I should say that those whose
people have gone to England may stop on for a bit, but the rest of us
will go to our friends at Durban or the Cape, at any rate for a time,
till we see how things go. We know that Lord Roberts has got Cronje
surrounded and shut up. I expect that is one of the reasons that the
Boers have been moving from here. The Free Staters will certainly wish
to get back to defend Bloemfontein, and the Transvaal people must feel
that it is no use stopping here when their own country will be shortly
invaded."
"Yes; I expect that is the reason for their shutting up as suddenly as
they have done after fighting so hard for the first five or six days of
our advance."
On arriving at Modder Spruit it was found that the last train had left
an hour before; they pushed on, however, until a smart fire from a hill
in front of them, which was evidently held in force, broke out suddenly,
and two cannon from another eminence joined in. Having thus discovered
that the Boers were not entirely evacuating the country, but intending
to defend the Biggarsberg, at any rate until a strong force came up,
Lord Dundonald returned to Ladysmith. In the afternoon General Buller
rode over attended by only one or two of the staff.
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