The whole force was inspected on the next day by the Commander-in-Chief, and divided into brigades, the Riflemen being attached to that under Major Pinckney of the 73rd, consisting of that regiment, the 43rd, and two guns. This was first in Colonel MacDuff’s division; but on his being left behind at the Caledon river, was placed under the command of Colonel Eyre. They marched at daybreak on the 30th, and after a long and fatiguing march of 20 miles, during which one of the Riflemen had a _coup-de-soleil_, reached their halting-place. On December 1 after another hot march they forded the Orange river without much difficulty; it being lower than it had been for many years. Yet the water reached almost to the middle, and the men were obliged to carry their pouches on their shoulders. They pitched their tents in the plain a little beyond the river. They proceeded the next day over a desert plain to a place called Ranakin, and the day following forded the Caledon river at the Commissie drift, and encamped on the other side. Here they remained until the 8th, when they marched about five A.M., and continuing their advance during the two following days, encamped on the evening of the 10th, after twenty miles fatiguing march, at Sanna Spruits. Marching on the following morning through a country not quite so desert as that passed over in the last few days, they forded the narrow but rapid Lieuw river on the afternoon of the 12th, and encamped on the opposite side. On the 13th they proceeded to the Wesleyan Missionary Station of Platberg, and encamped on a fine grassy plain near it. They were now not far from Thaba Bossiou, the stronghold of Moshesh, situated on a lofty hill, very defensible, and considered by his people to be impregnable. During the halt here, which continued until the 16th, Moshesh’s two sons, and afterwards the chief himself, visited the camp. General Cathcart named as his _ultimatum_ that Moshesh should deliver 10,000 head of cattle within three days, reckoning from the 16th, as a compensation for the depredations he had committed. On the 16th the General reviewed the whole force at six o’clock in the morning; which, after marching past, was put through various evolutions: no doubt as a demonstration to overawe Moshesh. [Illustration: SKETCH Shewing the Site of Operations NEAR THABA BOSIGO Dec^r 20^{th} 1852. _By Edward Stanton Lieut^t R.E._ _E. Weller, Litho_ _London, Chatto & Windus._ ]