led at them, for are they not
all honourable men?

The Imperial Yeomanry Field Hospital was about a mile off, and on
reaching it we were treated with every kindness. They had only come in
the previous night, and we were the first patients. Every consideration
was shown to us, and in a few minutes we were lying down in a fine tent
of the marquee brand and drinking excellent _cafe au lait_ and eating
bully and biscuit. "The best we can do for you at present," as they
apologetically remarked to us. Fomentations were applied to our wounds,
and luxuriously reclining on my back, smoking a Turkish cigarette one of
the orderlies had just given me, I fervently swore that the grandest
institution in South Africa was the I.Y. Field Hospital. In the
afternoon some sick Inniskilling Fusiliers were admitted, and for some
time seemed dazed at the kind treatment they were receiving, and
appeared half under the impression they were in Heaven. "What's this
chummy?" queried one. "Imperial Yeomanry Hospital" was the reply. "Thank
Gawd 'taint the R.A.M.C." grunted the Tommy, turning over on his side
with a sigh of relief. At about ten that night we had to make room in
our tent for a dozen wounded men from Thursday's fight. Ninety were
being brought into Rietfontein and the I.Y. people were taking half.
Soon an ambulance was halted by our tent, and wounded men hobbled or
were carried in, heads, arms and legs tied up, with here and there blood
showing through the bandages. They were M.I., Kitchener's Horse,
Northumberlands and K.O.Y.L.I. (King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry).
"Man," started a Yorkshire man before he had been in the tent a minute,
"they (the Boers) treated us real well." "Ay, they was all right,"
chimed in a M.I. man, "they gave us to eat as much as they 'ad." "One
bloke arsked my permission to take the boots orf one of our dead chaps,"
said a Northumberland Fusilier. And at it they went hammer and tongue,
especially the latter. To follow the various speakers one needed a dozen
pairs of ears at least. Several related that the Boers came up to them
and told them they had made a grand fight of it. They were quickly
supplied with beef tea and biscuits, and some of the necessary cases
were dressed again. "See that that man has a ground sheet down there,"
ordered Major Stonham, "he is on the bare earth." "I've laid on it for
three nights out there, sir," cheerfully vouchsafed the patient under
notice.

At last I got to sleep, awa