e, there was such large numbers
of the enemy on every side that they gave me no opportunity of carrying
out my original intention.

I may mention here that Lieutenant Malan, who became afterwards
Commandant, and ultimately Vechtgeneraal, had penetrated into the Colony
with fifty or sixty men, and had advanced considerably farther than I
had done.

That afternoon I ordered the small waggon to proceed to a point between
Philipstown and Petrusville.

We had several slight skirmishes with the English; and at sunset we
nearly fell into their hands, but fortunately we were successful in
holding the enemy in check until our small laager had passed.

During that night we marched to Hondeblaf River. The following morning
we found that there was no grass for the horses, for the locusts had
eaten it all. The horses, poor creatures, were very hungry, and also
much exhausted by all those forced marches. When we had been at Winburg,
the pasture had been very poor although it had rained every day. This,
of course, was very good for the veldt; but unfortunately it did not
rain grass--the veldt required time to produce it.

All this was most unlucky. Already some of my men had to go on foot, and
there were no horses to be obtained in that district.

The number of my burghers had now been diminished by nearly six hundred
men. Commandant Prinsloo had remained behind with three hundred men,
Vice-Commandant Van Tonder with one hundred, and lastly, Commandant De
Vos at the Orange River with two hundred.

There was now only one course open to us--and that was to cross as
quickly as possible the railway line near Hopetown, for if an English
force was brought down by rail, it would mean our utter destruction.

We accordingly moved away at once from Hondeblaf River. The following
day the English were again hot on our track. I ordered General Fourie
and General Froneman to oppose the enemy, for it was necessary that
something should be done to save our rearguard from being cut off. These
Generals had several sharp engagements with the English, resulting in
the capture of a number of prisoners, and a considerable loss in dead
and wounded to the English.

After we had been on the march for a short time, a "Broodspioen"[86]
came rushing up to me. (Had not my scouts been riding in a different
direction they would have given me notice of his proximity.) He told me
that he and a friend of his of the same calling had gone to a farm near
by to