mbed up in extended line.
Not a word was spoken, and the Boers gave no sign till our men were
within twenty yards of the top. Then a sentry cried, "Who's there? Who's
there?" in English, and fired. Our men fixed swords and charged to the
top with a splendid cheer. They made straight for the sangar and formed
in a circle round it, firing outwards without visible target. To their
dismay they found the gun-pit empty. The gun had been removed perhaps
for security, perhaps for the Sabbath rest. But it was soon discovered a
few yards off, and the sappers set to work with their gun-cotton.
Meantime a party was sent to the corner of the hill on the left to clear
out a little camp, where the Boer gunners slept and had their meals
under a few little trees. They fired into it, and then carried
everything away, some of the men bringing off some fine blankets, which
they are very proud of this morning. The great-coats were in such a
disgusting condition that the soldiers had to leave them.

The fuse was long in going off. Some say the first fuse failed, some
that it was very slow. Anyhow, the party was kept waiting on the
hill-top almost half an hour, when the whole thing ought to have been
done in a quarter. Those extra fifteen minutes cost many lives. At last
the shock of the explosion came. Two great holes were made in the gun's
rifling near the muzzle, and the breech was blown clean out, the screw
being destroyed. Major Wing secured the sight, the sponge, and an old
wideawake, which the gunner used always to wave to him very politely
just before he fired. Some say there was a second explosion, and I heard
it myself, but it may have been a Boer gun which threw one round of
shrapnel high over the hill, the bullets pattering down harmlessly, and
only making a blue bruise when they hit. As soon as the sappers and
gunners had made sure the gun was destroyed, the order to retire was
given, and the line began climbing down in the darkness. The half
company in support was taken up, the two companies at the foot were
reached by some, when a heavy fire flashed out of the darkness on both
sides. The Boers, evidently by a preconcerted scheme, were crowding in
from Thornhill's farm on our left--Mr. Thornhill, by the way, was acting
as our guide--and from Bell's farm on our right. They came creeping
along the dongas, right into the midst of our men, as well as cutting
off retreat. Then it was that we wanted that quarter of an hour lost by
the