hance of
obtaining a vestige of shelter of any kind, men began to wonder what
was going to happen next, with an occasional sharper-than-usual belt
between the shoulders or on the boot to quicken their fancy. It was
only with the greatest difficulty that the horses were controlled, but
the stones providentially grew no larger, though the storm continued.
The entire country-side was a rolling mass of ice nearly over the tops
of boots. Runnels and rivulets became roaring torrents, roads became
rivers. When the storm eventually subsided the transport of course
could not go another yard, and camp was pitched where we were. The
carpet of hailstones in the tents slowly melted into mud, and we made
ourselves as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. Several
kids and lambs we had with us were killed by the stones. Not one of us
had ever been out in such a storm before, but, as those who had not
been on 'the Natal side' confidently predicted, those who had been
declared that this was mere child's play to the hailstones they had
seen there.

What became of the Boers we never knew: up to the commencement of the
storm we had been merrily sniping away at each other at extreme
ranges, but during and after it they entirely disappeared, so entirely
that even next day we never got a sign of them, and concluded they had
all been drowned.

There was, however, nothing to complain of on this score the day
after, as sniping was carried on all the time. Though this form of
fighting resulted in few casualties, it was destructive to peace and
comfort and enjoyment of the scenery. It was interesting to notice
what officers recognised when we arrived at places we had visited on
previous treks, and instructive to note that it was almost always
those who were addicted to sport and field-pursuits who were the first
to pick up their bearings and the lie of the land. The force
eventually encamped at the foot of the hill on which 'G' company had
spent such a cold and miserable night when waiting for the transport
to pass, two months before.

On the 23rd, the march took us up again through Orange Grove and on
past Leeuwport Nek, moving along the south side of the main ridge of
the Gatsrand, with three companies making the best of their way along
their jagged peaks. Two of Roberts' Horse were hit on this march, one
being killed.

The column reached Buffelsdoorn Pass on the 24th, after a spirited
rearguard action, the brunt of which fell on