before they did, but struggled on until, rendered weak by their
prolonged exertions, they had no strength to fight the disease which had
fastened upon them.

The last march of the Guards was one which the Brigade may well remember
with pride, as one of the most famous in its annals. They actually
marched over forty miles in twenty-two consecutive hours, over ground
full of holes of all sorts and sizes, and with barbed wire cut and lying
on the ground in all directions. They marched hour after hour in steady
silence, broken only by the 'Glory! Hallelujah!' chorus of the
Canadians, marched with soleless boots, or with no boots at all, but
with putties wrapped round the bare feet. An hour and a half's rest, and
then on again! On, ever on! They are so tired, they feel they can march
no further, and yet on they go, steadily marching straight forward, a
silent, dogged, determined army out there upon the veldt. Lord Roberts
had promised the Guards that they should follow him into Bloemfontein,
and they intended to be there to do it.


=The Work at Bloemfontein.=

Bloemfontein reached, Christian work began in real earnest. Every one
became 'hard at it' at once. The Rev. E.P. Lowry opened a Soldiers' Home
in the schoolroom of the Wesleyan Church, and day by day provided the
cheapest tea in the town at three-pence per head, of which many hundreds
of the men availed themselves. Here, too, he had meetings night by
night. The Rev. James Robertson was also incessantly at work. The large
tent of the Soldiers' Christian Association was erected in the camp of
the Highland Brigade, and became as usual a centre of splendid Christian
effort. Mr. Black tells us that Lord Roberts gave permission for him to