as I looked over the top of the hill I saw two men on ponies with
guns. They were talking to a Kaffir. I at once put them down as Boers,
and thought of firing at them, but decided not to disclose my position
and watch them. This was lucky for them, as I caught them later, and
found them to be refugees flying from the Boers, who I discovered were
in occupation of Ingagane and Newcastle, and had their patrols out
nearly to Dannhauser.

"I then went on to Dannhauser, which consists of a railway station, two
farms, a store, a couple of coolie stores, a mine, and a few huts. We
approached with magazines charged and expected to see a Boer every
minute, but found that they were not expected to come down as far as
that till next day. I then made my way slowly back by the main road, and
reached camp about 5 P.M., when I found that the other patrol (six men
and an officer is the strength of each) had proceeded to De Jager's
Drift and had not returned. A telephonic communication from the
police-station at De Jager's Drift said, 'A large force of forty Boers
have crossed Buffalo to cut off your patrol. Am trying ...'--and then
ended abruptly. It eventually transpired that the Boers rushed the
police-station before the message could be completed. Thackwell, who was
in command of the patrol, pursued twelve Boers up to the river. Then
thirty-four crossed to our side, and twelve lower down, the twelve
trying to cut him off behind. However, he retired on to a nek behind,
and as they did not come on, he moved off in about half an hour by
another road. This was lucky for him, as he saw the twelve men who had
crossed by Landsman's Drift disconsolately coming down from a lot of
rocks where they had been lying in wait for him on the road he had come
by.

"There seems to have been something going on at Kimberley. I wish they
would buck up here and do something. I am on picket to-night, which
means no sleep and a lot of bother, as the picket is about seven miles
from camp at the junction of the Vant's Drift and De Jager's Drift
roads, where there is a chance of being plugged at. The picket on the
Helmakaar road was shot at the other night.

"One of the armoured trains came up here yesterday--an ugly-looking
beast with the engine in the middle, all covered with iron, so that only
just the top of the funnel is visible. I do not believe in them. If any
one puts a dynamite cartridge under a rail--pop! up goes the armoured
train.

"I think thi