uch for them; they first
halted, and then--retreated to a ridge about 1700 yards to their left.
This retreat afforded us an exit. We were, however, exposed to a
cross-fire for fully three miles, but it proved ineffectual, for only
one burgher was slightly wounded.

If the enemy had not retreated that day, or had only occupied a certain
brook, through which we had to pass, it would have been impossible for
us to escape. But if there were no _ifs_ there would not have been such
a lamentable war in South Africa. Neither would such unpardonable
blunders have been committed.

We were glad that the enemy had allowed us to pass. That night we
crossed the fighting-line near to Sprinkhaan's Nek, where General De Wet
and his men had such a hot reception.

BETWEEN TWO RIVERS AND FIVE COLUMNS.

On the evening of the 14th of March, 1901, my commando crossed the Tarka
River, after which Tarka Stad is named. As heavy rains were falling we
bivouacked not far from the river. There in the veldt, without any
shelter, we spent a miserable night, for we were exposed to incessant
showers, which drenched us to the very skin. But there was something
even worse in store for us the following day.

Having crossed the Tarka River, we were between that river and another
called Vlekpoort River, which flows into the Tarka some six miles from
where we had forded the latter.

The following morning we rode to a farm near by. There we off-saddled,
fed our horses, and began to prepare our breakfast. How stiff, cold and
hungry we were! We could hardly wait until the meat was thoroughly
broiled. Just as we began to satisfy the pangs of hunger the scouts
came back, and once more it was "opzaal! opzaal!" (saddle! saddle!). We
knew what it meant. The enemy was on our heels.

Two columns were on our right flank, between the two rivers. One had
followed us up, and was then on the banks of the Tarka River; another
was encamped in front of us on the banks of the Vlekpoort River; whilst
a fifth was stationed near the confluence of the two streams. Thus five
columns all around us; and the problem to be solved was, how to get out
of the net.

This problem we solved in a practical manner. We occupied at once the
strongest positions we could find, and, fortunately for us, between the
rivers were natural positions so strong, that, with a small number of
men, it was possible to hold one's own against great odds. These
positions we seized, and were determined