it from the engine. No one dared
to risk imprisoning the engine again by making it go back for the
trucks, so an attempt was made to drag the trucks up to the engine.
Owing chiefly to the fire of the enemy this failed completely, and
Captain Haldane determined to be content with saving the locomotive. He
accordingly permitted the driver to retire along the line slowly, so
that the infantry might get as much shelter from the ironwork of the
engine as possible, and the further idea was to get into some houses
near the station, about 800 yards away, and there hold out while the
engine went for assistance.

As many wounded as possible were piled on to the engine, standing in
the cab, lying on the tender, or clinging to the cowcatcher. And all
this time the shells fell into the wet earth throwing up white clouds,
burst with terrifying detonations overhead, or actually struck the
engine and the iron wreckage. Besides the three field-guns, which proved
to be 15-pounders, the shell-firing Maxim continued its work, and its
little shells, discharged with an ugly thud, thud, thud, exploded with
startling bangs on all sides. One I remember struck the footplate of the
engine scarcely a yard from my face, lit up into a bright yellow flash,
and left me wondering why I was still alive. Another hit the coals in
the tender, hurling a black shower into the air. A third--this also I
saw--struck the arm of a private in the Dublin Fusiliers. The whole arm
was smashed to a horrid pulp--bones, muscle, blood, and uniform all
mixed together. At the bottom hung the hand, unhurt, but swelled
instantly to three times its ordinary size. The engine was soon crowded
and began to steam homewards--a mournful, sorely battered
locomotive--with the woodwork of the firebox in flames and the water
spouting from its pierced tanks. The infantrymen straggled along beside
it at the double.

Seeing the engine escaping the Boers increased their fire, and the
troops, hitherto somewhat protected by the iron trucks, began to suffer.
The major of volunteers fell, shot through the thigh. Here and there men
dropped on the ground, several screamed--this is very rare in war--and
cried for help. About a quarter of the force was very soon killed or
wounded. The shells which pursued the retreating soldiers scattered them
all along the track. Order and control vanished. The engine, increasing
its pace, drew out from the thin crowd of fugitives and was soon in
safety. The i