When within two thousand yards the enemy suddenly wheeled to the left and were quickly out of sight between the hills.  They found the Pretoria men there, and came back helter-skelter to the accompaniment of rapid rifle firing.  First one saddle and then another was emptied as they raced across from right to left, making for a low scrub-covered kopje.

In this kopje a party of our men were concealed.  With keen interest we watched the scene, waiting to see the enemy caught in the trap.  Then a volley burst from the brush.  Like a flash the horsemen wheeled and raced back into Ladysmith.  The volley had been fired too soon.

A few mornings later we heard that during the night something very serious had taken place on Lombard’s Kop.  Being a sort of free lance, I immediately saddled my pony and rode in that direction.  Presently I met two Boers on horseback.

“Morning, cousins.” (Cousin is a title of courtesy used in addressing one’s equal in age.  Elder men are called “uncle.”)

“Morning, cousin.  Of what people may cousin be?”

“Of the telegraph service.  And cousins?”

“Of the artillery.”

“Something happened up there last night?”

“Yes.  The English came and blew up our Long Tom!”

“How was that possible?”

“We can think what we like.  Why was the burgher guard absent?  It is shameful!”

We returned to camp together.  The news had now been made public, and formed the one theme of discussion.  Much credit was given the enemy for their audacity, but there was a strong suspicion that treachery had been at work.  The ensuing court-martial resulted in two officers being suspended from duty only, although there were many trees about.

A few days later I went to see my brother, who was stationed on Pepworth Hill, some six miles to our right.  He belonged to the Artillery Cadets, who at the beginning of the war had been distributed amongst the various guns in order to give them practical experience.  Of the four that were attached to this gun two had already been wounded.  It was glorious to see these lads of fifteen and sixteen daily withstanding the onslaught of the mighty naval guns.  The rocks around their howitzer were torn by lyddite, and the ground strewn with shrapnel bullets.

“The British say we are trained German gunners.  Quite a compliment to Germany!” said one youngster laughingly.

“And I,” said another, inflating his chest, “am a French or Russian expert!  Dear me, how we must have surprised them!”

They showed me how they crushed their coffee by beating it on a flat stone.  Their staple food was bully beef and hard biscuits.

“If only we had some cigarettes,” they said, “how gay we should be!  Last week we got some sugar, enough for two days; we are so sick of black, bitter coffee!”

A severe thunderstorm now broke overhead, and as I had to go on duty that night I took leave of my friends.  They had no tents, and had to find the best shelter they could under tarpaulins stretched between the rocks.