FIFE YEOMAN (_with chattering teeth_): "_I dinna care. It's juist the
same or waur for them_ (the Boers). _I hope they'll a' dee o'
pneumonia._"]
On Sunday (November 11th) we had some lively scrapping at the
commencement of our march, which was towards Krugersdorp. During the
day some of our Sussex fellows came upon an untenanted shanty,
containing scores of packets of magnificent candles. They brought away
all they possibly could, and were very generous to the rest of us with
them. That evening Mealie Villas was brilliantly illuminated, and later
I had the pleasure of presenting Dr. Welford and Captain Cory with a
packet of these unobtainable articles. Another man who had been on a
ration fatigue at the A.S.C. waggons in the afternoon managed to take
away a box of four dozen tins of apricot jam, _not_ down on our
requisition. To "do" the A.S.C. is a virtuous deed. So we have dined
well lately, though at the present time of writing I am rather tired of
apricot preserve.
[Illustration: On Pass.
This depicts three of ours just going into the town--and the beauty &
sadness of the whole thing is--they are got up to kill.]
This day, Monday (November 12th), the column marched into Krugersdorp.
We were rearguard and just as we left the site of the camp, which had
been in a most picturesque spot, got bullets whistling by us and
knocking up the dust round our horses. Two of our men out of four, who
had relieved an infantry picket at _reveille_ are missing. The snipers
followed us about half the distance to the dorp and we had quite a warm
little rearguard action. I am just off to post this in the town.