On January 15 a picket of the Yorkshire Regiment, about forty strong, with thirty New Zealand Mounted Rifles were holding the spur of a hill, since called New Zealand Hill, near Slingersfontein, when some Boers suddenly attacked the Yorkshires at the extremity of the steep spur. Their officer and sergeant were struck down, and the men would have been lost had not Captain Madocks with some New Zealanders made a sudden onslaught, rallied the Yorkshires, and routed the Boers.] [Sidenote: [JAN. 16-22, 1900.] On January 16 there was another skirmish with the Boers near Slingersfontein. A patrol of twenty-five Australian Mounted Infantry and New South Wales Lancers under Lieutenant Dowling left that position to reconnoitre northwards to Norvals Pont. On its return the patrol was ambushed at a watering place six miles north of Colonel Porter's camp, and the men killed, wounded, or captured, with the exception of three, who got away and returned with the sad news to camp. The Australians made a desperate stand before surrendering, and inflicted some loss upon the Boers. But the affair showed the complete knowledge of every British movement obtained by the enemy, no doubt through the many Boer sympathisers within the British lines. On the 18th, strong reinforcements from the Sixth Division reached General French. The 1st Royal Irish and 2nd Worcestershire, speedily followed by the 2nd Wiltshire, all of which battalions were included in Major-General Clements' Brigade, arrived, and with them two 5-inch howitzers. Thus strengthened, General French was able yet further to prolong his line. Strong outposts were established at Kleinfontein, some miles to the north-east of Slingersfontein, and at Rhenosterfontein, not far from Norvals Pont station. The enemy, alarmed for their communications, called up yet more reinforcements, and it was estimated that at this date their force was about 9,000 strong, while General French had now under his command near Colesberg almost as many combatants. His perpetual worrying of the Boers was thus serving two purposes--preventing them from doing any mischief in Cape Colony, and compelling them to weaken their forces elsewhere. The front held by the Boers at this date was thirty miles, and that of the British thirty-eight miles: but by means of field telephones and telegraphs in our lines reinforcements could promptly be called up to any threatened point. [Illustration: NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS WATCHING AN ENGAGEMENT NEAR COLESBERG. The gallant Captain Madocks in the centre.] [Sidenote: Small actions near Colesberg.]