these latter had
family ties besides their considerable positions, but they gladly
hastened to place their valuable services at the disposal of their
Queen, and, in conjunction with the regular Royal Engineers, were
destined to find glory, and in many cases death, at their perilous work.
The task of the engineers is probably scarcely realized by people who
have not seen actual warfare. We do not read so frequently of their
doings as of those of their gallant colleagues on foot or on horse; but
soldiers know that neither the genius of the Generals nor the
intrepidity of the men could avail without them; and as the scouts are
called the eyes, so might the engineers, both regular and volunteer, be
termed the hands and feet, of an advancing force. The host sweeps on,
and the workers are left with pickaxe and shovel, rifles close at hand,
to work at their laborious task loyally and patiently, while deeds of
courage and daring are being done and applauded not many miles away from
them. This particular Rhenoster bridge was destroyed and rebuilt no less
than three times up to the date of which I write, and the third time was
only ten days previously, when Christian De Wet had also worked havoc
among the mail-bags, the only cruel thing attributed to that commander,
respected both by friends and foes. The sad, dumb testimony of this
lamented misfortune was to be seen in the shape of thousands of
mutilated envelopes and torn letters which covered the rails and the
ground beyond--letters which would have brought joy to many a lonely
heart at the front. It was really heart-breaking to behold this
melancholy remnant of 1,500 mail-bags, and, a little farther on, to see
three skeleton trucks charred by fire, which told how the warm clothing
destined for the troops perished when De Wet and his burghers had taken
all they needed. Many yarns were related to me about the chivalry of
this farmer-General, especially respecting the mail-bags, and how he
said that his burghers should not make fun of the English officers'
letters, and therefore that he burnt them with his own hands. Another
anecdote was remarkable--namely, that of an officer searching sadly
among the heap of debris for some eagerly expected letter, and who came
across an uninjured envelope directed to himself, containing his
bank-book from Messrs. Cox and Sons, absolutely intact and untouched. It
can only be conjectured whether he would as soon have known it in ashes.

On arri