d to worry them everywhere.

To attack the fortified entrenchments in these parts, where we had
only just been taking the offensive, causing the enemy to be on his
guard, would not have been advisable. I therefore decided to make a
feint attack on Belfast.

One night we moved with all the burghers who had horses, about 15
carts, waggons, and other vehicles, guns and pom-pom, to a high
"bult," near the "Pannetjes." When the sun rose the next morning we
were in full sight of the enemy at Belfast, from which we were about
ten miles away.

Here our commando was split into two parts, and the mounted men spread
about in groups of fifty men each, with carts scattered everywhere
among the ranks. We slowly approached Belfast in this order. Our
commando numbered about 800 men, and considering the way we were
distributed, this would look three times as many. We halted several
times, and the heliographers, who were posted everywhere in sight of
the enemy, made as much fuss as possible. Scouts were riding about
everywhere, making a great display by dashing about all over the
place, from one group of burghers to another. After we had waited
again for some little time we moved on, and thus the comedy lasted
till sunset; in fact, we had got within range of the enemy's guns. We
had received information from Belfast to the effect that General
French had taken all the guns with him to Belfast, leaving only a few
of small calibre, which could not reach us until we were at about
4,000 yards from the fort. Our pom-pom and our 15-pounder were divided
between the two divisions, and the officers had orders to fire a few
shots on Belfast at sunset. We could see all day long how the English
near Monument Hill were making ditches round the village and putting
up barbed wire fences.

Trains were running backwards and forwards between Belfast and the
nearest stations, probably to bring up reinforcements.

At twilight we were still marching, and by the light of the last rays
of the sun we fired our two valuable field-pieces simultaneously, as
arranged. I could not see where the shells were falling, but we heard
them bursting, and consoled ourselves with the idea that they must
have struck in near the enemy. Each piece sent half a dozen shells,
and some volleys were fired from a few rifles at intervals. We thought
the enemy would be sure to take this last movement for a general
attack. What he really did think, there is no saying. As the burgher