their way back to the Free State; the officers followed us
up, but, alas! met us only when we were on the point of recrossing
the Orange River.

"In what a sorry plight we now were! Some of our ablest officers
severed from us at a time when they were most needed. Their absence
caused the greatest confusion, for now there were numbers of men
without any officers. Besides, it was then impossible to carry out
the idea of splitting up the commando without officers. Hence we
were to be driven along by the overwhelming numbers at our rear.
How many there were is hard to tell, but we caught up some of their
despatches, from which we learnt that there were no fewer than
fourteen columns in pursuit of us.

"Gradually we drifted into the most deplorable and wretched
conditions. Our animals, owing to lack of fodder, began to give in.
Scores of these we had to leave behind, some of them in excellent
condition, but so starved that they could proceed no farther. The
result was that hundreds of burghers had to walk, and they suffered
most. How I felt for these unfortunates! They walked and walked
until, exhausted and footsore, many a one dropped down along the
road-side. There were those whose clothes were torn to fragments by
the brambles through which they forced their way. They presented an
appearance which evoked one's compassion.

"These men had to confront another enemy--hunger. They scarcely
found time to prepare a meal, for when they arrived at the
halting-place the first word they heard was, as a rule, "opzaal!"
Thus footsore, battered, and with empty stomachs, these fellows had
to march for miles and miles to escape the enemy's grip.

"I admired their power of endurance, patience, and determination.
But admiration was not enough. I parted with all my horses, giving
them to men who could walk no longer, and so walked on myself,
until, footsore and exhausted, I too could go no farther. It was a
pleasure to minister in this way to men who loved their country.

"If it were not for this determination on the part of De Wet's
forces to keep out of the hands of the enemy, hundreds would have
been captured, yet I believe not more than 250 prisoners were
taken. As we went on our numbers gradually diminished. Those who
were unable to keep pace with the m