publicity
French meant Cronje to conclude that he was about to force the Pass of
Magersfontein, and thence to relieve Ladysmith. For this Cronje
prepared himself with customary care. Meantime, French proceeded, as
ever, to belie the very justifiable expectations he had aroused.

The most obvious route for French would be over Koodoesberg's Drift
towards the west. Accordingly Macdonald's Highland Brigade spent a
strenuous day in threatening the Drift and returned to camp.

After a day's rest Macdonald's horses were again ready for the field.
On Sunday morning therefore, February 11, the long column filed
silently out of camp. At 10 o'clock the main body had covered 22
miles, reaching the farmhouse of Ramdam. By that time Cronje's
outposts had probably realised that the camp which French had
carefully left standing at the Modder River was simply a city of
canvas from which the inhabitants had departed.

Next day the force was again on the march at 3.0 a.m. It now took an
easterly course in order to force a crossing on the Riet River. Its
goal was Waterval Drift. But so intense was the darkness that after an
hour of difficult movement the General ordered a halt, until dawn,
when he ordered the division to make the feint on Waterval. He was not
certain whether the Drift was held in force by the enemy or not. But
very soon conviction came in a shell nicely aimed at the General in
person. It burst between French and his staff. "There are too many of
us riding together," was his only comment, as he moved forward to
reconnoitre the ground from the top of the nearest kopje.

Very soon the Horse Artillery had the gun silenced, and the whole
division swerved to the right just as the Boers drew off down stream
to wait for the English crossing. Immediately the whole division was
making for De Kiel's Drift further up stream. The banks proved to be
steep and difficult, but a ford was discovered. As the cavalry neared
the bank a party of Boers saw the ruse, and a neck-to-neck race for
the Drift began. By a piece of daring horsemanship our cavalry got
home first, and the Boers arrived too late to dispute their passage.
By mid-day the division was able to cross and bivouac on the right
bank, pending the arrival of the baggage train, left far behind.

[Page Heading: DELAYED TRANSPORT]

The Riet River is by no means a refreshing torrent; it winds its slow
way in muddy melancholy to the cleanly water of the Vaal. But at least
it cont