we could hardly swallow it.

"As to De Wet's further movements I can hardly give you full
particulars. He was followed up by the enemy, and had to abandon
his guns the following day. Trying one drift after the other he
succeeded at last in fording the river between Norval's Pont and
Zanddrift; and so after seventeen days he was back in the Free
State.

"Here you have a sketch of our attempt to invade British dominions.
I have omitted many things of less interest. I wonder what you will
think of all this. Looking back upon our adventures, it is, of
course, easy to point out all the errors and blunders we have
committed. We should, for instance, never have encumbered ourselves
with a convoy and guns, which hampered our movements and were of
very little service to us. Then again, we should not have crossed
the river in one commando, but should have divided the force into
at least twelve or fifteen commandoes, and these should have
entered the Colony at different points, all moving in different
directions, then the enemy could not have concentrated their hosts
on us as they did. Besides, our discipline and organisation was
poor, and it is a well-known fact that a thousand in disorder can
accomplish less than two hundred well-organised men. But it is
useless to dwell on these points. 'Tis easier to criticize the past
than to forecast the future. Experience costs a great deal.

"Has our attempt been a complete failure? In many respects I should
say it has. We have succeeded, however, in drawing the enemy out of
the Free State, which was our chief object. And, though it did not
cost them many lives, yet their following us in such desolate