As they were fully armed and their appearance was not prepossessing, we expected to be ordered to alight while our conveyance was being searched.

However, our fears were unfounded, and they were most polite.

The driver muttered something in Dutch, whereupon the leader came to the door, and said in broken English: "Peeck neeck--I see all right." I am sorry to say one of the gentlemen of our party muttered "Brute" in an audible whisper; but, then, he had undergone a short, but a very unpleasant term of imprisonment, with no sort of excuse, at the instance of a Boer _Veldtcornet_, so no wonder he had vowed eternal vengeance.

Luckily, this officer did not hear, or else did not understand, the ejaculation, so after a civil interchange of good-days we drove on.
After about three hours we reached a shallow ford over a wide stream, and our driver informed us that this was our destination.

Leaving the carriage, we walked up to some rocks overlooking the stream, which seemed an inviting place for luncheon; but we were quickly driven away, as thereon were lying seven or eight carcasses of dead horses and mules.
Curiously enough, the vultures, or "aas-vogels," had left the skins on these poor beasts, for I remember noticing how their coats glistened in the sunshine.