,
blown clean away. From 50 to 100 yards they are killed by the force of
the concussion of the air. From 100 to 150 yards they are killed by the
fumes or poisonous gases which the shell ex-hales. From 150 to 200 they
are not killed, but knocked senseless, and their skin is turned to a
brilliant green colour. From 200 to 250 they are so dazed and stupefied
as to be incapable of action, and, generally speaking, after that any
one in the district or neighbourhood of the shock is "never the same man
again." This is no mere rumour, for I have it direct from the naval
gunners themselves.

This morning, well before light, we took out our gentleman, dragged by
an immense string of oxen, to introduce him to his future victims and
whet his appetite by a taste. The Boer position lies some six miles to
the north of the river. The most conspicuous feature of it is a hill
projecting towards us like a ship's ram and dipping sharply to the
plain. Magersfontein, they call it. The railway going north leaves it to
the right, but other hills and kopjes carry on the position westward
across the railway, barring an advance. It is evident that we shall have
to take the place in front, as we are not strong enough nor mobile
enough to go round.

We have a few reinforcements, notably the Highland Brigade, also the
12th Lancers under Airlie, and some Horse Artillery pop-guns.

There is a good deal of bush on the plain, especially to the right of
the steep hill, where it is quite thick. During the last week we have
been poking about in this a good deal, approaching the hill now on this
side, now on that, under cover of the scrub, examining and searching,
but with very little result. They keep themselves well hidden. The hills
look untenanted except that now and then we have seen parties of Boers
wending their way in between the kopjes and driving in herds of cattle.

In the thick bush on the eastern plain, as we lay one morning at
daybreak, we could hear the shouts of men and catch glimpses of them
here and there riding about and urging their cattle on. Some passed not
far from where we lay crouched (we had left our ponies on the outskirts
of the bush). It seemed funny to watch them riding to and fro,
unconscious of our presence and calling to each other. It reminded me of
some boy's game of hide-and-seek or Tom Tiddler's ground. We have had
two or three casualties, and lost two prisoners, and we have bagged
several of them. The army is restin