They formally annexed the whole of Northern Natal to the Orange Free State--a dangerous precedent when the tables should be turned.

With amazing assurance the burghers pegged out farms for themselves and sent for their people to occupy these newly won estates.
On November 5th the Boers had remained so inert that the British returned in small force to Colenso and removed some stores--which seems to suggest that the original retirement was premature.

Four days passed in inactivity--four precious days for us--and on the evening of the fourth, November 9th, the watchers on the signal station at Table Mountain saw the smoke of a great steamer coming past Robben Island.

It was the 'Roslin Castle' with the first of the reinforcements.

Within the week the 'Moor,' 'Yorkshire,' 'Aurania,' 'Hawarden Castle,' 'Gascon,' 'Armenian,' 'Oriental,' and a fleet of others had passed for Durban with 15,000 men.