Meanwhile General de la Rey had gone with a commando to the west of Rustenburg, and had left two Commandants in the Zwartkoppen, to the north-east of Rustenburg.

When we got the tidings that the enemy had taken possession of Selikatsnek, we went as rapidly as we could to the Zwartkoppen.  We had many adventures on our way.  My brother and I rode on ahead, thinking that the others would follow, but they went a round-about way, and so did not catch us up.  When we left the wide tract of wood that stretches along the Magalies Mountains, we noticed that the enemy from Rustenburg had come to meet the column from Selikatsnek.  Fortunately, our horses were good, and we escaped the danger by riding back into the wood to a farm that I knew of.  While we were giving our horses a rest there, a despatch-rider came along looking for a reconnoitring corps.  We rode with him in the track of our comrades, who had taken a great circuit round Rustenburg.  We arrived safely at Zwartkoppen, and immediately joined Commandant Boshoff, who had just returned from Machadodorp.

The Commandants now followed General de la Rey.  We came up with his commando to the west of Rustenburg, where he had surrounded a party of the enemy.  Commandant Boshoff, however, was immediately sent to Olifantsnek, as the enemy had left Rustenburg and the pass was clear.  Our men were most changeable in their moods.  The slightest favourable tidings raised their spirits, but any unfavourable news made their courage sink into their shoes.  There was much talk about the retreating movement of the enemy.  Some spoke of intervention; others said the English soldiers had refused to fight any longer, or that the whole of the colony was in rebellion.  This talk went the round even among the officers, probably because they did not understand the enemy’s movements.

Now we know the meaning of it all.  It was De Wet who was being followed.  We were not two days at Olifantsnek, when, to our great surprise, De Wet arrived with a commando of 2,800 men, followed by 40,000 English.  He had been by treason separated along with Steyn from the chief commando, and had been chased by the enemy a month already.

It was a great lager that advanced through Olifantsnek—­the largest commando that we had seen yet, with numerous carts, waggons, beasts of burden, and other belongings.  And it was then I made the acquaintance of President Steyn and De Wet.  Our Commandant with his men accompanied President Steyn to Machadodorp to President Kruger.  We put up our tents for the time being next to those of President Steyn, so that we had time and opportunity enough to learn to know him.  When the enemy a few days later broke through at Magatonek, to the west of Rustenburg, General De Wet sent for me one evening and ordered me to take a report to Rustenburg, and gave me some instructions for the Commandants there.

I had to take a message for President Steyn also, that the ambulance of the Orange Free State was to follow the lager in the direction of the Krokodil River.