching. If there are student clients in the class-
room, the teacher can do something with the student client [7–9]. Figure 1 shows
most of the teacher client’s functions given by the existing software of class-
room web-based instruction. The software has three functions: teaching, online
examination and management. Teaching includes teaching demonstration, writ-
ing on the screen, watching student screens, sending files to students, collecting
homework, roll call, special instruction, student demonstrations, locking student
client, warning students, groups discussions, etc. Online examinations include
making examination papers, invigilation, collecting test papers, terminating the
exam, sending answers, evaluation test, and statistics of results. Management
includes group management, seating arrangement, machine management, net-
work management, permissions setting, application restriction, and operation

Fig. 1. Teacher client’s functions of software of classroom web-based instruction

12 N. Zong et al.

restriction. Figure 2 shows that most of the functions of the student client are
given by the existing software of classroom web-based instruction, including
operation, presentation, sending information, online examination and request.

Fig. 2. Student client’s functions of software of classroom web-based instruction

Classroom web-based instruction solves troubles of traditional teaching due

to seats and other issues. And classroom web-based instruction inherits advan-
tages of traditional teaching methods, such as convenience of tutoring and so on.
Teachers can make sure that students do not have irrelevant actions during class
by looking at student clients’ screens and restricting their programs. But they
do not guarantee that students are listening attentively and weakening students’
real-time monitoring.
Remote web-based instruction is mostly recorded, and the operations of live
broadcast are less than the short-range. Figure 3 shows that most of teacher
client’s functions in the existing software of remote web-based instruction, and
they include teacher demonstration, writing on the screen, recording course,
sending files to students, collecting homework, group management. Figure 4
shows the student client’s functions of remote web-based instruction, which
include operation, presentation, and sending information.

Fig. 3. Teacher client’s functions of software of remote web-based instruction

Fig. 4. Student client’s functions of software of remote web-based instruction

 Web-Based Instruction 13

The functions of teacher client in remote web-based instruction are much

less than in classroom web-based instruction, and teachers almost completely
lose the supervision of students. But remote web-based instruction does not
require space. Teachers and students can teach and study wherever they want.
And the recording function allows students to repeat their studies where they
don’t understand.

3 The Accessibility and Usability of Web-Based

Instruction in Software Design

3.1 Extensive Applicability

Now, the existence of web-based instruction is common. Web-based instruction

has a wide range of application, including preschool education [10], primary
education [11], secondary education [12], higher education [13], adult education
[14], vocational education [15] and so on. In this paper, “web-based instruction”
is input on CNKI. After the search results are classified according to subjects,
it is easy to find that the proportion of computer software and applications is
large, reaching 17.30%. The specific situation is shown in Table 1.

Table 1. An analysis of the subject for web-based instruction

Subject Proportion
The theory of education and the management of education 27.36%
Computer software and its application 17.30%
Secondary education 13.60%
Foreign language and literature 9.48%
Higher education 6.36%
Primary education 5.53%
Internet technology 3.54%
Vocational education 3.35%
Medical education 2.31%
Other 11.17%

The population of software design learning is mainly concentrated in higher

education, adult education and vocational education. These students have basi-
cally completed the study of compulsory education. Software design is not
required for students’ basic knowledge. Each student has different grasp of
the basics of computers, but he or she can learn as long as he or she masters
computer-based operations. Other professional knowledge can be complemental
by learning. Of course, people who have no access to computers can also learn,
but they are only suitable for learning through traditional teaching methods and
14 N. Zong et al.

short range web-based instruction, which is not suitable for remote web-based
instruction. Therefore, for these three groups of people, it is feasible to learn
software design through network learning.

3.2 Supplement of the Deficiency of Traditional Teaching

Network teaching can alleviate the problem of time and space of campus learning.
In the information age, there are more and more people learning software design.
If there is no network teaching, for schools, the increase of students means that
schools need to provide more computers and classrooms for teaching. For full-
time workers, they can only study in their spare time at work. There will be a
lot of inconvenience: time is limited, and it is not sure, space also has a certain
limit [16]. While network teaching is not so high in time space, it can ease the
time and space of traditional teaching and the problem of resources.
Web-based instruction drastically liberalized the number of students. In soft-
ware design learning, it is subject to teaching space, equipment and energy of
teachers. Although traditional teaching is a teacher teaching a lot of students,
the number of students is very limited that fifty people are already very much.
Network teaching allows teachers to teach hundreds or even thousands of people
at the same time.
Web-based instruction can drive the students’ enthusiasm for learning. In
traditional teaching, students can only acquire knowledge through teacher’s nar-
ration and textbook. When the actual situation and the teaching material are
different, it will cause great difficulties for the students’ practice. When students
are stuck, they will get rid of their enthusiasm for learning [17]. Even if a teacher
uses a multimedia device as auxiliary teaching to demonstrate code, students can
only use their notes to memorize, not follow the operations. The memory of a
person is limited so that when the student is stuck, he or she will fade away
the enthusiasm of learning. If the students follow the teacher to demonstrate
the code, the students’ chances of mistakes will drop and their enthusiasm for
learning will rise.
Web-based instruction can reduce the teacher’s duplication of work. In prac-
tice, many problems of students are repetitive, but students are equivalent to
isolated islands. Their problems do not connect with each other. Therefore, in
traditional teaching, teachers need to solve students’ problems one by one, and
do a lot of repetitive work. In network teaching, a student raises questions, and
the teacher demonstrates solutions. Other students can get solutions. They save
time and reduce the workload of teachers.

