f retreat on the unhappy colonists who had their homes in the
neighbourhood may be imagined.

From Estcourt on a clear day, with a northerly wind blowing, the
exciting sound of hostilities in the neighbourhood of Ladysmith was
distinctly to be heard, the deep bass of "Long Tom" booming upon the
air, while the heavy baritone of the 4.7 Naval guns kept up the
diabolical duet. Intense curiosity as to the doings of the besieged
prevailed, but it was impossible to do more than mount up some of the
highest hills and look down into the cup of shadow where Ladysmith was
known to be. In that direction the hollow presented the air of an active
volcano, volumes of smoke floating upwards, and spreading their message
of bombardment and resistance far and wide. But nothing active could be
done. The tiny garrison, it was true, was receiving reinforcements, but
these came in by driblets. General Wolfe-Murray engaged himself in
planning defences which should at all events make Estcourt into a hard
nut to crack, and caused redoubts and intrenchments to be constructed so
that the place might be safe against such attack as the Boers would
make. The troops were kept in excellent training, to ensure their
fitness to take the field at a moment's notice.

On the 9th of November there was general satisfaction owing to the safe
arrival, under a flag of truce, of ninety-eight wounded from Dundee. The
officers among them were Colonel Beckett of the Natal Field Force, Major
Hammersley, Lancashire Fusiliers; Captain Adam, A.D.C.; Captain
M'Lachlan, Major Boultbee, King's Royal Rifles; Lieutenant C. N.
Perreau, Captain Dibly, Dublin Fusiliers; and Lieutenant B. de W. Weldon
of the Leicesters. There was also some grim rejoicing in hearing reports
that were brought in that the Boers in their attack on Ladysmith had
suffered severely, and that Bester's Farm, to meet the strain, had been
turned by them into a hospital. The first detachment of the
long-looked-for division was now expected, and every one in camp began
already to think the siege of Ladysmith might be considered a thing of
the past.

Nothing warlike took place for some days. On the 14th, however, at noon,
the sound of three guns gave evidence that parties of the enemy had
somewhere made their appearance. The garrison--now counting the West
Yorks--numbering some 3000 men, stood to arms. Colonel Martyn, in
command of the mounted troops, at once started off in the direction
whence a cracklin