next morning before we reached
our destination. The first thing I saw on my arrival was a cart
containing ten wounded men, who had just been brought in from the
fighting line, all yellow with lyddite.

Field-cornet P. van der Byl, who came fresh from the fight near
Pieter's Heights, told me that these burghers had been wounded there.
I asked them what had happened and how matters stood. "Ah,
Commandant," he replied, "things are in a very bad way! Commandant Du
Preez and myself were called to Pieter's Heights three days ago, as
the enemy wanted to force their way through. We were in a very awkward
position, the enemy storming us again and again; but we held our own,
and fired on the soldiers at 50 paces. The English, however, directed
an uninterrupted gun fire at our commandos, and wrought great havoc.
Early Sunday morning the other side asked for a truce to enable them
to bury their dead who were lying too close to our positions to be got
at during the fighting. Many of their wounded were lying there as
well, and the air was rent during 24 hours with their agonised groans,
which were awful to hear. We, therefore, granted an armistice till 6
o'clock in the evening." (This curiously coincided in time with Lord
Roberts' refusal to General Piet Cronje at Paardeberg to bury his
dead).

"The enemy," continued the field-cornet, "broke through several
positions, and while we were being fired at by the troops which were
advancing on us, we were attacked on our left flank and in the rear.
Assistant-Commandant Du Preez, and Field-Cornet Mostert, were both
severely wounded, but are now in safe hands. Besides these, 42 of our
burghers were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners; we could only bring
16 of our wounded with us. The Krugersdorpers, too, have suffered
severely. The enemy has pushed through, and I suppose my burghers are
now taking up a position in the "randten" near Onderbroekspruit."

Here was a nice state of things! When I had left my commando 15 days
previously, we had had heavy losses in the battle of Vaalkrantz, and
now again my burghers had been badly cut up. We had lost over 100 men
in one month.

But there was no time to lose in lamenting over these matters, for I
had just received information that General P. Cronje had been taken
prisoner with 4,000 men. The next report was to the effect that the
enemy was breaking through near Onderbroekspruit, and that some
burghers were retiring past Ladysmith. I was still