3.3 The Feasibility of Teaching Environment

Software design is the process of analyzing software requirements, designing soft-
ware, writing code, and testing. The learning of software design can be divided
into two parts, one part of which is the theoretical part. It mainly studies the
things of concepts and designs all aspects of the software. The part of the learn-
ing achieved by web-based instruction is no problem. The other part is the
 Web-Based Instruction 15

practical part, which is the programming process and the testing process. This
part is mainly the teacher’s explanation and the students’ practice. Using a
computer for instance demonstration can achieve better explanation effect. The
student’s practice part must be operated by the computer. In short, both parts
of the software design can be done on the computer without having to use other
tools. And the web-based instruction also needs to be carried out in the com-
puter environment, so the teaching environment of the software design meets the
conditions.
Software design does not require teachers’ hands-on teaching. Web-based
instruction is very common, but not all traditional teaching can be replaced by
web-based instruction. Some of the content of learning requires a teacher’s face-
to-face guidance, such as the learning of basketball, web-based instruction is at
the most as an auxiliary means. Software design tools, computers, have not strict
operational requirements for users. If someone finishes the entire software design
with one finger, no one will think that the person’s design is wrong because the
person uses only one finger. Therefore, the teacher does not need to correct the
student’s mistake face to face. So the advantage of software design is that both
theory and practice can be done on a computer than other learning courses that
need to be implemented.

4 Conclusion

Software design is the process of requirement analysis, summary design, detailed

design, implementation and testing. In this process, many requirements for soft-
ware design are not high, such as interaction requirements between teachers and
students, time and space requirements, operation requirements and learners’
basic knowledge requirements. And software design teaching process involved a
single tool - the computer. Therefore, web-based instruction in software design
teaching is feasible and easy to use.
Software of web-based instruction in software design teaching has already
existed, and has a relatively complete function. In the course of short range
web-based instruction, a teacher client has three functions, such as teaching,
online examination and management, and a student client has the functions of
listening, examination and so on. In the distance web-based instruction, although
a teacher client has two functions of teaching and management, its sub functions
are much less than the sub functions of a teacher client’s in the short range web-
based instruction. In any case, the teachers’ interaction with the students and
the teacher’s monitoring of the students still need to be improved, especially in
the distance web-based instruction.

