s guns. The night was illuminated by the
blazing wagons, and made hideous by the whoops of the drunken rebels
who caroused among the captured stores. With the first light of dawn the
small British force was fiercely assailed on all sides, but held its
own in a manner which would have done credit to any troops. The much
criticised Yeomen fought like veterans. A considerable position had
to be covered, and only a handful of men were available at the most
important points. One ridge, from which the guns would be enfiladed, was
committed to the charge of Lieutenants Tabor and Chichester with eleven
men of the 11th Imperial Yeomanry, their instructions being 'to hold
it to the death.' The order was obeyed with the utmost heroism. After
a desperate defence the ridge was only taken by the Boers when both
officers had been killed and nine out of eleven men were on the ground.
In spite of the loss of this position the fight was still sustained
until shortly after midday, when Doran with the patrol returned. The
position was still most dangerous, the losses had been severe, and the
Boers were increasing in strength. An immediate retreat was ordered, and
the small column, after ten days of hardship and anxiety, reached the
railway line in safety. The wounded were left to the care of Smuts, who
behaved with chivalry and humanity.

At about the same date a convoy proceeding from Beaufort West to
Fraserburg was attacked by Malan's commando. The escort, which consisted
of sixty Colonial Mounted Rifles and 100 of the West Yorkshire militia,
was overwhelmed after a good defence, in which Major Crofton, their
commander, was killed. The wagons were destroyed, but the Boers were
driven off by the arrival of Crabbe's column, followed by those of
Capper and Lund. The total losses of the British in these two actions
amounted to twenty-three killed and sixty-five wounded.

The re-establishment of settled law and order was becoming more marked
every week in those south-western districts, which had long been most
disturbed. Colonel Crewe in this region, and Colonel Lukin upon the
other side of the line, acting entirely with Colonial troops, were
pushing back the rebels, and holding, by a well-devised system of
district defence, all that they had gained. By the end of February there
were none of the enemy south of the Beaufort West and Clanwilliam line.
These results were not obtained without much hard marching and a little
hard fighting. Small