And I now asked myself what I could do whilst the English were remaining inactive.

For notwithstanding all that had happened, I had not for a single moment the thought of surrender.

It seemed to me that my best course was to allow the burghers, who had now been away from their families for six months, an opportunity to take breath![29] After everything had been arranged I went to Brandfort and thence to Kroonstad, at which place I was to meet President Steyn, who had left Bloemfontein the evening before it fell.
On my road to Kroonstad I fell in with General P.J.Joubert, who had come to the Free State, hoping to be able to discover some method for checking the advance of Lord Roberts.

He was anything but pleased to hear that I had given my men permission to remain at home till the 25th of March.
"Do you mean to tell me," he asked, "that you are going to give the English a free hand, whilst your men take their holidays ?" "I cannot catch a hare, General, with unwilling dogs," I made reply.
But this did not satisfy the old warrior at all.

At last I said: "You know the Afrikanders as well as I do, General.