I crossed the Orange River into the Orange River Colony on or about
the 15th of August last. It is brought back to my memory inasmuch
as Commandant Cachet was killed on the 15th of August in the
district of Venterstad in the Cape Colony. I did not take any
natives prisoner prior to crossing the river. Commandant Wessels
was with me before I got to the river, about five or six miles from
the river he left me and crossed. I crossed the Orange River on the
Bethulie side. Wessels crossed the river on the Norval's Pont side.
I did not see him cross the river. After crossing I went to the
first farm. No one was at home there, and I off-saddled. The name
of the farm is unknown to me. It was a farm that had been burnt.
When I arrived at that farm there was no other commando there.
Before I crossed the river I heard rifle-fire, but after I had
off-saddled for a little while I heard cannon-fire. The firing came
from the west, from the direction which Wessels had crossed the
river. The cannon-firing also came from the same direction.

I mounted a horse and rode up a kopje to see if I could see
anything that might be taking place. The kopje was about 1,000 to
1,200 yards from my laager. I was riding a chestnut horse. I went
to the kopje alone, but a man by the name of Michael Coetzee, whom
I intend to call as a witness, was on the kopje on duty as a
sentinel. I remained there a considerable time. I saw cannon-firing
on a little ridge on the Colony side of the river. I heard
rifle-fire while I was on the kopje. I returned to the laager. The
firing was in the direction of the laager. When I got back to the
laager Commandant Wessels was there, off-saddled. After I arrived
at the camp I spoke to him about the firing I had heard. I knew
that some of the farmer's cattle were being brought in for the
purpose of slaughtering, and I asked Wessels why they fired so many