isfied
with a rescinding of the annexation and restoration of the South
African Republic under a protectorate of her Majesty the Queen, so
that once a year the British Flag shall be hoisted, all in strict
accordance with the above-mentioned clauses of our first
proclamation. If your Excellency resolves to reject this, we have
only to submit to our fate; but the Lord will provide."

Sir George Colley started on the 24th of January from Newcastle for
the border. The road from Newcastle to Laing's Nek runs up a
precipitous hill for three miles, and thence leads down the steep
mountain of Skheyns Hoogte. The movement of the column was slow and
laborious, the roads, if roads they could be called, were almost
impassable owing to great ruts, mud-holes deep enough to bury a
waggon up to the bed-planks, with boulders and other impediments
thrown in.

Here, as Laing's Nek is so prominent a feature in our history, it
may be well to give Mr. Carter's concise description of the
geographical nature of the position:--

"Laing's Nek is the lowest point in an unbroken ridge which connects
the Majuba Mountain with hills running right up to the banks of the
Buffalo River. A slight cutting, not more than four or five feet
deep, forms the waggon road over this ridge; from the waggon road on
either side the ground runs up somewhat abruptly, and is stony and
irregular. How gentle the rise is to the Nek from the level ground
in front of it towards Newcastle (and along which the approach is by
the main road), may be judged from the fact that a horse can canter
easily up the slope, or for the matter of that, over the two miles
of ground which lead to the foot of the slope. From the top of the
ridge to the level ground at the base is not more than five hundred
yards. The chain of hills, in the centre of which is the Nek, is
semicircular, the horns of the crescent pointing towards Newcastle,
and offering strong positions for any force intent on defending the
only practicable approach to the Nek; but to occupy these flank
positions a large body of men would be necessary, as the area from
point to point is great. On the reverse, or Coldstream side of the
Nek, the ground at the foot of the incline is broken and marshy, a
regular drain for all the water running from the surrounding hills."

[Illustration: DRUM-MAJOR and DRUMMERS, COLDSTREAM GUARDS.

Photo by Gregory and Co., London.]

To return to the troops. Whil