All the troops had unceasing work, but most of the casualties fell to the share of those in the southern position--the Cape Mounted Rifles, Captain Garner's Squadron of Brabant's Horse, Captain Seel's Company of Royal Scots Mounted Infantry, and Driscoll's energetic scouts. The Kaffrarians, commanded by Captain Price elsewhere in four different positions to east and west--took their share of the defence, while on the heights north-east and north-west, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Brabant's Horse, under Major Henderson and Colonel Grenfell respectively, also worked incessantly to protect the garrison. The object of the concentration of the Boers around this region was supposed to be connected with offering opposition to General Brabant's advance, but the Dutchmen in their policy were somewhat uneasy, owing to their close proximity to the Basuto border. Their alarm was not without reason, for if there was a force eager to attack them it was the Basutos, and these were only held back from rushing into the fray by the personal influence of Sir Godfrey Lagden and his British colleagues, who can never sufficiently be applauded for the skill and diplomacy with which they managed to keep, by invisible moral coercion, a fiery horde from rushing over the borders and possibly massacring such Free Staters as came in their way. The Boers, however, were not conscious of this coercion, and consequently their action around Wepener was somewhat cramped, and thus it was that the little community managed to defy them. Meanwhile discomforts were many, and the clouds often emptied themselves like a vast shower-bath involving doused trenches, drenched clothing, and the suspension of operations. On the 11th a cheery message was received from Lord Kitchener, who paid a visit to Aliwal North, and from thence sent word that he hoped "for an early change" in the circumstances of the besieged. Spirits rose. What Kitchener, the adamantine, said was sure to be done. On Thursday, 12th, the fourth day of fierce fighting, the Boers continued their aggression all day. During the contest an entertaining interlude in the drama of warfare took place. The enemy was busy shelling one of the garrison's 15-pounders, when a shot knocked off the left sight of Captain Lukin's gun. The Captain, generous in his admiration, jumped on top of the gun and made a complimentary salaam to the Boer gunner. Later on, by using the reserve sight on the right side, he himself planked a shell right into the adversary's gunpit, whereupon the officer in charge, imitating Captain Lukin's example, promptly leapt up and bowed his congratulations!