ave turned up and, I hear, are camped about two
miles away. They have been a fortnight away doing convoy work, to
Senekal, Winberg, and back. They brought us no mails, to our great
disappointment. We have had no letters now since June 15th. Strange
rumours come in about 40,000 troops going to China. A very cold night;
I should say 15 degrees of frost.

_August 4._--Did a rapid five hours' march through the Nek, and back
to Bultfontein, as part of the advance-guard. On the way we picked up
the right section, and exchanged our experiences. They had had no
fighting, but a very good time. They had distractingly luscious stones
of duff, rum, and jam at Winberg, and all looked very fat and well. We
camped, unharnessed, and watered at the same old muddy pool, muddier
than ever. I visited an interesting trio of guns which were near us,
in charge of Brabant's Horse; one was German, one French, one British.
The German was a Boer gun captured the other day, a 9-pr. Krupp, whose
bark we have often heard. It has a very long range, 8000 yards, but
otherwise seemed clumsy compared with ours, with a cumbersome breech
action and elevating gear. The French one was a Hotchkiss, made by the
French company, belonging to Brabant's Horse--a smart little weapon,
but not so handy, I should say, as ours. The British one was a 15-pr.
field gun, of the 77th Field Battery, lost at Stormberg and recaptured
the other day. It had evidently had hard and incessant use, and was
much worn. Brabant's Horse were our escort to-day, a fine, seasoned
body of rough, wild-looking fellows, wearing a very noticeable red
puggaree round their slouch hats. They are fine scouts, and
accomplished marauders, for which the Boers hate them. Jam for tea,
and milk in the tea--long unknown luxuries, which the right section
brought with them. In the evening I went to a sing-song the 38th gave
round their camp fire. It was very pleasant, and they were most
hospitable to us.

_August 5._--Reveille at five. Harnessed up; but some hitch ahead
occurred, and we unhooked, watered, and grazed. Finally started about
8.30, and made a rapid march as advance guard, of about fourteen
miles, with only momentary halts. Country very hilly; steep, squat,
flat-topped kopjes and several bad drifts. We camped about 1.30 near
five small houses in a row, with the novel accessory of some big
trees--probably a town in large letters on the map. It appears the
convoy has halted some way back for the