received a slight wound, and one horse was killed. We soon reached
Senekal (which had been abandoned by the English), where for the first
time I met Dr. Reich and his wife. The doctor received us very heartily;
although he did not belong to our Field Ambulance, he did everything
that he could for our wounded, as he had done for those of the enemy.

From Senekal I went on to pay a visit to the Heilbron commando, after
which I proceeded to Vrede, arriving there on the 24th of February.

It was at Vrede that I had asked Louis Botha to meet me, if he could
manage it, and the day after my arrival this meeting took place. The
General told me that the negotiations between him and Lord Kitchener had
resulted in nothing.

Although this was not very satisfactory, still it was just as well that
I should meet the Commandant-General of the Transvaal. We had much to
discuss and, after a long talk, we parted with the firm determination
that, whatever happened, we would continue the war.

On the 27th General Botha returned to the Transvaal, and I to the
Heilbron commando. After a few days President Steyn came from the south
of the Free State, in order to meet the Transvaal Government at Vrede.
After this meeting had taken place he went off to a camp of his own,
for it was thought better that he should not remain with the commandos
any longer. I gave him fifty burghers, under the command of Commandant
Davel, to serve as a bodyguard.

I had but just returned from my meeting with General Botha when a
serious matter arose at Petrusburg, demanding my immediate presence
there. It was three hundred and sixty miles there and back, and the