Parties of his dispersed force at different points had crossed the Orange River and commenced cutting railway lines, threatening communications between Cape Town and Buluwayo, their object being to possess themselves of De Aar Junction. But their movements were circumscribed. Burghersdorp, Stormberg, Rosmead, and Naauwpoort were all strongly held by the British, while the Orange River, as though vengefully, had risen at the back of the marauders and pressed them close to the British forces, hemming them round. Still, some 2000 of them on mischief bent caused considerable alarm and annoyance, holding up trains, capturing convoys, and calling on small garrisons to surrender, and fighting, till, on the approach of reinforcements, they deemed it advisable to decamp to fresh fields of diversion. Lord Kitchener promptly arrived at De Aar and adopted measures to quell the invasion and allay the apprehensions of those who found themselves at the mercy of the bandits. But the work was not to be accomplished without infinite patience, for, as one of the gay Colonials remarked, "Sport in these districts is no longer fox-hunting, but rat-catching!" A new proclamation, dated 20th December, was issued by the Commander-in-Chief. It ran thus: "It is hereby notified to all burghers that if, after this date, they voluntarily surrender, they will be allowed to live with their families in Government laagers until such time as the guerilla warfare now being carried on will admit of their returning safely to their homes. "All stock and property brought in at the time of surrender of such burghers will be respected and paid for if requisitioned by the military authorities." To ensure a more speedy termination of hostilities, active steps were taken to make up for the loss of the Colonial and other troops which had returned to their homes. The recruiting of Colonial Police to the number of 10,000 was being carried forward, 800 mounted infantry and two cavalry regiments from England were under orders to leave as soon as possible, and a sixth New Zealand Contingent consisting of 200 men (one-half Maoris) was preparing to sail.