Expedition across the Great Orange River against the Basuto Chief, Moshesh--Object of Expedition--Preparations for the March--Fort Armstrong--Elands Post--Tambookie Herdsmen--Kamastone--Twa Taffel Berg--Vast Plains--Dutch Farm-house--Stormberg--Intense Cold on the Mountains--Burghersdorp--Camp by Night--First Sight of the Orange River--English Mail--Fishing in the Caledon River--Herds of Wild Game--Wildebeest Hunt--Immense Frogs--Return of a missing Officer--Dung Beetles--Platberg--Barolong Chiefs--Interview with Moshesh--Ride through Basuto Villages--Jerboas--Arrival of part of fine of Cattle--Basutos--Action at Berea--Moshesh's Letter to the Governor--Distribution of captured Cattle--Return of the Force 280 CHAPTER XV. March down the Country--Christmas Day--Flocks of migratory Storks--Herds of Game--Flood in the Orange River--Narrow Escape in crossing--Return to the Colony--Fort Beaufort--Termination of the War--Homeward Bound 321 LIST OF PLATES. CAMP UNDER THE AMATOLAS _Frontispiece_ STORMING THE AMATOLAS p. 49 DEATH OF LIEUT.-COL. FORDYCE 146 BLINKWATER AND WATERKLOOF HEIGHTS 224 CROSSING THE ORANGE RIVER 295 CAMPAIGNING IN KAFFIRLAND. CHAPTER I. ORDERED TO THE CAPE--VOYAGE OUT. The service companies of the 74th Highlanders were under orders to sail from Cork for Gibraltar early in March, 1851. Our heavy baggage had already been sent by a sailing vessel to anticipate our arrival, H.M.S.S. "Vulcan" lay at Queenstown ready to take us on board, and the all-engrossing topics were the cork-woods of Andalusia, yachting in the Bay of Algesiras, or the chances of future quarters among the olive-groves of Corfu; when, in consequence of tidings received by government of the serious aspect of affairs in British Kaffraria, and the urgent demands of Sir H. Smith for fresh troops, our orders were suddenly countermanded, and, at three days' notice, we were steaming out of harbour for the seat of the Kaffir war. We weighed anchor on a bright Sunday morning, March 16th, after a hasty scramble in the short time left us to lay in stores for the additional length of voyage, and get an outfit of rifles, pistols, saddles, and camp equipage; with a few shirts, boots, and other articles for the use of the outer man, absolutely necessary to supply the loss of our unlucky baggage, by that time some hundreds of miles away in a different direction. No friends or relatives accompanied us on embarkation to say farewell; no pressing of hands or waving handkerchiefs. Lounging groups of Sunday-dressed sailors smoked and looked on in indifference; the bells rang out merrily, and the church-going crowds wended their way along the quiet sunny streets as usual.