one man for
our soldier lads across the sea. Never has the sentiment of Tennyson's
beautiful poem been so translated into fact before, for in very deed
the whole round world was every way

'Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.'

The months that witnessed the welding of the British Empire into one
great family witnessed also one great effort for her soldiers, and one
glorious chain of prayer for their conversion. What wonder that
hundreds, if not thousands, turned to God!

[Illustration: PARADE SERVICE ON THE TUGELA.]

Chapter IV

TO THE FRONT

The two most important ports of disembarkation A were Capetown and
Durban. East London and Port Elizabeth necessarily came in for their
share of the troops, but that share was only small.

It was therefore at Capetown and Durban that Christian workers specially
prepared to receive our soldiers and do all that was possible for their
comfort ere they departed for the front. These towns had already
thousands of refugees from the Transvaal upon their hands. Many of them
were absolutely destitute. They had left the Transvaal at almost a
moment's notice, and large numbers had only the clothes they were
wearing. But the generosity of the colonists knew no bounds, and gladly
they gave of their abundance and often of their poverty to help their
poor distressed brethren. Daily relief was granted where needed, and all
things possible were done for their comfort.

=South African Generosity.=

And now the coming of the army gave fresh opportunity for the display of
generosity. Not only were the soldiers received with hearty cheers, but
lavish gifts were showered upon them. Flowers, fruits, tobacco, dainties
of all kinds were handed to them as they departed to the front, and in
many cases sent up after them.

A gentleman from 'up country' wrote to Capetown to ask when any troops
would be going through a certain railway station, and he would undertake
to supply with fruit all troops passing for the next two months.

At Christmas a number of ladies at one of the stations up the line had
all sorts of good things for the men who had to travel on Christmas Day.
Another gentleman accidentally heard that a certain train was going to
stop at the railway station nearest his house, and hastily collected
twenty-four dozen new-laid eggs for the men to have for breakfast! Such
Christian kindness as this appeals powerfully to Mr. Thomas Atkins, as
it does to most men, and h