ance . ▁The ▁th under st orm ▁and ▁the ▁high ▁iron ▁ore ▁content ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁hills ▁played ▁hav oc ▁with ▁comp ass es ▁and ▁navigation . ▁ ▁The ▁brig ade ▁was ▁adv ancing ▁in ▁quarter ▁column ▁as ▁directed ▁by ▁M eth uen ' s ▁orders . ▁ ▁The ▁soldiers ▁advanced ▁pack ed ▁as ▁closely ▁together ▁as ▁possible , ▁with ▁each ▁ordered ▁to ▁grasp ▁his ▁neighbour ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁men ▁losing ▁contact ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁in ▁the ▁darkness . ▁As ▁first ▁light ▁approached , ▁the ▁storm ▁ab ated ▁and ▁the ▁Brigade ▁was ▁on ▁course , ▁but ▁the ▁del ays ▁put ▁them ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁hills . ▁W au cho pe ' s ▁guide , ▁Major ▁B enson ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Art illery , ▁suggested ▁to ▁W au cho pe ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁safe ▁to ▁continue ▁in ▁closed ▁formation ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Brigade ▁should ▁deploy . ▁W au cho pe ▁replied ▁"... ▁I ' m ▁afraid ▁my ▁men ▁will ▁lose ▁direction . ▁I ▁think ▁we ▁will ▁go ▁a ▁little ▁further ." ▁Still ▁in ▁quarter ▁column , ▁the ▁High land ers ▁advanced ▁further ▁towards ▁the ▁unknown ▁enemy ▁lines , ▁when ▁an ▁adv ancing ▁British ▁soldier ▁tri pped ▁an ▁alarm ▁on ▁the ▁f ence ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Bo er ▁tren ch . ▁ ▁Battle ▁ ▁High land ▁Brigade ▁tra pped ▁ ▁The ▁High land ers ▁had ▁advanced ▁to ▁within ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁Bo er ▁tren ches ▁when ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁opened ▁fire ; ▁the ▁British ▁had ▁no ▁time ▁to ▁reform ▁from