or Lord Methuen's force shelling the Boer left rearguard, posted in some kopjes near Klerkskraal, while the British field battery of horse artillery were paying attention to his convoy. A shell burst on the waggon containing British prisoners, wounding three men. The Boer guard fled, and sixty out of eighty British soldiers made a rush in the confusion for the British lines. De Wet was so closely pressed here that he abandoned a gun and hastily left his position, trekking night and day to reach the bush veldt of the Magaliesberg, where he knew kopjes or ridges offered excellent positions to hold and detain the British from following him up too closely. We pushed on the following day, climbing the Magaliesberg, while a stiff rearguard action was being fought with Lord Kitchener's combined forces, and, dropping into the Hox River valley, pushed on till we reached the Olifant's Nek. De Wet was now comparatively safe, having the mountains behind and between him and the British force. A day or so after reaching Olifant's Nek all the British prisoners taken at Klerksdorp, Potchefstroom, and ourselves were collected and placed in four ox waggons, with an escort of 100 burghers, and proceeded through Rustenburg, our ultimate destination being Nooitgedacht." [10] Lieutenant-Colonel Spreckley was the son of the late Mr. George Spreckley of Derby, and was born in 1865. After spending four years on an ostrich farm, he joined the British Bechuanaland Police in 1885, and remained two years. He was quartermaster in the South Africa Company's pioneer expedition to Mashonaland in 1890, and a Mining Commissioner in Rhodesia from 1891 to 1894. He served with the Salisbury Horse against the Matabele in 1893 and 1894, for which he was awarded a medal, and on the outbreak of the Matabele rebellion in 1896 he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the volunteer force which fought against the rebels. He greatly distinguished himself during that campaign, and Sir Frederick Carrington spoke highly of him in his despatches. He did good service in the conduct of a successful engagement at Umquasa, and commanded an important patrol to Shiloh and Inyati. His services were rewarded with a C.M.G. He was manager of the Willoughby Consolidated Company at Buluwayo. He, with Colonel Plumer, had fought during the various engagements on the Transvaal border, and was present at the relief of Mafeking. [11] Colonel Helyar obtained his commission on February 2, 1864; he was promoted to lieutenant on December 1, 1868, obtained his company on October 31, 1871, was gazetted major on October 15, 1881, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on April 15, 1891, and became a colonel on April 15, 1895. He retired on half-pay on October 26, 1895, but volunteered his service for South Africa, where he was given the command of a battalion of Imperial Yeomanry. CHAPTER VI GENERAL BULLER IN JULY AND AUGUST--CLEARING THE COUNTRY FROM VOLKSRUST TO BELFAST[12]