face was concealed by the usual kindly sun-bonnet.

(_Note._--Our Regimental Sergeant-Major has just gone by, with
white canvas shoes and slacks on. This is most reassuring as
regards not moving off to-day).

Well, we camped near the village, which lay in a sort of saucer, being
surrounded by kopjes. On one of these our cow gun, yclept "Wearie
Willie," was hauled; it took fifty-six oxen to get him up there. The
Boers, whom we had surprised, were very sick at our unexpected visit,
and, had they only known, would undoubtedly have attempted to hold the
place a bit. As it was, they hung about far off. It rained a perfect
deluge that night, and my blanket roof collapsing I went to sleep with
it over me as it fell, lullabyed by the soft cursings of my neighbours
of 1 and 2 Mealie Villas, who were in like plight. The next morning we
were to have had _reveille_ at 5.30 and proceed to Rietfontein 12. (They
have to number these places out here. You probably have noticed the
innumerable Blandsfonteins, Hartebeestefonteins, Rietfonteins,
Bethanies, etc., in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony.) But Brother
Boer willed it otherwise, and about an hour before the fixed time I was
"revallyed" by the banging of guns distant and near. I arose to my feet
and the fact that Mr. Delarey was trying to shell us, as a not far
distant crack of an exploding shell testified. Near me, from under a
rain-soaked blanket a sun-bronzed face appeared and a sleepy voice
inquired "are the _burchers_ (burghers) shelling us?" The seeker after
knowledge was informed they were. We soon got the order to turn out,
saddle up and escort the guns. This we quickly did. As we moved out a
few shells skimmed over the kopjes and lobbed themselves where our lines
had been. By this time our field guns and cow gun were well at it, and
the Boers were shifting a bit. We dismounted, lined the kopje we had
ridden up to, and watched the work of our gunners. Presently from half
up the hill in front of us, I saw a flickering white flash and
pom-pom-pom-pom-pom-pom went Delarey's gun of that name, followed by a
whistling over our heads and half-a-dozen cracks behind, where, looking
round, I saw the same number of puffs of smoke and earth arise from the
ground. This went on for a while, they were trying to get on our led
horses, I believe. I afterwards heard some went fairly close, also that
the general had one very near. _Apropos_ of this pom-poming, our
colone