e sent for, and I
got into a covered waggon, with seats to hold about eight men, sat
down with six others, Munsters and Wilts men, and am now waiting for
the next move. It is 11 A.M. and we have not inspanned yet, though the
battery and most of the brigade have started. I hear the whole column
is to go to Warm Baths, sixteen miles farther on.

We didn't start till 1.30, and halted about five. They are very
pleasant chaps in the waggon, and we had great yarns about our
experiences. They were in a thorough "grousing" mood. To "grouse" is
soldiers' slang for to "complain." They were down on their scanty
rations, their hot brown water, miscalled coffee, their incessant
marching, the futility of chasing De Wet, everything. Most soldiers
out here are like that. To the men-calculators and battle-thinkers it
doesn't matter very much, for Tommy is tough, patient, and plucky. He
may "grouse," but he is dependable. It came out accidentally that they
had been on half-rations of biscuit for the last two days, and that
day had had no meat issued to them, and only a biscuit and a half. By
a most lucky hap, Williams and I had the night before bought a leg of
fresh pig from a Yeomanry chap, and had it cooked by a nigger. In the
morning, when we separated, I had hastily hacked off a chunk for him,
and kept the rest, and we now had a merry meal over the national
animal of the Munsters. It was pleasant to hear the rich Cork brogue
in the air. It seems impossible to believe that these are the men whom
Irish patriots incite to mutiny. They are loyal, keen, and simple
soldiers, as proud of the flag as any Britisher. At five we
outspanned, with orders to trek again at the uncomfortable hour of
1 A.M. The Orderly-corporal left me and a Sergeant Smith of the Munsters
to sleep on the floor of the waggon, and the rest slept in a tent.
They gave us tea, and later beef-tea. The sergeant and I sat up till
late, yarning. He is a married reservist with two children, and is
more than sick of the war. They gave us three blankets between us, and
we lay on the cushions placed on the floor, and used the rugs to cover
us both. After some months of mother earth this unusual bed gave me a
nightmare, and I woke the sergeant to tell him that the mules were
trampling on us, which much amused him. These worthy but tactless
animals were tethered to the waggon, and pulling and straining on it
all the time, which I suppose accounted for my delusion.

_August 25._--