an." Equally sad
was the loss of Colonel Dick-Cunyngham, of the Gordons. A spent bullet
struck him in the back as he was leaving camp. The wound is mortal, and
he had only just recovered from his wound at Elands Laagte.

So the fight began. The official estimate of the Boers who gained the
top is 600. Eye-witnesses put the number at anything between 100 and
1,000. The struggle continued from 3 a.m. till nearly seven at night. It
must be remembered that our men had nothing to eat from five the
afternoon before, and got nothing till nine at night. Twenty-eight hours
they were without food, and for about sixteen they were fighting for
life and death. At 4 p.m. a tremendous thunderstorm with rain and hail
came on, but the fire never slackened. The 21st and 67th Batteries were
behind the position in front of Range Post, but were unable to give
assistance for fear of killing our men. The 18th Hussars and 5th Dragoon
Guards and some 5th Lancers came up dismounted to reinforce, but still
the enemy clung to the rocks, and still it was death to creep out on the
narrow level of the summit.

It was now evident that the position must be retaken at all costs, or
the enemy would hold it all night. The General sent for three companies
of the Devons. Up they came, tramping through the storm--that glorious
regiment of Western Englishmen. Colonel Park and four other officers led
them on. It was about six o'clock when they reached the summit. Keeping
well to the left of the "nek," between the extremity held by the Light
Horse and the 60th's sangar, they took open order under cover of the
ridge. Then came the command to sweep the position with the bayonet.
They fixed, and advanced at the quick till they reached the open. Then,
under a steady hail of bullets, they came on at the double--180 men,
with the steel ready. Colonel Park himself led them. The Boers kept up
an incessant fire till the line was within fifteen yards. Then they
turned and ran, leaping down the steep face of the hill, and
disappearing in the dead ground. Their retreat was gallantly covered by
their comrades, who swept the ridge with an oblique fire from both
sides.

The Devons, edging a little to the right in their charge, got some cover
from a low wall near the "nek" just quitted by the Boers. Even there the
danger was terrible. It was there that four officers fell, three stone
dead. It will be long before such officers as Lafone (already twice
wounded in this war) an