26 Recollections of Adventures 



I kept the revolver as a memento for many years. I 

 think it was taken when " The Willows " was looted 

 in the Boer War of 1880. I then bought the best 

 riding horse I could get in Harrismith, and went to 

 bed, instructing the hotel keeper to wake me at sun- 

 down. I started for the open country rather too soon, 

 for when I reached Marais' farm, half way to Mill 

 River, it was still light, so I put my horse into a 

 ruined house and lay down by him to rest. While 

 dozing, I was awakened by my horse fretting and the 

 trampling of hoofs outside. I jumped up, expecting 

 to see Basutos, and, looking cautiously through a 

 broken window, saw to my relief that it was a troop 

 of blesbok galloping past. I waited in those ruins 

 until it was quite dark and then started on. The 

 moon was rising as I got near Mill River, and, as I 

 topped the rise, I saw the fires of a considerable 

 commando in Solomon Maritz's stock kraal and 

 homestead, and when nearer could hear kaffirs 

 shouting and talking. Fortunately, I knew the 

 country well, and leaving the road, made for the 

 deep grassy banks of the river some distance above 

 the drift. I led my horse along the bank, as a long 

 deep pool prevented my crossing, until I came to a 

 ledge of slippery rocks a couple of hundred yards 

 above the drift, I then mounted and rode cautiously 

 over the slippery stones. When half way across, 

 the moon came out and two kaffirs who were getting 

 water in the wagon drift, saw me and shouted 

 "there is a white man," and raised the camp. There 

 was a commotion at once ; but I knew that their 

 tired horses were 'grazing and knee-haltered, and 

 unless my horse fell, I would have a good start ; so 

 was careful not to hurry him over the slippery rocks. 

 When once on dry ground I rode hard, leaving the 

 road, which I knew the Basutos would take, keeping 

 to the small table-topped hill, and soon got into the 



