is
life more gladly in such a cause. Twenty years ago the merest chance
saved him from the massacre at Isandhlwana, and Death promoted him in an
afternoon from subaltern to senior captain. Thenceforward his rise was
rapid. He commanded the First Division of the Tirah Expeditionary Force
among the mountains with prudent skill. His brigades had no misfortunes;
his rearguards came safely into camp. In the spring of 1898, when the
army lay around Fort Jumrood, looking forward to a fresh campaign, I
used often to meet him. Every one talked of Symons, of his energy, of
his jokes, of his enthusiasm. It was Symons who had built a racecourse
on the stony plain; who had organised the Jumrood Spring Meeting; who
won the principal event himself, to the delight of the private soldiers,
with whom he was intensely popular; who, moreover, was to be first and
foremost if the war with the tribes broke out again; and who was
entrusted with much of the negotiations with their _jirgas_. Dinner with
Symons in the mud tower of Jumrood Fort was an experience. The memory of
many tales of sport and war remains. At the end the General would drink
the old Peninsular toasts: 'Our Men,' 'Our Women,' 'Our Religions,' 'Our
Swords,' 'Ourselves,' 'Sweethearts and Wives,' and 'Absent Friends'--one
for every night in the week. The night I dined it was 'Our Men.' May the
State in her necessities find others like him!"

THE BATTLE OF REITFONTEIN

On the morning of the 23rd, thirty men of the 18th Hussars rode into
camp at Ladysmith, after having had some exciting adventures. The facts
were these. On the arrival at Glencoe camp of the news of the Boer
defeat at Elandslaagte, General Yule had detached a force to cut off the
flying Boers. Unfortunately, the Hussars who were sent out for this
purpose were themselves cut off, but at last, with the enemy at their
heels, succeeded in fighting their way down a dangerous pass, and
eventually effecting their escape. This, too, without the loss of a man!

To return to the great retreat. While General Yule was falling back to
effect a junction with General White, the latter officer conceived a
brilliant plan to ensure the safety of the returning force. He was aware
that Yule's column was marching _via_ the Helpmakaar road, Beith, and
the Waschbank and Sunday River Valleys, and therefore, to cover the
movement, he sent out a strong force to the west of the road. The force
consisted of the 21st