WITH OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 12, 15 January 1900, Page 2

WITH OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT

» THEIR BAPTISM OF FIRE. VARIOUS EXPERIENCES NEAR ARUNDEL. OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT TAKEN FOR A SPY. (F.toni our First War Coubbspondbnt. British Camp, Arundel, 13th Dec. After the despatch of my last letter, as there was no indication of a move towards Colesberg, I decided to run down to Capetown for the purpose of finishing the business that had been interrupted by our hurried departure. I left on Monday, the 4th, and arrived in Capetown on the morning of the 6th, but had barely arrived when I received news that sent me back over my 570 miles journey, post-haste to the front. NEW ZEALANDERS OFF TO FIGHT. As the train swept into Naauwpoort on Friday morning I saw that the .New Zealand camp M r as almost deserted. The tents Avere standing, but both horses and men had vanished. A train load of troops left the station as I entered it, and I Avas told the long-expected advance had commenced, and the troops were up at Arundel, -where a battle was expected the day on Avhich I had arrived. Tho train I had just seen disappear was the lasti train for the front for some time. I then decided to ride the eighteen miles, and got out my horse, Avhen the Kaffir in charge of the stable dreAV my attention to its feet, which had been badly cut. The animal was quite unfit for the journey, and there appeared nothing but the prospect of a, weary tramp on foot across the dreary veldt, with the chance of arriving at the scene too late to witness the fight, to say nothing of the risk of being picked up by Avandering detachments of Boers. Difficulties, however, arise only to be conquered, and after an energetio search I discovered a mate in a similar plight— Mr. Weekly, the special correspondent for Reuter's service . An hour later we were speeding across the veldt in a cart draAvn by two horses. The weather was magnificent — clear blue sky, broiling sun, and clouds of dust rising from the hoofs and wheels as Aye pitched and jumped over ruts and stones. We outspaimed for dinner by the bank of a dried-up river, boiled our tea with a spirit lamp, and were off again, listening keenly for the sound of cannon. But all was still as we rattled up to the tAVo houses which comprise the village of Axundel. OUR MEN'S FIRST ACTION. To climb to the top of a neighbouring kopje was the work of a few minutes, and as I stood on the top the boom of a gun smote the ear. I breathed freely. The fight was still proceeding. From the kopje the veldt stretched away for several miles in undulating Avaves toAvards a second range of loav hills, sprinkled over with patches of bush. This bush avus swarming with Boers, who were firing at our troops. These Avere visible in clusters on the plain between me and the enemy. The Sixth Dragoon Guards were in two parties, one on each flank of the Mounted Infantry and NeAv Zealanders. The Boer shells were falling over the plain, but doing no damage. At this stage of the drama a party of fifty of our men, under Captain Davies, moved forward to a tmall kopje slightly to the, right of our line, and nearer the enemy. They dismounted and settled down among the rocks on the hillock. Just then a party of Boers rode straight for the position. Puffs of smoke spurted from among the rocks. Two Boers fell" off their horses, and tue remainder wheeled and fled in panic to the rear. Our. fellows had iired their first shot in actual warfare, and were naturally rather elated. But the fighting ceased shortly afterwards, and I returned to Arundel, where I learned that the Sixth Dragoons had previously cleared the Boers off the hill beside the village, and that just before my arrival the New South Wales Lancers, who were also present, had been exposed to a withering fire, through which they had come unscathed. Our casualties amounted to one horse killed. The skirmish was purely a reconnaissance, under Colonel Porter, to induce the enemy to reveal their strength. And it was successful, as about 2000 Boers (estimated) lined the kopjes, and they aleo brought several guns into action, one of which wa.s a large piece of ordnance throAving projectiles far over our fighting line to a distance of about four miles j and two Hotchkiss guns made good practice at our men, sending shell after shell straight into a gateAvay through which they thought the Dragoons were going to pass. TWO ARRESTS OF SETTLERS. Mr. Weekly and I pitched our tent by the wall of a garden belonging to a Dutchman named Rentburg, avUo "had been arrested by the British on a charge of treason, and was at that moment confined in the gaol at Naauwpoort. By a curious coincidence the other settler, named Albertyn, was a prisoner in the hands of the Boers. From his wife and mother, who were in the house, we learned the reason for his arrest. Several days before our arrival, it appears, the Boers occupied the hill beside the house, and were friendly enough with 41bertyn (who was %ho a Dutchman), but one day a train was seen coming up the line from Naauwpoort with British troops, and Albertyn, dreading that we Avould take his cattle, sent out a. boy on a white horse to drive them in. The train was seen to steam back again, and nothing further occurred for several days, when the train was observed coming out again. Albertyn's boy was out at once on the white horse after the cattle, and for the second time our train went back. The Boers immediately jumped to the conclusion that it Avas a prearranged signal, — the Avhite horse indicating tne presence of the Boers. So they took him away to Colesberg. This will serve tc indicate the miserable position occupied by tfye Dutch settlers on the frontier — suspected by both sides, and liable to iiave all their actions misunderstood. ANOTHER DAY'S SCOUTING. