Everyone wondered that we did not at once make a diversion. When the day
broke it could be seen that numbers of mounted Boers were hurrying off
from their camps among the hills towards Ladysmith, but it was not until
two in the afternoon that five battalions of infantry marched down
towards Colenso, and the naval guns opened in earnest on their lines. It
had the effect of bringing the Boers scurrying down again to their
trenches. Our fellows marched in open order and worked their way nearly
down to Colenso, which was more strongly garrisoned than it had been at
the time of our last attack. No doubt they had seen us preparing to
advance, and strongly reinforced the garrison. Our guns were taken a
long way down, and at six o'clock their trenches were bombarded; then it
came on to rain, and the Boers ceased to fire, and at seven o'clock our
men turned into camp. The firing in Ladysmith had ceased some time
before that."
"And what had taken place there?" Chris asked anxiously, "for I know the
place has not fallen or we should have heard of it."
"No, they beat the Boers off splendidly. However, they had hard work to
do it, for the heliograph flashed a signal at about nine o'clock in the
morning to say that they had so far beaten off the enemy, but were much
pressed.
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