squadron, under Captain Maude, going to Commando Nek, while the remainder recrossed the river and took up a position on a kopje between the two neks guarded by the squadrons mentioned. "To understand the position," said one who was present, and whose description is so interesting and so pathetic that it must be quoted at length, "imagine a kopje in the hollow of your hand, the spaces between your thumb and forefinger, and between your little finger and third finger, Tulikat's Nek and Commando Nek respectively. At your wrist, twenty miles eastward, lay Pretoria. On our front the hills were very steep and high, but on the far side they sloped and were covered with brushwood. It was through this brushwood that the Boers cunningly crept on Tuesday night to make their attack at dawn. "This attack was a bit of first-class generalship. It was made at five different points against five separate forces, and at exactly the same hour, and, when the day was over, the Boers had by far the best of it. On Tuesday afternoon five companies of the Lincolns, under Colonel Roberts, arrived to relieve our squadron at the Nek, who were on the fatal morning to join the other squadrons and march to reinforce General Smith-Dorrien. About 5.30 on Wednesday morning I was awakened by the crackle of rifles. I thought they were just behind the kopje. I jumped up, and picking up my glass, I made for the top. I was soon joined by other officers, and, while we could see nothing, we listened with serious and solemn awe, owing to the continuous rattle of many Mausers. We knew what it meant to our comrades in the gully, and worst of all, we could not help them very much. About eight o'clock a galloper came from Major Scobell to bring over all the guns. This was done, and soon our shells were dropping on the ridges where we could see some Boers. We could not fire into the hollow for fear of killing our own men. The fire became fiercer and fiercer. We now knew the Boers had secured both sides of the valley, and that our poor comrades were at their mercy. Were it not for the many boulders, nooks, and crevices which were taken for cover, few should have come out alive. The situation was critical in the extreme. What was to be done? Colonel Alexander asked me if I would ride into Pretoria, see Lord Roberts, explain the situation, and urge out reinforcements. I went off at full gallop. After riding ten miles I noticed a gentleman on a bicycle. Something said to me, secure this bike. I gave my horse to the cyclist, told him to wait for me and I would return his bike, and then mounted and scorched to headquarters. I sketched and explained the whole situation to Lords Roberts and Kitchener, and by this time strong reinforcements were despatched. After a much needed and kindly provided lunch in Lord Roberts's dining-room, I, with his despatch to our Colonel, cycled back, anxious to see what was what, and hoping that something had been done to help our comrades in their dire straits.