of French's flank march, and fearing they would be cut off if they
remained, were abandoning their position in the hills about
Magersfontein, which they had intrenched so strongly, and were quietly
and promptly moving off towards Bloemfontein. The rearguard of their
line was at that moment just opposite to us.

Chester Master immediately sent back an orderly as hard as he could go
to tell our fellows what was in front and hurry them up, every moment
being now of the utmost importance if we wanted to intercept the enemy.
The Boers themselves took their measures instantly and with their usual
coolness. A long line of kopjes ran eastward across the plain, flanking
the line of their march, and directly they saw they were discovered,
their horsemen dashed forward and began to occupy these, thus guarding
the right flank of their retreat from our attack. Seeing this, Chester
Master galloped back himself to urge on our Mounted Infantry, who were
now mustering rapidly to the attack.

From the kopje on the extreme left front, where we were, we could now
see extended at our feet the whole plan of the approaching battle, while
as yet the two sides were invisible to each other. In the valley on the
north side of the kopjes the Boers were urging on their convoy and
rapidly despatching their sharpshooters to hold the hills along their
right. On the south side were the masses of our columns, with the
squadrons of Mounted Infantry now detaching themselves from the main
body, and beginning to stream across the level plain towards the same
hills; all with heads bent one way, horses prancing and pulling, and
with all the signs of eager excitement, as though they divined, though
as yet they could not see, the presence of the enemy. Over the dusty
plain they canter, but they are too late by a few minutes. The Boers are
there already, and as the Mounted Infantry come along, passing close