The sturdy bluejackets, splendidly led, had whipped one of their guns into position almost before their arrival was known. "Action!" and the breech was opened and closed: "Fire!" and a shell went sailing towards the Boer 40-pounders. Then followed the fearful crash of the common shells. Eight missiles from the Navy gun did the work: the enemy's fire was stilled; and one more great record was added to the countless achievements of the ever-ready British Navy. Silence fell upon the field, and it was possible to number the slain. In this battle, known as that of Farquhar's Farm, the British losses on the centre and right were about 60 killed and 240 wounded. [Sidenote: Loss of Carleton's Column.] The afternoon wore on and no news came in from Carleton's column on the left. Disaster had evidently befallen it, for stragglers and wounded brought in during the morning stories of an extraordinary stampede of mules during the night, which had thrown the little force into complete confusion. [Illustration: [_Photo by H. Nicholls, Johannesburg._ ARTILLERY RETURNING TO LADYSMITH AFTER THE BATTLE OF FARQUHAR'S FARM. The waggons on either side of the street were loaded with ammunition and commissariat for a three or four days' fight. Owing to the disaster at Nicholson's Nek they never went into the field. The red-cross flag was flying from the Town Hall, which had been turned into a hospital.] [Illustration: TRANSPORT MULES AT LADYSMITH. The stampeding of some of these mules led to the disaster at Nicholson's Nek.] [Illustration: BRITISH PRISONERS, CAPTURED AT NICHOLSON'S NEK, ON THE ROAD FROM THE STATION TO THE RACE-COURSE, PRETORIA.] [Sidenote: [OCT. 30, 1899.] [Sidenote: OCT. 30, 1899.] _A Hopeless Struggle._]