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and we turned in early, as Aye heard that the troops Avere going out at 2 o'clock next morning to open fire on the enemy from the kopjes near Sannah's Dam. We were up at 4 o'clock on Saturday mornr ing, and after a hurried breakfast we drove out some three miles to the position. It was held by the New Zealanders, who lined about a mile and a-half of low hills, the horses being placed in the rear, ont of the enemy'a sight. A crackling fire was going on at long range on the right, and Aye sat among the rocks and watched the Boers on the opposite nill as they marched and counter-march-ed, or gathered in groups to watch us, while several of then) could oe seen hard at work throAving up a parapet in front of a gun they had mounted in a good position, from which they occasionally threw a shell at us. One of these shells burst in a vacant space near some of our horses while I was there, but it did no harm. As the day wore on we all crawled under the shadow of rock and bushes to ewca-pe from the scorching rays of the pitiless sun, while every man drained his water-bottle in a vain effort to quench the consuming thirst that tormented him. A furious fusilade burst out about noon from the 3oer centre. 1 walked along, and found they Aveve firing at two of our men who had daringly

walked along the railway line in full view of tho enemy, apparently for no other purno&c but to lanUilLse them. Our men arc displaying plenty of courage. When the sun was in the zenith a regiment of Dragoons rode out and relieved us. It appeared the attack had been postponed because the New South Wales Lancers failed to turn up at Hie appointed time to escort the artillery. So we harnessed up and drove back to camp, passing en route a dead horse, a memento of yesterday's fight. ARRESTED AS SPIES. After learning that there was no prospect of anything further neiag done for a. day or two, we decided to drive down to Naauwpoort and get some provisions up. Now the animala we had kept up a provoking jog-trot, and to get tnem to go faster we decided on making them run away. So, with this end in view, we uttered the most diabolical whoops and yells, ultimately inducing ihe brutes to fly as if for their lives. We sat back and smiled audibly, holding on tight to the seat. Suddenly an officer appeared, galloping after us from the camp, which was now at least a mile astern. He was followed by a second, who pulled something glittering out of his pouch. I remarked to Weekly that the festive customer was probably going to Invite us to have a drink, when he dashed up, and revealed, not a flask, but a loaded revolver, which he pointed at us and ordered us to halt. As he was followed by six Hussars, who also pointed revolvers at us, we meekly reined up and asked for an explanation. We were curtly ordered back to camp. To camp we accordingly returned, escorted by troopers, who seemed anxious to have a shot at us. Nearly all the troops turned out and formed a living avenue of wondering "Tommies," who stared at "the Boer spies" with intense interest as we drove along towards Col. Porter and his staff, who were sternly awaiting our arrival at headquarters. I got out and answered a series of questions as to where we came from, who we were, what we were dojng up at the front, and so on. When the Colonel heard we were "war correspondents" he relaxed, and let , us depart, remarking with \ smile that our arrest would be a new experience for ; US. We had lost at least an hour's time by our arrest, and it was late in the afternoon when we oulspanned beside a i river, where we had a delicious bath after the heat and excitement of the day, and ■ the moonlight drive over the veldt will long remain in my memory as one v -of the few pleasures amidst the hardship and worry of my South African experiences. On Sunday we rested both ourselves and horses. ANOTHER DAY'S WORK. Monday morning found us on board a military train returning to tho froi\t, and on reaching Arundel we proceeded on foot to the fighting line three miles away, where the Artillery were already haid at work with their 12-pounders shelling the Boers in the kopjes. On the way Mr. W. shouted to me to look out, and a large snake went gliding past my feet towards a neighbouring kopje. We immediately grabbed stones and went in pursuit. The reptile, after being hit several times, took refuge under a rock, but he was poked out with a tree branch, and, after a lively five minutes among the rocks, was killed. Some soldiers measured him and made his length five feet. Shortly after this we reached a high hill and climbed up to near the summit, where we found a ledge, from which an extensive view of alt the operations could be got. It was jusl as if we were standing on the rim of a soup plate, the rim representing the surroun ding hills and the bottom a plain about three miles across and about the same length. A small hill principally composed of rocks stood out in the plain about a mile from the opposite side.