When the enemy, a few days later, drove us from Olifantsnek, General de la Rey sent Captain Kirsten with twenty men to the neighbouring kopjes to prevent the enemy from going on a plundering expedition.  Then I for the first time saw a farm-house burnt down by the enemy.  From a high kopje, by the aid of a telescope, we could distinctly see the movements of the khakies.  The bitter feeling that was roused in us in our helplessness is not to be described.

General Baden-Powell was in Rustenburg, and Magatonek was also in possession of the enemy.

It was a most interesting and adventurous time that we spent near the Magalies Mountains.  By day we went reconnoitring along the hills near the mountains in the direction of Olifantsnek, and towards evening we withdrew into the thick woods of the kloofs, where it was delightfully warm both for ourselves and for our horses.  When a small number of the enemy came in our direction, we fired at them unexpectedly from the hills, and so protected the farm-houses on the mountain-sides.  Occasionally the khakies ventured a little nearer, but always had to retreat in disorder.

I once nearly fell into the hands of the enemy.  As we were reconnoitring on one of the kopjes, I suggested to a friend that we should go to the farm in front of us, where none of us had been since Olifantsnek was in possession of the enemy.  We had to ford a donga closed in by barbed wire.  When we got to the farm, we were told that the enemy had not been there, with the exception of a khaki who had lost his way.  He had taken six eggs from a nest in a kraal and swallowed them greedily, and had then passed on to the garden without speaking a word to the harmless, inquisitive women of the farm.

For safety’s sake I put the boys on guard and had the horses tied.  The view was so enclosed on all sides that the enemy could appear most unexpectedly from Olifantsnek.  We had been there only a short time, when we were told that the enemy were coming in large numbers from the direction of Rustenburg.  We mounted at once and rode back, but could not get back to our comrades on the hills because of the barbed wire in the donga.  We had gone only about 250 paces along the drift, when the enemy came riding along.  Fortunately, they were intent on plunder and did not see us, as they kept their eyes fixed in the direction of the house.  If we had been a few seconds later we should have fallen into their hands.  The few burghers on the kopjes began to fire at them, and when I got to the top of one of the kopjes I saw the enemy—­about 100 in number—­fleeing in great disorder.  This expedition cost them several dead and wounded, besides their plunder—­meal, fowls, and other things—­that they dropped in their flight.

When I went back to the farm later on, I was told that one of the girls had clapped her hands with delight when the enemy fled past them.  That must have been the reason why she and her family were so cruelly insulted and plundered by the khakies afterwards.  We met with great kindness during our stay in the Magalies Mountains.  We always got something to eat, and towards evening we bought some loaves of bread to take back with us to our hiding-place.  In those days we could always get forage for our horses, and they were in very good condition.