four in the afternoon
At last , however , either from motives of policy , or because they were so evidently outnumbered , they gave in and suffered us to go our own pace . I earnestly wished that they would have added to the obligation by going theirs , but this they declined absolutely to do . On the contrary , they accompanied us every foot of the way , keeping up a running fire of allusions to the ` Thing that bites ' that jarred upon my nerves and discomposed my temper . `` About half-past four in the afternoon we came to a neck or ridge of stony ground , whence we could see Wambe 's town plainly lying some six or seven miles away , and three thousand feet beneath us . The town is built in a valley , with the exception of Wambe 's own kraal , that is situated at the mouth of some caves upon the slope of the opposing mountains , over which I hoped to see our impi 's spears flashing in the morrow 's light . Even from where we stood , it was easy to see how strongly the place was fortified with schanses and stone walls , and how difficult of approach . Indeed , unless taken by surprise , it seemed to me quite impregnable to a force operating without cannon , and even cannon would not make much impression on rocks and stony koppies filled with caves .