g of musketry proceeded. The Boers, in some force, were
located on the summit of a hill firing at our scouts, who quickly
retired. Two guns of the Natal Field Artillery were at once sent for,
but their arrival was a signal for the enemy to beat a hasty retreat.
Their retirement was merely momentary, however, for they went along a
chain of hills, and appeared again on another eminence in full force. A
squadron of the Natal Carabineers attempted to turn their flank for the
purpose of ascertaining their strength, and in so doing estimated their
numbers at about 500; any effort to dislodge so large a party would
therefore have been useless, and Colonel Martyn with his small force was
just about to retire to the hills above Estcourt, when the Boers were
observed to be on the move. They were evidently preparing to clear off,
which they rapidly did, particularly when assisted by a volley from the
Natal Carabineers, whose nimble horses clambered up to the crest with
marvellous celerity. After this, in default of sufficient cavalry, there
was no choice but to retire. Men and horses were absolutely "dead beat."
The expedition, with the mounting of the almost impregnable hill, had
occupied six hours. This, however, was only an example of the many,
almost daily, encounters that were necessary to arrest the enemy in his
advance to the south.

ARMOURED TRAIN DISASTER AT CHIEVELEY

So little is known by civilians of the nature and appearance of armoured
trains, which played so prominent a part in the war, that a rough sketch
of the "altogether" of one of these ungainly and diabolical machines may
here be given. Armoured trains are hastily-constructed affairs,
consisting of a locomotive and a few waggons, the engine generally being
located about the middle of the train. The waggons and locomotive are
covered by boiler-plating three-quarters of an inch thick, as firmly
riveted as time will allow. One of these trains was constructed at
Mafeking, where there are several railway shops, the town being on the
new main line from the Cape to Buluwayo. The locomotive is the only part
of the train that does not carry guns, the steel casing being solely to
protect the mechanism of the engine from the shot of the enemy. The
remainder of the armour is thickly perforated with portholes, through
which guns of varying calibre peep, the Maxim, Nordenfeldt, and Gatling
being the most serviceable weapons for this kind of work. The sma