Lieutenant Brady were both slightly wounded. Major Baillie had a narrow
escape, his horse having been shot under him, while his water-bottle was
also struck by a bullet. In the evening Colonel Baden-Powell issued a
general order congratulating the A and L squadrons, commanded by Captain
FitzClarence and Lord Charles Bentinck, and the crew of the armoured
train, under Captain Williams and Lieutenant More, for their highly
creditable performances.

About this time some discomfort and anxiety was occasioned by the fact
that water became scarce in the town, owing to the Boers having taken
possession of a fountain from which the inhabitants were supplied.
Still, as Colonel Baden-Powell is an officer of genius, full of resource
and infinite capacity for taking pains, all had confidence that he would
not allow himself to be overcome by a temporary difficulty, and that he
and his would emerge from all tests much as Colonel Pearson and his
gallant party emerged from the ordeal of Eshowe. So the water difficulty
was soon settled. Under Major Hepworth's supervision all the wells were
cleaned out, and Sir Charles Warren's old well re-opened. On the 16th
of October Commandant Cronje's commandoes took up a position among the
thorns above the racecourse and opened fire on the town. Then a Boer
party bearing a flag of truce was sent by Cronje to demand surrender to
avoid further bloodshed. "Certainly, but when will bloodshed begin?"
asked Colonel Baden-Powell, who, alive to all the little dodges of his
enemies, knowingly kept the Burgher messenger blindfolded while he
formulated his reply. Of course he meant to hold out, and he said so in
round terms, and the Burgher departed discomfited and without having
secured a plan of the fortifications! Subsequently some Boer Krupp
batteries were brought up to cover the town, to impress those concerned
and to show that the enemy meant business. But the bombardment so far
was not fraught with much damage, for Colonel Baden-Powell, telegraphing
on the 21st, thus comically described the situation: "All well. Four
hours' bombardment. One dog killed."

[Illustration: TYPES OF ARMS--15-POUNDER FIELD-GUN. PHOTO BY CRIBB,
SOUTHSEA.]

The Boers had now begun to penetrate to Tuli in Rhodesia. Tuli is the
nearest post on the north to Transvaal territory. It stands on a river
that comes down from the Matopo Hills, and joins the Limpopo about
twenty miles beyond the town, which commands the cross-roads fro