l Buller, who was
returning from Spitzkop.

[Illustration: Devons Crossing the Sabi River]

A story is told anent the positions out of which General Buller's
infantry had turned the Boers, which goes to show the estimation in
which the British infantry were held by their opponents. The words are
those of General Botha, and were told to an officer of the Head-quarter
Staff. "I shall give it up," he said. "I have taken up position after
position which I considered impregnable; I have always been turned off
by your infantry, who come along in great lines in their dirty clothes
with bags on their backs. Nothing can stop them. I shall give it up."

On September 25th the remainder of General Buller's force marched into
Sabi Drift, and on the 26th the army, united again, advanced north for
Pilgrim's Rest. Burgher's Nek and Mac-Mac diggings were reached about
noon on that day.

The pass over Burgher's Nek was held by the Boers under Gravett, Botha
and the State treasure with a small escort having crossed only a few
hours before, whilst a portion of their army under Viljoen retired at
the same time to the north towards Pietersburg.

The infantry of the advance guard was composed of four companies of the
Regiment under Captain Jacson. On reaching the foot of the pass the
mounted troops were checked and the artillery came into action. The
position occupied by the Boers was formidable--a long stretch of high
rugged hills, with the forward slope ending precipitously. The pass lay
over a Nek between two high shoulders of hills. The Boers, exceedingly
well posted, occupied the hills on either side of the Nek, taking cover
behind the immense boulders on the summit.

After the artillery had been bombarding the south side of the Nek for
some considerable time, the mounted infantry were sent forward to occupy
the hill known as Grass Kop, but were unable to proceed. In the
meantime, the four companies of the advance guard had been moved off to
the left and nearer to the hills. They now got the order to attack and
occupy the hill. Whilst these companies moved off under cover of the
undulating ground to the foot of the hills, two companies with the Maxim
gun took up a position in rear to cover the advance, firing with a range
of 1700 yards at the top of the hill. Most of the artillery came into
action at the same time and at the same objective. The foot of the hill
was reached by the attacking force with two casualties. One company was