well
appreciated.

A patrol was sent over to Taungs, and we watched the squadron dancing
away until a fold of the green plain hid them. Soon afterwards we came
into camp.

The paramount question at such a moment is always: "What is the water
like?" Last night it was very bad, and there was no officer in charge of
the watering when the rear of the column came in. The only water was a
small, almost stagnant river, and the men were into it, bathing, as soon
as they arrived. Then the horses and mules were watered, and stirred up
the mud with their feet; and then we sent for drinking water. Of course
one has it boiled, but even so----.

While we were having dinner the patrol returned from Taungs, having cut
the wire north and south and destroyed the instrument. They found the
village empty except for women.

Encounters with insurgents are often amusing, although amongst them they
have so far afforded natives of all our three kingdoms reason for shame.
Here is something quite typical.

SCENE: _The veldt road. Enter very slowly from the north, an ox-waggon.
Enter from the south, a cloud of dust, out of which emerges the Mounted
Advance Guard of the column. They meet, and halt._

TROOPER _in charge of ox-waggon, saluting and pointing with his thumb
within_:

"Come to report, sir. Found this woman trekkin' along, and won't give no
account of herself."

_Commanding Officer draws aside tent of waggon and discovers fat and
hearty old woman._

C.O.: "Now, my good woman, what have you to say for yourself?" (_No
answer._)

TROOPER: "Please, sir, she come from that there rebel farm." (_To fat
and hearty old woman_) "Now then, missus, tell the Colonel who you are."
(_Long silence, during which something seems to be working in the mind
of the fat and hearty old woman._)

C.O.: "Can anyone speak Dutch? Here, Evans, ask her what she has to say
for herself." (_Trooper Evans asks her in fluent Dutch--no
answer--question repeated with emphasis._)

F. and H.O.W.: "Whethen now, and shure it's Mrs. McGuire Oi am, and bad
luck to the whole av ye. Glory be to Goodness, but it's a quare place
Oi'd be in if the likes of you was all Oi had to me back, wid all me
bits av sticks and the ould hin herself took be the Boers--bad cess to
'em" (_and much more to the same effect, during which the waggon is
searched and a couple of Martini rifles found in it, and various other
damning evidences, with the result that the waggon is confiscated