And these two columns were some twelve miles from us.
I at once set out in the direction of Hamelfontein, and the following day I discovered that the enemy's columns had divided into two parties; one of them had gone in a westerly direction, whilst the other was marching straight towards us.

Meanwhile the force which had pursued General Fourie had crossed the river at Zanddrift.
My intention had been to divide my force into three divisions directly I arrived in the Colony.

But I had been obliged to wait till General Fourie could join me; and when he had come, there was such large numbers of the enemy on every side that they gave me no opportunity of carrying out my original intention.
I may mention here that Lieutenant Malan, who became afterwards Commandant, and ultimately Vechtgeneraal, had penetrated into the Colony with fifty or sixty men, and had advanced considerably farther than I had done.
That afternoon I ordered the small waggon to proceed to a point between Philipstown and Petrusville.
We had several slight skirmishes with the English; and at sunset we nearly fell into their hands, but fortunately we were successful in holding the enemy in check until our small laager had passed.
During that night we marched to Hondeblaf River.

The following morning we found that there was no grass for the horses, for the locusts had eaten it all.

The horses, poor creatures, were very hungry, and also much exhausted by all those forced marches.