nearly two hours in collecting the
companies and reaching the place of assembly at the foot of the
kopje. It was not until after 11 p.m. that the brigade actually
started on the retreat in the following order: 1st 60th Rifles
(advance-guard), 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers, 13th Battery, Mounted
Infantry, Transport, 67th and 69th Batteries, 2nd Royal Dublin
Fusiliers, 18th Hussars, 1st Leicestershire Regiment (rearguard). The
force occupied about four miles of road. The route was through Dundee,
over Sand Spruit, and down the Helpmakaar road through the Coalfields
village. It was impossible to find an opportunity for a return to the
camp, which was left standing. All the tents, stores, and baggage,
together with the wounded, were left to the enemy. The battalion thus
lost its band instruments and camp equipment, while the officers had
to sacrifice all their personal kit, and many articles belonging to
the mess. The waggons carried nothing but supplies, and no one in the
force was able to take away anything beyond what he carried on his
person.

[Illustration: Armourer-Sergeant Waite. 'Delenda Est Carthago.']

The column marched throughout the night, and far into the morning of
the 23rd, only halting at 10 a.m., when dinners were eaten on the
high ground south of Blesbok Pass, about fifteen miles from Dundee.
That the Boers were watching the retreat was proved by one of their
heliographs trying to 'pick up' the column. The march was resumed
after a two hours' rest, and continued to Beith (twenty-one miles from
Dundee), where, at 3 p.m., another halt was made. The men cooked their
teas, and had a chance of a brief sleep, but at 11 p.m. they had to
start again. The road, a very bad one, lay through the pass leading to
the Waschbank River. The battalion formed the advance-guard, with two
Natal mounted policemen as guides. It was a weary tramp, for, owing to
the wretched road, long halts were necessary in order to allow the
waggons to close up. At dawn, the 18th Hussars took over the duties of
advance-guard, and were supported by 'F' company, under Captain
Hensley.

During the night a mysterious heliograph was seen twinkling and
blinking away on the left flank. After some difficulty it was
ascertained that it was communicating with the farm of a man named
Potgieter, professedly a British subject. He was, in fact, caught _in
flagrante delicto_ in full communication with the unknown Boer
signaller, and paid for his crime with h