The enemy, knowing only too well who were trying to cut the wire, poured
volley after volley upon us. The bullets seemed to strike everywhere and
everything but ourselves. Let the reader imagine himself exposed to such
a fire, between two forts about 800 yards apart on a level track of
ground, and forming there in the centre a target for rifles, and he will
realise, to some extent, our situation at that moment. But this was not
all. To intensify our peril we met with thick steel wire which the
scissors refused to cut. We were delayed; the whole commando arrived,
and was checked by this wire.

What an embarrassment! I ordered the men to spread, dismount, and fire
at the blockhouses until we had done the cutting. This was promptly
done. Having, been exposed to the enemy's fire for some minutes, we
succeeded at last in cutting that wire also. I then signalled the men
to pass. And once more the incredible occurred. On a plain between
blockhouses 800 yards apart, exposed to an incessant cross-fire, all the
burghers passed the line, in broad daylight, without receiving so much
as a scratch. Some horses were shot down, others were wounded, but the
men crossed safely. Some distance from the line Lieutenant Bolding was
wounded mortally.

I waited at the line till all, with the exception of eight or ten whose
horses had given in, were over and then followed the commando. But
looking back once more, I beheld one of my men trudging on foot across
the line. At once I decided to go back and lend him a helping hand. I
rode back, and was again exposed to the same fire from which we had just
escaped. This time there was to be no escape. While returning, one of my
officers--Fraser--who saw me going back, came to volunteer his services.
He would not have me exposed to the enemy's fire, and urged me to go