Acknowledgements. This work is supported by the project of “Elective course con-

struction of general education in Inner Mongolia University, the course of Information
Security and Prevention”.
Another random document with
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 There were a few Kaffirs belonging to the English there, and these
had to help me with my work that evening. It seemed just as if these
English Kaffirs were thinking, “How aggravating it is to have to do
with the Boer women;” but that did not help them a bit—they had to
work.
Fortunately, there was a water dam near the waggon, and we had
an abundance of water. I got dinner ready, but nobody made his
appearance; it was very late when at last the men arrived. They had
been keeping the prayer hour. General De la Key said, and I was
very glad to hear it; for does not everything depend on the blessing
of God? After dinner we went to bed; and the next morning, as it was
the Sabbath, we went to the laager where service was to be held by
a missionary who still remained with our commandoes. We had
hoped to take part in a pleasant service, but there was a good deal
of discontent among the people because Lord Methuen was to be
set free, and the preacher took for a text, “That it would be
displeasing unto the Lord did we allow such a man, who had dealt so
cruelly with our women and children, to escape untried.”
I said, “How bitter is the lot of man! We were all going to praise the
Lord, and now there is so much sin among us that we should rather
weep.” But it was true; it seemed almost impossible to be charitable
when one thought of all that had happened to so many women and
children.
They made Methuen come back. General De la Rey said to the
burghers, “There he is, what do you want me to do to him?”
When they had all heard what General De la Rey had to say about
the matter, it was agreed to leave it to the officers, and these decided
to let him go free.
General De la Rey came up to my waggon, and just then Tom
came straight from Lord Methuen and told us how he was longing to
go back, and that he was quite ill from dread at the thought of having
to go on again.
I had a fat chicken killed, and I took some biscuits and sent them
with the chicken to the wounded lord.
 However it may be, I could not bring myself to think it right to be so
cruel. People kept asking me how it was possible that I could be kind
to such a man. I said that so far I had never learned to hate anyone,
and that therefore I could still do good to my adversary; especially
when God gave me the grace and the strength to prove to my enemy
that, in spite of all the desolation and destruction he had wrought,
there still remained something over for me.
We were camping here under some lovely trees. All my people
had got here now, and many others kept coming for clothes and
tarpaulins and all kinds of necessaries, so that fresh heart was put
into them to push forward with their task.
After a few days we heard that a large number of “khakis” were
coming on from Klerksdorp.
“Yes,” I said, “now they will be after the Boers again.” General De
la Rey went to the commando to see that all should be ready to
receive the “khakis” when they came. However, they kept quiet for
the moment in Klerksdorp.
I had pitched my tent in a lovely little wood. Everything was looking
very well; the veldt was in good condition; my cattle were all doing
very well when suddenly the pest broke out among my animals. This
was very disappointing; however, it did not go so very badly with
them.
The week had come to an end, and I was just going to sleep on
Saturday night when suddenly General De la Rey and Ferreira and
young Coos came up to my waggon.
“I was not to wait for them,” they said, “there was such a large
number of troops in Klerksdorp, and we were not so very far from
them.” After they had had something to eat, we went to sleep. On
Sunday everything was quiet. President Steyn had also joined us.
We all met in the morning at service, and I asked President Steyn to
come and dine with us that day. We had a very pleasant time, and
heard nothing more of the English.
Early on Monday morning, just as I had got up, there came a man
all red with blood asking, “Where is the General?” “Here he is,” I
said. “General,” he cried, “there are the English.” The horses were
quickly saddled. I did not know how to hurry enough, to get all my
things packed, the “khakis” were now so near; however, we had all
learned to get ready quickly when the enemy was coming. Very soon
we had finished everything and off we started again, keeping a good
look-out to see that the troops were not closing upon us.
Very soon we had formed into a very large “trek.”
We started off from Brakspruit. At one o’clock in the afternoon we
stopped to rest, still not knowing what had happened in the night.
Later came a rumour that the troops had taken a great many
prisoners that night, and among others all the members of General
De la Rey’s staff. “What a fortunate thing,” I said, “that he had been
in the waggon that night; if it had not been for that he might very well
have been taken also. It was a merciful ordinance of the Almighty
that had so guided his steps.” We did not know at the time if all had
been taken or killed.
I went to the place of Roodewal; there we all waited, including
President Steyn. We kept a feast day there, Dominie Kestell holding
the service. We found a large community, with many women and
children. I was surprised to see how well they were looking. It was
now Saturday. On Sunday we had to fly once more, this time
towards the Harts River. From there we went on to Coetzee’s place,
where we arrived late in the evening. Still later, General De la Rey
arrived with his men.
In the morning, after we had had breakfast, the burghers all went
back to the commando. I got everything ready for our dinner and set
it to cook, and then went for a moment to the waggon of one of my
friends. We were sitting there talking, when suddenly there were the
cannon reverberating again not very far from us. Everyone tried to
get ready before everyone else; it was not very long before we were
all once more on the “trek.” There was now a very large number of
waggons driving on together. Some went towards the clumps of
trees, others went on over the veldt where there was no road. “It will
