The heights having thus become free, I next proceeded to feel the way down into the Water-kloof itself. There was no greater difficulty in this than in what I had already done; in short, the Kaffirs had got such a wholesome dread of my corps, that the trouble was to get near them. Before a month had elapsed in this sort of work, I had traversed the kloof from one end to the other; and the few sable gentlemen who still held to this home of theirs had taken refuge on the rocks on the opposite ridge, or what we used to call the Dead Man’s Home, owing to the bones of some of our men remaining unburied there. One morning, in returning from an expedition in the Water-kloof, where I had captured the few remaining cattle left to the enemy, Brigadier-General N----t, who commanded the defenceless forts constructed by Colonel ----, sent for me; and at his request I gave all the information I possessed concerning the Water-kloof, stating, among other matters, what I had done on the previous night. He said he was afraid I was doing more harm than good by this night work; it was an irregular and unmilitary mode of proceeding; that he had thought the matter over, and intended to clear the place out that day in a really effectual manner. I warned him that the enemy was driven to desperation, and capable of mad freaks of revenge that would certainly entail serious loss if attacked during the day; and as a proof of their present state, they had that morning followed me almost into camp, and once or twice I felt convinced by their bearing they were half inclined to attack it. Now, if left to themselves for a few days longer, half starved and discouraged, they would probably leave of their own accord that part of the country. The General, however, pooh-poohed my reasoning, and shortly afterwards marched out with all his forces, composed of the 60th Rifles, the 74th, the 91st, a battery of artillery, rocket-tubes, &c.--in fact, a most formidable body of men, and equal, if properly handled, to beat easily the same number of the best troops in Europe. They proceeded towards Mundell’s Peak, and I went to lie down as was my wont after passing a night out.