"To the east of
Fort Wylie," wrote a correspondent of the London _Times_ on December
21, "the Tugela bends sharply northward, and here the left flank of
the Boer position is on the south sides of the river, on a solitary
hill called Hlangwane. This is doubtless the weakest spot in the Boer
position, for if an enemy could take it by storm or otherwise, he
could render the kopjes north of Colenso untenable."[27] {p.224} This
shows that the Boers preferred to have their lines divided by a river
fordable only in places, and at times impassable through floods,
rather than leave their flank uncovered to artillery, a decision
probably correct. As shown by the plans, Hlangwane, as an eminence,
stood by itself; a mile and a half to its east and rear was another
height named Monte Cristo, and again to the westward a range called
Inhlawe Mountain.

[Footnote 27: London _Weekly Times_, January 19,
1900. On the other hand, another correspondent who
shared this view has said, "The consensus of
military opinion seems to be that the ground being
too rough and broken to the eastward, the chief
column will try and effect a crossing far to the
westward of Colenso." (Burleigh--p. 155).]

Of the features mentioned, the Bridle Drift on the west, the iron
road-bridge in the centre, and Hlangwane Hill on the east, are the
principal points to remember. On the British side of the river, a
plain sloped gradually down to the southern bank from a distance of
two or three miles. It was divided north and south by a slight swell
in the ground, flat-topped, of height just sufficient to conceal men
on one side of it from those {p.225} on the other. On the eastern
edge of this rise, the railroad track ran north to the bridge. On the
western side, and between 3000 and 4000 yards from Wylie, was placed
the chief naval battery, the two 4.7-inch and four 12-pounders.
Between these and the railroad was to advance the central column of
attack, the 2nd Brigade under General Hildyard. To the left rear of
this, between it and the 5th Brigade--which, as before said, was
directed upon the Bridle Drift--was placed the 4th, under Major
General Lyttelton, charged with the duty of reinforcing either the 2nd
or the 5th, as circumstances might demand during the progress of the
fight. The 6th Brigade--Major-General Barton--was to advance