BD042771

with us to a hillock some 2,500 yards nearer to Colenso.
At early dawn we commence work again, and, as usual, stick to the guns, and being so far ahead we congratulate ourselves on our good luck in the two days’ gunning, when no one was permitted to pass the picket or outposts. After the shooting was all over and things comparatively safe, a stream of war correspondents could be seen making their way towards us from Frere Camp, that we had been forbidden to leave even after having General Buller’s permission.

Never shall I forget the sensation of being within
range of the Colenso guns while standing beside my
naval friends, who are firing shell and lyddite in rapid succession into the fortification. After getting our pictures we left to return to Chieveley for food, six miles from the front, our Cape cart and grey horses offering a splendid mark for the enemy as we drove along. We soon discovered that nothing had come, and starvation stared us in the face. The station- master, however, took pity on us, and wired repeatedly to Frere for our grub to be sent on while we waited. Meanwhile we shared some black tea with the soldiers, and finished our meal at the stationinaster’s dismantled and looted house, where we found a good ham bone, bread, and jam. What a feast! Being worn out mentally and physically I lay down on a bed, covering my face with a meat safe dish-cover to keep off the swarm of flies, and fell asleep for five minutes. My companion then coming in, announced the arrival of our grub and other gear. One half of this we soon packed, leaving the other half at the station; then pushed our way back again to the guns. We pass through canip after camp on our way, practically all Frere Camp having moved up that morning, commencing at daylight. Miles and miles of troops and transport waggons could be seen wending their way across the twelve miles of field; indeed, as far as my eye could reach, every hill and dale was covered with troops. Just as we got back, General Buller and some officers made their appearance on the hill. As the General was walking away from his horse he was snapped, standing and riding. We could get only one Biograph of all this, though magnificently effective, owing to the cloud of dust caused by the recoil and concussion. I was obliged to ignore the kindly advice to stay on the opposite hill and take it from there by the telephoto; but not being very snre of this new lens, I preferred to use my’S-inch Bausch and Lomb, and get within fifty feet instead of 1,500 yards or 2,500 yards. As soon, however, as we had taken the view, I had the machine dismantled and carried behind hnge bonlders for protection. Our horses, trembling and jumping at every shot, behaved splendidly, however, never moving from the spot, but seared out of their wits. My companions nsed cotton-wool in their ears to prevent the tremendous concussion, but as I wished to hear which way the shells were coming I preferred to drop the jaw at the word “Fire,” a trick I learned at Sandy Hook, U.S., at the firing of the lOin., which answered the purpose very well.
It was a grand sight to watch the neat way our gunners dislodged the Boers, whom we could see running hither and thither, jumping on their horses and galloping off. Clouds of dust from many horsemen was all we wanted for guide as to where to shoot, and quickly our guns spoke in rapid succession with lyddite or ordinary shell, which must have demoralised them horribly. The shock caused by- the terrific lyddite explosive will kill within a radius of a hundred feet by the mere concussion of air, and we could seethe fortifications being blown sky-high in huge yellow columns of earth, stones, and men.
When all was over for the day, and our men had retired to rest, I went to the hill with Captain Jones and Commander Limpus to look at the Boer position through the large telescope. It was just getting dark, but it was still light enough to see the Boers creeping along round a hillock. The order was given, and quick as lightning our fine chaps jumped to their guns, raising clouds of dust as the
shells exploded among the enemy.
We have made every effort to get a photograph of the Boer position, and the effect of the shots, by means of the telephoto, but we were forced to give it up owing to the haze and indistinctness which made it impossible to focus properly. There are many other difficulties besides, all of which I hope
• to overcome in time. I shall then focus on the fortification and start our machine immediately after the shot has been fired, so as to see the effect. It is getting dark and onr tent is not yet up, so we all pitch in, and are soon comfortably settled for the night, after rather a better supper than usual, having been fortunate enough to obtain some canned tomatoes to mix with our bully meat.
