It frequently happened that a burgher fell and slipped backwards under his horse.

The climb became now more and more difficult; and when we had nearly reached the top of the mountain, there was a huge slab of granite as slippery as ice, and here man and horse stumbled still more, and were continually falling.
We were, as I have said, in view of the enemy, and although out of reach of the Lee-Metfords, were in range of their big guns! I heard burghers muttering:-- "Suppose the enemy should aim those guns at us--what will become of us then?
Nobody can get out of the road here!" I told them that this could only be done if the English had a Howitzer.
But I did not add that this was a sort of gun which the columns now pursuing me were likely enough to possess.
But nothing happened.

The English neither shot at us, nor did they pursue us.

Corporal Matthijsen would have said that they were more cautious than Pharaoh.
We now reached the top of the mountain--entirely exhausted.

I have ascended many a mountain--the rough cliffs of Majuba, the steep sides of Nicholson's Nek--but never before had I been so tired as I was now; yet in the depths of my heart I was satisfied.