74 
SPORT AND WAR. 
CHAP. X. 
We proceeded to where the kloof was held by the 
party posted to prevent the enemy's retreat, and ex¬ 
tending so as to take the whole breadth of the bush on 
the banks of the ravine, we advanced up it. A great 
many of the Kafirs must have been panicstruck, and 
were hiding in great ant-bear holes and caves. Those 
near the surface or at the entrance of the caves and 
holes could make no resistance ; and I am sorry to say 
the men were so embittered against the enemy from 
the sight of their wounded companions, that they 
showed no mercy, and a promiscuous fire was poured 
into these places, which killed the Kafirs who were 
fighting as well as those who were unable from their 
position to fire outwards. Ko less than eight dead 
Kafirs were taken out of one of these holes. 
I was leading my men up the bed of the river, most 
of it dry, but here and there we came upon pools of water. 
As we came to one of these the thin or wooden end 
of a bundle of assaigais floated up to the surface of the 
water ; thus we knew that a Kafir or Kafirs must be 
there, and as we supposed under the water; so we re¬ 
mained some short time for him 8 to come up to breathe ; 
but no, there was no appearance. A yellow Hottentot 
next me, named Abraham Groenwald, went to the edge 
of the pool, to where there was the smallest possible 
tuft of grass, and stooping down he divided it with his 
hand, and there appeared the two nostrils of a great 