At 2.30, December 15th, we are, as usual, shaken 
out. Oh, for some sleep! We are nearly dead for lack of rest and water; the latter is so sadly wanted that we cannot conscientiously use any for washing purposes. We are miles from water, and we have to keep our Zulu busy all day bringing supplies. He generally returns, after one and a half hours’ walk, with some pitiable tale of thirsty soldiers and an empty bucket. Even when the water reaches us
we are besieged with applications which we are only too happy to grant. Of course while our Zulu is busy fetching and carrying, the brunt of the housework f1ls on us. For two days I haven’t washed my face, but if we survive the day and rush the Boers from Colenso, nothing will keep us out of the river, I am sure.
To-day the great battle recommenced. At 4 a.m. our guns opened fire, while our infantry slowly advanced under cover of the naval guns, which kept up a steady action, bowling over the fortifications and shelters on the opposite side of the river.
But to return to to-day’s battle, every detail of which I had the privilege of witnessing. \Vhile the guns were shelling, our men advanced across an open plain or valley, making straight for the river
and Colenso bridge, in face of a deadly fire from the thousands of Boers who were well sheltered, while some of the wounded men were actually reduced to digging and tearing at the earth to hide their heads from the bullets. Our men were fired on for ten hours in the open, and were simply shot down and butchered. Some were ordered to cross the river, which had been dammed up by the Boers to make it twelve feet in depth and therefore impassable for our men. Some of the brave fellows nearly got drowned, notably the Dublin Fusiliers, who were weighted down with sixty pounds baggage and ammunition. The Boers had c1every planned this, so that they could shoot the soldiers when once they were in the water and unable to defend themselves, and the ruse was carried out with considerable effect.
The bombs were bursting at our feet and tearing up the ground. All were ordered to “Get down under cover,” which we did. Then a horrible thing happened. The Red Cross people were stationed close to our left, under command of my friend, Major Ricket, when the enemy commenced to shell this quarter deliberately, a shell bursting right among the Red Cross waggons, and inflicting great injury among the men and teams. It had been my original intention to join Major Ricket and the Red Cross staff, but I had been delayed trying to decide whether I would be able to secure a view of the guns. This hesitancy most likely saved the machine and Cape cart, and incidentally our skins. It is a marvel how anything escaped. When Commander
Limpus commended me for choosing to stick to the
guns instead of going with the Red Cross staff, he
little knew how very close I was to going after all.
Soon we were all busy carrying in the wounded
on stretchers, lifting them out of the Red Cross
waggons and bearing them over huge boulders to
the, hospital, Colonel Reeves remarking to me as I
passed, “This is hardly biographing.” Some of the
chaps whom we helped to take in were shot
through head and stomach, and were most extra-. ordinarily cheerful under the circumstances. I cannot dwell on the blood-curdling horrors I witnessed, the dying gasps and groans of agony. Brave lads! I was compelled to turn aside and busy myself in other matters. Meanwhile the bombardment was raging, many fortifications broken downS and guns silenced. The most terrifying and
demoralising sound I heard that day was the quick- firing Boer gun, which gave from four to five shots with only half a second between each. The roll of musketry was unceasing for hours, accompanied by the roar of our big twelve- and forty-pounders, none of which suffered at all. How heartily did we congratulate our naval officers on their good work and
SOON WE ARE ALL BUSY LIFTINO THE WOUNDED OUT OF THE
BED CHOSS WAGGONS.
lucky escapes, five men only being wounded and one killed. At three o’clock it was understood both sides needed rest, and firing ceased. Not, however, until our men had rushed Colenso bridge, which proving too hot for them obliged us to retire for the day. We greatly fear our gallant artillerymen on our right have gone too far, as there is an awful scrimmage going on. It looks very much as if our guns would be taken.
