After assuring him of the health and even vigour of his Sovereign, we continued our reconnaissance, not without moralizing a little over a man who had so completely broken with Europe and the old civilization. The English positions were visible from Brandfort, on Tabel Kop and Tabel Berg, the other side of the plain that stretches south-east of the little town. Towards five o’clock we received a few volleys, hastily fired, which did no damage. But our object was attained: we had discovered that the enemy’s positions extended a good way to the south. The 8th was a Sunday. In the evening I received this telegram from President Steyn: ’The Landdrost of Hoopstad sends me the following: "Field-Cornet Daniels reports that the troops under Methuen’s command at Boshof have marched upon Hoopstad, and I have received from Methuen himself the letter I communicate below. The native who brought the letter tells us that an engagement took place with General de Villebois in the neighbourhood of Boshof, that ten men were killed on our side, and fifteen on that of the enemy, among them a superior officer, but that all our force was finally made prisoner. Field-Cornet Daniels supposes that the enemy will march upon Christiana and Hoopstad, and thence upon Kroonstad." "’HEADQUARTERS, SWARTZ KOPJEFONTEIN, "’_April_ 8, 1900. "’To THE COMMANDANT OF THE FREE STATE LAAGER. "’SIR, ’"I have the honour of sending you a copy of Lord Roberts’ proclamation to the Free State, laying down the conditions under which you are invited to surrender. ’"Two days ago the Foreign Legion was taken prisoner by me, and their General, Villebois, was killed. ’"The English army is advancing on every side, and I beg you to consider the very liberal conditions now offered you, which would not be renewed at a later date. ’"I have the honour to be, sir, ’"Your obedient servant, ’"METHUEN," ’"Lieutenant-General commanding the 10th Division."’ This telegram was a thunderbolt for us. The anxiety we had felt at the General’s delay had not been such as to have caused us to dream of such a catastrophe. Yet we could not doubt the news. ’Two days ago the Foreign Legion was taken prisoner by me, and their General, Villebois, was killed,’ said the telegram. That evening two reconnoitring parties were sent out; the first, from the Tabel Kop direction, came in next morning with a wounded man. The second, under Wrangel, started for the neighbourhood of Hoopstad, and could not return for several days. On the 9th we made an inventory of the property belonging to the General, to Breda, and to the rest of our poor comrades, all of which was packed for transmission to Pretoria. The same day I received the following telegram from Colonel Gourko: ’Thomson unites with me in the expression of our profound grief at the cruel loss you have sustained in the person of Colonel de Villebois-Mareuil, a valiant soldier and distinguished leader.’