the 14th Battery, which lost its guns at Colenso.  He has just given me a graphic account of that disastrous day, and how they fought the guns till ammunition failed and then sat (what was left of them) in a donga close behind, with no teams with which to get more ammunition or retire the guns.  I have also had the story of Sanna’s Post from a U Battery man who was captured there.  He described how they were marching through a drift one morning, with no thought of Boers in their heads, when they suddenly attacked at close range, and were helpless.  I may mention a thing that strikes me about all such stories (and one hears a good many out here) from soldiers who have been “given away” by bad leadership.  There is criticism, jesting and satirical generally, but very little bitterness.  Bravery is always admired, but it is so universal as to be taken for granted.  The popularity of officers depends far more on the interest they show in the daily welfare of the men, in personal good-fellowship, in consideration for them in times of privation and exhaustion, when a physical strain which tells heavily on the man may tell lightly on the officers.  It is a big subject and a delicate one, but rightly or wrongly, I have got the impression that more might be done in the army to lower the rigid caste-barrier which separates the ranks.  No doubt it is inevitable and harmless at home, but in the bloody, toilsome business of war it is apt to have bad results.  Of course is only part of the larger question of our general military system, deep-rooted as that is in our whole national life, and now placed, with all its defects and advantages, in vivid contrast with an almost exactly opposite system.

September 23.—­Sunday.—­Ammunition fatigue for most of us, while I attended as office-boy as usual, and was walking about with letters most of the day.  There are farriers and wheelers also at work in this yard, so that one can always light one’s pipe or make a cup of tea at the forge fire.  Just outside are ranged a row of antiquated Boer guns of obsolete types; I expect they are the lot they used to show to our diplomatic representative when he asked vexatious questions about the “increasing armaments.”  I believe the Boers also left quantities of good stores here when Pretoria was abandoned.  These are fine new barracks scarcely finished.  They enclose a big quadrangle.  Three or four batteries, horse and field, are quartered in them now.  Tried to get to Pretoria after hours, but was stopped by a conscientious sentry, who wanted my pass.  I wished to get to the station, with a vague idea of finding when there would be a train to Waterval, and then running away.

September 24.—­Worried the Sergeant-Major again, and was told that I might get away to-morrow.  Meanwhile, I am getting deeper in the toils.