But even that would be better than to attempt to hold out where I was--in a narrow belt of country between two rivers in flood--against the overpowering force which was at General Knox's disposal, and which in ten or twelve days would increase tenfold, by reinforcements from all parts of the country.
I knew that the Orange and the Caledon Rivers sometimes remained unfordable for weeks together.

How could I then escape ?--Oh, the English had caught me at last! They hemmed me in on every side; I could not get away from them.

In fact they had "cornered" me, to use one of their own favourite expressions.

That they also thought so appears from what I read afterwards in the _South African News_, where I saw that Lord Kitchener had given orders to General Charles Knox "not to take any prisoners there!" For the truth of this I cannot positively vouch; but it was a very suspicious circumstance that Mr.Cartwright, the editor of the newspaper to which I have referred, was afterwards thrown into prison for having published this very anecdote about Lord Kitchener.
Our prospects were then by no means bright; I knew very well that those trusty counsellors of the English--the National Scouts--would have advised their masters to seize the bridges and thus make escape impossible for Steyn and De Wet.
Without delay I proceeded to the Commissiedrift bridge over the Caledon.
As I feared, it was occupied by the enemy.

Entrenchments had been dug, and _schanzes_ thrown up at both ends.
Foiled here, I at once sent a man down to the river to see if it was still rising.