hill-top first sloped downward
somewhat to a point, where, like Talana, it was narrowed by a deep
re-entrant on one side, then rose to a new sky line, which hid from
the British troops the remainder of the ridge some 1,200 or more yards
from the southern crest. Over it the hill-top narrowed, and ran on for
a mile and a half towards Nicholson's Nek. A jungle of tall grass,
hiding innumerable boulders, clothed the mountain up to and a little
beyond the sky line, ceasing some 700 yards from the southern crest,
and between this thicket and the British line were dotted a few ruined
stone kraals, of a circular shape and some two feet high. Across the
valley of the Bell Spruit, to the east, a group of kopjes stood within
long rifle range of, but lower than, Kainguba. In the midst of the
British position itself, a small knoll, crowned by two trees, and
nearly as high as the grass-grown sky line in front, arose at the end
of the mountain before it plunged into the depth behind. Carleton, now
decided to stand on the defensive where he was, despatched a message
at 3.55 a.m. by a native, acquainting Sir G. White with his mishap,
his position, and his plan, and issued orders for the disposition and
entrenchment of the troops. The left or western crest of the hill was
assigned to the Gloucester regiment, the right to the Irish Fusiliers,
a reserve, consisting of two companies ("G." and "H.") of the latter
battalion, taking post in front of the knoll at the southern extremity
of the summit. The men began at once to build sangars. The position of
the Gloucester, which it is necessary to describe in detail, was as
follows: Along half of the southern and south-western crest lay "A."
company, its right being prolonged by "B." company, and at first by
"C." This last-named unit, however, was soon extended across the north
of the hill, at right angles to the crest and "B." company, and had
half completed a defensive wall when it was again pushed forward about
100 yards to the front, "B." company increasing its extension along
the crest to maintain junction with the left of "C." The right flank
of "C." company was marked by a round kraal, behind which stood up a
small tree, and beyond this the line across the mountain-top was taken
up by a company ("E.") of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, which, in its
turn, linked on to the defenders ("A.," "B.," "F." companies Royal
Irish Fusiliers) of the eastern crest. The formation thus took the
shape of a se