erers were waiting。 When we emerged from it the Boer mission and Mr。 A。 had； he added； crossed the great valley and reached the further range of hills； where they were met by some troopers from the fort。 Here； by the blowing of the horns that we had heard； or otherwise — for these natives have very strange and effective means of munication — knowledge came to Mr。 A。 that in some unexpected fashion we had escaped the ambush and were riding towards him across the valley。 Thereon； said Deventer； he lost all control of himself and called for volunteers to shoot us down in the second nek。 Then； according to him； Holtzhausen — who； by the way； was one of the best fellows I ever knew； a very honest and straightforward man； and who； like Mr。 Van Gorkom； had no suspicion of any of these things — intervened with great effect； shouting out that if this wicked deed were done he “would publish it in every Court of Europe。”
After this declaration no volunteers came forward： indeed they might have refused to do so in any case； with the result that about dawn on the following day we arrived utterly worn out at Fort Weber — I remember that several times I fell asleep on my horse — where we were received quite affectionately by Mr。 A。
When Deventer revealed all this appalling story some months later； he asked and received a promise that no public use should be made of the information； since when it came to his knowledge he was in the service of the Boer Government； and therefore did not consider himself justified in disclosing secrets to the prejudice of another servant of that Government。 This wish of his was strictly respected； but； as may be imagined； the English authorities after the Annexation； although they could make no use of their knowledge； were not willing to acc