Every telescope in the party of officers swivelled back to the centre,
to where the corrugated iron roofs of Colenso showed above the thorn
trees, dimly through the dust and the smoke.
'I can't . . . ' Garry started, then jumped uncontrollably as the
naval 4.7 bellowed from its emplacement beside them. Every time that
morning it had fired, Garry had jumped. If only I knew when it was
going to, he thought and jumped again as it bellowed.
'They are not being served,' one of the other staff officers interposed
and Garry envied him his composure and his calmness of voice. His own
hands were trembling so that he must grip hard with both hands to keep
his binoculars focused on the town. Each time the naval gun fired the
dust of its recoil drifted over them, also the sun was fierce and he
was thirsty. He thought of the flask in his saddle-bags and the next
bellow of the gun caught him completely off guard. This time both his
feet left the ground' . . . Do you agree, Courtney? ' Buller's voice,
he had not heard the beginning of the question.
'I do indeed, sir.
'Good.' The General turned to his ADC. 'Send a rider to Hart.
Tell him to pull out of there before he gets badly mauled.
Quick as you can, Clery.
At that moment Garry made a remarkable discovery. Behind the
inscrutable mask of his face with its magnificent silver moustache,
behind the bulging expressionless eyes-General Sir Redvers Buller was
every bit as agitated and uncertain as was Garry Courtney. His
continual appeals to Garry for support confirmed this. Of course,
Garry did not consider that another reason why Buller addressed his
appeals to him, rather than the regular officers of his staff, was
because this was the one quarter from which Buller could rely on
unquestioning support.
'That takes care of the left flank. ' Buller was clearly relieved at
his decision as he searched out towards the right, fixing the low round
bulk of Hlangwane KopJe in the field of his telescope.
'Dundonald seems to be keeping his end up. ' Earlier, there had been
desultory rifle and pompom fire from the right flank.
Now it was silent.
'But the centre As though he had been delaying the moment, Buller at
last turned his attention on the holocaust of dust and flame and
shrapnel that enveloped Colenso.
'Come along. ' He snapped his telescope closed. 'We'd better have a
closer look at what they've accomplished there. ' And he led his staff
back to the horses. Careful that no one should usurp his place at the
General's right hand, Garry limped along beside him.
At the headquarters of Lyttelton's Brigade, established in a deep don
ga half a mile before the first scattered buildings of the town, it
took Buller half a minute to find out what had been accomplished. It
appalled him.
'We hold the town, sir. And three companies have advanced to the road
bridge and seized it. But we cannot hope to hold it.
I have sent a runner ordering them to withdraw on the town. ' 'But why
