The enemy's field artillery opened from Pepworth Hill and Farquhar's Farm upon the British infantry; the British artillery kept under cover and did not reply till the hostile guns, which fired smokeless powder and which were therefore most difficult to find, had been located. Then at last our batteries got to work, and a fierce duel began. The ridge and the plain below were both one sheet of flame. The main Boer artillery position was soon a mass of small clouds of smoke from our bursting shrapnel. About 6·50 the enemy's guns seemed to be silenced, or fired only spasmodically, whereupon our guns shelled the gullies of the heights in which the Boer marksmen lay for shelter, driving them back. Gradually our artillery fire also abated, and the battle paused. [Illustration: GENERAL JOUBERT, COMMANDING THE FORCES OF THE TRANSVAAL. General Pietrus Jacobus Joubert, born at Cango, Cape Colony, 1833; State Attorney of Transvaal, 1867; acted as President during Kruger's absence in Europe, 1883-84. Has twice been an unsuccessful candidate for the Presidency.] [Illustration: A BOER COMMANDO. When occasion arises for a Boer commando to be called out, the Field Cornet or local magistrate rides round to the neighbouring farms and commandeers, _i.e._ orders out, the farmers into the field. They go out just as they are, with rifle, bandolier, their horse, and a piece of biltong, or dried meat, in their pocket. A collection of some two or three hundred farmers from one particular district is termed a commando.] [Illustration: A BOER SHARPSHOOTER. _R. Caton Woodville._] _By permission of H. Graves & Co._] From the column on the left no news had arrived. About six heavy firing was heard in its direction; an hour later came the crash of a furious fusillade, in which the growl of the Maxim could plainly be heard. To this quarter was shortly afterwards seen moving a very strong commando of the enemy. It was observed pouring down a far-off hill "like a colony of ants on the march." The roar of firing on the left grew louder, and the battle broke out with renewed vigour over all the wide sweep of the quadrant. The Boer guns opened once more; it was clear that the enemy had been strongly reinforced. They showed all round in such strength that the Imperial Light Horse on the left centre had to fall back, and the British artillery in this quarter changed position slightly to meet the oncoming foe. A heavy fire checked the Boer advance, but could not defeat it; to prevent the main British force from being cut off from its left, our troops were thrust forward, battalion by battalion, until every available man was in line. [Sidenote: [OCT. 30, 1899.] Two British batteries pushed forward into the open and dosed the Boer 40-pounders and other guns on Pepworth Hill with shrapnel so effectively that they almost ceased fire.