it, after the
well-known method of famous heroes and criminals.

[Illustration: Tommy's Spittoon.

In Hospital the bed-patients whose principal pleasure in smoking seems
to be the spitting, have recourse to the above.]

I have already referred to the confounded regimentality of this place.
The very red cross on our virgin white R.A.M.C. banner is made of red
tape, not bunting, I am positive. It almost goes without saying that we
have to don, and never leave off, in the daytime, the cobalt blue
uniform and huge red tie so dear to the controllers of these
establishments. The blue trousers are terrible things, being lined with
some thick material and kept up by a tape at the waist. A friend of mine
in Paget's Horse will not have them called trousers, but always alludes
to them as leg casings.

I am not quite so particular about my food as formerly, but the Imperial
Yeomanry Hospital at Pretoria must have spoiled me. Then, again, there
was the Deelfontein one, so I must set aside my own opinion and give you
that of others. The food (in our ward) is little and poor; being one
pound of bread and an ounce of butter per day for men on _full_ rations,
accompanied at morn and eventide by a purply fluid called "tea." At
mid-day a tin of tough meat with a potato or two is served up, for which
we are truly thankful. Amen! As regards recreation we get plenty of
that--airing bedding, scrubbing lockers and floors, cleaning windows,
whitewashing, washing our plates and other tinware after our sumptuous
repasts, general tidying up, having rows with the sergeant-major, and a
myriad other little pastimes help to while the hours away. In full view
of our ward is the slate-coloured gun carriage which is used for
conveying the unfittest to their last long rest. It is kept outside of a
barn-like building, and its contemplation affords us much food (extra
ration) for reflection. It is often used.

THE MYTHICAL AND REAL OFFICER.[10]

[Footnote 10: An officer, for whom I have the highest esteem,
whilst kindly conveying to me his very favourable opinion of
these "Letters," regretted the inclusion of the following
"grouse" in these words: "When I think of many cheery, dirty,
ragged, half-starved youngsters I met out there, weighted
into an unaccustomed responsibility for men's lives and the
safety of their columns, and no more their own masters than
you were, bravely