The young man got off his horse and helped us, and he said that the “khakis” were not so very near. We went on quickly, then presently we heard that there had been a terrible fight. Many of our men had been killed or wounded. Oh! what dreadful news for us! I went on. Towards evening we halted for a while. After having eaten we started off again, for we thought that the troops would be able to get through to Schweizer-Renecke, and that we should be straight in their path. Late at night we stopped to rest. Early next morning we went on again; then, as we heard that they were not coming any nearer, we halted in a place not very far from Schweizer-Renecke. As it was near the end of the week, we wanted to stay there over Sunday, and this we did. That Sunday I had a great many visitors. I was astonished to see how many women and children were still out, and how well they looked, although they were wanderers. We talked about the peace that we were hoping for, though not for a peace that should impair our independence. It was very pleasant that evening to hear the sweet singing of the people as they sat near their waggons. The following morning we went to Piet De la Rey’s place, and as he was also with us we had made up our minds to stay there. But it did not come off, for we found we could get no water there. We went on a little farther, closer to Schweizer-Renecke. My tent had just been pitched when Johannes De la Rey, the son of Piet De la Rey, suddenly appeared. He and his brother had both been wounded in the last battle. I had a bed made up in the tent and put him on it, for he was very much fatigued from wandering about since he had been wounded. He was delighted to be able to rest. That afternoon he was taken to the hospital in Schweizer-Renecke, his father going with him. There were many more wounded. I went to visit them, and found them lying in the devastated houses. We thought, “We must make the best of it and take as good care of them as possible.” Going to the landdrost, I told him that as there were troops in Bloemhof I thought it would not be advisable to stay any longer in Schweizer-Renecke. “Oh, no,” he said; “it is quite safe here. If the ‘khakis’ do come I shall know it in good time, and you need not be at all anxious.” I said, “Very well, if it is really so then I shall stay on here;” but I was not at all easy in my mind. I went to my waggon, which was about half an hour’s distance from the village, and told the man who was with me that if I were to follow my own instinct I should get ready at once and leave the place. He said that there was no need to go. I let myself be talked over, and remained for the night, as they all thought that things were so quiet. That night I slept well, and was still sleeping early in the morning when up came my boy with these words: “Here are the ‘khakis’!”