chap. xiv. THE AFFAIR OF THE GOOLAH HEIGHTS. 107 
escort with me up the 6 Line ’ two mule-wagons were 
detailed to accompany me, with a supply of biscuit 
for that post. The escort consisted of one sergeant 
(Crawford) and ten men of the Cape Mounted Bifles, 
the two wagons being in charge of John Crouch, or 
e old John Crouch, 5 as we used to call him. He was 
sometimes a conductor of wagons, and sometimes 
guide. Another celebrated character volunteered to 
accompany us—no less a person than Walter Currie, 
afterwards the well-known Sir Walter. 
We started early one morning, and had proceeded 
about eight miles along the Groolah ridge, the road or 
track winding between clumps of forest-trees or round 
the heads of ravines leading down from the ridge 
to the low lands on each side of us. We were riding 
leisurely along, with an advance and rear guard, know¬ 
ing that near this spot a strong party of Dutch—part of 
the field force called a ‘ commando’—had been attacked 
by an ambush of Kafirs only a few days before, when 
three of the party were killed, viz., two Pexters and a 
Ferriera. It was a most discreditable affair. Comman¬ 
dant Muller had about eighty men under his command, 
and was proceeding to form a camp of communication 
between Needs Camp and Mount Coke. They must 
have been marching without advance-guard or flankers 
(side-videttes), when they were suddenly fired upon 
from bush and rocks. The three men whom I have 
