heard the words of their leader at the end, "Thank God we have kept the
flag flying," knew it for a great sight.

General Buller rode at the head of his army, and received an immense
ovation, as did all his regiments and artillery as they passed through
the lines of the weedy, sickly-looking garrison. These with their thin,
pale faces cheered to the full bent of their power, but after standing
in the sun for some time they became exhausted, and Sir Redvers sent
back word for them to sit down, which they gladly did, whilst the
relievers, as they passed along, chucked them bits of tobacco, ready cut
up, from their small store, small because they themselves were also hard
put for luxuries.

The tramp! tramp! of these men, who to the weakly garrison appeared as
veritable giants, will never be forgotten, as they hurried past to the
strains of the Gordons' pipes, cheering with the utmost enthusiasm the
figure of Sir George White as they passed him. They were almost to a man
reservists, well covered, hard, and well set up. They were filthy, their
clothes were mended and patched, and most of them had scrubby beards.
Tied on to their belts in almost all cases was a Boer blanket, telling
that they had been busy in some Boer laager; on the top of this a small
bundle of sticks for each man to cook his own tea, and by his side,
attached to his belt, hung his black tin pot. But how well they
looked--the picture of vigour, health, and strength, as they "tramp,
tramp"--"tramp, tramp" through the town.

A corps that came in for a good deal of notice was the Bearer Company.
They were at first taken for Boer prisoners, but when it became known
who they were they were much cheered. Clad in worn-out "slops" they
slouched along, in each man's hand a pot of sorts, enamel or china, and
a bundle of something over each man's shoulder.

The meeting of the two battalions was not quite so emotional as has been
depicted by some authors. The 2nd Battalion, the relievers, came through
late at the rear of Buller's army, and by that time the 1st Battalion,
the relieved, had been in the sun, standing or sitting down on the
curbstone, for some hours, and a great many men had fallen out
exhausted. Still the meeting was very hearty, officers recognizing men
and men old comrades. There was little time to enact the scene so
graphically described by one author "which would make old men weep."
Buller's army was straggled out a good deal and the rear had to