st drops of a
shower, and when he turns round in his saddle and thunders his, "Let
them go" down the ranks, then I tell you there is not a trooper at his
heels who does not realise that the man at their head is the right man
in the right place.

At the same time it would be a mistake to think of him as one of our
"let me get at them," all sword and spurs officers. There have been
several of this sort in the army, and it is impossible to help very
often admiring their dash. But they are most dangerous leaders. What
chiefly distinguishes the Boers is their coolness. You cannot bluff or
flurry them, or shift them by the impetuosity of your attack from a
position which they are strong enough to hold. If indeed you have reason
to believe them weak, then the faster you go at them the better: for if
they mean going this will force them to go in a hurry and you will
diminish the time you are under fire. But see your calculations are
pretty sound, for if they don't mean bolting it will not be the fury of
your charge that will make them. Generally when they begin on you at a
very long range it is safe to go for them; but if they reserve their
fire then look out for squalls. The Colonel has a very cool judgment in
these matters; and though no one, when he does go for them, goes
straighter and faster than he, no one, on the other hand, calculates
more coolly the probable effect and consequence of the move.

In all scouting operations in our frequent long patrols he shows the
same mixture of prudence and daring. He goes long distances from his
supports and penetrates far into the enemy's country, and yet in none of
these expeditions has he ever got trapped or cut off. Of course with men
like the Guides, who have experience of the country and the enemy, and
ways of picking up information not open to strangers, this is easier
than it would be with men who had no such experience; but at the same
time the chief credit and responsibility in these affairs must rest with
the commanding officer. For one thing Rimington has an extraordinary
good eye for a country. Perhaps at first you will scarcely realise the
value of this gift. The features of this country and the way the long,
undulating slopes of the veldt merge into each other are extremely
perplexing, and as an engagement may be carried on over many miles of
ground and your own movements may be extensive and involved, it becomes
very difficult, in fact to most people absolutely imposs