, and turned back along the subsidiary spurs of Monte Cristo, and
the British forces had placed themselves diagonally across the left of
the Boer position thus:

[Illustration: Plan of position at Monte Cristo.]

The advantages of this situation were to be enjoyed on the morrow.

Finding our further advance barred by the turned-back position the enemy
had adopted, and which we could only attack frontally, the Cavalry
threw out a line of outposts which were soon engaged in a long-range
rifle duel, and prepared to bivouac for the night. Cingolo Ridge was
meanwhile strongly occupied by the Infantry, whose line ran from its
highest peak slantwise across the valley of the Gomba Stream to Hussar
Hill, where it found its pivot in Barton's Brigade and the Artillery.
The Boers, who were much disconcerted by the change in the situation,
showed themselves ostentatiously on the turned-back ridge of their
position as if to make themselves appear in great strength, and
derisively hoisted white flags on their guns. The Colonial and American
troopers (for in the South African Light Horse we have a great many
Americans, and one even who served under Sheridan) made some exceedingly
good practice at the extreme ranges. So the afternoon passed, and the
night came in comparative quiet.

At dawn the artillery began on both sides, and we were ourselves
awakened by Creusot shells bursting in our bivouac. The enemy's fire
was chiefly directed on the company of the Queen's which was holding the
top of Cingolo, and only the good cover which the great rocks afforded
prevented serious losses. As it was several men were injured. But we
knew that we held the best cards; and so did the Boers. At eight o'clock
Hildyard's Brigade advanced against the peak of the Monte Cristo ridge
which lay beyond the neck. The West Yorks led, the Queen's and East
Surrey supported. The musketry swelled into a constant crackle like the
noise of a good fire roaring up the chimney, but, in spite of more than
a hundred casualties, the advance never checked for an instant, and by
half-past ten o'clock the bayonets of the attacking infantry began to
glitter among the trees of the summit. The Boers, who were lining a
hastily-dug trench half way along the ridge, threatened in front with an
overwhelming force and assailed in flank by the long-range fire of the
Cavalry, began to fall back. By eleven o'clock the fight on the part of
the enemy resolved itself into a rearguard ac