l seemed most peaceful. The houses were of the stereotyped
South African pattern, with the invariable half-stoep, half-verandah
running half-way along their fronts. Clear streams of water ran coolly
and pleasingly by the sides of the streets, shaded by the ubiquitous
weeping-willow. There was nothing to be bought, and no one to be seen,
however, and those of us who went into the town next morning were very
soon satisfied, returning to camp minus the various articles we had
set forth to buy. It was interesting, however, to see the Boers
handing in their rifles and taking the oath of allegiance.

Captain MacBean, who was now on General Hunter's staff, turned up
here, and dined with the regiment, and very glad we were to see him.
He gave us all sorts of news, too, which we were very deficient of, as
the system of daily bulletins had not then started.

After having halted for the 8th and 9th, we resumed our desert march
on the 10th, but only made some ten miles. It was most bitterly cold
all the way.

The next day proved far pleasanter, and another short, easy march of
about ten miles saw us in camp by 1.30 p.m.

On the 12th we made a march of sixteen miles. We were then within
about thirty-three miles of the railway from Johannesburg to
Potchefstroom, and, when a wire came ordering us to do it in two days,
we thought a lot of the task, whereas a few months later we were doing
that distance in one day, and, curiously enough, almost in the same
neighbourhood.

In consequence of this we marched right through Ventersdorp, to our
regret, as it looked quite a nice place, and there was a regular
trout-stream flowing past it, in which a bathe would have been most
welcome. We did eighteen miles before halting.

As indicative of the curious state of the war even in these early
days, General Hunter's experience at Vryburg was a good example. He
had ridden on with only thirty cavalrymen to Ventersdorp, when
suddenly some two hundred and fifty of the enemy appeared on the
scene. Fortunately for the General, their only object was to give up
their arms and take the oath.

Starting at 7.30 a.m. next day, we made short work of the march to the
railway, which we struck at Frederickstadt, a place that many of us
were destined to become very well acquainted with before we had done.
It is rather prettier than most Boer villages, being situated on the
pleasant little Mooi River, whose clear, rapid current reminded us of
our home stream