That night we wandered out on the plain, supplied with the password, but it was too dark to see anything, so we decided to return, when in so doing we stumbled up against a Red Cross volunteer who was returning from burying some of his companions. When I suddenly called a halt it scared him nearly ‘to death. We trudged back to camp through mealy patches and badly broken ground, stumbling at intervals with each other. He described the battle so graphically that I determined to visit the battlefield next day. Meanwhile we prepared our evening meal in our kraal, which we had hired for a change. l%Te picked out a comparatively clean one and retired for the night. The Kaffirs fled for fear of the Boers and did not return for several days, and thus we had the unique experience of sleeping in a Kaffir kraal, on the soiled floor, with our heads near the door or hole entrance. We were so inexpressibly tired that the hard floor did not keep us awake, hut slept soundly until 4 am., our usual hour of rising, varied occasionally by 2.30 a.m. For quite a while now we have had no full night’s rest; generally up or striking camp by star or moonlight, and trudging along in the dark.
Before retiring we felt impelled to visit the hospital tents, where we witnessed some sights indeed. Among the dying we found our good and kind friend of the S.S. Dunottar Castle, Captain Hughes, who inoculated us all against the South African fever and thereby possibly saved our lives. He was shot while trying to help some sufferer on the field. How painfully near home this brings us.
Saturday, l6tlt.—An armistice has been declared, and both sides profit by this to bury their dead. We search the river for a bath, and finding no pickets or outposts to object to our going, we stroll on towards the battlefield. Just as we got almost opposite to Colenso bridge we noticed three mounted Boers; one seeing us made a dash for us, while we on our side prepared to give up the ghost or remain prisoners.
Stopping abruptly in front of us, I harangued him in German regarding the whereabouts of our dead. He said he would aecom
pany us to the
spot. En route
he spied a
wretched
sheep; as
quick as light
ning he ran it
down audwith my penknife,
which he hor
rowed, cut its
throat and cleaned it. What he told us regarding his people was interesting, but we could gather no inf o r in a t i o n from him that would be interesting to our side. I felt anxious to get rid of him, but he seemed determined to stay by us until we returned. Meanwhile we had pickedup some Boer exploded shell, and strayed into the battlefield. I can only touch lightly on what I saw, and it was the most harrowing thing I ever witnessed. Khaki uniformed men lying about everywhere, deluged in blood, faces horribly distorted and swollen and black. A piece of shell had caught one in the head and opened up his brain. I was inexpressibly affected by the sight, and after covering up as many faces as we could, turned away. A Red Cross burying cortege was just then approaching us. The Boer, sitting his horse stolidly, counted within a few feet radius thirty-three dead, saying, “Poor fellows, poor fellows, what a pity!
I asked him if he knew anything about the Biograph, and he said, Oh, yes, he had greatly enjoyed it at Johannesburg. I then inquired if he thought I could get some pictures from them later on; at which he gave me a cordial invitation, saying he would speak to the General when I came.
I thought when the war was over, or nearly so, I might get something of interest from the other side without disloyalty to my people. His name he gave me as Connuander Van Niekerk, and pointed to his home across the river.
We waited a little in order to see the burials, then trudged home through the most terrific sun I ever experienced. We had made so great a detour, that before we knew it we had walked from twelve to fifteen miles, whereas the real distance was not more than a mile. By the time we had reached a stagnant lot of water in the rapidly drying tributary near our camp, we were giddy with heat, and got into the deepest pooi left, head over heels. I believe we just missed a sunstroke. We got into camp by quite another entrance, were challenged by the picket, then escorted into camp under arms. By and by, however, some one recognised us, and we were released.
I learned to-night that General Buller is greatly displeased that our men were led so far forward into the trenches. His plan was to show front only, and to draw most of the Boers away from Ladysmith. The wildest reports are abroad; General Buller is said to be shot in the leg, but by the time this reaches you, you will have proved the truth of this and other things. We are told that we must retreat to our first shelling position, and before 6 p.m. every camp had moved back to Chieveley with the exception of ourselves, I must confess to feeling somewhat uncomfortable for fear the Boers might attack us, and the remark of Commander Liumpus did not tend to reassure me: “I hope they won’t take a fancy to assault us, as our guns are not unlimbered.”
