The first portion of the trek was, however, spent in the country that General Hart had been operating in. The following account of some of their hardships and privations is given by Lieutenant and Quartermaster Burke:—
With General Knox's Brigade in the sweeping movement by General French on the eastern side of the Transvaal. Detail of a few orders as showing the hardships the troops suffered through bad weather and scarcity of food.
Brigade Orders. 'Witcomb, 8.2.01. Owing to the late arrival of the convoy, the force will go on 2/3 biscuits.'
This all the time we were marching daily and fighting.
16.2.01. Our force reached Piet Retief.
Brigade Orders. '20.2.01. The following will be the scale of rations until further orders:—2 ozs. rice, 4 ozs. jam, ½ lb. mealie meal, 1-½ lb. meat. No coffee, tea, biscuits, vegetables, or salt.'
Orders received from General French:—'Convoy under General Burn-Murdoch is terribly delayed by swollen rivers and bad roads. The Pongola is fifty yards and the Intombi 300 yards wide. You must use your utmost resources to economise food, and so meet this unfortunate state of affairs, which will assuredly last till the weather improves. No forage for horses and mules. Send parties for food to search out as far as ten miles. Kaffirs to receive 1l. in gold for a bag of mealies, or a heifer for five bags.'
21, 22, 23.2.01. 1 oz. jam, ½ lb. mealie meal, 1-½ lb. meat, nothing else.
24, 25. Same.
26. No jam, ½ lb. mealie meal, 1-½ lb. meat, nothing else. I paid a shopkeeper at Piet Retief 2s. 6d. for a quarter-handful of salt.