He came back with the customary refusal, and reported that although the enemy's force was not very large, still the positions held were so strong that I could not hope to be able to capture them before the English behind me arrived.
I had therefore to give up the thought of breaking through these and flanking the English.

Thus, instead of attacking the enemy, we went in the direction of Zoutpan, and arrived a few hours later at the Krokodil River.
I had now left the English a considerable distance behind me; and so at last--we were able to give ourselves a little rest.
[Footnote 62: I put down here the very words I used, for any other course would not be honest.] [Footnote 63: Kaallaagte--a barren hollow.] [Footnote 64: Parijs is situated on the Vaal River.] [Footnote 65: The reason why Captain Scheepers was so late in sending his report was because he himself was engaging the enemy with six of his men near Zandnek.

He had come across a convoy of fourteen waggons and thirty men, and had, after an hour's fight, nearly brought them to the point of surrendering, when reinforcements arrived.

He was thus forced to retire, and then discovered that the enemy were approaching our laager; and he had a hair's breadth escape from capture in bringing me the report.] [Footnote 66: "Mooi" means beautiful in the Taal language.].