I remembered a story of an escaped prisoner during the war who had only the Komati River between him and safety.

But he dared not enter it, and was recaptured by a Boer commando.

I was determined that such cowardice should not be laid to my charge.

If I was to die, I would at least have given myself every chance of life.

So I braced myself as best I could, and looked for a place to enter.
The veld-craft I had mastered had taught me a few things.