nel Law (who had dug marvellous good
trenches), and later on with three Companies of the South Lancashires,
and after that two Companies of the Queen's (note the descending scale
of numbers), we defend this position, monarchs of all we survey, and
therefore bagging all we can get, not only of the numerous guinea
fowl, partridge, and spring buck dwelling on its sides and in its
ravines, but also, it must be confessed, of the tamer and tougher
bipeds from surrounding farms that were nearly all deserted by their
owners. For many weeks we had a great deal of fun in our little
shooting expeditions. Major Adams of the Lancashires, a keen
sportsman, was always sighting game through his binoculars as he was
going on his constant patrols round the defences, and he allowed the
rest of us to shoot when able. Thus in the midst of our work we had
many a jolly hour in those occasional expeditions close to our lines;
one day we made a large bag of geese and started a farmyard just in
front of our guns on a small nek, giving our friends the geese a
chance of emulating the deeds of their ancestors at the Roman Capitol;
for who can tell whether they may not yet save Grass Kop if our
friends the Boers are game enough to attack.

_Sunday, 12th August._--The gales of wind up here are something awful.
This evening as we were toasting the "Grouse" at home, a furious blast
blew down and split up my own tent and that of others, although
fortunately we had a refuge in the mess-house which the Dorsets had
made by digging a deep hole roofed over with tin; here we are fairly
comfortable and have stocked this splendid apartment with Boer
furniture, including a small organ. Our evenings with the South
Lancashires in this mess-house have been as merry as we could make
them, and our president, Major Adams, whom we all like, occasionally
fires off a tune on the organ which he plays beautifully such as it
is. The Volunteers with us are to be seen at all times sitting on the
side of the hill surveying the country through their binoculars and
watching the movements of the enemy. Marking the interest which this
being "able to see" gives men, I sincerely hope that in future wars
each company of a regiment or of a battleship may be always supplied
with a certain proportion of binoculars, or with small hand
telescopes, for possible outpost duty.

_Monday, 13th August._--General Hildyard rode up here and expressed
himself much pleased with our trenches and de