freeness. They knocked three of the Worcesters over early in the day,
killing two and badly damaging the other. As on all other occasions in this
peculiar engagement, the Boer gunnery was simply superb; but their shells
were worthless. Shells grew so common that the "Tommies" scarcely ducked
when they heard the report of a gun they knew was trying to reach them, but
smoked their pipes and made irreverent remarks concerning things made in
Germany. About midday a party of Boers, who had somehow dodged round to our
rear, made a dashing attempt to raid some cattle that were grazing close
under our eyes; but they had to vanish in a hurry, and were particularly
lucky in being able to escape with their lives, for a party of scouts
darted out after them at full gallop on one side, whilst another party of
mounted infantry rode as hard as hoofs could carry them on the other side
of the bold raiders. They unslung their rifles as they dashed across the
veldt, and the Boers soon knew that the fellows behind them were as much at
home as they were themselves at that kind of business.

Late on Monday evening the Boers located a little to the left of our centre
moved forward a bit. Though with infinite caution, and commenced sniping
with the rifle. It was an evidence that they were growing weary of our
tactics, and would greatly have liked us to attempt to rush their position
with the bayonet, so that they could have mowed our fellows down in
hundreds. But this General Rundle wisely declined to do; it was victory,
not glory, he was seeking, and he was wise enough to know that a victory
can be bought at far too high a price in country of this kind against a foe
like the wily Boer. On Sunday night our strength was augmented by the
arrival of three regiments of the Guards, and on Monday night we, knew for
a certainty that General French was close at hand. The Boer was between two
fires, and he would need all his "slimness" to pull him out of trouble.
During a greater part of the night our guns continued to rob sleep of its
sweetness, and the enemy's pom-pom mingled with our dreams. On Tuesday