antry. But the
cavalry commander, no less than his brigade, proposed to interpret these
instructions freely. Accordingly, at about half-past nine, the South
African Light Horse, two squadrons of the 13th Hussars, and a battery of
four machine guns moved forward towards the line of heights along the
edge and crest of which ran the Boer position with the intention of
demonstrating against them, and the daring idea--somewhere in the
background--of attacking and seizing one prominent feature which jutted
out into the plain, and which, from its boldness and shape, we had
christened 'Bastion Hill.' The composite regiment, who watched the
extreme left, were directed to support us if all was clear in their
front at one o'clock, and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry, who kept
touch between the main cavalry force and the infantry left flank, had
similar orders to co-operate.

At ten o'clock Lord Dundonald ordered the South African Light Horse to
advance against Bastion Hill. If the resistance was severe they were not
to press the attack, but to content themselves with a musketry
demonstration. If, however, they found it convenient to get on they were
to do so as far as they liked. Colonel Byng thereon sent two squadrons
under Major Childe to advance, dismounted frontally on the hill, and
proposed to cover their movements by the fire of the other two
squadrons, who were to gallop to the shelter of a wood and creep thence
up the various dongas to within effective range.

Major Childe accepted his orders with alacrity, and started forth on
what seemed, as I watched from a grassy ridge, a most desperate
enterprise. The dark brown mass of Bastion Hill appeared to dominate the
plain. On its crest the figures of the Boers could be seen frequently
moving about. Other spurs to either flanks looked as if they afforded
facilities for cross fire. And to capture this formidable position we
could dismount only about a hundred and fifty men; and had, moreover, no
artillery support of any kind. Yet as one examined the hill it became
evident that its strength was apparent rather than real. Its slopes were
so steep that they presented no good field of fire. Its crest was a
convex curve, over and down which the defenders must advance before they
could command the approaches, and when so advanced they would be exposed
without shelter of any kind to the fire of the covering troops. The
salient was so prominent and jutted out so far from the general li