range batteries was firing
away busily. Before us, across the river, there rose from the water's
edge first a yellow strip of sandy foreshore, then steep, scrub-covered
banks, and then smooth, brown slopes, terminating in the three hills
which were to be successively assaulted, and which were surmounted by
the dark lines of the Boer forts and trenches.

It was like a stage scene viewed from the dress circle. Moreover, we
were very comfortable. There were large convenient rocks to sit behind
in case of bullets, or to rest a telescope on, and the small trees which
sparsely covered the ridge gave a partial shade from the sun. Opposite
our front a considerable valley, thickly wooded, ran back from the
river, and it was our easy and pleasant task to 'fan' this, as an
American officer would say, by scattering a ceaseless shower of rifle
and machine-gun bullets throughout its length. Under these satisfactory
circumstances I watched the battle.

It developed very slowly, and with the deliberation which characterises
all our manoeuvres. The guns gradually worked themselves into a state of
excitement, and what with our musketry, supplemented by that of the
Border Regiment and the Composite Battalion, whose duties were the same
as ours, and the machine-guns puffing like steam engines, we soon had a
capital loud noise, which I think is a most invigorating element in an
attack. Besides this, the enemy's sharpshooters were curiously subdued.
They found an unexpected amount of random bullets flying about, and, as
they confessed afterwards, it puzzled and disturbed them.

The spectacle of two thousand men firing for half a day at nothing may
provoke the comment 'shocking waste of ammunition.' Very likely there
was waste. But all war is waste, and cartridges are the cheapest item in
the bill. At any rate, we made it too hot for the 'snipers' to show
their heads, which was certainly worth fifty men to the assaulting
brigades. This method of preparing an attack by a great volume of
unaimed--not undirected--rifle fire is worthy of the closest attention.
I have only once before noticed its employment, and that was when Sir
Bindon Blood attacked and took the Tanga Pass. Then, as now, it was most
effective.

While we were thus occupied the Infantry of Barton's Brigade were
marching across the pontoon bridge, turning to their right and filing
along the sandy foreshore. The plan of attack to which Sir Redvers
Buller had finally committed hi