and the whole body wheeled round and
dashed off to join the rest of the advancing force.

This gave us a few minutes' respite, during which the horses were
rapidly led into shelter by half our party, who found a way through the
great wall; while the other half rapidly manned wall, rock, and tower,
ready to receive the enemy with a steady fire, which they were not
likely to stand, for in every direction now the veldt stretched away,
bare of such cover as our enemies loved to use.

It was close work, and the Boers swept round right and left to attack us
in the rear. Our men were, however, too quick for them; and, climbing
higher, knots of them reached the highest portions of the rocks beyond
the ruins, and opened fire upon the enemy, so that in a short time our
assailants drew back to a distance, but kept their formation of four
parties. As soon as they were beyond range, we could see three men from
each of three bodies gallop off to join the fourth, evidently to hold a
council of war concerning their next movements. This afforded us time
to make something of an examination of the stronghold so opportunely
offered as a refuge, and gave the Colonel an opportunity for taking the
best advantage of our position.

The ruined buildings had undoubtedly been constructed for purposes of
defence; and, to every one's intense delight, on passing through an
opening in what proved to be a solid cyclopean wall, strengthened with
tower-like edifices, there was a wide courtyard-like enclosure, quite
beyond the reach of bullets, into which our horses were led, the walls
themselves being of ample width to be manned, and with sufficient
shelter from which our marksmen could command the whole kopje; and on
these walls about fifty of our men were stationed.

"We're safe enough here from any attack they can make," said the
Colonel. "What we have to fear is the want of water and provisions if
they try to invest us."

Which they would not do, was the opinion of all who heard his words. We
had our haversacks pretty well lined, and each man had, of course, his
water-bottle; but the possibility of being held up for over twenty-four
hours was enough to make the Colonel give orders for an examination of
the ruins and the rocks of the kopje around, to see if water could be
found.

To Denham was given the task of making the search, and he nodded to me
to accompany him, and afterwards called to Sergeant Briggs, who eagerly
came to our side.