e than three thousand paces from us, and had already opened fire
on the laager, not only with their guns, but also with their rifles. We
at once took the best positions we could find; and meanwhile the waggons
got away as quickly as possible. They succeeded in getting over the
first ridge, and thus gained a certain amount of shelter, whilst we kept
the English busy.

The enemy approached nearer and nearer to us with overpowering forces.
Then they charged, and I saw man after man fall, struck down by our
merciless fire. We were quite unable to hold the enemy back, and so we
had to leave our positions, having lost one dead and one wounded.

That night we marched ten miles to the east of Gatsrand, on the road to
Frederiksstad Station, and the following morning we arrived at the foot
of the mountain. Here we outspanned for a short time, but we could not
wait long, for our pursuers were following us at a great pace. It was
not only the force from the other side of Vanvurenskloof with which we
had to deal. The united forces of the English had now concentrated from
different points with the purpose of working our ruin.

The English were exceedingly angry that we had escaped from them on the
Vaal River, for they had thought that they had us safely in their hands.
That we should have succeeded in eluding them was quite beyond their
calculations; and in order to free themselves from any blame in the
matter, they reported that we had crossed the river at a place where
there was no ford, but this was not true; we had crossed by the waggon
and post ford--the well-known Schoemansdrift.

But whether the enemy were angry or not, there was no doubt that they
were pursuing us in very large numbers, and that we had to escape from
them. That evening, the 7th of August, we went to the north of
Frederiksstad Station, and blew up a bridge with two spans and wrecked
the line with dynamite.

The following day we arrived at the Mooi River. This river is never dry
winter or summer, but always flows with a stream as clear as crystal. It
affords an inexhaustible supply of water to the rich land that lies
along its bank. It is a fitting name for it--the name of Mooi.[66]

At the other side of this river we found General Liebenberg's commando,
which, like ourselves, was in the trap.

The General joined us on our march, and the following day we were nine
miles from Ventersdorp.

Early that morning a report came that the English were approachin