Behind him the infantry divisions continued to push steadily forward through the burning heat. At nightfall the 18th Brigade of the Sixth Division was at Wegdraai, half way between the Riet and Modder, the 13th Brigade at Waterval Drift, the Seventh Division with Lord Roberts at De Kiel's Drift, and the Ninth Division at Ramdam. So trying was the march, that from De Kiel's Drift fifty-seven officers and men had to be sent back to the rear in ox-waggons, prostrate with heat and exhaustion. On the evening of the 13th Cronje was still at Magersfontein, though the severance of his telegraph wires must have caused him great uneasiness. [Illustration: BUTCHERS WITH GENERAL FRENCH'S FLYING COLUMN.] [Sidenote: Halt at the Modder.] As General French's cavalry bivouacked for the night on the banks of the Modder, a tremendous dust storm swept over the country, hiding every feature from sight. Under cover of it the Boers must have moved down, for when night fell their pickets were in touch with ours on the north bank of the river. As it was vital to economise supplies, the cavalrymen were rationed from the cattle captured in the Boer laagers. It was decided to rest all the 14th for two reasons--because the horses were exhausted, and because it was considered necessary that the infantry should arrive and hold the drift before the cavalry left for Kimberley. Meantime the soldiers rioted on the hot bread, poultry, and fruit captured in the Boer camps, bathed in the river, and examined the strong position at the drift, which the Boers had so unaccountably abandoned. A good deal of skirmishing went on all day; the Boers brought up guns and shelled one of the British camps on the north of the stream, but were driven off by the Horse Artillery. It was clear that they were becoming uneasy as to their communications; but Cronje delayed and hesitated, and that day's indecision destroyed him. [Illustration: PART OF THE IRISH SQUADRON OF ROBERTS' HORSE.] [Sidenote: FEB. 15, 1900.] _Drawing near Kimberley._]