r unfortunately soon came to an end, for he was taken
prisoner in a most curious way near Naauwpoort, when Prinsloo
surrendered.

I must now retrace my steps, and give some account of what I myself had
been doing during this time.

I proceeded to the west of Doornberg, and only halted when I reached the
Zand River. What memories does the name of that river bring back to me!
It was on its banks that in 1852 the English Government concluded a
Convention with the Transvaal--only to break it when Sir Theophilus
Shepstone annexed that country on the 12th of April, 1877. But this
Convention was re-established by Gladstone--greatest and noblest of
English statesmen--when he acknowledged the independence of the South
African Republic.

Here on the banks of this river, which was so pregnant with meaning, we
should stand, so I thought, and hold the English at bay. But alas! the
name with all its memories did not check the enemy's advance.

On the 10th of May Lord Roberts attacked us with his united forces; and
although his losses were heavy, he succeeded in breaking through our
lines near Ventersburg, at two points which were held by General
Froneman. And thus the English were free to advance on Kroonstad.

I gave orders to my commando to move on to Doornkop, which lies to the
east of Kroonstad. I myself, with Commandant Nel and some of his
adjutants, followed them when the sun had set. We rode the whole of that
night, and reached the township on the following morning. We immediately
arranged that the Government should withdraw from Kroonstad, and that
very day it was removed to Heilbron. President Steyn, however, did not
go to Heilbron, but paid a visit to General Philip Botha, whose commando
had held back the English outposts some six miles from Kroonstad.

The President, before leaving the town, had stationed police on the
banks of the Valsch River with orders to prevent burghers from entering
the dorp[39]; he had only just crossed the drift before my arrival. I
came upon some burghers who, as they had been ordered, had off-saddled
at the south side of the river, and I asked them if they had seen the
President. As they were Transvaalers, they answered my question in the
negative.

"But has nobody on horseback crossed here?" I said.

"Oh, yes! the Big Constable[40] crossed," one of them replied. "And he
told us not to pass over the drift."

"What was he like?" I inquired.

"He was a man with a long red beard."

I