78 Pages - The Black Vault

any degree hampered by a fear of hitting the men onWaschout Hill, especially at night. If we knew it wasnot possible to hit them, we could shoot freely allover the hill. This detachment was to have a doublelot of waterbottles, besides every available receptaclecollected in the kraal, filled with water, in anticipationof a prolonged struggle.The general idea for the main defensive positionwas to hold both sides of the river, improving theexisting steep banks and ravines into rifle-pits to containfrom one to four men. These could, with verylittle work, be made to give cover from all sides, Assuch a large amount of the work was already done forus, we were enabled to dig many more of these pitsthan the exact number required for our party. Pathwaysleading between these were to be cut into thebank, so that we should be able to shift about fromone position to another. Besides the advantage thiswould give us in the way of moving about, accordingas we wished to fire, it also meant that we shouldprobably be able to mislead the enemy as to ournumbers—which, by such shifting tactics might, fora time at least, be much exaggerated. The pits forfire to the north and south were nearly all so placedas to allow the occupants to fire at ground level overthe veld. They were placed well among the bushes,only just sufficient scrub being cut away to allow aman to see all round, without exposing the positionof his trench. On each side of the river, just by thedrift, were some “spoil” heaps of earth, excavatedfrom the road ramp. These stood some five or sixfeet above the general level, and were as rough asthe banks in outline. These heaps were large enoughto allow a few pits being made on them, which had64