fore long it became light, and some of the burghers charged the
forts that were just above the ledge of rocks. They overpowered the
soldiers there, and took them prisoners, but were forced to fall
back to the escarpment of rocks immediately, on account of the
heavy fire directed on them from the other forts. And now the roar
of the cannons and rifles became terrific. This was especially the
case with the ceaseless rattle of small-arms. One could with
difficulty distinguish separate reports. All sounded together like
one continuous roar, and awoke an echo from the Neutral Hill that
sounded like the surging of a mighty wind.

"We found ourselves under a cross cannon-fire. The shells from one
of our guns flew over our heads, and exploded just in front of us
on the forts, so that we were often in danger of being struck by
our own shells; and the projectiles of the English were hurled in
an opposite direction on our cannon forts and on the burghers on
Neutral Hill.

"Gradually we began to see in what a terrible position we were. How
terrible the firing was! It never ceased for a moment; for if the
burghers did not rush out from time to time, to assail the forts,
the English charged us. This alternate charging was taking place
every now and then, and it was during these attacks that the pick
of our men fell. Whenever a sangar was charged, a destructive fire
was directed on our men, and then some gallant fellows would always
remain behind struck down.

"It was a fearful day--a day that no one who was there will ever
forget. The heat, too, was unbearable. The sun shot down his
piteous rays upon us, and the higher he rose the hotter it became.
It was terrible to see the dead lying uncovered in the scorching
rays; and our poor wounded suffered indescribable tortures from
thirst. And there was nothing to give them--only a little whisky
which I had got from an English officer, who had been taken
prisoner. I gave a little of that--only a few drops--to every
wounded man. Not only the wounded--all of us suffered from thirst.
Long before midday there was not a drop of water left in our
flasks. So intolerable was the thirst that there were burghers who
went down to the dongas below in search of water, where there was
none, and where they knew that almost cer