But alas! reports which we received from there left us no room for hope.
No room for hope! that was the message of Vereeniging--a message which struck a chill in every heart.

One after another we painted the destitution, the misery of our districts, and each picture was more gloomy than the last.

At length the moment of decision came, and what course remained open to us?
This only--to resign ourselves to our fate, intolerable though it appeared, to accept the British proposal, and to lay down our arms.
Most bitter of all was the thought that we must abandon our brethren in Cape Colony and in Natal, who had thrown in their lot with ours.

And many a sleepless night has this caused me.

But we could not help ourselves.