In addition to this, I was much troubled by the thought that our horses were now exhausted by all this endless marching. I knew this was also the case with the English horses, but for all I knew, they might have obtained fresh ones from Pretoria. They could at all events have picked the best horses from each camp, and thus send an overpowering force against me. This was one of those moments when a man has to keep his presence of mind, or else all is lost.
Whilst I was still thinking the matter over, troops began to come out of the camps, about two miles to the west of us on the road between Wolhuterskop and Magaliesberg. The scout who had escaped might now be with that force. I had therefore to act at once.
I decided on climbing the Magalies Mountains, without a path or road!
Near by there was a Kaffir hut, and I rode up to it. When the Kaffir came out to me, I pointed to the Magalies Mountains, and asked:—
"Right before us, can a man cross there?"
"No, baas,[67] you cannot!" the Kaffir answered.
"Has a man never ridden across here?"
"Yes, baas," replied the Kaffir, "long ago."
"Do baboons walk across?"
"Yes! baboons do, but not a man."