was a very hard
nut to crack. Of course everything depended upon the quality of the
man and the horse. A good rifleman and a horseman, especially if he
were able to fire when mounted, was a very formidable foe. As for
horses, I may say that I do not wonder that the great unwieldy horses
for which the British cavalrymen have such a predilection cannot be
compared to the Basuto ponies with which we went to work. The African
pony has, in fact proved itself to be the only useful horse during the
campaign. The British cavalryman might have used elephants with almost
as much advantage as their colossal horses. Further, in my opinion,
the cavalrymen might just as well be discontinued as a branch of an
army, for there can be no doubt that the infantry, artillery, and
mounted infantry will be the only really useful and, indeed,
practicable soldiers of the future.

While I was writing the above a book was placed in my hand written by
Count Sternberg, with an introduction from the pen of Lieut-Colonel
Henderson. I doubt very much whether Colonel Henderson read the
manuscript of the Count's book before penning his introduction, for I
cannot suppose that he holds such small-minded and fantastic ideas
regarding South Africa as the Count expresses. In this memorable work
some extraordinary tales are told of the galloping and trotting feats
of the Basuto ponies. The confession that the Count makes that he did
not care upon which side he fought so long as he fought is indeed
extraordinary. That he ever fought at all the Boer officers who knew
him strongly doubt, and none of them will wonder that the Count's
bitterest experience in South Africa was that on one occasion some
naughty German ambulance people deprived him of a box of lager-beer.
This and other amateurs have already overwhelmed the reading public
with so much so-called criticism about this War, that I venture upon
delicate ground in offering my opinion. I will confine myself to
commenting upon what I saw and I know personally, for I know nothing
about the topography of Europe and I am not acquainted either with the
composition of the European armies or with their manner of fighting.

CHAPTER LII.

THE FIGHTING BOER AND HIS OFFICER.

There is great difference between the relations of a Boer officer to
his following and the relation of a European officer to his men, for
while in the former case no social distinction between the two exists,
in the latter the office