camp-fire at night), any little touch of nature that obliterates rank,
and makes man and general "chums" for the moment; such trifles have an
effect on one's spirits which I could never have believed possible, if
I had not felt their charm. I wonder if officers know it, but it takes
nothing for them to endear themselves to men.

It seems to be beyond doubt that our guns are a success, but their
special ammunition is a source of great difficulty. We have stacks of
it at Bloemfontein, but cannot carry much about with us, and of course
the ammunition column with its fifteen-pounder shells is of no use to
us. We have been short after every action, and have to depend on
precarious waggonfuls, coming by convoy from somewhere on the railway.
They say General Hunter and a division is concentrating here too, and
a large force is visible in the valley, marching up. They are flooding
us with fresh meat to-day, by way of a change. It is said that Paget
has ordered a certain number of sheep and cattle to be slaughtered
daily for the brigade.

_(Later)._--I had scarcely written the above lines when the order came
to harness up at once. We did so, and were soon off; the sections
separated, ours making for a steep hill about three miles away, on
which we were ordered to take post. It was an awkward climb in the
gathering darkness, with drag-ropes on the upper wheels, when moving
along a very steep slope. A final rush of frantic collar work, and we
were on a flat plateau, where we unlimbered the guns, so as to command
the valley, and camped near them. I was on picket duty this night, and
quite enjoyed it, though I had one three-hour spell at a go. It was
warmer than usual, with a bonnie moon in a clear sky, a dozen
veldt-fires reddening in the distance, mysterious mists wreathing
about the valley beneath, and the glowing embers of a good wood-fire