ne of them knew what authority he had to do
anything--and I had to sit down and tell them. I wonder with
intelligence like theirs that their Intelligence Department did not
tell them the Boers fought with war clubs and spears. I bought a
ripping pony and my plan is to cut away from all my magnificent
equipment and try to overtake Buller before he reaches Ladysmith and
send back for the heavy things later. It is just a question of minutes
really and it seems hard to have come 1500 miles and then to miss it by
an hour-- I arrive at Chievely tomorrow at five--that is only ten miles
from where Buller is to night, so were it not for their d----d
regulations I could ride across country and join them by midday but I
bet they won't let me and I also bet I'll get there in time. Of course
you'll, know before you see this. Marelsburg is the capital and its
chief industry is rickshaw's pulled by wild Kaffi's, with beads and
snake skins around them and holes in their ears into which they stick
segars and horn spoons for dipping snuff. The women wear less than the
men and have their hair done up in red fungus.

Well, love to you all, to Nora and Dad and Chas, and God bless you.

DICK.

1900.

DEAR DEAR MOTHER:--

I am here at last and counting the days when I shall get away. War
does not soothe my savage breast. I find I want Cecil, and Jaggers,
and Macklin to write, and plays to rehearse. Without Cecil bored to
death at Cape Town, I would not mind it at all. I know how to be
comfortable and on my second day I beat all these men who have been
here three months in getting my news on the wire. For I am a news man
now, and have to collect horrid facts and hosts of casualties and to
find out whether it was the Dubblins or the Durbans that did it and
what it was they did. I was in terrible fear that I would be too late
to see the relief of Ladysmith but I was well in time and saw a fight
the first few hours I arrived. It is terribly big and overwhelming
like eighty of Barnum circuses all going at once in eighty rings and
very hard to understand the geography. The Tugela is like a snake and
crosses itself every three feet so that you never know whether you have
crossed it yourself or not. Every one is most kind and I am as
comfortable as can be. Indeed I like my tent so much that I am going
to take it to Marion. It has windows in it and the most amusing trap
doors and pockets in the walls and clothes lines and hook