But in this assumption he underrated the shrewdness of his opponent.

Laputa knew perfectly well that we had not enough men to patrol the whole countryside, but that the river enabled us to divide the land into two sections and concentrate strongly on one or the other.

Accordingly he left the Great Letaba unforded and resolved to make a long circuit back to the Berg.

One of his Kaffirs swam the river, and when word of this was brought Arcoll began to withdraw his posts farther down the road.

But as the men were changing 'Mpefu's fellows got wind of Laputa's turn to the left, and in great haste Arcoll countermanded the move and waited in deep perplexity at Main Drift.
The salvation of his scheme was the farmers on the scarp of the Berg.
They lit fires and gave Laputa the notion of a great army.