r guns
fired at some Boer waggons, causing their escort to clear, and leave
them for us. Our infantry got them and had a good time. They are fine
fellows, are our infantry, and deserve all they can get in the loot
line. Late in the afternoon we surrounded a suspicious-looking kloof,
full of thick undergrowth, and captured a couple of the peaceful
peasants of the Arcadian dorp (fontein, kloof or spruit) we were then
occupying. A man in quest of loot found them, to his great surprise.
They were of the _genus snipa_. One had an elephant gun and the other a
Martini. We had had _reveille_ at 2.30, and breakfast a little later.
From then till about six in the evening I had only a few bits of
biscuit, and once a drop of water, but felt none the worse for my little
fast.

Thursday, September 27th. We got us up at 3.30. On going to saddle up I
found that my horse was gone. However, after a careful search, I found
him, though he had changed colour and size. When in the Yeomanry, do as
the Yeomen do. So having got a mount I was soon on parade. We then
ascended a big kopje and were placed at various observation posts till
such time as the convoy should move off. On the top of this kopje were
numerous tree-locusts, these are far more swagger in appearance than
their khaki-clad brethren, being green and yellow, with a crimson and
purple lining to their wings; but their whole appearance is so
artificial, that my first impression on seeing one was that it had flown
out of a Liberty Shop. From the various uncomplimentary remarks one
hears passed on the locust, I imagine the name must be derived from the
expression "low cuss." At 3.30 the tail of the beastly but necessary
convoy had succeeded in negotiating the usual non-progressive drift, and
we left our kopje to form its rear guard. My horse and I went a lovely
howler soon after starting--my first spill. I got up feeling all the
better for the experience, and soon had another. In this my rifle got
broken.

Friday, September 28th. We arrived at Olifant's Nek with the convoy at
3.30 a.m. a bit tired, found lukewarmed-up tea, bully and biscuits
awaiting us, and then turned in, and just and unjust slumbered soundly
till a late _reveille_, 6 o'clock, bundled us out to feed our horses. My
latest acquisition I found had vamoosed or been vamoosed. In searching
for it, I found my old one. Then, having foraged around at our waggon
and secured a Lee-Metford, I was once again fully equipped. At