At 2 am., December 17th, we crawled out of our Kaffir hut and finished packing by the rays of the moon, which, although full, was gradually disappearing under an eclipse. The weird half-light lasted until we had harnessed up our horses, then vanished, and we were obliged to set off in the deep gloom, our path only lighted by lanterns. Lanterns were about the worst thing we could have used, as it showed the enemy our movements. However, we drove along as quietly as possible and trusted to luck. We were especially anxious to avoid our guns being captured in the night. En route we had to pass through the burying and hospital grounds, and were almost overcome with the stench. At dawn we pitched camp, and after a six-o’clock breakfast we all collapsed. Sunday was a complete day of rest, no one daring to venture from their tents until after 5 p.m., the sun being unbearably hot.
December iSth.—Two miles in front of Chieveley camp, in view of Colenso, Tugela River in foreground. In order to be sure of the box getting through to the Castle Line people, I went to I)urban
accompanied by Seward, leaving Cox behind to guard the tent, &c. Cox drove us to the Chieveley station two miles off, where we waited three and a half hours for a freight car, changed at Estcourt at 10 p.m., rolled through the night, cold, supperless, and bedless, and arrived at Durban between 9 and 10 a.m. There we devoured a breakfast served on a table! nothing canned, and fresh bread and butter. What a treat! After finishing all our work, shipping box, paying hills, getting fodder, &c., we took the night train back—not, however, before we had been pumped dry by every one we met regarding the Tugela repulse which we had just witnessed. It was a most difficult situation, for, much as fwanted to give free vent to my feelings, I felt debarred from doing so on account of my relations with the army.
On the train we were entertained by some red-hot angry Natal colonists who said we were making a mess of it all, and that if we would only back them up with men they would rush and bayonet the Boers and clear away the ground from Colenso to Ladysmith. The English, they said, sat around; and when they did not do that they paraded, and when they did make a move they made it in the open, and so naturally lost their men. The Durban people asked me repeatedly, “Do yon think we shall have to give it up? Why doesn’t General Buller let us get a whack at them? It is natural for ns to know the conntry better than the new -arrivals. We know every path and kloof.”
Major McKenzie, in charge of the Carbineer Volunteers, cried, it is said, when he was refused permission to storm the enemy with his men. He only asked for one thousand men, having laid all his plans most carefully for th& attack.
That night we again had to make the best of it— no sleepers. Seward got off at Maritzburg to look after any possible stray mail, &c. He didn’t show up for thirty-six hours, as the trains were irregular and used only for carrying ammunition and food. I got iuto Chieveley at 4 a.m., and tramped across the veldt for two miles, till I reached our guns where we have camped for weeks. As you may well know, we are still keepiug to the front so as to miss nothing and always be able to see every move of the enemy. This is a privilege which no other civilian seems to have cared to attain. Occasionally we are visited by correspondents and others when our cannons roar. But to me the charm of it all is in being on the spot where I can look down and across to their lines and see a sudden dash of horsemen from behind a clump of trees, making rapidly for another, to be instantly fired into by our boys, always with telling result, never failing to dislodge the enemy from their covert. Our guns may truly be said to be the life of this campaign ; and to the guns I stick! straying around whenever I wish, to get a picture of anything interesting that may be occurring. On returning we are always sure of a kindiy welcome from all our naval friends, from Captain Jones, Commander Limpus (true types of manly refinement and courtesy), down to the cook, who supplies us with hot water whenever we feel too worn out to heat any. All these things tend to make our (lays more bearable. Our camp with the guns is so far to the front that we hourly and nightly expect to wake with a shell in our tent. How we have escaped thus far is rather hard to tell.
We are doubtless almost surrounded by Boers, whom our cavalry every now and then disperse in admirable style. I am eagerly watching an opportunity to catch them as they dash out. Lord
Dundonald is kindness itself, and promises to let me know, and if I can oniy he quick enough to seize the right inomen I shall have a superb picture.
