With Buller in Natal, Or, a Born Leader by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
page 113 of 375 (30%)
page 113 of 375 (30%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
serious cases. Their comrades bound up the wounds and placed them in the
most sheltered position they could find, five of their comrades remaining in charge of them and the horses, there being no possibility of finding the two Kaffirs and the spare animals in the confusion and darkness. "We have had one lesson," Chris said, as at seven in the morning the party assembled, worn out by the long night's work, "and that is, that blankets are well enough against a passing shower, but that when there is any probability of wet we must carry our waterproof sheets with us. Of course they would have been no good last night, but on occasions when there is no need for us to be using our hands they will be an immense comfort." "But we should have been wet through before we lay down, Chris." "Yes, they would not have kept us dry, but they would have gone a long way towards keeping us warm. It would be like putting oilskin over wet lint; we should have felt as if we were in a hot poultice in a short time. And even while riding it would have been very comfortable, if we had worn them as we did the blankets, with a hole in the middle to put our heads through." "But that would spoil them for tents," Carmichael said. "Well, we could have flaps sewn so as to cover the hole." "Our blankets were very useful last night," Horrocks remarked. "I don't know how we could have got many of those poor fellows down the hill if we had not carried them in the blankets. It was infinitely easier for |
|