It is a painful duty to record faithfully the events of the succeeding weeks. On January 24, Sir George Colley, Governor of Natal, entered the Transvaal with 1,000 troops, attacking the Boers at Laing's Nek on the 28th, when he was repulsed with the loss of seven officers and eighty men killed and 100 wounded. On February 7 Colley was attacked on the Ingogo River, and, though the enemy retired at sunset, the British loss amounted to six officers and sixty-two men killed and sixty-four wounded. On February 26 General Colley returned to the attack on the Boers' camp at Laing's Nek. He decided on occupying Majuba Hill, overlooking the enemy's position; and, owing to the great fatigue endured during the ascent, in which his men were occupied for eight hours of darkness, he neglected to intrench the ground. The position was naturally an exceedingly strong one, yet on the following morning, the 27th, it was stormed by the Boers. The British force, 627 strong, was routed, with very heavy loss, and Sir George Colley was among the slain. Sir Evelyn Wood, who had arrived in the neighbourhood with reinforcements, now succeeded to the chief command, and entered into negotiations with the Boer commander, Joubert. These resulted in the conclusion of peace on March 21, the terms including recognition of the Queen's suzerainty over the Transvaal, but securing complete self-government to the Boer Republic. [Illustration: _Lady Butler._} {_By permission of the Artist, and of Messrs. Graves, Pall Mall._ "FLOREAT ETONA!" An eye-witness of the attack on Laing's Nek thus describes the incident depicted: "Poor Elwes fell among the 58th. He shouted to another Eton boy (adjutant of the 58th, whose horse had been shot): 'Come along, Monck! Floreat Etona! we must be in the front rank,' and he was shot immediately."] [Sidenote: The Fourth Party.]