December 191/i—After a smart piece of bombardment our naval friends succeeded in smashing the Colenso bridge, thus preventing the enemy crossing with their big guns and surprising us. It would seem at first thought rather strange for us to do this, as we expected shortly to cross ourselves; but we had the information that they had undermined the bridge with the intention to blow it up as we crossed it, so we thought we’d do it for them, and in three capital shots we did it. General Buller highly complimented the skill of the gunner.
Strange signals are burning around us on all sides, all along the mountains right and left of us. This looks as though they were trying to attack us on all three sides at once. Night shows their camp fires far apart and reaching well to our rear. Should their diabolical plan be to cut off our water supply, we shall be in a blue way; the horses and cattle now drink at a stagnant pool, and to-day that is reported nearly dry. All drinking-water comes from Frere by train every morning and evening. It is brought in ten huge five-hundred gallon tanks, and is d(stributed to the various camps in water tanks which are kept under strong military guard.
While at Frere I had pitched my camp at the very water’s edge which was the drinking-water supply, and could judge of the quantity and the possibility of polluting it with dead horses and cattle, as is the Boers’ wont, a thing very easily done although we have men patrolling the stream.
December 2lst.—Scouts are out everywhere, riding hither and thither, quickly followed by small bodies of horsemen. Several of our men were out scouting, and, being very tired, dismounted and lay out on the grass, having placed one man on sentry duty. This poor fellow was surprised and shot by a party of Boers who came creeping up a dried river-bed before he-could give the alarm. Our men, not having time to mount their horses, took to their heels, two of them scrambling on one horse. I was watching it all through glasses, when I noticed the two men on the one horse stop, leaving one man to make his way up to us while the other rode back furiously to try and help his comrades who, while running, had been pelted with bullets. One other man was killed besides the sentry. On the horseman’s return to his comrades he found the other horses all shot and the men still making towards camp. Meanwhile Major McKenzie had been informed of the circumstance, and with one hundred horse urged by voice and spur to the utmost speed dashed out to the rescue, the Major calling out lustily the while, “Up, Carbineers; our boys are in danger!” And so this kind of thing goes on day after day, the most exciting scenes keeping us for ever on the qwi vive.
December 22nd—The guns are booming as we are at breakfast. \Ye are getting quite fond of the sound, and we delight in watching the destruction of the enemy’s well-built entrenchrnents as they disappear in a cloud by a skilfully directed shell. As fast as they build we endeavour to destroy.
Saturday, December 23rd.—Through Lord flundonald’s kindness I am informed of a sortie, and we get away, cutting across country. Meeting the party, who point to the kopje, we turn our cart containing the machine on to the spot, they meanwhile very kindly keeping away from the machine. In spite of the rush I feel sure we must have a good and most valuable picture. They ride up sharply, dismount, lead the horses back, and the men advance to the edge of the kopje to hide among the rocks. This was the first kopje. Not finding the enemy, they mount again and gallop to the next, and so on until they do find the enemy, whom they quickly drive off. I need not add that this was a tour de force, carried out in spite of the fact that our horses were only half hitched up, and that we had to drive at a gallop across country to intercept the horsemen.
After we had secured this valuable picture I thought it unadvisable to follow on to the next kopje, as we doubtless would be fired on sooner or later. We ran some risk, of course, but the danger was slight compared to the next kopjes; this of course we didn’t know, and we enjoyed the excitement of the enterprise. On our return we were much amused to meet Colonel Sitwell riding solemnly along with a Christmas chicken fastened to his saddle. It caused us all much merriment.
Just then it occurred to me that a panoramic or bird’s-eye view of the artillery, cavalry, naval and Irish Fusilier camps, that are so far in advance of the other camps, would prove interesting, and furthermore would give the public an idea of the surrounding country. The view starts with Lord Dundonald’s cavalry, transport waggons, tents, camps and artillery, and the remnant that is left of the various Irish Fusilier regiments, including our naval camp on the central hill nearest the enemy, with the Colenso hills beyond. This shows about one tenth of the camps, which reach away