* It was connected by sand and bush-covered ridges with the further hills, and appeared to be, in the Boers' eyes, one of tne keys to the position. Our guns were unlimbered on the plain at our feet, looking like toys, and as the smoke belched from their muzzles we noticed an answering puff of smoke on the sand ridge conecting the hill — which was named Valkop — to the further hills. These smoke wreaths were our shells bursting, and they soon scattered the Boers, the little black figures scurrying over the kopje out of range. One of our scouts rode boldly over the position soon after, and found a dead Boer disembowelled lying beside his horse, which had been blown to pieces. On our way back the New Zealanders were seen hard at work on a rjdjre beside the camp, building a breastwork of stone on the position allotted to them as an alarmpost HARD WORK FOR THE NEW ZEALANDERS. On Tuesday morning our Contingent went out patrolling before daybreak, and became exposed to a furious fire from a party of Boers hidden among the rocks on a kopje. Some dragoons were also out, and one of them was shot dead, while a New Zealand horse was wounded and several of our men had narrow escapes, one having his hat knocked off by a bullet. But all remained cool and obeyed orders promptly, with the gratifying result that our people returned to camp in safety. Our men are having a hard time of it, sometimes only, getting a few hours' sleep, getting up at one in the morning and remaining in the saddle till late in the afternoon, with meals snatched how and where they can. They are growing hard, however, amd all look ruddy and healthy, although the sun is tanning some of them so that one barely recog-. nises them. Beards are coming to the surface, also working a transformation in the appearance of the Contingent. FURTHER FIGHTING. After a hurried breakfast I started ! to the look-out ledge, and while crossing i the veldt was pursued by two of out i own fellows, who did not recognise me till close up. It is impossible for anyone to approach or leave tho camp without being seen. The first thing I saw on reaching the hill was a regiment of horsemen crossing the plain from the right, nnd moving towards the Vnlkop hill. The advance was covered by a screen of scouts. It was some time before I recogjmised the New Zealand uniform, and I watched their, advance on the enemy's position with some anxiety. They rode up close to a farmhouse which showed up white against the grey-green base of Valkop, then wheeled and slowly retired towards their old position at Sannah dam. A herd of springbok kept dodging them in the hollows, which, although visible to me from my elevated position, was not seen by our men. i As the regiment vanished off the scene to the right a column composed of Hussars and Artillery moved out upon the plain from behind some kopjes on the left, and also advanced toward Valkop. All the afternoon the little force advanced, haUinpi repeatedly while the scouts examined every dip in the plain. About 5 o'clock the force haltpd at Ihe foot of Vnlkop. Immediately afterwards the din of rifles broke the stillness, and our troops passed behind the hill. The ficht raged fully an hour, but I was not able to see it properly owing to the intervening hills. The boom of guns joined in, and after a while as the sun ] sank the firing ceased and I returned to my tent, the column bivouacking on the position it had gained. ' LIFE ON THE VELDT. My tent is pitched beside the spring that supplies all the camp with water,

and I have ample opportunity of w"«ching the antics of those bluspheniy-pro-ducing brutes, the mules that draw the water-carts. There are six mules to each, and if there are 99 right Avays and one wrong way of doing ailything it is done the wrong way. They rush when they should stand still, and back instead of going forward. The yells and oaths of the negro drivors are distracting after ono comes in fagged out at night expecting to get a sleep bofore writing up the day's proceeelings by candle-light — for after 12 at night sleep here is out of the question. The cold is so intense that it becomes painful — in vivid contrast to the excessive heat during the day. The only countries I can compare this to for climate are Egypt for heat and a night in the Swiß^Alps for cold. AN EXCITING DAY. To-day, Wednesday, 13th December, has been a most exciting da)"-, owing to the cold. We both got up about 4 in the morning, after having tossed about all night), and after making some cocoa, which heated us, we tramped off to the crow's nest on the ledge. The boom of guns