go hard with us to-day,” I thought, “the whole country is so bare; they
can see us from a very long way off.” Little Coos was close to my
waggons. He dashed off alone towards the commando. I felt very
nervous lest he might come suddenly upon the troops. The battle
went on; the people in the waggons had to get away from it as best
they could. Later it began to rain. In the afternoon things were quiet,
so that we were able to make a halt. The food that I had half cooked
in the morning had to go once more over the fire. “It will soon be
ready now,” I said.
In the evening we went on again. We heard that the camp of the
“khakis” was in Brakspruit, at no great distance from us.
Now we waited to hear in what direction they were moving. The
following day it began to rain very hard. I had no wood to make a
fire. We were standing there on a barren rise, looking out to see
which way we should have to go, and here and there I saw an ant-
heap burning. I said to the boy,[5] “Set one on fire for us, and put on
the ‘kastrol’[6] and let us try to get something ready to eat.” I had a
large green sailcloth, and out of this I made a screen, so that there
was lots of room to keep dry in, and very soon I had plenty of
company round me. That helped to make the time pass, but as for
eating or drinking, we could do neither. It took a very long time
before the ant-hill began to burn. I thought, “If only the ‘khakis’ would
wait till our food could be cooked!” We got on so slowly with the ant-
hill, the “pap” would not boil. Simson was doing all he could to make
the fire burn up—we were all very hungry. At last there was some
good soup ready, and we had friends with us to help us eat it, so that
we began to enjoy ourselves. We had just finished when there came
the order, “inspan.” Very quickly we got ready, and away we went
once more. That evening we had to drive on till very late. It grew so
dark that we could scarcely see anything, and yet we could not make
a halt. My boy asked what he should do, as he could not tell whether
he were on the right path or not. My oxen toiled on slowly, and I said
that we had better stick to the path and go on. We could not outspan,
as I had no idea where we were, and we did not even know now if
we were still on the path that the people in the waggons had taken.
On we went, and at last, late in the night, came to the waggons. All
was silent; everyone was fast asleep. I had nothing that I could give
the children to eat; and the first thing I wanted to do was to milk the
cows. We waited a little, but no cows came up. We had gone one
way and they the other; we could not get to them that night. I told the
boy to take an ox-yoke and chop it up for firewood, so as to be able
to get some water boiled and make tea. After we had had tea I went
to sleep. The Kaffirs started out very early in the morning to look for
the cows. The boy had been very good; he had looked after them the
whole night, and he now came up to us with all the animals. The
calves were close to the waggons, and the Kaffirs set to work at
once to milk the cows. How glad the children were to be able to
come to the pailful of milk!
[5] A Kaffir, Simson.
[6] Kastrol, from the French casserole = pot or deep pan.
It was a finer day; it had left off raining. We were now in the
neighbourhood of Schweizer-Renecke.
Then came General De la Rey to my waggons with the news that
all the Generals were to go the following week to Klerksdorp. I had a
great many people with me just then—General De Wet and many
others.
On Monday, after we had spent a peaceful Sunday all together,
the Generals started for Klerksdorp. I went to a place not very far
from Schweizer-Renecke, for the troops were stationed in great force
at Rooiwal, and were also scattered about at many other places.
Here were a great many “treks” of women and children, who were
also very much afraid of the troops. Our commandoes were not very
far away, so that I could easily hear if the “khakis” were coming. I
thought that if only they would let me stay quietly till the Generals
had left them I should be happy. But we kept on hearing of more and
more troops advancing. I said, “How can that be? I thought that while
the Generals were with them there would be peace for the time.” But
no; it grew worse. I had a great many people and cattle with me, so
that we kept ourselves well informed as to what the “khakis” were
doing.
We hardly knew now where next to go: the blockhouses were
hemming us in on every side—we had to be on the watch the whole
time. Suddenly we saw some horsemen come dashing on, and they
called out to us, “Here are the ‘khakis.’”
It was a dreadful commotion. Everyone was saddling and
harnessing. My oxen were not there, and I had no man with me to
help. There were many people, but they had to see to their own
safety. “Ah!” I thought, “if only my oxen would come!”
I did not want to be taken prisoner now after having escaped so
many times, especially when we were, perhaps, nearly at the end of
the terrible war. If only I could get off this time!
As people passed me they cried out, “Take your spider, and leave
your waggons and everything behind you.” I replied, “You go on.”
And the children began to cry, and to say, “What is going to become
of us? Everyone is hurrying on!”
“Let them go on,” I said. “All their women and children are
prisoners; why should they trouble about us?” The people who had
waggons abandoned them and hastened on. As my waggon stood
by the way-side they kept on telling me that I must come too—that
the troops were close at hand. At last there were my oxen coming
over the rise. The children helped to catch all the oxen that we could
get inspanned.
Then I saw a troop of horsemen riding up over the rise. I asked the
people passing me who they were—if they were “khakis” or Boers?
“No,” they said; “they are Boers.”
“Good!” I cried, but I hurried my people all the same. As soon as
we were ready the whips touched the oxen, and off we went at a
good trot.
After we had driven on some little distance the yoke broke.
Then for the first time a good Samaritan passed us. Ada said to
him, “Do help us so that we can get the ox yoked, and tell us where
the English are.”
The young man got off his horse and helped us, and he said that
the “khakis” were not so very near. We went on quickly, then
presently we heard that there had been a terrible fight. Many of our
