published in Bethlehem, and roughly lithographed, chiefly lies, I
expect.[A] The Boers have retired south, deeper into the trap. Poultry
was issued, and the gunners and drivers of our waggon drew by lot the
most amazing turkey I have ever seen. It had been found installed in a
special little enclosure of its own, and I fear was being fattened for
some domestic gala-day which never dawned. It was prodigiously plump.

[Footnote A: Here is an extract, since translated, from one of these
precious "newspapers," which ought to be one day edited in full. It is
a telegram from General Snyman at the Boer laager at Mafeking, dated
March 2, 1900, when the famous siege had been going on for five months
and a half. After some trivial padding about camp details, it
concludes: "The bombardment _by the British_ (sic) is diminishing
considerably. Our burghers are still full of courage. _Their sole
desire is to meet the enemy!_" This is only a mild specimen of the
sort of intelligence that was allowed to penetrate to a remote farm
like this at Slabbert's Nek, whose owner was now fighting us,
probably, to judge from these documents, in utter ignorance of the
hopelessness of his cause.]

_July 25._--_Wednesday._--Reveillé at six. Started at 8.30, at the
outset crossing a very awkward drift. It was a sort of full dress
crossing, so to speak, when all the officers collect and watch the
passage. We dived down a little chasm, charged through a river, and
galloped up the side of a wall. One waggon stuck, and we had to lend
it our leaders. There was a strong, cold wind, and we kept on our
cloaks all day; a bright sun, though, in which I thought the brigade
made a very pretty spectacle in its advance, with long streamers of
mounted troops and extended infantry on either flank. About one, our
section was ordered to march back some miles and meet the rearguard.