ers once more before dark.

The dreary monotony of these days and nights of trekking and foraging
suffered a variation on the 17th. In the morning 'A' company, under
Major Rutherford, took over the eighty odd prisoners from
Pochefstroom, and marched off with them to Wolverdiend. In the
afternoon a shell suddenly burst in the middle of the camp. The cheek
of these foes of ours. The first arrival was shortly followed by
several more in quick succession, some of which landed in camp, and
some of which went over our heads. We turned out, lowered the tents,
and then lay down in extended order, trying to locate the position of
the hostile gun. At last some one saw the flash, after which our naval
gun and fifteen-pounders picked up the range with admirable celerity,
immediately silencing the opposition. At a range of 3600 yards, the
second shot from the naval gun had burst within four feet of the
marks of the Krupp nine-pounder which had been shelling us.

At the time the enemy opened fire a regimental court-martial for the
trial of twenty-one prisoners had just assembled, under the presidency
of Captain Shewan. On the arrival of the shells, the court, escort,
witnesses and prisoners dissolved themselves with one accord, and were
not afterwards reassembled.

'In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.'

_Julius Caesar._

The sun was in the enemy's eyes, and the village of Frederickstadt
almost immediately behind our camp, which may account in some measure
for the indifference of their fire, as we must have offered a
magnificent target to them. As it was, our only losses were four
horses, not a man being hit. But we were fairly caught napping.

The General ordered the regiment to take possession of the hill, which
was done without any further fighting, two companies being left on
outpost duty on its summit.

On the 18th some of the usual desultory sniping commenced on the other
side of the camp, but a demonstration by the inlying piquet ('G'
company, 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers) was sufficient to put a stop to
it.

Major Bird arrived back from Maritzburg. Next day the trek commenced
once more. A small force[15] was left behind under command of Major
Bird to hold the hills from which we had been shelled, and to take
care of most of the transport. The remainder of the column marched at
11 p.m. on Ventersdorp, where some Boers were reported. Aft