I took with me General Philip Botha and Commandant Prinsloo, and 200 men, and also Captain Scheepers with his corps, which consisted of thirty men.
With the addition of my staff we numbered altogether 246 men.
Thus our ways parted--the President going to the Government of the South African Republic, the laager to the north, and I back to the Free State.
I had now to cross the Magalies Mountains.

The nearest two passes were Olifantsnek and Commandonek.

But the first named was too much to the west, and the second was probably occupied by the English.

I therefore decided to take a footpath that crossed the mountains between the two saddles.

I was forced to choose this middle road because I had no means of ascertaining whether Commandonek was, or was not, in the hands of the enemy.
On August 18th we arrived at a house where some Germans were living--the parents and sisters of Mr.Penzhorn, Secretary to General Piet Cronje.
They were exceedingly friendly to us, and did all in their power to make us comfortable.
We did not stay here for long, but were on the march again the same day.
Soon after we had mounted our horses we came in sight of a large English camp, which was stationed on the road from Rustenburg to Pretoria, between Commandonek and Krokodil River.