me of relief, half an hour before dawn.
There are differences of opinion, and some acrimonious discussions as to
the means by which 500 Boers of the Heidelberg Commando, under Greyling,
had succeeded in getting to a position which commanded much of that
plateau before anybody had the slightest suspicion that enemies were
near. At the outset I suggested an explanation which seems to be
strengthened by every fact that I can gather. They came barefooted up
the cliff-like face of Intombi Spur on its southern side, and crept
round near its crest until they had command of the whole shoulder,
practically cutting off the Manchester sentries from their pickets, but
taking care to raise no premature alarm. Their rule apparently was to
wait for the sound of firing on Waggon Hill, whereby our attention
might be diverted that way, and then to begin their own attack on a
weakened flank.

This is nearly what happened, except that the Manchesters were put on
the alert by signs of an attack about Waggon Hill more serious than any
preceding it, and made preparations for strengthening their own outpost
line. But it was then too late. The Boers were upon them, ready to open
fire from behind rocks. As Lieutenant Hunt-Grubbe was coming forward to
examine the sentries, shadowy forms sprang out of the darkness and
surrounded him. Then one who was in the uniform of a Border Mounted
Rifleman called to the picket, "We are the Town Guard! surrender!" The
sergeant, however, was not to be caught in that trap, but replied, "We
surrender to nobody," and then ordered his men to fire. In a moment the
air was torn by bullets from all sides, and the picket fell back
fighting towards its own supports, not knowing then that the young
officer had been left a prisoner in the enemy's hands. He was well
treated by his captors, except that they kept him under fire from his
own men so long as a forward position could be maintained, and when that
became too hot they forced him to creep back with them to the cover of
other rocks. He did not want much forcing, being glad enough to wriggle
across the intervening space, where bullets fell unpleasantly thick, as
fast as possible. There he lay close, but kept his eyes open, and saw
something that may furnish a key to the success of Transvaal Boers in
scaling a difficult height that must have been quite strange to them.

Prominent in one group was a young man whom Hunt-Grubbe thought he
recognised. For a long time the f