a low mimosa bush in front of
Bester's Farm, which must not be confounded with the other Bester's away
to westward, near the Harrismith Railway, and giving its name to a
station on that line. There are many branches of the Bester family
holding farms in Natal, and nearly all are under a cloud of suspicion at
this moment because of their known sympathy with the Boers. That
red-cross flag was taken as a sign that the farmstead had been occupied
as a hospital, and we respected it accordingly, but, as on other
occasions in this curiously conducted campaign, the Boers, who stretch
the Geneva Convention for all it is worth in their own favour, made it
cover something else. While our soldiers scrupulously avoided firing
anywhere near the farmstead that bore that emblem of neutrality, they
saw herds of cattle and horses being driven off, and these were followed
presently by a trek waggon on which also the red-cross flag waved
conspicuously.

In that waggon were several women carrying white sunshades, and among
them, it is said, the redoubtable Miss Maggie who used to ride her
bicycle through our lines to the enemy's, even after war had been
declared and Free State burghers had crossed the border into Natal. If
that is so, she and many of her relations have crossed our lines
finally, to throw in their lot with the Boers, accompanied by very
valuable herds of live-stock. The only Besters who remained in our hands
as hostages have, I believe, been allowed to take refuge with sick and
wounded at Intombi Spruit camp, where they at least are safe enough
under the protection of their Boer friends. Other curious flags were
seen about the same place to-day. Lieutenant Fisher of the Manchesters,
who though wounded soon after sunrise refused to quit his post, and with
half a company held one shoulder of Waggon Hill until the last attack
had spluttered out, sent a careful report to his colonel before the
ambulance men took him to their field hospital. In this report he gives
details of some curious movements among the enemy. One contingent,
apparently some foreign legion, showing traces of elementary discipline
and evidently not numbering in its ranks many Boers of the old school,
advanced boldly across ground that afforded them little cover, and there
began to "front form" in fairly good order. They were well within range
of Lee-Enfield rifles, and a few volleys well directed sent them to the
right-about in anything but good order. Soon