Bearers of messages between the opposing commanders, and in many cases ordinary prisoners of war, are blindfolded before being led into camp, in order that they may not be able to report particulars of the defences.] [Illustration: [_Photo by Knight._ GETTING A WAR-BALLOON READY: ADJUSTING THE TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS.] [Sidenote: NOV. 24-30, 1899.] _British Concentration Effected._] [Sidenote: Arrival of Lord Dundonald and General Buller.] This foray was not without its comic side. On November 24 the 6,000 British troops at Mooi River manned the trenches and prepared to do or die, under the impression that the enemy, in overpowering force, was all around. At that very moment the Boer commandos, 3,000 strong, were scuttling back to Colenso with their plunder, only too pleased to be unmolested. The high-water mark of the Boer advance had been reached. On the 24th the Estcourt force pushed forward to Frere unopposed, but found that further progress was stopped by the destruction of the railway bridge over the Blaauwkrantz. The engineers at once went to work to build a trestle bridge. In the next two days the railway was repaired between Estcourt and Mooi River. On the 30th Lord Dundonald, who had arrived and taken over the command of the mounted troops, pushed forward with 1,400 mounted infantry and a battery of artillery to Colenso, and drew a very heavy fire from the Boer positions. After reconnoitring these he fell back without the loss of a man. On the same day the railway bridge at Colenso was blown up by the Boers. [Illustration: BRINGING UP A BATTERY OF FIELD ARTILLERY.] In the meantime, during the closing weeks of November and the early days of December, no less than sixteen battalions of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, and five batteries of field artillery had arrived at Durban, and with them had come General Buller to take over the command. Added to the 4,000 men already under arms in the colony outside Ladysmith, they gave an available British force in the field of a little over 21,000. In this force the infantry numbered 18,000, the cavalry and mounted infantry 2,600, and the artillery 750 with 30 guns. A mountain battery armed with six miserable little screw seven-pounder muzzle-loaders should be added to this total. [Illustration: [_Photo by Debenham & Smith._ MAJOR-GENERAL GEOFFRY BARTON, C.B., Took part in the Ashanti War of 1873-4, and in the Zulu War of 1879 in command of the 4th Battalion of the Natal Native Contingent. He again saw active service in the Egyptian War of 1882 as D.A.Q.G., and went through the battles of Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir. During the Soudan campaign of 1885 he was Assistant Military Secretary to Sir Gerald Graham. He commands the 6th Brigade of the South African Field Force.] [Illustration: [_Photo by Evelyn, Aldershot._