account for the evening's extraordinary freak, but confident that it
would not be repeated until daybreak. That brought drizzling rain and
mists that have veiled the hills all day, putting a complete stop to all
hostilities. We know nothing yet that can account for the firing of so
many guns, and only attempt to explain it on the supposition that our
enemies, being apprehensive of a renewal of yesterday's attack, were
startled by some false alarm. Not knowing from which direction the
expected blow might be struck, they fired guns all round to keep
everybody on the alert.

_November 16._--We are becoming accustomed to the daily visitation of
shells that do not burst, and perhaps familiarity is beginning to breed
carelessness. If so, the 40-pounder on Lombard's Kop gave us timely
reminder this morning that he is not to be ignored with impunity. One
shell thrown over the railway station burst in air, as it was intended
to do, and scattered its hail of shrapnel bullets about that building.
One guard, a white man, was killed on the spot or only breathed a few
minutes after being hit, and two Kaffir labourers were wounded. Scores
of bullets went into the station-master's office, and the desk at which
he generally sits was perforated like a cullender. In these times of
siege that official would not be always on duty, and he was just then
taking a lucky hour off. A Boer movement, probably of some convoy with
loot from down country, was going on along the road froth Bulwaan
towards Elandslaagte. Boer field guns covered it, keeping our scouts in
check on the plain, and riflemen created a diversion with pretence of an
attack on Observation Hill, which spluttered out slowly. Major Howard,
5th Dragoon Guards, has been recommended for the Victoria Cross in
recognition of his gallantry on "Mournful Monday," when, seeing a
trooper fall, he walked back where bullets were falling thick, and
brought the wounded man back on his shoulders in full view of several