9 p.m., as, in addition to having an
extra five miles to march, they had some trouble with their waggons.

We marched all day on the 8th in an easterly direction along the left
or southern bank of the Vaal River--a long, tiring, uneventful trek.
Expecting momentarily to see our prey delivered over to us, our
spirits sank lower and lower as the day dragged on with no sign of any
Boers. There was the usual aggravating little drift to be negotiated
at 6 p.m. only half a mile short of our camping-ground for the night,
but eventually we got all the waggons over, and men and officers
obtained something to eat. This proved one of the coldest nights of
the winter, and there was ice instead of water in most of the
water-bottles next morning when reveille went at 3.30 a.m.

Starting at 5 a.m. we again went steadily on till 6 p.m., making well
over thirteen hours without food. We skirted round the south of Parys,
a name which appealed strongly to a good many of us, and suddenly
heard the welcome sound of heavy firing not very far ahead. The column
halted, and word soon came that this time our pains were really to be
rewarded; the Boers were only six miles ahead, and Lord Methuen was
engaged with their rearguard. All signs of hunger and fatigue at once
disappeared, the regiment started trekking off once more,
instinctively 'stepping out' as they went. The guns still thundered
invitingly just ahead, and as we topped each fresh horizon or rounded
the slope of the next kopje we all expected to see our prey close in
front. But it was not to be. As the afternoon wore on the sound of the
guns died away, until at last we came to a halt at dusk in a sort of
amphitheatre among the low hills. Too tired to want much food, the men
sank down with the delightful nightcap that reveille might again be
expected at 3.30 a.m.

The 10th proved more or less a repetition of the preceding days.
Starting at 5 a.m., we did not halt till well after dark, the waggons,
kits, food, &c., not getting up to us till 10 p.m. Seeing that there
was no chance of any other food, some bullocks were commandeered, and
the men cooked them in little chunks in their mess-tins over the grass
fires. Tired out as they were it was too cold to get any sleep without
blankets, and long lines of melancholy soldiers could be seen standing
along the edges of the grass fires, against which their figures were
outlined in bold silhouette, and from whose scanty flames they
endeavoured