The possibility of springing something in the nature of a surprise upon the enemy was a thought which had long exercised the mind of Colonel Kekewich.  The idea culminated in a stiff fight on Thursday.  Three or four hundred of our mounted men had remained up all night, and two guns of the Diamond Fields’ Artillery had no sleep either.  It was still dark when the cavalcade fell into line and proceeded noiselessly along a ridge leading to Carter’s Farm (occupied by the Boers).  Daylight had not yet broken when the men in khaki reached their destination—­reached it, because owing to the recent rains a thick mist obscured the landscape, and the invaders found themselves in closer proximity to the Farm than they desired to be—­in fact they were right among the “Grabbers.”  The surprise was complete—­far too complete, for the attackers were as much astonished as were the yawning Boers.  Both sides, however, retained sufficient presence of mind to shoot at each other; and they did.  The enemy roused from their slumbers had their vision clarified effectively, an operation which had the drawback of enabling them the better to see their visitors.  The battle waxed fierce, and when re-inforcements came galloping to the assistance of the Boers it looked as if the Light Horse must be worsted.  But the artillery was behind them, and from it was belched forth a hail of shrapnel which compelled the re-inforcements to draw rein and “pant to the place from whence at first they flew.”  Our guns away back at the Reservoir also contributed to this result.  Thus it was that the task of evicting the Boers was in the end a comparatively easy one.  Thirteen of their number lay dead or wounded on the Farm.  We had one killed and three severely wounded, seven others, including Major Peakman, getting slightly hurt.

That a bombardment would follow these events was to be expected:  nor were we disappointed.  The town, its thoroughfares and houses were left alone for the nonce, while the guns were trained on the redoubts.  This was a precedent we could have wished to see followed oftener; but it was mainly the heart of Kimberley that was assailed at all times.  The new departure did not prove successful; no great harm was done, for the shells lighting on the soft veld were kinder than the shellers, and generally failed to burst.  As for the citizen soldiers, they received these attentions with a nonchalance that would reflect credit on older campaigners.  They did not get enough of them; there was money in the missiles; and the local army had a way of appreciating a good cigar, with a puff of “Cape Smoke.”  A barter in souvenirs would admit of these things, and their indulgence would not be the less sweet because payment of the damage would really fall upon the producer (President Kruger).