to check it. On the night of Sunday, March 23rd, the British
horsemen passed stealthily in column through the De la Rey country, and
then, spreading out into a line, which from the left wing at Lichtenburg
to the right wing at Commando Drift measured a good eighty miles, they
proceeded to sweep back upon their traces. In order to reach their
positions the columns had, of course, started at different points of
the British blockhouse line, and some had a good deal farther to go
than others, while the southern extension of the line was formed by
Rochfort's troops, who had moved up from the Vaal. Above him from south
to north came Walter Kitchener, Rawlinson, and Kekewich in the order
named.

On the morning of Monday, March 24th, a line of eighty miles of
horsemen, without guns or transport, was sweeping back towards the
blockhouses, while the country between was filled with scattered parties
of Boers who were seeking for gaps by which to escape. It was soon
learned from the first prisoners that De la Rey was not within the
cordon. His laager had been some distance farther west. But the sight of
fugitive horsemen rising and dipping over the rolling veld assured
the British that they had something within their net. The catch was,
however, by no means as complete as might have been desired. Three
hundred men in khaki slipped through between the two columns in the
early morning. Another large party escaped to the southwards. Some of
the Boers adopted extraordinary devices in order to escape from
the ever-narrowing cordon. 'Three, in charge of some cattle, buried
themselves, and left a small hole to breathe through with a tube.
Some men began to probe with bayonets in the new-turned earth and got
immediate and vociferous subterranean yells. Another man tried the same
game and a horse stepped on him. He writhed and reared the horse, and
practically the horse found the prisoner for us.' But the operations
achieved one result, which must have lifted a load of anxiety from Lord
Kitchener's mind. Three fifteen-pounders, two pom-poms, and a large
amount of ammunition were taken. To Kekewich and the Scottish Horse
fell the honour of the capture, Colonel Wools-Sampson and Captain Rice
heading the charge and pursuit. By this means the constant menace to
the blockhouses was lessened, if not entirely removed. One hundred and
seventy-five Boers were disposed of, nearly all as prisoners, and a
considerable quantity of transport was capture