THE MATABELE WARS. 732 with bulletmarks, but few men were hit. Eight were killed and agood manywounded. Several horses werehit,the Boers aiming at these when they got the chance,as their chief anxiety was to delay the column.

Late in the afternoon Jameson gave up the attack on the Krugersdorp position and began tomarch away to the southward. A messenger gives the force engaged as 370 rifles in all (Commandant Cronje with 150 on the right, Malanwith 130 in the centre,andPotgieter with qo on the left).

Fire wasopened with rifles,two Maxims,and a 7-pounder against the Boer position by the Chartered forces, after it had been reconnoitred by their advanced guard. An attempt was I DR. JAMESON'S BOER ESCORT OUTSIDE PRETORIA JAIL.

(Photo: Arthur Elliott, Pretoria.)

had arrived from Johannesburg, but there was no sign of active help from thecity, and he was trying to work round the Boer position. Just before darkness he camped on the banks of a stream that runs through the RandfonteinMine property. At daybreak he moved forward towards Dornkop. The Boers had been followingon his left flank, and had sent a force ahead to intercept him. Presently about 120 Boers opened fire from a hill in front,but as soon as the column halted and deployed theygave way before thefirst advance of Jameson'smen. They fell back across the hill,and the raiders, following them,occupied their ground. In front the road ran across a small riverby a ford. Beyond, to the left of the road, a slope ran up with a made to charge theBoers by about fifty mounted men, but they retired under the heavy fire brought to bear on them. Then Jameson's men, under cover on a rocky swell of the ground, kept the Maxims at work, and shells were thrown into the Boer position. But the Dutchmen held on doggedly. The Maxims must have wasted an enormous amount of cartridges, for they wereinaction a considerable time, and as the Boers were lying down among rocks and in shelter trenches with often ten pacesbetween each man andhis neighbour, the Maxim shooting was something like an attempt to kill individual ducks with a big punt gun. TheMaxims were inaction at about 800 yards, and the Boer Martinis pitted their steel shields