very anxious to pass over.  We were afraid that the English would send on their forces by rail to guard the line and march upon us from in front, which, if done, could result in our complete annihilation.  Besides, we intended, as soon as we were on the other side of the line, to divide our force into several commandoes and let these take different courses so that the enemy would not be able to concentrate any longer all their men on us.  Thus wearily we dragged on through mud and rain to the line.

“To prevent armoured trains from cutting off our transit, men were sent ahead to destroy the line at two points.  Here again we committed a few blunders for which we had to suffer.  In the first instance the line was blown up at too early an hour that night, long before we were ready to pass over.  The explosions reported our presence, and the armoured trains were despatched to restore the line.  Then again, owing to the darkness the points where the line was destroyed were not sufficiently far apart.  This we discovered when the enemy’s guns began to roar and their shells exploded in our midst.

“Before reaching the line there was something to get through—­a swamp at least 1500 paces broad.  One can hardly have an idea what this swamp was like, and how much trouble it cost us and our poor animals to get through it.  This was a veritable ’Slough of Despond.’  It was covered with water from one side to the other, and we had to wade through knee deep, and sometimes the water reached to our loins.  The water was no serious obstacle, but the ground was of a morass-like nature that our animals sank in to their knees and often to their girths.  Most of the burghers had to dismount and lead their horses.  Every now and then a horse would stumble, and down came the rider splashing in the mud and water.  I led my faithful ‘Klein Booi’ all the way, walking knee deep through mud and water.  Just think how we must have looked the following morning, with clogs of mud attached to our clothes, hands and faces, while our horses were baptised in mud!  The waggons and guns gave us most trouble.  It was quite impossible to get these through the swamp.  They stuck in the mud, with draft animals and all.  We had as many as fifty oxen before one waggon, but they could not move it an inch.  Some mules sank in so deep that they could not extricate themselves, and were left to die in the mud!

“At daybreak the guns, De Wet’s waggonette and a few carts were through the swamp; the rest of the convoy was still in it.  General Fourie and a hundred burghers were left with the waggons while the commando proceeded to the line.  At sunrise we were safely on the other side of the line, where we waited for Fourie.  Suddenly, and very unexpectedly, a shell exploded in our midst, like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.  I looked about to see whence it came; but before my eyes detected the armoured trains, another and yet