s. There are a few trees in the vicinity, whilst on the
further bank and beyond the railway rise the serrated, well-wooded,
and extremely picturesque Gatsrand Hills.

There was only one man to be seen, peacefully hoeing his potato-patch.
But if the men were scarce and polite, the same could not be said for
the fair sex, who, despite the fact that their knowledge of English
was only to be compared with our ignorance of Dutch, did not fail to
let us know their opinions of things generally. Indeed, the
mess-president, who had gone on ahead on a pony in search of
farmyard products, had a battle-royal with an elderly Dutch lady who
asked six shillings a dozen for her eggs.

We heard more detailed accounts here of the relief of Mafeking, and of
the gallant part Major Godley of ours had taken in its defence, while
Major Pilson and Captain Kinsman (also Royal Dublin Fusiliers) had
assisted in the relief. As Carington Smith had arrived in Kimberley
with the cavalry, we were able to claim representation in all three of
the great sieges and reliefs of the war.

[Illustration: 'Speed Dead Slow.']

But a disappointment was in store for us all the same. The column did
not move next day (the 15th), but although engine after engine came
puffing up from Potchefstroom they all failed to bring the carriages
which our aching legs made us so anxiously look for. We heard of the
strike of forty engine-drivers at Potchefstroom, but as they had all
been cast into durance vile, and the engines still continued to
arrive, that could not have been the reason. However, any doubts we
entertained were soon set at rest by an order to continue our march to
Johannesburg next day.

[Illustration: Miscellaneous Casualties.

Lieut. ELY. _Died at sea of Enteric._
Capt. H. CARINGTON SMITH. _Wounded at Sanna's Post and Heidelberg._
Capt. WATSON. (_Attached to Scottish Horse_). _Killed at Moedwil._
Capt. H. J. KINSMAN. _Wounded in Transvaal._
Capt. J. A. MACBEAN. _Killed at Nooitgedacht._
Lieut. ADRIAN TAYLOR. _Severely wounded when serving with M.I. near
Parys._]

Starting on the 16th, an uneventful march of twelve miles brought us
to Wolverdiend, a place which had not then attained the importance it
afterwards assumed.

It was another fifteen on to Blauw Bank Station next day. This march
was remarkable in that it was the first occasion since this trek
started that the column moved with any military precautions worth
mentioning.