tion.

Under the pressure of the advancing and enveloping army this
degenerated very rapidly. When the Dutchman makes up his mind to go he
throws all dignity to the winds, and I have never seen an enemy leave
the field in such a hurry as did these valiant Boers who found their
flank turned, and remembered for the first time that there was a deep
river behind them. Shortly after twelve o'clock the summit of the ridge
of Monte Cristo was in our hands. The spurs which started at right
angles from it were, of course, now enfiladed and commanded. The Boers
evacuated both in great haste. The eastern spur was what I have called
the 'turned-back' position. The Cavalry under Dundonald. galloped
forward and seized it as soon as the enemy were seen in motion, and from
this advantageous standpoint we fired heavily into their line of
retreat. They scarcely waited to fire back, and we had only two men and
a few horses wounded.

The spur on the Colenso or western side was none other than the Green
Hill itself, and judging rightly that its frowning entrenchments were
now empty of defenders Sir Redvers Buller ordered a general advance
frontally against it. Two miles of trenches were taken with scarcely any
loss. The enemy fled in disorder across the river. A few prisoners, some
wounded, several cartloads of ammunition and stores, five camps with all
kinds of Boer material, and last of all, and compared to which all else
was insignificant, the dominating Monte Cristo ridge stretching
northward to within an easy spring of Bulwana Hill, were the prize of
victory. The soldiers, delighted at the change of fortune, slept in the
Boer tents--or would have done had these not been disgustingly foul and
stinking.

From the captured ridge we could look right down into Ladysmith, and at
the first opportunity I climbed up to see it for myself. Only eight
miles away stood the poor little persecuted town, with whose fate there
is wrapt up the honour of the Empire, and for whose sake so many hundred
good soldiers have given life or limb--a twenty-acre patch of tin houses
and blue gum trees, but famous to the uttermost ends of the earth.

The victory of Monte Cristo has revolutionised the situation in Natal.
It has laid open a practicable road to Ladysmith. Great difficulties and
heavy opposition have yet to be encountered and overcome, but the word
'impossible' must no longer be--should, perhaps, never have been used.
The success was won at the cost