This latter was a kop on the Riet River, about twelve
miles to the east of their main camp.

At ten o'clock in the morning, General French
started. Immediately I received orders from General
Cronje to proceed with three hundred and fifty men
to check the advancing troops. As I stood on the
ridges of Magersfontein, I was able to took down
upon the English camps, and I saw that it would be
sheer madness to pit three hundred and fifty men
against General French's large force. Accordingly I
asked that one hundred and fifty more burghers and
two guns might be placed at my disposal. This re-
quest, however, was refused, and so I had to proceed
without them.

When we arrived at Koedoesberg that afternoon,
we found that the English had already taken posses-
sion of the hill. They were stationed at its southern
end, and had nearly completed a stone wall across
the hill from east to west. Their camp was situated
on the Riet River, which flows beside the southern
slopes of the berg. The enemy also held strong posi-
tions on hillocks to the east of the mountain, whilst
on the west they occupied a ravine, which descended
from the mountain to the river.

Commandant Froneman and I determined to storm
the berg without a moment's delay. We reached the
foot of the mountain in safety, and here we were out
of sight of the English. But it was impossible to re-
main in this situation, and I gave orders that my men
should climb the mountain. We succeeded in reach-
ing the summit, but were unable to get within seven
hundred paces of the enemy, owing to the severity of
their fire from behind the stone wall. And so we re-
mained where we were until it became quite dark, and
then very quietly went back to the spot where we had
left our horses.

As General French was in possession of the river,
we had to ride about four miles before we could ob-
tain any water.

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