The general idea was that war would come of it,
but no one thought it would begin without the usual notice and warning.
"I told the officers that I would not trust the Boers further than I
could see them, for that a more treacherous set of fellows are not to be
found on the surface of the earth. Still, I must own that I had no more
idea that an attack would be made upon us than they had. Well, you all
know what came of it. We were going along a hollow with rising ground on
either side when, without the slightest warning, a tremendous fire was
opened from both flanks. It can hardly be said that there was any
resistance. The troops were strung out along the line of waggons;
numbers were shot down before a single musket was fired in defence. The
main body, such as it was, fought stoutly, but as they could only catch
an occasional glimpse of the heads of the enemy, while they were
themselves altogether exposed, there could be but one end to it. A
hundred and twenty men were killed or wounded in a few minutes, and to
save the rest from a similar massacre the officer who commanded
surrendered.
"I fired a few shots at first, but as soon as I saw how it would end I
rode for it. I was with the rear-guard when the firing began, and so
took the back track.
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