ojectiles.
Not until the Horse artillery had expended 1,043 rounds of shrapnel
did the enemy's gunners desist. During this time Colonel Porter, based
on Porter's Hill, was operating vigorously against the enemy's left.
He had moved out overnight with two squadrons 6th Dragoon Guards
(Carabiniers), one company New Zealand Mounted Rifles, and two guns,
R.H.A. Reinforcing these mounted troops, Porter made a determined
effort against the outworks of the Schietberg at the south-western
angle of the Colesberg heights. But the Boers were here in strength,
and the New Zealanders, after a gallant attack up the stiff slopes,
were compelled to fall back upon Porter's Hill, whence for the rest of
the day Porter engaged, though he could not dislodge, large numbers of
the enemy.

[Sidenote: Boers try to retake McCracken's Hill, but fail.]

Meanwhile the wing of the Royal Berkshire regiment had not been left
in peaceful possession of McCracken's Hill. To the east, and between
this hill and Colesberg, another height of similar command was
strongly held by the enemy, who not only opened a troublesome fire at
daybreak, but a little later attempted first a counter-attack up the
steep re-entrants to the north-east, or left, of the infantry, and
next an enveloping movement around the right.

[Sidenote: The first attempt stopped by Fisher's appearance, after
evacuation of the hill had been ordered.]

[Sidenote: Rimington's Guides and Porter's men stop the second.]

Both enterprises finally failed; but about 7 a.m., so insecure seemed
the situation of the Berkshire, that the General sent orders to
McCracken to evacuate. At that moment Fisher's appearance upon the
heights to the north-west somewhat after relieved the pressure, and
McCracken, receiving to his satisfaction permission to retain what he
had won, soon had his command so safely entrenched against musketry
and shell fire, that, for the next forty-three days, during which it
never ceased, his casualties numbered but eighteen. So passed the day
without further incident until, late in the afternoon, Schoeman
suddenly led a column, about 1,000 strong, out of the south-eastern
corner of the Colesberg _enceinte_, making as if to envelop the
British right. Fortunately, Rimington's Guides, who had been posted
overnight at Jasfontein farm, six miles east of Rensburg, to watch
this flank, detected the Boer advance. Simultaneously the troops at
Porter's Hill saw it also, and Schoeman, con