f was reported to have made his escape by driving cattle against
the wire fences which enclosed him. It seems, however, to have been
nothing more romantic than a wire-cutter which cleared his path, though
cattle no doubt made their way through the gap which he left. With a
loss of only three of his immediate followers be Wet won his way out of
the most dangerous position which even his adventurous career had ever
known. Lord Kitchener had descended to Wolvehoek to be present at the
climax of the operations, but it was not fated that he was to receive
the submission of the most energetic of his opponents, and he returned
to Pretoria to weave a fresh mesh around him.

This was not hard to do, as the Boer General had simply escaped from one
pen into another, though a larger one. After a short rest to restore the
columns, the whole pack were full cry upon his heels once more. An
acute angle is formed by the Wilge River on one side and the line of
blockhouses between Harrismith and Van Reenen upon the other. This was
strongly manned by troops and five columns; those of Rawlinson, Nixon,
Byng, Rimington, and Keir herded the broken commandos into the trap.
From February 20th the troops swept in an enormous skirmish line across
the country, ascending hills, exploring kloofs, searching river banks,
and always keeping the enemy in front of them. At last, when the
pressure was severely felt, there came the usual breakback, which took
the form of a most determined night attack upon the British line. This
was delivered shortly after midnight on February 23rd. It struck the
British cordon at the point of juncture between Byng's column and that
of Rimington. So huge were the distances which had to be covered, and
so attenuated was the force which covered them, that the historical thin
red line was a massive formation compared to its khaki equivalent. The
chain was frail and the links were not all carefully joined, but each
particular link was good metal, and the Boer impact came upon one of the
best. This was the 7th New Zealand Contingent, who proved themselves to
be worthy comrades to their six gallant predecessors. Their patrols were
broken by the rush of wild, yelling, firing horsemen, but the troopers
made a most gallant resistance. Having pierced the line the Boers, who
were led in their fiery rush by Manie Botha, turned to their flank, and,
charging down the line of weak patrols, overwhelmed one after another
and threatened to r