In the evening about 5 o’clock, when the rays of the setting sun were less vertical and the cool of the evening was not yet merged in the chill of the night, we sallied out for a stroll.  Everybody walked to and fro and interchanged war news—­such as we had!—­and mutual condolences about the miseries of our forced inaction at De Aar.  Canteens were opened in the various sections of the camp, and long columns of “Tommies” stood with mess-tins, three abreast, waiting their turn to be served, for all the world like the crowd at the early door of a London theatre.  The natural irritability arising from residence in De Aar, added to the sultry heat and one’s comparative distance from the canteen counter, frequently caused quarrels and personal assaults in the swaying column.  But those who lost their temper generally lost their places too, and the less excitable candidates for liquor closed up their ranks and left the combatants to settle their differences outside.  Non-commissioned officers enjoyed the privilege of entering a side door in the canteen for their beer, and thus avoided the crush:  and one of my comrades cleverly but unscrupulously secured a couple of stripes somehow or other and, masquerading as a corporal, entered the coveted side door, and brought away his liquor in triumph.

Apart from these liquid comforts, which were, very properly, restricted in quantity, those of us who possessed any ready money could purchase sundry provisions at two stores in De Aar.  The volunteers were paid at the rate of 5s. a day, which seems a very high rate of pay when one remembers that the British soldier, who ran much greater risk and did more actual fighting, received less than 1s.  Of course there were volunteers here and there like myself who possessed some means of our own and so thought it right and proper to return our pay to the Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund, but nevertheless I fail to see why we should be paid at this exorbitant rate.  The most glaring instances of over-paid troops were the Rimington Scouts, who actually received 10s. a day and their rations.  One trembles to think of the bill we shall all have to pay at the close of the campaign!

The articles most in request at De Aar were things like “Rose’s lime juice cordial,” Transvaal tobacco, cigarettes, jam, tinned salmon, sardines, etc.  Now it happened that the entire retail trade of the place was in the hands of two Jewish merchants.  The more fashionable of the two shops took advantage of our necessities and demanded most exorbitant prices for its goods.  “Lime juice cordial,” e.g., which could be got for 1s. 6d. or 1s. 3d. in Capetown, was sold for 2s. 6d. and 3s. at De Aar, and the other charges were correspondingly high.  Nemesis, however, overtook the shopman, for the camp commandant hearing of his evil deeds placed a sentry in front of the store and so put it out of bounds.  He held out for a couple of days, while his more reasonable if less pretentious