n Kloof, but with this exception we did not come into action.

Watched by the whole army the Durhams advanced against Vaal Krantz,
which they took about 4 p.m. amidst the cheers of the onlookers. But
with this success the operations practically ended for the day.

The battalion remained all the afternoon in the same position, and
then finally bivouacked there, having luckily succeeded in
communicating with the transport, so that the men had blankets. Its
outposts were pushed well round the southern slopes of Swaartz Kop,
thus overlooking the Tugela. A reconnoitring patrol was fired on from
the left bank, but otherwise the night passed without incident.

We did not move on the 6th, and had practically nothing to do. The
artillery on both sides fired continually, although the damage done
must have been very small in proportion to the noise and expenditure
of ammunition.

Every one watched with special interest a duel between our heavy
artillery and a large Boer gun which had suddenly been unmasked on
Doorn Kloof. This gun fired black powder, and its discharge could be
plainly seen, but it was apparently run up for every round behind a
parapet. It displayed absolute impartiality in its attentions. One
round would be directed against the infantry on Vaal Krantz, another
covered with dust a field battery on the plain, a third just missed
the battalion, while a fourth shell would crash among the trees on
Swaartz Kop. All our heavy guns had a try at silencing it, and their
efforts sometimes met with partial success. The Boer gun would cease
firing for a time, but it always re-appeared when least expected.
Towards the evening it became quite lively and put a shell through the
pontoon bridge.

The night of February 6th-7th was spent in comparative peace, although
the Boer artillery somewhat spoiled the first part of the night by
shelling Vaal Krantz. February 7th was a repetition of the 6th, except
that the gun on Doorn Kloof paid slightly more attention to our
position. The Colonel found it necessary to post a man on the
look-out, whose duty it was, on seeing the white puff of smoke, to
blow a whistle, whereupon everybody sought the shelter of the nearest
and largest boulder. But although, when the huge shell burst, the air
seemed unpleasantly full of whizzing iron fragments, no damage was
done, and the gun merely mitigated, to some extent, the monotony of
idleness.

By this time it was clear that Sir Redvers Buller did