men had been killed or wounded. Oh! what dreadful news for us! I
went on. Towards evening we halted for a while. After having eaten
we started off again, for we thought that the troops would be able to
get through to Schweizer-Renecke, and that we should be straight in
their path. Late at night we stopped to rest. Early next morning we
went on again; then, as we heard that they were not coming any
nearer, we halted in a place not very far from Schweizer-Renecke.
As it was near the end of the week, we wanted to stay there over
Sunday, and this we did. That Sunday I had a great many visitors.
I was astonished to see how many women and children were still
out, and how well they looked, although they were wanderers. We
talked about the peace that we were hoping for, though not for a
peace that should impair our independence. It was very pleasant that
evening to hear the sweet singing of the people as they sat near
their waggons. The following morning we went to Piet De la Rey’s
place, and as he was also with us we had made up our minds to stay
there. But it did not come off, for we found we could get no water
there. We went on a little farther, closer to Schweizer-Renecke.
My tent had just been pitched when Johannes De la Rey, the son
of Piet De la Rey, suddenly appeared. He and his brother had both
been wounded in the last battle.
I had a bed made up in the tent and put him on it, for he was very
much fatigued from wandering about since he had been wounded.
He was delighted to be able to rest. That afternoon he was taken
to the hospital in Schweizer-Renecke, his father going with him.
There were many more wounded. I went to visit them, and found
them lying in the devastated houses. We thought, “We must make
the best of it and take as good care of them as possible.”
Going to the landdrost, I told him that as there were troops in
Bloemhof I thought it would not be advisable to stay any longer in
Schweizer-Renecke. “Oh, no,” he said; “it is quite safe here. If the
‘khakis’ do come I shall know it in good time, and you need not be at
all anxious.”
 I said, “Very well, if it is really so then I shall stay on here;” but I
was not at all easy in my mind. I went to my waggon, which was
about half an hour’s distance from the village, and told the man who
was with me that if I were to follow my own instinct I should get ready
at once and leave the place.
He said that there was no need to go. I let myself be talked over,
and remained for the night, as they all thought that things were so
quiet. That night I slept well, and was still sleeping early in the
morning when up came my boy with these words: “Here are the
‘khakis’!”
This time they were right in the village, where all was in disorder. I
felt all the worse because I had remained there against my own
instinct.
My people hastened to yoke the oxen. Everything was lying on the
ground, but they packed it all into the waggons very quickly. We had
to see what was to be done. I asked, “Is the hen-coop open?” There
were still a few chickens out then. I said still, “Get the chickens into
it;” but the fighting was coming so near that we had to hurry on.
Then there was such a crowd of men and beasts that it grew very
difficult to make one’s way through and get away. Commandant
Erasmus came up and said, “Don’t you run away; it is only wedding-
guests who are firing like that; those are no ‘khakis.’” I drew up and
said, “Go and get my chickens.” The boy went back and then came
the news that of course they were “khakis.”
Then our flight was doubly hasty. The fighting now was much
nearer us. I thought, “I shall fly to the last.” Then I had more
misfortunes. There were the chickens out of the coop again. I said,
“Let us wait for one moment and get the fowls in first, and let the boy
come up with the cows; for if I can get no milk I shall be very
unhappy.”
The animals were all driven forward; the oxen were urged on and
we got on at a brisk pace.
The ground was vibrating from the firing of the “khakis.” The way
was full of sand and rocks. It was very rough travelling. I kept
wondering every moment where the boy could be with the cows; but
it was now a time when each one had to consider his own safety,
without troubling to look after me. I was waiting for the moment to
come when I should be taken prisoner. Fortunately, young Jacobus
De la Rey, son of Pieter, caught sight of my waggon and came up.
He took the whip and began driving the oxen onwards while he rode
on his horse alongside. He came out on the veldt with my waggon,
and, as he knew the neighbourhood very well, he said, “Aunt, I shall
do what I can to get you out safely.”
“Very well,” I said, “but you must not go and get yourself taken for
my sake. If the English come up with us, then fly away, I shall not
come to any harm. If they must catch me—well, then, let them do
so.”
The mountains were echoing back the sound of their firing. I said,
“There is one comfort, I cannot see any cannon; if they were to begin
to fire them at me I should have to give in then.”
We went on as hard as we could. Young Kobus De la Rey said,
“They are coming over the Rand.”
“Then we are in their hands,” I answered.
Then my boy came up with us and told me that the “khakis” had
taken my cows. They had so fired upon him that he had taken to his
heels and left the cows behind. That was bad news; I did not want to
listen to it, although we too were in great danger, and at any moment
they might come and take me prisoner also.
 “Our people”.
I told them that they could not go on any longer driving the oxen
like that. We should have to give in. But still the brave Jacobus kept
on, and said, “No, aunt, your oxen are getting on very well. Don’t you
worry about them.”
I could not understand myself how it was that my waggons were
not taken. There was not one commando there to keep the “khakis”
back.
I told myself that when the Lord is working His will, then the
greatest wonders can happen.
We came up to some steep ground when one of the yokes broke.
“Now they will be able to see us well,” I said; for we had to stand
still, which was very dangerous. But I kept calm and told myself, “My
Redeemer is here, and wherever I may go with Jesus it will always
be well.” And I clung fast to the hope that we should come away
safely.
When we had at last got away from these dangerous heights, it
seemed at once as if the fighting were quieting down. However, we
