ies
trotted towards a level crossing over the railway, some six hundred
yards west of the road. Arrived at this defile, and forming column
inwards to traverse it, the first gun had scarcely passed the rails,
when both the Boer guns on the high green rampart ahead opened upon
the point, which had been taken as one of their range marks. Five
hundred yards beyond it the artillery deployed behind a rise. The
second round from the 53rd battery, fused at 3,600 yards, burst full
upon one of the Boer pieces, and the gunners of both weapons fled.
After a few more rounds the 53rd limbered up and prepared to advance.

[Sidenote: The infantry seize ridge facing hill.]

The infantry were already over the railway, and moving
forward--Gloucester regiment on the left, Liverpool regiment on the
right--up the gentle but protected slope, swelling to the summit of
the low ridge of Rietfontein. The 1st Devonshire regiment, in support,
lay at the base, whilst the 2nd King's Royal Rifles remained in rear
in charge of the baggage. On the appearance of the leading companies
upon the crest, firing broke out from the whole length of the crest of
Intintanyoni, to which the British infantry, lying prone, soon replied
as vigorously. Of the artillery, the 42nd battery was quickly in
action near the centre of the front, whilst the 53rd unlimbered some
six hundred yards to the left, and began shelling a rocky underfeature
of Intintanyoni, at a range of 1,500 yards. Sharp musketry assailed
them. Then the 42nd battery, being ordered further to the left, passed
behind the 53rd and the 10th Mountain battery, which had come into
line on the left of the 53rd, and opened 1,900 yards from the summit
of Intintanyoni. Thus began a severe fire fight at ranges varying from
one to two thousand yards. Especially was it hotly contested where the
Gloucester on the left of the British opposed the 1,400 Kroonstad men,
who, under Nel, maintained the Boer right. Heavy exchanges of rifle
fire swept across the valley in this part, and in spite of the steady
practice of the artillery, it became necessary to reinforce the
attackers. For this purpose the Devonshire regiment was pushed up on
the left of the Gloucester, half the King's Royal Rifles coming from
the baggage train to fill its place in support.

[Sidenote: An untoward incident.]

Sir G. White had all but accomplished his purpose, that of intervening
between the Free State commandos and Yule's line of march, when