This we have
now done. Now it only remains to see whether these eastern exits have
been successfully occupied by our columns or not.
[Illustration: PLAN TO ILLUSTRATE PRINSLOO'S SURRENDER]
From the moment of leaving Bethlehem, at which place we remained nearly
a fortnight while the General placed his columns, we entered among the
hills and fighting was continuous. Our passage to force was Relief's
Nek, and, as we had expected, the Boers made a determined stand there.
The ground lay in a naturally defensive position; a narrow plain among
steep, almost precipitous, ranges, and in the plain, arresting further
progress, an abruptly sunken valley, scooped out to a depth of a couple
of hundred feet; as though, what must perhaps have happened, some sudden
collapse down below had allowed the ground here to fall in. The sides
are in most places precipitous, but to the north they shelve up by
degrees in terraces of sloping rock which a man can easily clamber up.
The first terrace is only a few feet deep, and accordingly a number of
men can form here along the brink and fire across the plain, being
totally concealed from the advancing troops. Moreover, the edge of this
curious and sudden valley is indented and pierced with a number of
little crevices and fissures in which riflemen can snugly ensconce
themselves with little risk of being seen by attackers in front.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172