could not tell whether they might not fall upon us from in front, as in
that direction lay a woody and uneven country.
Very soon we heard that they had not come any nearer. But still
we went on, to get as far away as possible. Then we heard that
nearly all the people who had been that night in Schweizer-Renecke
had been taken prisoners, and that the very same landdrost who had
told me towards sunset that he would be sure to know when the
“khakis” were coming had had no time that very night to put on his
clothes and escape before they appeared. I thought how sorry I was
that I had not followed my own wish; had I done so, we should not
have found ourselves in such danger. However, it looked again as if
we were going to escape, now that the fighting was slackening.
After the Almighty I owed my freedom to brave little Jacobus De la
Rey and Louis De la Rey, who also did his best to get us away
safely. When the troops were so near that they could have shot at
my waggons, so that I wanted to stop, they paid no heed, but
continued to drive the oxen on at full speed.
I had so many children with me and dreaded so much to see them
shot dead before my eyes that at one moment I thought it would be
better to give in.
Fortunately, it was not necessary; the danger was now over. It was
very late before we could make a halt. I had nothing ready in the
waggons to give the children to eat; but none of them gave me any
trouble, not even my little Janne, who was only six years old. It was
so clever of him to understand that when there was nothing to give
him he would have to wait.
After a short rest we had to go on again. At three o’clock in the
afternoon we stopped. We had no wood, and my boy, who was
thoroughly dead beat, did not know how he was going to make a fire.
However, by the time the evening had come our food was ready.
 Now I had no more cows, so that we had to do without the
precious milk. If my little Janne could get nothing else, he used
always to be contented with milk.
That evening we went farther. As we were going to unyoke the
oxen and rest for the night a number of people came past, saying
that there were troops coming on out of Vryburg. “Ah!” I said, “my
oxen are so tired, how can I get on any farther to-night?” However,
after resting a little, I went on again.
At sunrise we halted near a farm, where there were trees with
undergrowth, so that we could get firewood.
Coffee was just ready when, before I could see to the rest of the
breakfast, there came the news that the troops were only a couple of
hours’ riding from us. We should have to go on again. We moved
very slowly, the oxen being so tired. Fortunately, we found out it was
not true about the troops coming from Vryburg.
Sometimes all my Kaffirs would be pulling at the sailcloth to hold it
down and fasten it securely, so that I would think that the awning
was surely going to be blown away from the waggon. It was dreadful
to go through those storms in the waggon. However, man’s nature is
such that when it is once again a beautiful calm evening he thinks no
more of the storms and the lightnings that are over.
It was again a calm and pleasant day; the “storm” of the “khakis”
was also over—they had gone back to Klerksdorp and we were able
to take a little rest. I went to Delport’s place on the Harts River. I had
lost all my cattle during the flight from Schweizer-Renecke. Here I
found about fifty-two head belonging to me, which had been driven
on with all the other cattle during the flight. But I did not get my cows
back; those had been looted by the English. I waited anxiously to
hear what our people were doing in Pretoria. A few days later they
arrived. I said how disheartening it was to have been so worried by
the “khakis.” They had been doing all they possibly could to harm us
during the time that the Generals were away. I was very glad when
they returned; then I could get news of my children in Pretoria, from
whom I had not heard for so long. A few days later General De la
Rey began his meetings. The brave burghers were having a bitterly
hard life of it at that time and their families were in great want.
Nevertheless, they would not abandon their rights. They were
determined to go on fighting for their freedom and their rights.
These brave men were depending, not on their strength, but on
their rights.
It was a very grave question to consider.
They had struggled for so long; they had given up wives and
children, and all that a man holds most precious; there might be
thousands of the enemy rising up against their small band, and even
shutting them in on every side; nevertheless, they had long since
grown to be convinced that it was not they who were fighting, but a
Power superior to the might of man. But many had been killed or
taken, so that they were greatly weakened, especially of late.
And worst of all were the defections and treachery.
When a man behaves treacherously it is a terrible thing.
For only think to what all that has brought them. Some became
traitors; too spiritless to help their own people, they were courageous
enough to take up arms to help the English; on all those rests the
guilt of their brothers’ blood. The result was to render those who held
on still more steadfast and to teach them still greater abhorrence of
treachery and of bad faith.
As they had struggled and suffered for so long, and it had not
pleased God to deliver them into the hand of their enemy, they did
not wish to be themselves the ones to do it. And I was entirely at one
with them, for their story and mine were one and the same. It still
remains inexplicable to me how for seventeen months I had been
able to fly with my children, many a day not knowing what to do.
It is often hard and difficult to “trek” round with so many children
and not to be able to get clothes and other necessaries for them.
And yet I was able to say every day, “The Lord has helped me and
strengthened me, like He helped the widow of Zarephath, so that her
cruse never failed her, but always remained full.” Often as I lay in
bed at night, feeling so depressed by the thought of what would
come of it all, did I repeat Hymn 22, “Rest, my soul, thy God is King,”
and the last verse, “Your God is King, be contented with your lot.”
And every day the Lord strengthened me in this manner, so that I
had no right to be faithless. And it was the same with our people.
