well. There was a disturbance just at dusk, caused by a big drove
of Boer ponies, which were being driven into town, getting out of hand
and running amok in the lines of the 38th. Wrote a letter home by
moonlight. Very cold, after a hot day. I should think the temperature
often varies fifty degrees in the twenty-four hours. Some clothing
served out; I got breeches and boots. I wish I could get into the
town. There are several things I badly want, though, as usual, the
home parcel supplied some.

_August 10._--We were rather surprised to hear we might move that day,
and must hold ourselves in readiness. We all much wanted to buy
things, but there was no help for it. Had a field-day at button-sewing
and letter-writing. At eleven there was harness-cleaning, and I was
sadly regarding a small remnant of dubbin and my dusty girths and
leathers, when the order came for "boot and saddle," and that little
job was off. In the end we did not start till three, and marched with
the whole brigade nine miles, with one five-minute halt, through easy
country, with an unusual number of clumps of trees, and camped just at
dusk, near a pool, unharnessed and watered. There was a curious and
beautiful sight just before, the sun sinking red into the veldt
straight ahead, and the moon rising golden out of it straight behind
us. It seems we are bound to Smalldeel, a station on the main line,
now eleven miles off. We left all the prisoners at Winberg. Some chaps
bought schamboks, saddle-bags, and spurs from them, but being
stableman, I hadn't time. I write this by moonlight, crouching close
to a fine wood fire, 10 P.M. Well, I shall turn in now.

_August 11._--Reveille at 5.45. We started at eight, and marched the
remaining eleven miles in a blinding dust-storm, blown by a gale of
cutting wind right in our faces. My eyes were sometimes so bunged up
that I couldn't see at all, and thanked my stars I was not driving
leads. The worst march we have had yet. About 11.30 we came to the
railway, and groped through a dreary little tin village round a
station, built on dust, and surrounded by bare, dusty veldt. This was
Smalldeel. There was a general rush to the stores after dinner, as we
hear we are to entrain for Pretoria to-morrow. To-day we
revolutionized our harness by giving up our off-saddles, our kit to be
carried on a waggon. Some time before centre and lead horses had been
relieved of breeching and breast-strap, which of course are only
neede