The Sunday globe., 1901-07-07

came more vigorous, and when the
burghers attempted to cross the Vaal
they met a singing fire. The old enc.
my was still on the Boer rear, and
closed in to entrap lue massive an un.
wieldy column.
Shells on one side and bullets on
the other kept the Beers in a narrow
pass, but they struck out for a drift
higher up the valley. Meantime word
had travelled along the railway from
johannesburg to block the crossing Of
the Vaal He met the Beers at the up.
per drift, but they cut their way
through and crossed the second line
Of rahway near Patchefstroom. With
the British still at their heels, his
draft horses and cattle dropping daily
from the effects Of their long march
aud heavy burdens, it seemed that De
Wet could only reach the hills OF Ma
liesburg by miracle.
The day the column left Potchef.
stroom one gun was lost to the Eng
lish in BATTLE. The British stormed
the line and forced the artillery to
retreat. A field cornet passing the
guns said to a young Boer in charge Of
one piece that the artillery was in too
much of a hurry to get away. We'll
let the English take it, then, said
the boy. and kept on firing at the ad'
yancng enemy.
After all his horses had been killed
and two men wounded, he took the
wounded to the rear, but plucked up
courage to go back to his piece in the
face of the enemy's lire. But the Brit
ism were already around his gun,
which they turned upon his party
forcing it to retreat.
Early in the morning after the camp
was made in the outlying hills of the
hMaliesburg range the British attacked,
They had followed close, and scout
| ing party was captured while trying TO
pass the Boer lines in the night The
morning attack forced the Beers to
hurry on to the next destination, Oil
plants nek. This pass was held by
Delarys men, and the crossing was
made without trouble from the Brit
ish. On the bank of the river Hex the
camp was pitched, and the wornout
commandos settled down for rest.
They were three miles from Rusten-
bury. the former home of Paul Kruger,
beyond which was another mex eX-
posed TO British attack. The Beers
| took possession, but the pass was
rushed by the British, and the whole
range had to be abandoned.
The time had now come for De Wet
and Steyn TO separate. The British
were all around. Kruger was east Of
Pretoria, where SJeyn must go to meet
him. The president and the great
raider shook hands on the bank Of the
Hex. De Vets parting words We're:
They say the blood now to be shed
wall rest upon my head. BE it so. I
prefer that to surrendering for that
nullifes all the sacrifices Of the past.
Should peace negotiations open, do not
conclude them without my presence. l
want no halfway peace
De Wet then started back for the
south, and Steyn, with an escort of so
men, rode eastward with Kitchener in
his rear and Baden-POwell in front.
The Boer whose story has been given
i'm this narrative went with Steyn.
I The party lodged the enemy, but it
was a running fight all the way to Ma
| chadodorp. Boer commanders rose up
| at different passes and crossings to
| keep off Baden-Powell, who often pour
ed shots into the Boer camp, and at
the crossing of Pienar River was only
an hour too late to intercept the
| march