was heard quite plainly away to the left, and on reaching our positions we saw the last shots fired by our guns near Valkop at a Boer gun, which was silenced on the hills beyond. The firing drove a herd of springbok towards us, and as the graceful creatures came bounding across the veldt, the leader came to an abrupt stop, for at that instant a burst df rifle fire broke out on our right. Here we saw a party of troopers retiring towards the camp from a kopje that was spotted with patches of smoke from the Boer rifles. The Boers commenced to move along the line of kopjes parallel with our retreating men, and it now became apparent that the camp was threatened. The troops turned out, and took up a position on som« hilly country to the right of the high hill that overlooks the camp. The din of rifles became continuous, being emphasised at intervals with the boom of a gun as the Horse Artillery caught sight of the enemy clustering on tlie bupli -covered hillocks. We were three miles from the camp, and there was a 6hance of our being cut off, so we climbed to the hilltop, where we found half a dozen signallers at work sending heliograph messages to our advanced post at Valkop, probably warning them of the danger that threatened our position. Some excitement now prevailed among the men as the Boer attack developed, and they began to load their carbines and look about for cover, at the same time asking Reuter's Special and myself where our weapons were, and expressing great surprise when informed that war correspondents were not supposed to carry arms. We now determined to try and get round to where the fight was, and scrambled down over the rocks until Are reached the plain. WARM WORK ABOUT THE CAMP. A smart walk brought us into the vicinity of the camp, where we found the New' Zealand men lining a long range of low kopjes opposite the Boers' position. Mr. W — . climbed up beside them, and I continued my pilgrimage to the right, where the. guns were shelling the enemy with deadly accuracy. A dragoon leaning on the neck of his horse, his face drawn with agony, rode past on his way to the ambulance, supported by a comrade on foot, who was leading the animal by the bridle. A bullet had pierced his shoulder. I next passed a squadron of Dragoons bearing lances, drawn up in a depression to the rear of the gun, while a wounded gunner, hit by a rifle ball, was placed on an ambulance stretcher and conveyed to a Red Cross waggon in the rear. The thud of a bullet in the earth a few yards away announced that I was within the zone of fire, so that I had to exercise taution in approaching Ihe guns. My progress was \w,tched with interest by the groups of horse-holders and drivers, but I reachnd the guns unscathed and got a good view of the situation. The Boers had brought a gun into play against the four guns we had unlimbered on the hill face, but after the second shell the enemy's gun was heard no more. They made things hot for out gunners with a maohine gun until it also was silenced. Then their rifles took up the attack, and our carbines replied^ But the Boers kept such excellent cover that even with a field-glass I could see nothing but the smoke-puff spirting over the reddish-brown boulders, while our men were almost devoid of cover, and it is a wonder we did not suffer more than we did. LOSSES FOR THE DAY. Our losses for tho day were eight wounded, while the Boers had 20 killed and a large number injured — at least those who saw them fall said so, and after watching our shells bursting among them, I am convinced the estimate is within the reality. The fighting was pretty well over by midday, but the troops remained out watching the Boers who still lurked among the hills, and I returned to camp to get my ma^l despatched, when I discovered that it would be necessary to go down to Naauwpoort, as there is no postal service up at the front. I came down in a guard's van, on the- floor of which three wounded men lay, and greater patience I never saw displayed Not a moan or complaint was uttered during the time they were jolted over the 18 miles to town, the heavy smell of iodoform from the' dressings, mingled with the sultry air, creating « sickening atmosphere. " Our arrival in camp at NaauAvpoprt caused a sensation, as the men were taken away in stretchers to the hospital, a number of ladies at their garden gates looking on with expressions of horror at this first glimpse of the reality of war. ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE SAME , PROCEEDINGS. (Press Association's Wur Correspondent.) ARUNDEL, 9tl» December. So that our movements can be mo\e easily understood and followed, it should be explained that Naauwpoort is the junction of the Port Elizabeth • De Aar Capetown railway wHh ,the ColesbergBloemfontein line, and so naturally forms a base for operations against the Orange Free State. Colesberg and Arundel were seized by the Orange Free State Bpers on the declaration ot war, and have since remained in theii possession, and must now be recovered. Robin's Nek is our locale, a Naauwpoort name for the spot where the railway passes the line of kopjes five miles beyond Arundel. It is a little signal station, apparently having no name. On the 7th inst. we were ordered by General French to march at 5 a.m. to Haartebeestefontein. If no resistance was offered, we were to occupy the line of kopjes there, and during the day were to cover the detraining of the- 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabineers), then to bivouac there for the night. Only one waggon was taken, with a day's supplies and a blanket for each man. Those orders cume the previous evening, and kept us pretty busy making our own detailed arrangements. Reveille sounded at 3 a.m., and by 5 a.m. we were on our way, No. 1 Company going along the line to see thut it had not been tampered with, and Mo. 2 Company escorting the waggons along the road. We took besides our own waggon those of the Carabineers anil Mounted Infantry. It was a delightlul morning, cool, and wonderfully clear, and as we quietly rode across the veldt, enjoying that sweetest of all smokes, the early morning pipe, it was hard to realise that we Mere taking part in a resolute and bloody war — everything «( i onied peacofiil. Our scouts were on* in i" m" ' fossicking about, all eyes ;».nd t»- '"'i

ulcrtness. but nothing of importance was fieen and the lost waggons arrived at Baartebeeslefontein at about 11 a.m. On arrival v. line of Cossack posts was at once thrown out, the remainder of our force being kept in readiness near the railway station. The telegraph section of Royal Engineers, which had accompanied us,' then reported our arrival to Naauwpoort. The flrsb half of the Carabineers then left • by train, the second following shortly alter, and the Mounted Infantry (200 strong) came in a third train. The Carabineers had only arrived from Capetown the evening before. They were about 500 strong and splendidly horsed. As soon as they arrived at our position they got their horses, already saddled, out of the train. Not long after arrival they were sweeping across tho veldt beyond our line of outposts, the scouts being spread right across the plain for about six miles to the kopjes on either side. The Mounted Infantry followed in support. Their object was to try and seize Arundel, and this they did with little difficulty, as the Boers in occupa,tion cleared out on their approach. The Boer adjutant was out shooting, and after the exchange of a few harmless shots he was captured. We heard the firing, and it put us more than ever on the "gui vive.'* As dusk came on our posts were drawn closer in and strengthened. A Cossack post is a party of four mounted men posted on some important approach or commanding position from which an aggressive enemy can be observed and « held in check until the camp has time to get under arms. Three of the men and the four horses are kept under cover, while the fourth man stands a few yards in front keeping watch. This sentry is relieved every hour or so by one of the other three. This is work at which our boys excel. It is on the alertness and intelligence of these posts the whole safety of the force in the rear depends. The day had turned very hot, water was scarce, and nothing but thirsty bully beef and dry ration biscuits could be had. As we had to be on the move again at dawn (3.30 a.m.), all except the unlucky 'outposts were soon after dark asleep on the ground in their greatcoats. Some, whose first experience it was of a stony bed in the open air, had, I fear, not been able to attain the happy land of sleep before it was time to be up again. In the darkness the horses were saddled up, and as dawn was breaking we moved off through , the Une of kopjes and out into the veldt, where the Carabineers had preceded us the afternoon before. One of our posts had brought in a Kaffia who had deserted from the Boers at Colesberg. It was a useful capture, and the man gave the staff some valuable information. He, among other things, informed them that the railway line had just been destroyed at a point a few miles on our side of Arundel. Our orders were in consequence altered to proceed as far as this break and there i await and cover the arrival of a train j with a party of engineers to repair it. I We arrived just before the train, and the ; engineers soon repaired the ">roken culvert. In the meantime, we ascertained that the Carabineers were safe in AruLdni. The Boers were supposed to be in foice on the next Une of kopjes, five miles beyond the town, and our next order came telling us to join the Carabineers and Mounted Infantry to form a gar- ' rison under Colonel 1 Porter Carabineers). This officer was to make a reconnaissance, and, if possible, occupy the kopjes, if not too strongly held by the i Boers. We pushed rapidly on to join our new command at Arundel-— a ful little green place consisting of four or five typica l white farm-bouses, with iljt roofs ; then on through the adjacent line of kopjes and out on to ihe veldt beyond. Here we saw the Carabineers already spread out like a fan over the plain right across to the krpjes, Bonn two miles distant, on either side of itio railway. Colonel Porter told us off to act as • a support, and he remained with us. We kept about 1000 yards n» the rear of the