rate that one is
able to appreciate the obstructive temperament of military
officialdom. The whole system teems with "wait-a-bit" thorns; and in
such rare cases when difficulties do not exist, some jack-in-office is
certain to arrive with the sole object and intention of inventing
them. Now, the brigadier had put forward a simple and rational
plan,--so simple and rational that the lieutenant-general at De Aar
had willingly acquiesced, for this general was at least a man to whom
his juniors might look and be certain of support. But after the
general there arose a pack of snarling juniors, whose only energy
seemed to be expended in an endeavour to frustrate the plans of
others. The brigade had orders to march by night the six miles which
separate Hopetown from Orange River Station, but long before it took
the road the departmental spirit of opposition had commenced to make
itself felt.

First came a "clear-the-line" message from the transport officer,
ordering the brigadier to hand over his mule-transport to another
column commander. It is true that he promised to re-equip him with
mule-transport at the destination of his railway journey; but the
brigadier had had experience of the director of transport's promises.
This was an impediment which it was possible to ignore; but it was
followed by another more serious. The supply people appeared to have
been hurt on the score of the short notice which had been given to
them, and raised a host of difficulties. But the climax was reached
when the Intelligence Department volunteered the information that it
would be useless for the brigade to apply for maps, as they had none
in stock; but they added, "As a substitute we are sending the best
local guide procurable."

The brigadier had met the first of these hindrances with equanimity,
but the last burden upset the camel's load. "Did you ever see such
fellows? they are bent on thwarting me every time. I shall ignore them
right through; the only attention the man who has the audacity to
offer me a low horse-thieving local expert as the substitute for a
gross of maps deserves is to be court-martialled and stamped out of
existence on sight. You need not telegraph all that, Mr Intelligence;
but you may send a message to the general in De Aar to inform him
that, having received his orders, I shall leave no stone unturned to
carry out the scheme he has sanctioned, in spite of local obstruction.
That is to be the sense of the message, a