They went on with their meetings, and every time they decided to
persevere and not give up. Everywhere it was the same.
I thought, “Who is it that makes the burghers so strong? It is
beyond man’s comprehension.”
Yet if one remembers the place of Golgotha, then one can better
understand.
That the Saviour must suffer so much, and yet be innocent, was a
difficult thing for His disciples to understand at the time. It was known
throughout the world that the Saviour must die, and undergo the
most cruel treatment, but men could not tell why it should be.
And we do not know why this people should suffer so bitterly;
some day we shall learn the reason.
When the meetings were over in the Lichtenburg district they went
to the Zwartruggens and Marico. I was then in the Lichtenburg
district.
As soon as the General had left Lichtenburg the “khakis” began to
“trek” on.
They were already advancing rapidly towards Vryburg. I heard that
they were coming on in such large numbers that I thought, “Why is it
that the ‘khakis’ can never let me have a little peace? I shall go
somewhere where I can stay in some little comfort, and I will not fly
any more, for they are busy making peace. Let the ‘khakis’ come if
they like.” People were all flying away with their cattle as hard as
they could. They advised me to let my cattle also go with the rest. I
said, “I do not know what will be best. I have not come across the
troops for a long time, and I do not know what they would do now if I
were to meet them.”
 I let myself be talked over, and sent all my cattle away. I had two
waggons; I let one go with the cattle. I remained with one waggon, a
tent, a spider and four cows. All the rest went in the flight.
The “khakis” came on in large numbers. They came swarming
over the ground. I said, “Where can all these ‘khakis’ have come
from that there should be such crowds of them?” Still I did not go
away, but stayed on at the place called Corsica, belonging to Mr
Meyer, where his wife was still living and some other women
besides.
We kept on hearing of large armies that were advancing. All our
men were away.
Suddenly we heard the sound of fighting not very far from us.
Then all at once we saw horsemen coming up over the rise. We saw
that they were Boers, and we asked where the troops were. “Not far
from here,” they said. “We have just been fighting with them.”
It was already late and the burghers went away.
In the morning we got up early, knowing that the troops would be
getting here very soon. We had not even breakfasted yet when we
saw them coming over the rise.
I thought to myself, “What will they do to me now? I have been
fleeing before them for eighteen months and they were doing all they
could to catch me, but in vain. Perhaps they will revenge themselves
on me now. But,” I thought, “the Lord has always watched over me
till to-day, and He will continue to do so.”
They stopped a few hundred paces away from us and rode up and
down there for a little while. Suddenly they dashed up to my waggon,
came up to where I was sitting behind, and one of them asked me
where the Boers were.
I answered, “There are none here.”
“When were they here last?”
“They went away from here yesterday afternoon.”
“Where are the commandoes?” he asked.
 “I know nothing about the commandoes.”
Then I told him that as the Kaffirs that were among the troops
behaved so badly and cruelly to women and children I did not want
to have anything to do with coloured people. I only had to deal with
white people, and so they must just keep the coloured ones away
from me.
He was polite, and said, “Very well, Mrs De la Rey, you shall not
be troubled by the Kaffirs.”
But they kept coming continually to the waggon. I thought, “It is
rousing their appetite for burning.” A Kaffir had already told my boy
when he was by the fire that this waggon and tent would have to be
burnt.
Colonel Williams came to my daughter in front of the tent and
asked whose waggon it was. When she had told him came the cruel
order, “It does not matter to me whose waggon it is. The woman
must get out, were she the Queen herself, and the waggon and tent
must be burnt.”
Then I thought to myself that I must now undergo that about which
I had heard so much from others. To think that poor women must see
their things taken away from them and burnt.
I was very angry, and I thought, “Do what you like, I shall say what
I think and what is right.”
I told them again then who I was, and said that I was not going to
let them burn my waggon.
For eighteen months long, ever since Lord Methuen sent me out of
Lichtenburg, I had wandered round with my children. If they wanted
to burn my things they would have to get an order from a superior
officer. I was not going to let them do it themselves.
The soldiers kept pressing closer. They had quite surrounded me.
I thought, “Who knows how cruel they are going to be?”
But here again I remembered that only as far as the Lord would let
them could they go and no further, and I did not lose faith.
 Then suddenly the one with whom I had been talking drew his
pocket-book out and wrote an order that the waggon, the tent and
the cows which I had kept should not be touched and that no harm
should be done on the place. And this was just when, a little way off,
in a dwelling-house, they had completely taken and destroyed
everything. They had taken away from there all the blankets and
more or less everything that the women had had by them. They used
to let this be done by the Kaffirs, who took great pride in being able
to act in such a manner to white women-folks.
And now the officer’s bad temper was quite cured. No one might
come near my waggon and tent now. The soldiers were ordered
back; a guard was stationed near us so that we might not be
annoyed by the passers-by.
I was delivered from them the next day.
I was longing now to hear what had become of the people who
had taken the cattle with them.
The report came that evening that they had all been taken.
Then we heard the sound of riding, and we wondered if that could
be “khakis” again. As we were just a handful of women and children
we would far rather it were not more “khakis.” They came riding up. It
was Dr van Rennenkampf and Tom Sisk. How happy we were to see
some of our own people again! I heard from them then that all those
with whom I had let my cattle go had been taken prisoners.
