This photograph shows the Durhams in the act of passing one of the field guns. It was taken under fire, and is a quite typical view of a modern battlefield--the infantry advancing in open order, the gunners taking what shelter their gun affords. Even the insignificant size of the figures, especially of those near the trees in the middle distance, lost as they are in the expanse of landscape, is quite characteristic. Except for the noise, and the occasional dropping of a wounded man, a spectator would hardly know that anything serious was going on.] [Sidenote: Difficulty of holding the position.] About 4 p.m. the eastern end of Vaal Krantz was in British possession. But the Boers still held trenches along the western end, while from their positions on and under Doorn Kloof they could direct an enfilading fire upon General Lyttelton's Brigade. It had been intended to move the British artillery on to the ridge, but this was now found to be impossible. In the first place, the ridge itself was razor-edged, steep, and rocky, so that guns could not be handled upon it; in the second place, beyond it, but within easy rifle range, was a second ridge of even greater strength, still in the hands of the Boers. Thus the gunners would be too close to the enemy for the safe working of their guns, and the episode of Colonel Long's artillery at Colenso had shown that it was not good to be too close to the Boer marksmen. The long grass, too, on the sides of the ridge had been set on fire, and the dense volumes of smoke which this caused would have been a further obstacle to the gunners. The A Horse Artillery Battery was, however, sent forward, and it shelled the ridges held by the enemy. Towards evening the Boers delivered a vigorous counter attack, endeavouring to dislodge the British force from Vaal Krantz, but General Lyttelton's battalions, reinforced by the 2nd Devons from General Hildyard's Brigade, beat off the attempt with little difficulty, though it was found impossible to hold the eastern end of the ridge. [Sidenote: [FEB. 5-6, 1900.] [Sidenote: Disappearing guns.]