cavalry, and as they a^proaohrij the line of kopjes in front the excite1 ment and suspense increased, as every moment might bring a volley from the enemy. At last the cavalry got so close i that all chance of being fired at from the front had gone ; but at that moment firing was neard on- the right, and again shortly after on the left. The ridge in front was evidently not occupied, but the right flank and the range of hills joining on <-ne far side at right ' angles evidently was. The cavalry were therefore sent round to reconnoitre . up both flanks of this range, while we j were directed to occupy the kopje directly in front. Our horses were left at the foot, and we scrambled on to the top of the ridge on, the right o* the railway line. On getting there we could see the Boers all dotted along the ridge, but mostly two miles or more away from , our right flank. However, some Boers j occupied a small detached kopje, and or these we opened fire at 1200 yards, and made them clear out. While we were firing three Boers and two iiorsea were said to have been knocked over. The horses were certainly killed, and there is little doubt that th,e Boers were also killed or severely wounded, and possibly some j others also. Several more shots at loia yards were fired with unknown results, the fire being harmlessly returned. In the meantime the cavalry |reconnoitred up both flanks, and were fired on «y arI tulery and rifles, one or two horse? being j wounded. The New South wales Lanoers were on the left flank, and got somewhat hotly fired on, and galloped in again. We held the kopje ill dark, then retired back to bivouac at Arundel. On reaching Arundel we were required tc move our lines to a more favourable position for defence. Next day we were roused at 1 a.m., and saddled up in inky darkness, and with difficulty were ready at the rendez vous.at 3 a.m. The New South Wales Lancers atid two guns of the K.A. were also- to assemble, and at dawn to attacli the Boer position, or rather feign an attack to draw his fire and make him disclose his position and force. We wailed for about an hour, the cause of delaj being unknown to us. At last dawn began to break, and we knew it was then too late to carry out i-he plan. The Now South Wales Lancers then appeared on the scene for the first time, being an hour late. Their explanation I have never heard. The scheme was therefore abandoned, and General French ordered us to reoccupy the kopjes of the previous day. We found them still unoccupied by the Boers, and remained there till midi day, when the Mounted Tnfantry relieved us, and we returned to camp. We found our tents had arrived, and alsc bread and fresh meat. Since leaving Naauwpoort no one had had anything but bully beef and biscuits.' The first mail from New Zealand aiso arrived, an<3 there was a dead silence in camw ior a short time after the letters were delivered. They arrived at a most opportune moment, and those whom it concerns | please remember that a letter from you ! will do a deal to cheer a weur) man at such times as these. Sunday, 10th December. A highly appreciated and much-needed Oduy of rest at last. 11th December. To-day, while on the top o: a kopje. we were able to sec a miniature battle in the distance. About forty or fifty Boers had occupied a farm about four miles away, ■which had to be cleared. 1 Suddenly we &u.w two puns of horse aril'ory and some cavalry gaPoping as

i hard as they could across the veldt toj wards the farm. The Boers saw them coming, and rushed cmt to their horses, > at once making for a kopje a few hun- ' dred yards in the rear. They were, however, not quite smart enough, as the guns came into action 'ike lightning. ■ Two well-placed shells at 2000 yards i killed a Boer and wounded *seven others. > The remainder reached their kopje in 1 safety, and then cleared right away. I 12th December. This was a most unsatisfactory day. | We started at 1.20 a.m. with the Ne;v South Wales Lancers to reconnoitre the j right flank and back of the Boer position. We started away across the veldt, the Lancers leading, but somehow did not [ take the route ordered, and before dawn found we were making straight for a , Boer hornet's nest. Our course was there- , fore altered, and soon^we found ourselves . nearly back in camp^ and in imminent l danger of being fired at by our < <vn pickets. The officer in command returned to camp for fresh orders, and was told to try and carry out tt'.e smrift , reconnaissance by daylight. We proceed- . Ed, and presently got undei fire irom <»r» i invisible enemy, and withdrew. A few Boers were then seen galloping across to seize a kopje in front of us, amd before i we got orders to withdraw out of range the Boer bullets were whizzing all round us. Mercifully no one was hit. Saddler 1 Harris's horse was shot through a leg. Orders were then received from camp to remain about where we were and make demonstrations on the Boer flank, while some guns and cavalrj' would be sent round to the far flank to try and carry out the required reconnaissance. In carrying this out the cavalry came under ; a hot fire, and the sergeant was killed and the corporal wounded. A subaltern