To the north of Kimberley a considerable force of Boers, with the great gun from Kamfers Dam, was in full retreat, though much troubled by the unwieldiness of this weapon. Anxious if possible to capture it, General French had started out at 3·30 a.m. of the 16th with all available men and guns. His horses were in such a state that rapid movement was out of the question. He rode due north, followed by the infantry in the town, who came on by rail, and got as far as Macfarlane's Siding, two stations north. Continual skirmishing with the Boer rearguard was the chief feature of the day, and the cavalry engaged suffered some casualties, about a dozen men being killed or wounded. The horses were too worn out to get near the big gun, and the Boers succeeded in carrying it off, but they had to abandon a laager at Dronfield, with one gun, several waggons, and a great quantity of stores. In the British division neither men nor horses had food or water from early in the morning till late at night, and the suffering of all was terrible. The horses in particular, already sorely tired by their 150 miles' ride from Modder River Camp to Kimberley, began to drop right and left in the most alarming manner. Those that still staggered on were mere bundles of skin and bone, in the most urgent need of a week's rest and food, which, however, was not to be theirs. [Illustration: THE BOER GUN CAPTURED AT DRONFIELD.] [Illustration: RECEPTION IN CAPE TOWN OF THE NEWS OF THE RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY.] [Sidenote: Orders to head Cronje.]