Besides creating a diversion in favour of Ladysmith the object of our demonstration was to make the enemy reveal his position and especially the positions of his guns.  In this latter respect, however, we were defeated.  Though they must have suffered some loss and more annoyance from the bombardment, and though much of the infantry was well within the range of their guns, the Boers declined to be drawn, and during two hours’ shelling they did not condescend to give a single shot in reply.  It needs a patient man to beat a Dutchman at waiting.  So about seven o’clock we gave up trying.

It had been intended to leave the troops on the enemy’s front until night and withdraw them after dark, the idea being to make him anxious lest a night attack should be designed.  But as some of the battalions had turned out without having their dinners, Sir Francis Clery decided not to keep them under arms longer, and the whole force withdrew gracefully and solemnly to camp.

Here we found news from Ladysmith.  ’Enemy everywhere repulsed for the present.’  For the present!  Hold on only a little longer, gallant garrison, and if it be in the power of 25,000 British soldiers to help you, your troubles and privations shall soon be ended—­and what a dinner we will have together then!

That night we tried to congratulate or encourage Ladysmith, and the searchlight perseveringly flashed the Morse code on the clouds.  But before it had been working half an hour the Boer searchlight saw it and hurried to interfere, flickering, blinking, and crossing to try to confuse the dots and dashes, and appeared to us who watched this curious aerial battle—­Briton and Boer fighting each other in the sky with vibrations of ether—­to confuse them very effectually.

Next morning, however, the sun came out for uncertain periods, and Ladysmith was able to tell her own story briefly and jerkily, but still a very satisfactory account.

At two o’clock, according to Sir George White, the Boers in great numbers, evidently reinforced from Colenso, surprised the pickets and began a general attack on the outpost line round the town, particularly directing their efforts on Caesar’s Camp and Waggon Hill.  The fighting became very close, and the enemy, who had after all hardened their hearts, pushed the attack with extraordinary daring and vigour.  Some of the trenches on Waggon Hill were actually taken three times by the assailants.  But every time General Hamilton—­the skilful Hamilton as he has been called—­flung them out again by counterattacks.  At one place, indeed, they succeeded in holding on all day, nor was it until the dusk of the evening, when the rain and thunderstorm which we saw hanging over Colenso broke on Ladysmith, that Colonel Park led forth the Devon Regiment—­who, having had half their officers killed or wounded by a shell some days before, were probably spiteful—­and drove the Dutchmen helter skelter at the point of the bayonet.  So that by night the Boers were repulsed at every point, with necessarily great slaughter, greater at any rate than on our side.  Their first experience of assaulting!  Encore!