ack. How on the whole that "natural obstacle,"
the river bed, seemed to be more of a disadvantage than a protection.

Eventually the following lessons framed themselves in my head--some of
them quite new, some of them supplementing those four I had already
learnt:

5. With modern rifles, to guard a drift or locality does _not_
necessitate sitting on top of it (as if it could be picked up and
carried away), unless the locality is suitable to hold for other and
defensive reasons. It may even be much better to take up your
defensive position some way from the spot, and so away from concealed
ground, which enables the enemy to crawl up to very close range,
concealed and unperceived, and to fire from cover which hides them
even when shooting. It would be better, if possible, to have the enemy
in the open, or to have what is called a clear "field of fire."

A non-bullet proof parapet or shelter which is visible serves merely
to attract bullets instead of keeping them out--the proof-thickness
can be easily tested practically.

When fired at by an enemy at close range from nearly all round, a low
parapet and shallow trench are not of much use, as what bullets do
not hit the defenders on one side hit those on another.

6. It is _not_ enough to keep strange men of the enemy's breed away
from your actual defences, letting them go free to warn their friends
of your existence and whereabouts--even though they do not know the
details of your defences. It would be very much better to gather in
all such strangers and kindly, but firmly, to take care of them, so
that they should not be under temptation to impart any knowledge they
may have obtained. "Another way," as the cookery book says, more
economical in lives, would be as follows: Gather and warmly greet a
sufficiency of strangers. Stuff well with chestnuts as to the large
force about to join you in a few hours; garnish with corroborative
detail, and season according to taste with whiskey or tobacco. This
will very likely be sufficient for the nearest commando. Probable
cost--some heavy and glib lying, but no lives will be expended.

7. It is not business to allow lazy black men (even though they be
brothers and neutrals) to sit and pick their teeth outside their
kraals whilst tired white men are breaking their hearts trying to do
heavy labor in short time. It is more the duty of a Christian soldier
to teach the dusky neutral the dignity of labor, and to keep him under
guard