stores of tea, sugar, and flour, preserved milk, cocoa, bacon, and
tinned food. A couple of frying-pans, and a canteen of tin cups and
plates, a knife, fork, and spoon each, and two kettles, completed their
outfit. They had put their soft felt hats in their valises, and were all
in their flat fatigue caps.

The train was a long one, but the carriages with it were empty, for
while the trains from the north were closely packed, there were few
persons indeed proceeding up country. The trucks, however, were well
filled, as great quantities of stores were being taken up, some to
Ladysmith, and others for the force at Dundee. The horses soon became
accustomed to the motion, and their masters took the opportunity of
familiarizing themselves with them, by talking to them, patting them,
and giving them pieces of bread and an occasional lump of sugar. The two
Kaffirs had brought on the pack-horses four water-skins and a couple of
buckets, and in the heat of the day the horses were allowed a good
drink, while their masters, whose haversacks had been filled by their
friends, enjoyed a hearty meal, washed down by tin mugs full of
champagne.

They were in the highest spirits, although the meal was taken under
difficult circumstances, for all were seated on the upper rails of the
trucks, there being no room for them to sit down among the horses. The
plates were all packed up, and fingers and teeth served for knives and
forks, which was the less important since chickens were the staple of
the meal; and these had been cut up before starting. Many were the jokes
that passed along the line. All felt that it was the last experience
they were likely to have of civilized food, and that it would be a long
while before champagne or any other wine would fall to their lot. The
Kaffirs, who had each charge of two spare horses, enjoyed themselves no