y Commandant-General,
and escort of two men to show us the road to the nearest drift over
the Vaal River, distant twenty-five miles, and by which P. Joubert
personally told us both we should cross, as there was a punt there.
We started about 1 P.M. from the Boer camp, passing through the town
of Heidelberg. After going about six or eight miles I noticed we
were not going the right road, and mentioned the fact to the escort,
who said it was all right. Having been 'look-out' officer in the
Transvaal, I knew the district well. I was certain we were going
wrong, but we had to obey orders. At nightfall we found ourselves
nowhere near the river drift; and were ordered to outspan for the
night, and next morning the escort told us they would look for the
drift. In spanning at daybreak we again started, but after driving
about for some hours across country, I told the escort we would stop
where we were while they went to search for the drift. Shortly after
they returned and said they had found it, and we must come, which we
did, eventually arriving at the junction of two rivers (Vaal and
Klip), where we found the river Vaal impassable, but which they said
we must cross. I pointed out that it was impossible to get my
carriage or horses over by it, and that it was not the punt the
General said we were to cross. The escort replied it was to
Pretorius' Punt that the General told them to take us, and we must
cross; that we must leave the carriage behind and swim the horses,
which we refused to do, as we should then have had no means of
getting on. I asked them to show me their written instructions,
which they did (written in Dutch), and I pointed out that the name
of Pretorius was not in it. I then told them they must either take
us back to the Boer camp again or on to the proper drift. We turned
back, and after going a few miles the escort disappeared. Not
knowing where we were, I proposed to Captain Elliot we should go to
the banks of the Vaal and follow the river till we came to the
proper punt. After travelling all Monday, Tuesday, and up till
Wednesday about 1 P.M., when we found ourselves four hours, or
twenty-five miles, from Spencer's Punt, we were suddenly stopped by
two armed Boers who handed us an official letter, which was opened
and found to be from the Secretary to the Republican Government,
stating that the members were surprised that as officers and
gentlemen we had broken our _parole d'honneur_ and refused to leave