The nervousness of the Boers at any seeming threat to their line of retreat has been so obvious as to elicit frequent comment.

As a predominant motive it is ruinous.
The loss of the British at Graspan was 16 {p.152} killed, 169 wounded.

Lord Methuen noted in his report that he had fought distinctly different Boers on the two occasions.

If he was not mistaken, this helps to account for the greatly increased numbers encountered three days later at Modder River.

At Kimberley also it had been observed that the number of the besiegers was now much diminished, and a report, substantially correct, was received there that Cronje was marching south with 3,000 men.