the British
troops. I asked myself whether it was possible for me to capture it then
and there, and came to the conclusion that it was out of the question.
With so many of the enemy's troops in the neighbourhood, the risk would
have been too great. I, therefore, still kept in hiding with my three
hundred and fifty burghers.

I remained where I was throughout the next day; but in the evening I saw
the convoy camping near Blauwbank, just to the west of the Riet River. I
also observed that the greater part of the troops had gone forward with
Lord Roberts.

On the 18th I still kept hidden, for the English army had not yet moved
out of camp. The troops, as I learnt afterwards, were awaiting the
arrival of columns from Belmont Station.

On the following day I attacked the convoy on the flank. The three or
four hundred troops who were guarding it offered a stout resistance,
although they were without any guns.

After fighting for two hours the English received a reinforcement of
cavalry, with four Armstrong guns, and redoubled their efforts to drive
us from the positions we had taken up under cover of the mule waggons.
As I knew that it would be a serious blow to Lord Roberts to lose the
provisions he was expecting, I was firmly resolved to capture them,
unless the force of numbers rendered the task quite impossible. I
accordingly resisted the enemy's attack with all the power I could.

The battle raged until it became dark; and I think we were justified in
being satisfied with what we had achieved. We had captured sixteen
hundred oxen and forty prisoners; whilst General Fourie, whom I had
ordered to attack the camp on the south, had taken several prisoners and
a few water-carts.

We remained that night in our positions. The small number of burghers I
had at my disposal made it impossible for me to surround the English
camp.

To our great surprise, the following morning, we saw that the English
had gone. About twenty soldiers had, however, remained behind; we found
them hidden along the banks of the Riet River at a short distance from
the convoy. We also discovered thirty-six Kaffirs on a ridge about three
miles away. As to the enemy's camp, it was entirely deserted. Our booty
was enormous, and consisted of two hundred heavily-laden waggons, and
eleven or twelve water-carts and trollies. On some of the waggons we
found klinkers,[19] jam, milk, sardines, salmon, cases of corned beef,
and other such provisions in great