the column rested. At 1 p.m. it was on the move again,
breasting the gentler ascent which swells upwards from the southern
bank of the stream, and after covering some four and a half miles, was
again halted at 3.45 p.m. upon the summit of a high ridge due north of
Kankana Mountain. Here preparations were made to pass the night; the
piquets went out, rations were distributed and cooked. At 5 p.m.,
however, a patrol of the 5th Lancers from Ladysmith rode up with
orders from Sir G. White. Behind them a column under Lt.-Col. J. A.
Coxhead, R.A., was on the way from Ladysmith to assist the Dundee
detachment over the last stage. There were reports that the enemy was
about to close in from every side. General Yule was to effect a
junction with Coxhead at once, and to proceed without another check
into Ladysmith.

[Footnote 101: The northern road had been reconnoitred and
found to be without water.]

[Sidenote: Night march Oct. 25th-26th.]

At 6 p.m. began a night march of great distress and trouble. Soon
after the advance guard moved off, a heavy downpour converted the road
into a sea of semi-liquid mire, which the transport ploughed into
waves and furrows. These, invisible in the black darkness, almost held
down the soldiers plunging knee-deep into them. The teams of mules,
exhausted by prolonged labour and insufficient food, impatient by
nature of wet and darkness, strove with much suffering to drag the
rocking wagons through the mud, and, as is their habit when
overmastered by their load, threw themselves often in confusion
athwart the track and enforced a halt. At 9 p.m. the whole of the
transport stuck fast for more than two hours. The rearguard closed up,
but the troops in front of the baggage, knowing nothing of its
misfortunes, and travelling on a road not destroyed by its struggles,
pushed on and left it. With great efforts it was set in motion again,
but some half-dozen of the wagons, being imbedded hopelessly, had to
be abandoned.[102] Half a mile further the convoy was again in
difficulties. From this point all cohesion was lost. Some of the
wagons passed on, some remained; it was impossible for their escorts
to tell which were derelict and which they must still consider as in
their charge.

[Footnote 102: They were recovered next day.]

[Sidenote: Coxhead's relief column.]

Throughout the night Lieut.-Col. Coxhead, R.A., who had left Ladysmith
at 9 a.m. on October 25th, lay waiti