evening across the Vaal River to Venterskroon,
which lies six miles from Schoemansdrift. The following morning my
scouts reported that the English were rapidly approaching from
Potchefstroom in two divisions; one was at Zandnek: the other had
already reached Roodekraal on its way to Schoemansdrift. One of these
divisions, my scouts told me, might be turning aside to Vanvurenskloof.

Now the road from Venterskroon passed between two mountain chains to the
north of Vanvurenskloof; and I feared that the English would block the
way there. I had to avoid this at all costs, but I had hardly a man
available for the purpose. The greater part of my burghers were still to
the south-east and south-west of the Vaal River.

There was nothing left for me to do except to take the burghers who
remained with me, and, whilst the laager followed us as quickly as
possible, to advance and prevent the enemy from occupying the kloof.
This I did, and took a part of my men to Vanvurenskloof, whilst I sent
another body of burghers to Zandnek.

Everything went smoothly. The enemy did not appear and the laager
escaped without let or hindrance--and so we camped at Vanvurenskloof.

I must have misled the English, for they certainly would have thought
that I would come out by the road near Roodekraal. But I cannot
understand why the force in our rear, which had arrived at Parijs the
previous evening, remained there overnight, nor why, when they did move
on the following morning, they marched to Lindequesdrift, eight miles up
the Vaal River, and not, as might well have been expected, to
Vanvurenskloof.

The burghers whom I sent in the direction of Roodekraal had a fight with
the enemy at Tijgerfontein. A heavy bombardment took place; and my men
told me afterwards that the baboons, of which there were a large number
in these mountains, sprang from cliff to cliff screaming with
fright--poor creatures--as the rocks were split on every side by the
lyddite shells.

The burghers came to close quarters with the enemy, and a fierce
engagement with small arms took place.

It appeared later that the enemy's casualties amounted to more than a
hundred dead and wounded. Our loss was only two men.

As I have already stated, we camped at Vanvurenskloof. The next morning,
while we were still there, we were surprised by the enemy--an unpleasant
thing for men with empty stomachs.

I did not receive any report from my scouts[65] until the English were
not mor