orders to proceed to Mafeking; but his horses were so done up that
he decided to give them a few days' rest. I took advantage of his escort
to carry out a long-cherished desire to see the wreck of the armoured
train at Kraipann. Accompanied by a boy to show us the way, we started
after an early lunch. As it was a Sunday, there was not much fear of our
meeting any Boers, as the latter were always engaged that day in
psalm-singing and devotions. We cantered gaily along, passing many
Kaffir huts, outside of which were grouped wondering natives, in their
Sunday best. These kept up a lively conversation with our guide as long
as we remained within earshot. I was always impressed with the
freemasonry that existed in that country among the blacks. Everywhere
they found acquaintances, and very often relations. They used to tell me
that such and such a man was their wife's cousin or their aunt's
brother. Moreover, as long as you were accompanied by a native, you
were always sure of certain information concerning the whereabouts of
the Boers; but to these latter they would lie with stupid, solemn faces.
When we neared Kraipann, we came to a region of rocks and kopjes, truly
a God-forsaken country. Leaving our horses in the native stadt, we
proceeded on foot to the scene of the disaster. There was not much to
see, after all--merely a pilot armoured engine, firmly embedded its
whole length in the gravel. Next to this, an ordinary locomotive, still
on the rails, riddled on one side with bullets, and on the other
displaying a gaping aperture into the boiler, which told its own tale.
Then came an armoured truck--H.M.'s _Mosquito_--that I had seen leaving
Mafeking so trim and smart, but now battered with shot; and lastly
another truck, which had been carrying the guns. This had been pushed
back into a culvert, and presented a dilapidated appearance, with its
front wheels in the air. The whole spectacle was forlorn and eerie. All
the time I gave cursory glances right and left, to make sure no Boers
were prowling about, and I should not have been surprised to have seen
an unkempt head bob up and ask us our business. But all remained as
silent as the grave. Swarms of locusts were alone in possession, and
under the engine and carriages the earth was a dark brown moving mass,
with the stream of these jumping, creeping things. I had soon gratified
my curiosity, and persuaded my companion, who was busy photographing,
also to leave this desolate