ing Lindley. Need I say that these men had to be
captured? With five hundred burghers and two guns
I went out to do this. When I was only a short dis-
tance from my camp, I received a report that a large
force of cavalry, numbering seven or eight thousand
men, had arrived on the scene from Bethlehem. This
compelled me to abandon the idea of capturing those
four hundred men, and, instead, to try to escape in a
westerly direction from this large body of mounted
troops.

That evening we reached the farm of Mr. C. Wes-
sels, at Rivierplaats. The next day we were forced to
move on, for the mounted troops were coming nearer
to us. They marched, however, somewhat more to
the right in the direction of Roodewal; whereas I went
towards Honingspruit, and halted for the night at the
farm of Paardenkraal.

On the following morning, the 20th of July, I let
the commando go on, whilst I stayed behind to recon-
noitre from a neighbouring kop. The President, and
also some members of the Government, remained with
me. We had the opportunity of accepting the invita-
tion of Mr. C. Wessels to take breakfast at his house.
It was there that General Piet de Wet came to me
and asked if I still saw any chance of being able to
continue the struggle?

The question made me very angry, and I did not
try to hide the fact.

"Are you mad?" ¹ I shouted, and with that I turned
on my heel and entered the house, quite unaware that
Piet de Wet had that very moment mounted his horse,
and ridden away to follow his own course.

After breakfast we climbed the kop; and when we
had made our observation we followed after the laager.
On reaching the commando, I gave orders to outspan
at twelve o'clock.

While this was being done I heard from my sons

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