I
said to myself: "To-night we shall have a little game with the
generals for once."

We rode towards the bridge, and of course the guard there threatened
to fire on us if we did not go back immediately. My adjutant, however,
rode up and said: "Stand back, you ----! This is Commandant Viljoen,
who has been ordered to hurry up a patrol at ----" (mentioning some
place a few miles away) "which is in imminent danger of being
captured."

The guards, quite satisfied, stepped back and favoured us with a
military salute as we rode by. When we had been riding a little way I
heard someone ask them what "people" they were who had passed over the
bridge, and I caught the words: "Now you will see that they will all
want to cross."

I do not contend I was quite right in acting in this insubordinate
manner, but we strongly objected to being put under the guard of other
commandos by some one irresponsible general. I went on that night
till we reached the Biggarsbergen, and next day sent out scouts in the
direction of the Drakensbergen to inquire for the scattered remains of
my commando. The mountains were covered with cattle from the laagers
about Glencoe Station. The Boers there were cooking food, shoeing
their horses, or repairing their clothes; in fact, they were very
comfortable and very busy. They remarked: "There are many more
burghers yonder with the General; we are quite sure of that." ... "The
Commandant-General is near Glencoe and will stop the retreating men."

In short, as was continually happening in the War, everything was left
to chance and the Almighty. Luckily General Botha had deemed it his
duty to form a rearguard and cover our retreat; otherwise the English
would have captured a large number of laagers, and many burghers whose
horses were done up. But, whereas we had too little discipline, the
English had evidently too much. It is not for me to say why General
Buller did not have us followed up; but it seems that the British
lost a splendid chance.

Some days went by without anything of note happening. My scouts
returned on the third day and reported that my commando and its laager
had safely got through, and could be expected the next day. Meanwhile
I had procured some provisions at Glencoe, and for the time being we
had nothing to complain about.

I was very much amused next day to receive by despatch-rider a copy of
a telegram from Glencoe sent by General Joubert to General Prinsloo at
Harrismith (Orange