burg to Venterstad,
killing twenty of them and taking several prisoners. On the 15th,
Kritzinger with the main body of the invaders passed the Orange River
near Bethulie, and made his way to the Wepener district of the Orange
River Colony. Scheepers, Lotter, Lategan, and a few small wandering
bands were the only Boers left in the Colony, and to these the British
columns now turned their attention, with the result that Lategan,
towards the end of the month, was also driven over the river. For the
time, at least, the situation seemed to have very much improved, but
there was a drift of Boers over the north-western frontier, and the
long-continued warfare at their own doors was undoubtedly having a
dangerous effect upon the Dutch farmers. Small successes from time
to time, such as the taking of sixty of French's Scouts by Theron's
commando on August 10th, served to keep them from despair. Of the
guerilla bands which remained, the most important was that of Scheepers,
which now numbered 300 men, well mounted and supplied. He had broken
back through the cordon, and made for his old haunts in the south-west.
Theron, with a smaller band, was also in the Uniondale and Willowmore
district, approaching close to the sea in the Mossel Bay direction, but
being headed off by Kavanagh. Scheepers turned in the direction of Cape
Town, but swerved aside at Montagu, and moved northwards towards Touws
River.

So far the British had succeeded in driving and injuring, but never in
destroying, the Boer bands. It was a new departure therefore when, upon
September 4th, the commando of Lotter was entirely destroyed by the
column of Scobell. This column consisted of some of the Cape Mounted
Rifles and of the indefatigable 9th Lancers. It marked the enemy down in
a valley to the west of Cradock and attacked them in the morning, after
having secured all the approaches. The result was a complete success.
The Boers threw themselves into a building and held out valiantly,
but their position was impossible, and after enduring considerable
punishment they were forced to hoist the white flag. Eleven had been
killed, forty-six wounded, and fifty-six surrendered--figures which are
in themselves a proof of the tenacity of their defence. Lotter was among
the prisoners, 260 horses were taken, and a good supply of ammunition,
with some dynamite. A few days later, on September 10th, a similar blow,
less final in its character, was dealt by Colonel Crabbe to the