who behaved with extreme courage had a very narrow escape. As the day went i on we moved about and gradually advanced up our side of the Boer flank till 3 p.m., not knowing what was happening on the other flank, except that firing was going on. One of our companies and some New South Wales Lancers were then detached to make further demonstration, and went , six miles further to a solitary kopje (Vaalkop) in the middle of the veldt, on reaching which we retraced our steps, i arriving back in camp after dark. All the morning till 7 a.m. we were frozen, and all day scorched. As we only cxi pected to be out till 10 a.m., we were i very hungry when we got back, the day having been most wearisome for man and beast, and, moreover, useless. We were looking forward to a "long morningi,' 1 i with "reveille" at 6 a.m., but at 4 a.m. the alarm rang out. We bundled out of , our tents, got the horses saddled up, . and then leaving some ' men to take charge of the horses, rushed to our de- ; fence position, which is portion of a . rocky ridge in front of the camp. The , alarm was that "the Boers were getting t round our right flank and trying to seize the railway." By this time we had in camp the New South Wales Lancers, 6th , Dragoons (Carabineers), the Inniskillings, ' the 10 ( h Hussars, a battery of R.H.A., the Berkshire Regiment, and some others. (By the time we got to our post (about three-quarters of a mile away) all the cavalry were flying about the plain and | the guns banking away. For several [ hours we watched .the scene from our height. The Boers were prevented from 1 reaching the railway, but nothing would induce them to leave their kopjes and give the cavalry a chance. They were hotly shelled all round by our artillery whenever they showed on a kopje, but 1 the results were not ascertained. They were probably not much, as it is extremely hard to dp any damage when they are esconced ' behind the tops of their kopjes. They brought two guns 1 into action, but these only fired two shots, and then were apparently silenced. 1 They were not seen, or heard again. ' Desultory firing went on more or less oil 1 day. One squadron of our cavalry get i under a hot fire in the morning, and Cad an officer and five men wounded. The ( Boers retreated to their original position at dusk. At 3 p.m. an order came to us to send No. 1 oompany away to, VaalI kop, about seven "miles away, where a . squadron of cavalry and two guns were . being pressed by the Boers, and supposed , to be in danger of being cut off. \ The company was soon streaking rapid- ! ly and cautiously along the veldt, and . reached Vaalkop without serious auvenL ture. They found that the detachment , there was three-parts surroundered by [ j Boers, all a long way off, but it was L i really in no danger of being cut off, as the \ Boers would never venture out into the ; open to do so. How we wish they would ( try this even very occasionally ! But thW won't. The officer in command pvinted out a farm about two miles and \ a half off, into which 30 or 40 Boers had ' gone, and which he wanted cleared. His ' plan was to gallop up the two guns, screened by cavalry, to within a mile or 1 so, and then shell the place, while he 1 wanted the New ZealandeHs to watch the 1 left flank of the farm. If the Boera 5 tried to escape that way to their kopjes 1 we were to tackle them. This was briefly 1 explained to us all, and off we went at • full gallop, extending as we went. The i Kuns on our right bounded along, their 5 horses straining every nerve. When ' about 2000 yards from the farm the gal1 loping mass of horses round the guns was ) suddenly transformed into a stationary ' mass, ths guns blazing away in front. , The New 1 Zealanders swept on, bearing i away from the guns until about 1000 1 yards from the farm. Then they dis- • mounted, and lined a stonewall, waiting ; for a "chance at the enemy The shelling • proceeded, but only ostriches were seen ; rushing about. Tn a few minutes the l order came to seize the farm as quickly l as we could. We mounted our horses, i cleared the wall, and galloped on until > within a few hundred yards of the place, j At the given signal we urged our norses on to their utmost speed, shoutipg our war cry of "Ake alee," etc., and. envel- ! oped two sides of the farm. We momentarily expected a volley from the Boers. We reached the outer encircling ' wall in safety ; dismounted, and left the horses there under cover. Fixing bayoc nets, we rushed into the farm, completely encircling it. In a moment it had ' been searched from top to bottom, but, 1 alas, to our bitter disappointment, it r was absolutely empty. We searched the ■ outhouses, garden, orchard, and stock1 yards — all were empty, bar two dead ' turkeys and some defunct ostriches. 1 We returned to camp after dark, and 1 • were met by an anxious and enquiring ' crowd, who were full of congratulations. | They had heard, and it had also been I wired away, that Me had taken the farm i at the point of the bayonet and had r killed 30 Boers. Our only roiisolation ■ was that our operation would have hopn • equally Biiccessful even if there had been 3 50 Boers in the farm.