I went back to Maggersfontein. A little way from it was an empty house; I went into it as I did not wish to live in the laager. Every morning we could hear the firing at Maggersfontein.
Christmas was drawing near. From all sides people sent us dainties and anything that they thought would give us pleasure. I used often to go to General Cronje’s laager.
In the beginning of the new year 1900 General De la Rey had to retire to Colesberg. I went with him to Bloemfontein, and the evening we arrived there he had to go on to Colesberg. I went back home, where I found our children safe and well.
Every day we kept hearing of battles. I went on with my work on the farm, and that made the time pass less slowly. Two months later I went to Kroonstad and found my husband there. All the week he had not been well, but he got better quickly and started anew on commando.
I went home again, and had not been there long when General De la Rey was sent to Mafeking; but while on his way the siege of Mafeking was raised.
Then all the commandoes were ordered to Pretoria. My husband came home on the 23rd of May, and on the 25th of May the march to Pretoria began. That was a hurried trek, for the enemy were in great force.
We did not know now what their next movements would be, so the best thing for me to do was to wait for the coming of the enemy.
Five days after the Boers had left the district the Kaffirs came in such numbers that they stripped the whole border of cattle, and acted abominably towards the women and children.
A week after the Boers left Lichtenburg the troops[2] entered the village. I was then on my farm, which lies a quarter-of-an-hour’s distance outside.
[2] Troops.—When an Afrikander speaks of “troops” he always means those of the English, probably from having heard so much about “troopers.”