makaar Hill. The forms of massed men
could be made out dimly where the Devon battalion rested under arms,
ready to give assistance in case of any reverse.

From that point the Helpmakaar road leads straight round a scrubby nek
where the Boers have thrown up a formidable series of earthworks. To
avoid these, the column struck off across open veldt into a hollow where
men had to feel their way among stunted bushes of the "Wacht een bichte"
thorn, and across dongas where the sandy banks crumbled under weights
incautiously placed, and slid down with men into depths of six feet or
more. After floundering about there they climbed out again to re-form
with such regularity as was possible in the circumstances. But for the
guides, who seemed to know every inch of ground, right directions would
almost inevitably have been lost. As it was, however, they reached the
foot of Little Bulwaan (or Gun Hill) at twenty minutes to two, and
preparations were made for an immediate assault lest daylight should
come before the work could be accomplished. Everybody knew full well how
impossible it would be to get away from the position without terrible
losses, if the Boers could see to shoot It was pretty well known that
not many of them occupied Gun Hill, but the number encamped within reach
of it was a matter of pure speculation, dependent on the accuracy of
Kaffir stories which might be true of one day, but quite untrustworthy
twenty-four hours later; so rapid are the Boers in their movements, if
they get any suspicion that an attack is impending.

Notwithstanding the difficulties of keeping touch across rough ground,
where silence was imposed, the different detachments, each with a guide
to lead it, marched so quietly that not a word was spoken, and all
arrived at their proper posts in admirable order, worthy of trained
troops. That, however, became somewhat broken as the ascent began, and
little wonder, for the boulders, rounded and worn smooth by the storms
of ages, were slippery to tread on, and occasionally a man's foot would
become wedged between them in a deep cleft. Here and there progress was
painfully slow, and the hill so steep that it had to be climbed on hands
and knees. The higher they climbed the worse it became, until, as one
man describing his own experiences said, they were like a lot of lizards
crawling over rocks. Half-way up the hill they had a narrow escape from
stumbling on a Boer picket. The sentry heard if he did not