d been fought
during that afternoon at Elandslaagte, and that a large number had
fallen on both sides. Tired though he was, he at once rode back along
the road to Dundee, and arrived at the scene of the day's battle after
covering some fifteen miles.

Then he joined a search-party, and all that night and on into the
following morning he helped to bring in the poor fellows who had been
wounded. Boers and British were picked up just as they were found, and
treated with equal kindness. And all the while, as the searchers toiled
amongst the boulders on the hill, thunder roared above them, and forked
lightning lit up the scene, while a bitterly cold rain fell in torrents,
soaking everyone to the skin, and increasing the troubles of the
wounded.

The battle of Elandslaagte proved to have been almost similar to that of
Talana Mill, and as stubbornly fought. Commencing as a mere
reconnaissance under General French, it had developed into a pitched
battle. As usual the Boers were hidden amongst the boulders of a huge
kopje with two guns at the summit; and up the slopes of this, with shell
from our own batteries pounding overhead, and a hail of bullets pouring
down at them, the Manchesters, the Devons, and the Gordon Highlanders,
assisted by the Imperial Light Horse, rushed with dauntless courage,
capturing the position, and bayoneting those of the Boers who had not
fled. Many of the enemy were thrust through and through by the lances
of our troopers and by the sabres of the 5th Dragoon Guards, for our men
were not likely to spare anyone when just before they had seen many of
their own comrades shot down on the side of the kopje by a party of
Boers bearing the white flag.

And all the time, while shells were screaming, and bursting to form a
huge red blotch against the dark hillside, while men were gallantly
forcing their way up to the summit, and others were shooting them down,
a violent storm was raging, and sheets of water were almost hiding the
combatants from one another.

And now, as Jack helped to find the killed and wounded, the thunder of
the guns and the rattle of the rifles had ceased for good, and only
fierce gusts of ice-cold wind and rain whistled across the ground and
moaned and shrieked mournfully round the boulders. Late on the
following day the list of killed and wounded was complete, and on our
side included 4 officers killed and 31 wounded; a total which, with
direct evidence from prisoners, went fa