"Comrades," he said, "I congratulate you on the complete success achieved by you this morning. The ground over which we have had to fight presents exceptional difficulties, and we had as an enemy a past master in the tactics of mounted infantry. With troops such as you are, a commander can have no fear as to the result. [Illustration: GRAVES OF THE SOLDIERS KILLED AT BELMONT. Erected by the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles.] "There is a sad side, and you and I are thinking as much of those who have died for the honour of their country, and of those who are suffering, as we are thinking of our victory." [Illustration: SLEEPING OUT ON THE VELDT. How our soldiers make themselves comfortable--when they can.] And not they alone were thinking of the dead and the wounded. When it became known in London that the Guards' brigade was likely to go into action, large and anxious crowds began to assemble about the War Office in Pall Mall, and to besiege the lobby where the casualty lists are usually posted. Not for many years had scenes so sad and pathetic been witnessed in that temple of official routine. Many of the men had friends and relatives in London, and thus the capital was moved by a stronger personal interest than in the case of regiments whose headquarters are in the provinces. The misuse of the white flag and the fact that not a few of his men had been wounded with "dum-dum" or expansive bullets drew from Lord Methuen a dignified letter of protest which he addressed to the Boer commander, but which unfortunately did not have the effect of stopping the practices complained of. [Illustration: ARRIVAL OF A TRAINLOAD OF WOUNDED BOERS AT PRETORIA.] CHAPTER IX. LORD METHUEN'S ADVANCE--_continued_. March to Swinks Pan--Advance of Ninth Brigade--Battle of Enslin--Bombardment of the Boer position--Reinforcements sent for--The Bluejackets and Marines take the kopje--British losses--The Queen congratulates the Naval Brigade--Boer losses--Lack of water at Enslin--Lord Methuen's address to the troops--March to Klokfontein--Lord Methuen's available forces--The Boers in force at the Modder River--Disposition of troops--Scene of the battle--Boer preparations--Battle of the Modder--The torture of thirst--Sleep during battle--Arrival of an additional Field Battery--Attempts to cross the river--Retreat of the Boers--Comparison of British and Boer losses--British artillery fire--Characteristics of the fighting--The Boers fire on the Red Cross--Conduct of the Free Staters impugned--Kruger's remonstrances. [Sidenote: March to Swinks Pan.]