ad
managed to get some milch cows driven near to the kraal, where there
would have been very fair shelter for them, but luckily, as the sequel
proved, they refused to enter, and rushed past in a scared way, just
snatching up one mouthful of forage which had been thrown down to entice
them to stay, and making off as hard as they could. The wind did not
abate till the day after, when tales kept pouring in of terrible losses
of sheep and cattle killed by the cold wind; sheep in open plains had
suffered most, and cattle which had been kraaled were nearly all dead,
whilst the herds of cattle and horses which had been left grazing out
had been driven away and were also believed to have died. At the farm of
a certain Andries Bester, near by, some seventy head of cattle in very
good condition were found dead, piled up to the level of one of the
kraal walls, showing the struggle which some thirty others had in
escaping over the mound of dead cattle to the outside of the kraal.

The next day all those thirty head were found grazing some fifteen miles
westwards under the lee of hills near Reddersburg, where they had found
safe shelter. Everybody's cattle were recovered which had not been
kraaled, including mine. This was the case as well with cattle which had
been tethered to their transport wagons and which succeeded in breaking
loose, whilst the rest were found dead where they had been tied.

There was no possibility of restraining cattle or horses from
stampeding--they did it from the instinct of self-preservation, for,
whilst running with the wind, its force of driving cold was
proportionately lessened, and some loss of heat was made good by the
exertion of running, which they had to keep up till in safe shelter of
hills or ravines.

Had such a cold storm overtaken an army or patrol, the situation would
have been exactly similar, and would have been an ordeal even to
experienced Boers or Colonial farmers, and if an enemy had been located
near Reddersburg, all the cattle and horses would simply have fallen
into his lap.

The obvious safeguard would be a rug for each horse and mule, and for
oxen the erection of a shelter against the wind, consisting of all
available wagons and stores, or else, if practicable, to move at once to
a sheltered locality and always provide a good reserve supply of forage
or other provender. That sort of boisterous, cold weather continues
sometimes, with more or less severity, two or three days. Th