"We are all very well mounted, sir," he went on, "and as we all speak
Dutch, hope to be useful. At any rate, we shall be no trouble to you, as
we draw neither rations nor pay. We think we can pass anywhere as Boers;
that is why we have not adopted any uniform."

"I have no doubt you will be of service," the general said, though I
hardly think that you will pass as Boers with those caps."

"We have all wide-brimmed hats to use while we are scouting, general;
but we carry these too, so that on our return towards your lines we can
be recognized even at a distance as not being Boers, and so avoid being
fired at."

"Yes, that is a very necessary precaution. I will have officers
commanding cavalry and artillery detachments warned, that a section of
Maritzburg volunteers are dressed as farmers, but may be known in the
distance by having caps similar to the ordinary infantry field-service
caps.

"Well, sir, I shall be glad if you will to-morrow ride to the south,
following the river, and endeavour to find out whether the Boers have
any considerable force in that direction, either on this side of the
river or the other, I may tell you that five of the Natal police were
captured on the evening of the 13th at De Jagers Drift. The Boers have
been in possession of Newcastle for the past three days, and they are
certainly crossing the passes from the Free State. You must be very
careful, for they have scouting parties across the river almost as far
as the Tugela. However, we hardly expect any serious struggle for
another week or ten days; for all the accounts are to the effect that
the Boers are still very deficient in transport, and that for the past