his rear.

"At noon the burghers returned to the laager. About an hour before
sunset our scouts returned with the news that the English had
reoccupied Lindley, and that it was but a small column _without_
guns. When the burghers heard that the column was only 500 strong,
and had no guns, they required no other inducements, but started
immediately for Lindley. Our men are, as a rule, more daring if
they discover that the enemy has no cannons at their disposal; the
big, monstrous guns they do not like. We had thus decided that this
detached column would receive every attention from us.

"The British, being warned by the dust in the distance that our
commando was coming, considered it wiser to quit the village, fall
back on Valsch River and occupy positions on the right bank of it.
Darkness had now set in, and we could do no more than place our
pickets round the column. We had, however, not enough men that
night to make sure that should the enemy try to escape they would
not succeed. Forsooth, we were greatly surprised to find them still
there the following morning. It seemed to us a little over-bold on
their part to stay on with only two Maxims at their command. We did
not know then that it would take us three and a half days, and some
precious lives, before the white flag would be hoisted. The next
day we surrounded them completely and thus knew that unless
reinforced they would have to surrender.

"Early in the morning firing commenced; but the enemy had occupied
during the night such strong positions--the hills and ridges on the
river banks--that they were quite secure. We had the bed of the
river, from whence we could not inflict such losses as would compel
the enemy to capitulate. They held the key of the positions, and
unless we could seize that stronghold, all our efforts would be
useless. The question was, how to take it. Without the assistance
of guns it was a dangerous and risky undertaking to charge that
particular position--a hill on the right bank of the river. Our
men, in charging it, would be exposed to a rifle and Maxim fire for
at least 800 yards. Under cover of guns, however, it was possible
to reach the hill. A gun was immediately sent for, and on the
evening of the third day of the siege it arrived at Lindley.

"That nigh