y nice. He is now Brigadier-General
and Camp Commandant, and we are left in defence here, to protect
Buller's left flank, with "A" Battery Horse Artillery, the 2nd
Dragoons and 13th Hussars, the Imperial Light Infantry, and the York
and Lancasters. The rest of the troops had all gone to Chieveley. The
day was very hot again, and I was very glad to give the men another
rest, with fresh butter, milk, chickens, and fruit to be had, brought
in by Kaffirs from neighbouring farms. Just think of it!

_Sunday, 11th February._--Again very hot. About 7 a.m. there was a
heavy rifle fire to the N.E.; our Cavalry pickets were in fact
attacked, and as I saw Boers on the sky-line, I got leave to open
fire, but did no damage, as the hill, we afterwards found out, was
some eight miles off. So much for African lights and shades, which,
after eight months' experience of them, are most deceptive. It turned
out that our Cavalry pickets had been surprised by the Boers unmounted
in a donga, and unluckily Lieutenant Pilkington and seven men were
taken prisoners, and several men wounded--a bad affair.

_Monday, 12th February._--Another awfully hot day which made me feel
feverish. We were busy in fortifying our gun positions, but otherwise
I had a quiet day in the mess of the York and Lancasters, a very nice
regiment. At 4 p.m., much to our joy, rain and thunder came on and
cleared the heavy air. Glad to hear that a Naval 6" gun has been sent
up to the front at last, and that Lord Roberts had entered the Orange
Free State with a large force.

_Tuesday, 13th February._--Still very hot, although again a welcome
thunderstorm in the afternoon. Busy with fortifying and with taking
more gun ranges with a mekometer borrowed from the York and
Lancasters.

_Wednesday, 14th February._--The Boers appeared in considerable force
on the sky-line to the left of Portjes Kopje about 8 a.m. I was
summoned with others by Colonel Burn-Murdoch to a Council of War, and
afterwards rode out with him and Staff to reconnoitre the enemy and to
look at country for gun work. We pushed up to a farm about 1,600 yards
from the enemy; we were fired on at that distance and all returned
about 4 p.m., when it was decided to attack the Boers next day. They
are some 9,000 yards off the camp, and seem to have no guns. During
our reconnoitring we saw a hare on the Kop, the first game I have come
across as yet in South Africa.

_Thursday, 15th February._--At 6 a.m. the Horse Arti