ers and decided to
return to our deserted camp, where we could take up our original
positions without the enemy being aware of our nocturnal excursion.

Next morning the rising sun found us back in our old positions. We
despatched scouts in all directions as usual, so as to make the enemy
believe that we intended to remain there permanently, and we put
ourselves on our guard, ready to repel an attack at any point on the
shortest notice.

But the enemy were much too cautious, and evidently thought they had
us safely in their hands. They amused themselves by destroying every
living thing, and burned the houses and the crops. The whole veldt
all round was black, everything seemed in mourning, the only relief
from this dull monotony of colour being that afforded by the
innumerable specks of khaki all around us. I believe I said there were
25,000 men there, but it now seemed to me as if there were almost
double that number.

We had to wait until darkness set in before making a second attempt at
escape. The day seemed interminable. Many burghers were loudly
grumbling, and even some officers were openly declaring that all this
had been done on purpose. Of course, these offensive remarks were
pointed at me. At last the situation became too serious. I could only
gather together a few officers to oppose an attack from the enemy on
the eastern side, and something had to be done to prevent a general
mutiny. I therefore ordered a burgher who seemed loudest in his
complaints to receive 15 lashes with a sjambok, and I placed a
field-cornet under arrest. After this the grumblers remained sullenly
silent.

The only loophole in the enemy's lines seemed to be in the direction
of Pietersburg on the portion held by General Plumer, who seemed far
too busy capturing cattle and sheep from the "bush-lancers" to
surround us closely. We therefore decided to take our chance there and
move away as quickly as possible in that direction, and then to bear
to the left, where we expected to find the enemy least watchful.
Shortly before sunset I despatched 100 mounted men to ride openly in
the opposite direction to that which we intended to take, so as to
divert the enemy's attention from our scene of operations, and sat
down to wait for darkness.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

ELUDING THE BRITISH CORDON.

"The shades of eve were falling fast" as we moved cautiously away from
Mapochsberg and proceeded through Landdrift, Steelpoort, and the
Tautesber