eight o'clock
Here there was a drift , and there was no occasion to use the ferry-boat except when the river was swollen by rain . It now reached only just up to the ponies ' bellies ; they therefore crossed without the least difficulty , and after passing through the village , left the road , and struck off across the country to the south-west . When four or five miles away they halted at a donga , and leading the ponies down , turned them loose to feed , ate their supper , and were soon asleep . It was no longer necessary to travel by night , and at eight o'clock they started again . They kept a sharp look-out from every eminence , and once or twice saw parties of mounted men in the distance and made detours to avoid them . So far as they were aware , however , they were not observed . The distance to be ridden from their last halting-place was about thirty-five miles , and at one o'clock they were within five miles of Estcourt .