ren in their excitement. At last
the party came scrambling down the hill, joined the supports, and all
straggled back into camp together, with exultation and joy. They
just, and only just, got in before the morning gave the enemy light
enough to fire on their line of march.

[Illustration: BREECH BLOCK FROM GUN HILL]

The whole movement was planned and executed to perfection. One man was
killed, three or four were slightly wounded. Our worse loss was Major
Henderson, wounded in the shoulder and leg during the final advance. He
went through the rest of the action, and returned with the party, but
must now retire for a week or so to Intombi Camp, for the Roentgen rays
to discover the ball in his leg. It is thought to be a buckshot, or,
rather, the steel ball of a bicycle bearing, fired from a sporting gun.

General Hunter found a letter in the gun-pit. It is in Dutch, and
half-finished, scribbled by a Boer gunner to his sister in Pretoria. I
give a literal translation:--

"MY DEAR SISTER,--It is a month and seven days since we besieged
Ladysmith, and I don't know what will happen further. We see the
English every day walking about the town, and we are bombarding the
place with our cannon. They have built breastworks outside the
town. To attack would be very dangerous. Near the town they have
set up two naval guns, from which we receive a very heavy fire we
cannot stand. I think there will be much blood spilt before they
surrender, as Mr. Englishman fights hard, and our burghers are a
bit frightened. I should like to write more, but the sun is very
hot, and, what's more, the flies are so troublesome that I don't
get a chance of sitting still.--Your affectionate Brother."

In the afternoon the General publicly congratulated the Volunteers on
their achievement. The Boers added their generous praise--communicated
to some doctors left behind to look after our wounded, who returned to
us in the course of the day, after being given a good breakfast.
Unhappily the above account is necessarily second-hand. No correspondent
had a chance of going with the party. The only one who even started was
sent back by General Hunter to await the column's return in a
guard-room. I have been obliged to build up the story from my knowledge
of the ground and from what has been told me by Major Henderson and
other officers or privates who were present.

Before that party returned in triu