rt in the afternoon we found to our dismay that we
could not get on any further for the moment; so I walked up to see
Halsey of the _Philomel_, at his camp about half a mile from the
station, and took him some newspapers. We had a bathe in the Tugela
River, and I afterwards met Wyndham of the 60th Rifles who was A.D.C.
to the Governor of Ceylon while I was Flag-Lieutenant to Admiral
Douglas, and we were mutually pleased to meet again so unexpectedly.
The Somersets marched in during the course of the morning from
Nottingham Road; they all looked very fit, but seem to have the
somewhat unpopular duty of holding the lines of communication.

Here I met also Lady Sykes and Miss Kennedy, doing nursing; they were
staying at a Red Cross sort of convent close to the station. Lady
Sykes gave me some books and wished me the best of luck, at which I
was pleased. I believe she is writing a book of her experiences in the
war and I shall be much interested to read it when I get home. It came
on to pour with rain, with vivid lightning, about 8 p.m., so I was
thankful to be under cover at the station; the poor soldiers outside
were being washed out of their tents, and some unfortunate Natal
Mounted Volunteers, who only arrived an hour beforehand, had no tents
at all and had a very poor time of it.

Eventually I got off by train next morning (9th) for Frere, Captain
Reeves, R.S.O., of the Buffs, who did me many kindnesses later on,
having secured a compartment for me in a carriage which was shunted
for the night, and in which I was very comfortable, although disturbed
by continuous shuntings of various trains and carriages which made one
realize how much work was falling on the railway officials and
employes. In our train were fifty Natal Naval Volunteers under
Lieutenants Anderton and Chiazzari. I was much struck with their good
appearance and their silent work in stowing their gear in the train,
and I realized their worth all the more when they joined up later on
with our Brigade; all staid, oldish men, full of go and well dressed,
while their officers were very capable, with a complete knowledge of
the country.

We reached Frere Station on the morning of the 10th, passing the sad
sight of the Frere railway bridge completely wrecked by the Boers. I
walked out to the camp and had never seen such a fine sight before;
rows and rows of tents stretching for miles, and an army of about
20,000 men. I found our electric search-light party a