under the crest of the
ridge, and only some shells, aimed at the artillery, dropped amongst
them. Out of sight on the right the Imperial Light Horse and the
squadron 5th Lancers worked ahead on a parallel route, having drawn
towards the outer flank on the infantry coming up to them. In rear the
Gordon Highlanders, inclining to the right, followed in support of the
Manchester, in echelon of companies at 60 paces interval, the
companies marching in column of sections. A brisk shell fire assailed
this battalion as it crossed the rear of the batteries, but, like the
Manchester, the Highlanders for a time escaped the notice of the Boer
riflemen, and they pushed on with trifling loss.

[Sidenote: Guns silence Boer artillery.]

Thus by 4.30 p.m. the whole British force, 3,500 men in all, was in
motion, and Coxhead, during the temporary silence of the enemy's
artillery, ordered his command to support more closely. As the
batteries limbered up, the Boers re-opened and followed them with
shells. Only one horse fell, however, and the British guns, moving
swiftly between the Devonshire and Manchester regiments, were shortly
in action again three quarters of a mile nearer to the front. Under
their rapid rounds at 3,200 yards the hostile gunners relapsed
immediately and finally into silence.

[Sidenote: Difficulties of approach to Boer left.]

In approaching the occupied zone the cavalry on the right were first
closely engaged. A screen of skirmishers still lay out before the Boer
left, and these, as they fell back slowly, had an easy target in the
mounted men, who were working over ground of great difficulty. Then
the Manchester, emerging from their covered way, found themselves upon
the crest of a smooth and open plateau, which, sloping downwards for
200 yards from them almost imperceptibly, was traversed by a wire
fence, beyond which stony outcrops again gave promise of shelter. As
the foremost soldiers showed above the fringe of stones at the crest
line, a sudden rush of bullets drummed upon the sun-dried level in
front of them, and the men, in obedience to an order, dropped again
behind the protecting stones to reply. As they did so, some of the
officers of the Manchester, leaving their men in the security of the
rocks, ran through the storm of lead and severed the wires obstructing
advance. But the line was as yet too weak for a forward dash.

[Sidenote: The attack on Boer left.]

For a quarter of an hour the Manchester