waggons were seized, but each moment their defenders
became stronger. The Boers were now flocking down
in great numbers, and seeing their teams and property
in danger they dismounted, formed some of the waggons
up in a square, and from them opened a heavy fire
upon the troopers. Chris dismounted his party,
and returned the fire, but the officer in command,
seeing that with so small a force of infantry he could
do nothing, and that the numbers of their enemies were
increasing, drew off. He would have continued
the fight, but he supposed that the artillery would
soon be at work, and knew they could not open fire
as long as he was engaging the Boers, he therefore
retired with the long train of captured waggons, and
late in the afternoon reached camp.
Nothing was seen of the other squadron and mounted
infantry, nor was any news received of them until
the following day, when a medical officer with some
wounded men came in. Like the larger force, they
too had ridden in among the waggons, but had taken
a more northerly line, and had come on a point where
the Boers were thickest. They had charged and
taken several prisoners, and inflicted severe loss
on the enemy. These, however, had swarmed round
them, keeping up an incessant fire and barring their
retreat. They took up a defensive position in
a farm, and for three hours repelled all the attacks
of the Boers, until their horses were all killed or
had broken away and the ammunition exhausted, while
the Boers had just brought up the three guns they had
withdrawn from the hill. Further resistance would
have ended in the extermination of the whole party,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Moller was therefore obliged
to surrender.
ELANDSLAAGTE
The scouts erected their tents again on their former
ground. The remaining inhabitants of Dundee were
jubilant over the victory that had been won, and did
their best, by hanging out flags from the windows,
to decorate the town. Jack and his companion
had returned to the camp with the spare horses as
soon as the hill was carried, and had the fires lighted
by the time the party came in. In spite of having
worn their blankets as cloaks, all were wet through,
but after changing their clothes, they went into the
town to gather the news of how the hill had been won,
and by the time they returned their meal was ready.
“What do you think of affairs, Chris?”
“I think that the officer at Ladysmith was right,
and that it was a frightful mistake to divide the
force and send four thousand men up here. They
have thrashed the Boers today, but they may be back
again on the top of that hill tomorrow. Besides,
we know that Joubert’s force was not engaged
to-day, and they and the Free Staters will be gathering
round. We might win another victory, but we are
certain to be obliged to fall back soon, and my opinion
is that we shall be very lucky if we get through safely.”
