ject in making this arrangement was that when on the following
morning we were crossing the mountains, he might be able to hinder the
enemy at Thaba'Nchu from either checking our advance, or sending
reinforcements to the Springhaansnek forts.

And in point of fact, Prinsloo's commando proved to be our salvation;
for the English, from their high position at Thaba'Nchu, spied us as
soon as day broke, and indeed sent troops to reinforce the point for
which we were making. But Prinsloo succeeded in holding them in check,
so that when we arrived at Springhaansnek we had to fight against strong
positions, but against nothing else--but I must not anticipate.

Before it began to be light on the morning of the 14th of December,
Commandant Prinsloo passed through the enemy's lines between the forts.
The English fired upon him, but he did not turn back. Then a small
outpost of the enemy, which lay half-way between the forts, made an
attempt to turn the oncoming burghers by shooting at them from the
front. The Commandant only gave strict orders that the men must force
their way through. The consequence was that two of the enemy, who did
not get out of the way in time, were literally ridden over. The burghers
thought that these two unfortunate men had been trodden to death by the
horses, but it was not likely that any of them would dismount to see if
this were actually the case.

As I have already said, General Botha and I were in the rearguard. We
knew, however, that Vice-Commandant-in-Chief Piet Fourie--a man whom
nothing on earth would stop, if he had once made up his mind--was
leading the van, and that he was supported by Veldtcornet Johannes
Hattingh, who was as resolute and undaunted as his chief.

Fourie did not wait for us to catch him up, but at once went down the
mountain side. When we saw this, General Botha and I rode with all speed
ahead, telling the burghers to come on more gently with their weary
horses. I did not fear thus to leave them behind, because I knew that
General Knox was still a long way in the rear.

Just as General Fourie, leading the first storming-party, had passed
between the forts, we came up with him, our burghers still straggling on
behind us. As soon as we had crossed over the first piece of rising
ground, I halted my men, and ordered them to leave their horses out of
sight of the enemy, and to return to the brow of the hill, so as to be
able to fire into the forts on the right and left hand, w