ent, a half-company picquet was told off nightly. This picquet
extended and lay down across the main road at the foot of the forward
work. It mounted after dark and was relieved before daylight in the
morning. Many will remember the spot where this picquet was posted as
the most ill-chosen, inconvenient, and hard platform for a bed on a
rainy night.

The nights of the 6th, 7th, and 8th were occupied in making the works
stronger and building additional works.

On November 9th the Boers made their first attempt against Ladysmith.
The attack commenced at 6 a.m. with heavy musketry fire directed on to
the northern defences; and three hours later the attack developed on
Helpmakaar Post and Caesar's Camp. Shells came very thickly from two
howitzers and three high-velocity Creusot guns into Devon Post. This
lasted till about 2 p.m., when the action was concluded with a royal
salute from the naval batteries and three hearty cheers, which, started
by the Naval Brigade, were taken up all round the defences in honour of
the birthday of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. A curious ending to a
battle.

During the action a well-directed shell from one of Christie's ancient
howitzers, which were now located on Helpmakaar Hill, pitched with good
effect into the middle of a large group of Boers who were entrenching
themselves on a small rise of ground underneath Gun Hill.

Helpmakaar, which had always been a single-day post, was now turned into
a three days' post, companies remaining in the fort for three days
before being relieved.

On the 11th three companies of the Regiment were sent out under Captain
Lafone to blow up a farm building under Bulwana, about one and half
miles distant from Devon Post. After a long delay, owing to the blasting
materials having been forgotten, the operation was successfully carried
out, and the party returned with only some slight annoyance from the
enemy's pompom and a few shots from a high-velocity gun stationed on
Bulwana.

The Boer artillery on Bulwana and Gun Hill was well served, and their
shooting was excellent. One morning they opened with a 40-pounder
howitzer, known under the name of "Weary Willy," on to the main work at
Devon Post, at a portion of the work occupied by "Walker's Hotchkiss Gun
Detachment." About twelve consecutive shots pitched within a five yards'
radius, and one crashed into and nearly breached the parapet, which was
here about six feet thick and built of large stones.

The m