p from the close mass of infantry,
and saw it boil, so to speak, and spread out. Our section checked for
a moment, in a sort of bewilderment (my waggon was close behind our
gun at the time), but the next, and almost without orders, guns were
unlimbered and whisked round, a waggon unhooked, teams trotting away,
and shrapnel bursting over the top of the ridge in quick succession.
All this time the air was full of a sound like the moaning of wind
from the bullets flying across the valley, but strange to say, not a
man of us was hit. Some of them were explosive bullets. The whole
thing was soon over. Our guns peppered their quickest, and it was a
treat to see the shrapnel bursting clean and true along the ridge. The
infantry extended and lay down; some Yeomanry made a flank move, and
that episode was over. It might have been serious, though. If they had
held their fire undiscovered for ten minutes longer we might have been
badly cut up, for we were steadily nearing the spur which they
occupied. It is right to say, though, that our Lieutenant, having
doubts about the safety of the place, had shortly before sent forward
ground-scouts, of whom Williams was one, who would possibly have been
able to warn us in time. Needless to say, it was not our duty to scout
for the column.

[Footnote A: The name of this kopje was Barking Kop, I believe, and we
have since always applied it generally to the fighting on this day.]

It was nearly dark now, a burning farm ahead making a hot glow in the
sky, and we moved off to join the rest of the column with its unwieldy
baggage-train and convoy, and all camped together, after the usual
tedious ride to water horses at a muddy pool. They had had a very hard
day and had done well, but were very tired. On days like this they
often get no water till evening. A feed is ordered when a free
interval seems likely, but the chances are that it is snatched off,
and their bits thrust in again, half-way through. When we got in and
rejoined our right section, all were full of a serious mishap to the
38th Field Battery, with which they had been acting on the left flank.
Both were in action in adjoining fields, when a party of Boers crept
up unseen and got within fifty yards of the 38th guns, shooting down
men and horses. The 38th behaved splendidly, but all their officers
were killed or wounded, a number of gunners, and many horses. Two guns
were for a time in the hands of the Boers, who, I believe, removed t