152 SOUTH AFRICA. 



bines of an obsolete pattern, with paper cartridges. 

 The remainder had a few breechloading rifles of 

 various descriptions and bores, but muzzle-loaders 

 of various sizes and sorts predominated until they 

 were replaced by captured weapons. 



Not a unit in the Boer army knew anything 

 about " goose-steps," the " manual exercise," or 

 military formations, but every one obeyed primary 

 orders, and afterwards acted as his own general. 

 The result was that, strange as it may seem, they 

 actually out-manoeuvred our officers on all occa- 

 sions when tactics became a feature in the game, 

 and their fire was most destructive. I have warred 

 and hunted with Boers a good deal since making 

 their acquaintance some fifty years ago, and 

 observation of their shooting abilities impresses 

 me with the idea that although there are fair 

 numbers of very good shots among them, the 

 average performance is not by any means so 

 striking as that with which they are usually 

 credited. Indeed, I can see no reason why any 

 man with the necessary physique should not be 

 able to attain to their average standard in this 

 respect after, say, a fortnight's practice at varying 

 objects at reasonable distances. Mere formal 



