“MY DEAR K.,—­We are just back from the Cape Colony, and no doubt you will be anxious to hear all about our recent experiences.  I daresay you have followed us all the while in thought, and have carefully studied the papers to ascertain our movements and learn what we were doing.  As we have little faith in newspaper war-reports, I shall take the trouble to give you a full account of our short-lived colonial invasion.

“You will be surprised, and perhaps sorely disappointed, to hear that De Wet’s and Hertzog’s commandoes are all back in the Orange Free State.  This means that you are going to have now ever so much harder times, for the enemy will certainly concentrate their forces on your small commando, to clear you out of the Cape Colony as soon as possible.  The odds, of course, will be so great to contend against, that, humanly speaking, you will be bound to retreat across the Orange River.  Still I trust that you will not follow our example, but will find the Colony quite large enough to baffle the enemy in their attempts to capture you.  And as the British have already exerted themselves in vain for over three months to oust you, we entertain the hope that you will maintain your ground till reinforced.

“On the 11th of February we, i.e., General P. Fourie’s division, crossed the Orange River at Zanddrift, west of Philippolis.  De Wet had taken possession of the drift the previous day, so our way was open, and as the river was low it was not difficult to ford it.  With the exception of a few mules we sustained no losses.  It was somewhat like a picnic, the burghers were as gay as could be.  Being a very hot day they spent most of the time in the water.  The guns and some other vehicles were dragged through the river by teams composed of sprightly young men.  It was a sight to see 70 or 80 men before a gun or waggon in the stream.  I could not help thinking in what a plight these would be should the enemy suddenly appear on the banks of the river.  That, indeed, would be a surprise worth beholding.  At sunset we were all on British soil.

“After the burghers had taken supper the whistle was blown and the oft-repeated command, ‘opzaal,’ sounded in their ears.  That night we did not make a long trek, for both horses and men felt equally tired after the day’s exertions.  Still we had to cover at least eight miles, for it was not quite safe so near to the river.  There were columns behind and columns in front of us, and columns on every side.  After a wearisome march over a rugged and uneven road, if road it could be called, with intense darkness enveloping us, we finally reached the halting-place.

“The following morning at sunrise we started for Bezuidenhoud’s farm, which was close by.  There the burghers received their instructions from De Wet.  With regard to their conduct in the Cape Colony it was pointed out to them that they should treat the colonists