opening a heavy fire. It was still too distant, however, to do any
serious execution, and the British moved forward as regularly and
unconcernedly as if it had been a field day. The Boer fire grew in
intensity, and one of our batteries opened with shrapnel to drive them
from the lower ridges. At half-past three the Boer artillery joined
their deeper roar to the rattle of musketry and the sharp cracks of the
British guns. Although it was still early the light was indistinct, for
a heavy thunder-storm had been for some time brewing, and this burst
before the heat of the action really began. The darkness was all in
favour of the advancing infantry, who in their khaki uniforms were
almost invisible to the Boers.

The troops were now in extended open order, and advanced towards the
foot of the hill by rushes, taking advantage of the ant-hills that
studded the plain and afforded an excellent cover, being high enough to
cover them while lying down, and thick and compact enough to resist the
passage of a Mauser bullet. The Highlanders were suffering the most
heavily, their dark kilts showing up strongly against the light sandy
soil, and while the Devons and Manchesters sustained but few casualties,
they were dropping fast. They and the Manchesters were somewhat in
advance of the Devons, who were guarding their flank, which was
threatened by a large number of Boers gathered on the ridges on that
side.

The storm was now at its height, the thunder for a time deadening the
roar of the battle, but through the driving rain the infantry pressed on
until they reached the foot of the Boers' hill. Large numbers of the
enemy were on the slope, hidden from sight by the boulders, but these
could not long maintain their position, for the British marksmen shot as
straight as the Boer. Our batteries, which had almost silenced those of