a letter from the High Commissioner, which contained an
order to Dr. Jameson and myself to return at once to Mafeking and
Pitsani.

[Reasons for not retreating.]

A retreat by now was out of the question, and to comply with these
instructions an impossibility. In the first place, there was
absolutely no food for men or horses along the road which we had
recently followed; secondly, three days at least would be necessary
for our horses, jaded with forced marching, to return; on the road
ahead we were sure of finding, at all events, some food for man and
beast. Furthermore, we had by now traversed almost two-thirds of the
total distance; a large force of Boers was known to be intercepting
our retreat, and we were convinced that any retrograde movement would
bring on an attack of Boers from all sides.

It was felt, therefore, that to ensure the safety of our little
force, no alternative remained but to push on to Krugersdorp to our
friends, who we were confident would be awaiting our arrival there.

Apart from the above considerations, even had it been possible to
effect a retreat from Doornport, we knew that Johannesburg had risen,
and felt that by turning back we should be shamefully deserting those
coming to meet us.

[They could not possibly _know_ it, because the rising--_i.e._
the public arming and moving of men--only began at the very hour
they claim to have _known_ it, and because the first news from
Johannesburg only reached them 24 hours later by the two cyclists
'Oh what a tangled web we weave, when--']

Finally, it appeared to us impossible to turn back, in view of the
fact that we had been urgently called in to avert a massacre, which
we had been assured would be imminent in the event of a crisis such
as had now occurred.

[_Vide_ the telegrams and messages to stop! How noble!]

[Boer scouts.]

Near Boon's store, on the evening of the 31st, an advanced patrol
fell in with Lieutenant Eloff, of the Krugersdorp Volunteers. This
officer, in charge of a party of 15 scouts, had come out to gain
intelligence of our movements. He was detained whilst our intentions
were fully explained to him, and then released at Dr. Jameson's
request.

[First skirmish New Year's Eve.]

At midnight (New Year's Eve), while the advanced scouts were crossing
a rocky wooded ridge at right angles to and barring the line of
advance, they were fired on by a party of 40 Boers, who had posted
themselves in this position. The sc