seen about the same place to-day. Lieutenant Fisher of the Manchesters,
who though wounded soon after sunrise refused to quit his post, and with
half a company held one shoulder of Waggon Hill until the last attack
had spluttered out, sent a careful report to his colonel before the
ambulance men took him to their field hospital. In this report he gives
details of some curious movements among the enemy. One contingent,
apparently some foreign legion, showing traces of elementary discipline
and evidently not numbering in its ranks many Boers of the old school,
advanced boldly across ground that afforded them little cover, and there
began to "front form" in fairly good order. They were well within range
of Lee-Enfield rifles, and a few volleys well directed sent them to the
right-about in anything but good order. Soon after, a second column
advanced with even more bravado, headed by a standard-bearer, who
carried a red flag. These were said to be Irishmen, who, having elected
to serve a republic, and being debarred from fighting under the green
banner of their own country, yet not quite ready to acknowledge the
supremacy of another race, may have flaunted the emblem of liberty by
way of compromise. More probably, however, they were a mixed lot owning
no common country, but willing or unwilling to serve under any colours
with equal impartiality. Two or three shrapnels bursting in front of
them to a vibrato accompaniment of rifle fire many were seen to fall,
but whether badly hit or not nobody on our side could say. At any rate,
these adventurous auxiliaries are likely to learn discretion from the
wily Boer after such an experience.

The attack, such as it was, had failed on both the positions threatened.
It was never pressed home with energy at any point, and unless the Boers
prove to be as good at concentration as they are in mobility, there is
not the remotest chance for them to achieve even a temporary success by
rifle attack against infantry whose discipline and steadiness have not