the following day, I sent the prisoners of war through
Naauwpoort into Basutoland.

On the same day I gave orders to General Michal Prinsloo to take the
commando and to strike a course between Reitz and Heilbron. I myself
paid a visit to President Steyn and General Wessel Wessels, after which
I put matters straight in our hospital at Bezuidenhoutsdrift, which was
under the charge of Dr. H.J. Poutsma.

CHAPTER XXXIV

I Cut my Way Through Sixty Thousand Troops

The English could not endure the thought that we had their guns in our
possession. And, accordingly, when General Michal Prinsloo came near the
Liebenbergsvlei, on the road between Reitz and Heilbron, he met a strong
force of the enemy which had come from Kroonstad. The English then had a
taste of what it was like to be under the fire of our artillery; and so
well did the gunners do their work that the enemy were forced to
retreat. This occurred shortly before sunset on the afternoon of the
28th of December.

But the forces in front of General Prinsloo were too strong for him, and
so when night came he marched past, and the following morning was twelve
miles to the south-west of them.

The enemy advanced against the position which General Prinsloo had
occupied the previous day, quite unaware that he was now in their rear.
In the meantime the General was watching their movements from behind,
and quietly enjoying their mistake.

I left the hospital that afternoon, and crossing the Liebenbergsvlei to
the rear of the English, I joined the Heilbron commando.

The following day the enemy retreated to the farm of Groenvlei, which
lies just to the north of Lindley. They remained there for a few days
awaiting large reinforcements.

"I quite understand your plan," I said to myself, as I set to work to
split up the great force which the enemy were concentrating. And with
this object in view I sent each Commandant to his own district,
believing that by dispersing my own men I should again induce the
English to divide their troops into smaller parties. Commandant Mears,
with his fifty men, I ordered to remain with the guns and the artillery,
and to guard them by very careful scouting.

In less than a fortnight seven large columns of the enemy were operating
in the district between Heilbron and Bethlehem and Harrismith. These
columns burnt all the houses within their reach, and those which had
been spared before were now given over to the flames. And not onl