This convoy encamped that evening at the distance of a mile from the farm of Zwavelkrans; the spot chosen was about five hundred paces from the Rhenoster River, and quite unprotected.
Before sunrise I sent a party of burghers down to the river, some five hundred paces from where the convoy was encamped, and by daybreak we had entirely surrounded the enemy.
No sooner had the sun appeared than I despatched a burgher with a white flag to the English officer in command.

I ordered my messenger to inform the officer that he was surrounded, that escape was out of the question, and that if he wished to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, his only course was to surrender.
[Illustration: ROODEWAL.
FROM A SKETCH BY THE AUTHOR.] On hearing this one of their men came to me with the object of demanding certain conditions.

It goes without saying that my answer was--"Unconditional surrender!" He asked for time to communicate this to the officer in command.

I granted this request, and he returned to the convoy.
We were not left in suspense for long.

The white flag was hoisted almost immediately, and two hundred _Bergschotten_,[45] with fifty-six heavily laden waggons, fell into our hands.
Fortunately, all this occurred out of sight of Roodewal Station and Heilbron, and, as not a single shot had been fired, I had no reason so far to fear that there was any obstacle in the way of my main project--the capture of the valuable booty at Roodewal.
I at once returned with my capture to the spot where we had been the previous night.