moaning of wind from the bullets flying across the valley, but strange to say, not a man of us was hit.  Some of them were explosive bullets.  The whole thing was soon over.  Our guns peppered their quickest, and it was a treat to see the shrapnel bursting clean and true along the ridge.  The infantry extended and lay down; some Yeomanry made a flank move, and that episode was over.  It might have been serious, though.  If they had held their fire undiscovered for ten minutes longer we might have been badly cut up, for we were steadily nearing the spur which they occupied.  It is right to say, though, that our Lieutenant, having doubts about the safety of the place, had shortly before sent forward ground-scouts, of whom Williams was one, who would possibly have been able to warn us in time.  Needless to say, it was not our duty to scout for the column.

[Footnote A:  The name of this kopje was Barking Kop, I believe, and we have since always applied it generally to the fighting on this day.]

It was nearly dark now, a burning farm ahead making a hot glow in the sky, and we moved off to join the rest of the column with its unwieldy baggage-train and convoy, and all camped together, after the usual tedious ride to water horses at a muddy pool.  They had had a very hard day and had done well, but were very tired.  On days like this they often get no water till evening.  A feed is ordered when a free interval seems likely, but the chances are that it is snatched off, and their bits thrust in again, half-way through.  When we got in and rejoined our right section, all were full of a serious mishap to the 38th Field Battery, with which they had been acting on the left flank.  Both were in action in adjoining fields, when a party of Boers crept up unseen and got within fifty yards of the 38th guns, shooting down men and horses.  The 38th behaved splendidly, but all their officers were killed or wounded, a number of gunners, and many horses.  Two guns were for a time in the hands of the Boers, who, I believe, removed the tangent sights.  It appears that the M.I. escort of the Battery, owing, I suppose, to some misunderstanding, retreated.  The situation was saved by Captain Budworth, of our Battery, who collected and brought up some mounted infantry, whether Yeomanry or Bushmen I am not clear about.  They beat the Boers off, and our teams helped to take the guns out of action.  We came off all right, with only one gunner slightly wounded.

I was desperately hungry, and only coffee was issued, but later a sheep’s carcase turned up from somewhere, and I secured a leg, and Williams some chops, which we promptly laid as they were on one of the niggers’ wood fires and ate in our fingers ravenously.  The leg I also cooked and kept for to-day (I am writing on the morning of the 4th), and it is hanging on my saddle.  I was rather sleepless last night, owing to cramp from a drenched blanket, and got up about midnight and walked over to the remains of one of