There I was now, quite helpless. The people on the farm were very
good, but they, too, were equally helpless. We had no living animals
that we could use for “trekking.”
The doctor had his cart and mules, and therefore I told him he
must just stay here with us. I felt as if I could die of sorrow; I had no
wish now to stay any longer, but all my cattle were taken and I could
not get away.
There was nothing here to slaughter; however, I thought to myself
that things had always come right somehow or other up to now, and
that it would be the same this time also.
 And there came a brave burgher with sheep for the women and
children. Thus did the Lord always provide that we never should be
without something to feed us.
And the doctor was there to ride for “mealies,” which was a great
help to us in those days.
The week was not yet over when we heard that the “khakis” were
coming back from Vryburg.
I said, “What am I going to do with the ‘khakis’ now? I thought they
were not coming back again.” And just a week after they had left,
back they were again. They came towards us in their thousands.
However, the doctor was with us now. Colonel Williams came up to
me and said that General Hamilton was coming to see me. He had
news of General De la Rey.
“Very well,” I said, “let him come.”
Then came Hamilton with a telegram from General De la Rey
asking him if he had met me, and what had happened to me.
He said that he had answered that they had met me and had done
nothing to me, and that all was well with me. We did not know
anything yet of what they had been doing at Pretoria. We were
anxious to have news of the peace negotiations, but I could not hear
anything more. The English behaved reasonably this time and did us
no harm. They wanted to stay on in the place, but there was not
enough water for such a large army, therefore they went away again.
I was so unhappy that I had lost all my oxen; and now the water,
that had always been troubled, was so dirty, owing to all the troops
that had been staying there, that I felt still less inclination to stop on.
Fortunately Mr D. van der Merwe succeeded in escaping with the
Government cattle. He gave me two beasts to be slaughtered and
two milch cows.
It was sad to hear the tales of how the “khakis” were now behaving
to the people. A woman came to me weeping and grieving bitterly.
“What is the matter with you?” I said.
 “Oh, they have taken away my big Bible, in which all my children’s
names were entered. They have taken everything away—nothing is
left to me; but if only I could get my Bible back!”
I said, “Why did you not hold it in your arms when the ‘khakis’ were
taking everything away?”
“Oh,” she said, “I and my children were standing there watching
everything in bitter anguish. We were in a ruined house. When they
drove the door in I could not bear to be with them any longer, and I
went out of the house with the children; and so they took it away
without my seeing.”
I said, “I think I should have been able to get it back for you; but
now they have, unfortunately, all gone away, and I am afraid I cannot
help you.”
These were the hardest days of all for me. My flour had come to
an end, and although the Boers had a small flour mill with them
when they were fleeing, I was not able to get at it, so that I had to
use my coffee mill for grinding. Having so many children with me
made it very hard sometimes; but the children had also been through
so much by this time that every difficulty gradually righted itself.
As they were still very young, and had always been used to go
regularly to school, it was often very wearying for them. It is not very
comfortable to be constantly wandering over the veldt, especially in
this fashion.
As we were here to-day and in another place to-morrow, it often
happened that we could not get a maid to do the washing. Then the
children would have to do it themselves. They would take the clothes
and put them in the tub, and then Janne and Hester would have to
tread on them. But Janne was such a little monkey, he was always
playing tricks on Hester, and then she would have to undo all his
mischief, and by herself tread the clothes up and down till they were
clean enough for the two little girls to finish washing them.
Sometimes there was very little soap. They would make starch out of
green “mealies” (Indian corn).
 There were many burghers who had been schoolmasters before
the war. When any of them were near my waggons they would keep
school for the children. After the waggons had been outspanned they
would all sit under a shady tree with the master and have lessons.
People were often surprised to see how well we were getting on for
fugitives. I said, “It does not all go as smoothly as you think;” but I
often wondered myself when I thought of how we got through day
after day.
We kept the calves close to the waggons, and while we were
“trekking” they would be marched alongside of the oxen. The cows
were sent on ahead, so that they could be milked in the evening; and
as long as the children could have milk they were always content.
Sometimes we would put the milk into a stone bottle, and thus be
able to get butter[7] and sour milk as well. Our supply of coffee,
though running short, was not yet quite finished. As we had so little
left, I used to cut up petatas[8] into small dice and dry and burn them.
These I would mix with the coffee beans—one-fourth of coffee to
three-fourths of petatas—and grind it all up together. This mixture
made quite good coffee.
[7] Butter.—Owing to the shaking of the waggon when
“trekking,” the milk in the stone bottle would gradually be churned
into butter.
[8] Petatas.—A species of potato.

We had all sorts of difficulties. The poor burghers were very badly
off for clothes. They began tanning sheepskins and using them. We
got quite clever at dressing the skins, and they were soft and clean.
If a man had a pair of trousers almost worn out he would patch them
up with skins. It was the same thing with boots. We called them
“armoured” clothes. The women and children took “kombaarzen”[9]
and made skirts and jackets out of them.
[9] Kombaarzen.—Blankets. In this case the blankets taken
from the enemy.

I had always kept up through everything. If life grew too hard in

one place I would move on to another; but when I had lost my cattle,
and could not leave when I wanted, many a day fell heavily on me.