I 12 TALES OF A NOMAD. 



chief incumbrance. It has a moral effect upon the 

 enemy until they have discovered that it only makes a 

 noise and does no harm. 



The British infantry brave, steady, obedient, whether 

 they trust their leaders or no, whether victory or defeat 

 be their lot, are the backbone of the army. As regards 

 actual hostilities in this sort of warfare, they seem as 

 much out of place as a convocation of bishops would be 

 on the stage of a London music-hall. If there was a 

 disaster we know they would stand, and thus give us a 

 chance of rallying upon them. The thought gives us 

 comfort. 



They are dressed in a conspicuous uniform, and have 

 from time immemorial been subjected to the varying 

 caprices of persons with a mania for tailoring. Their 

 helmets are so shaped that they cannot lie down to 

 fire a shot without the helmet tipping over upon the 

 nose and spoiling the aim. Their rifles are not adapted 

 to them in length or bend of stock, and are sighted by 

 contract. The pull of the triggers is so hard as to make 

 good shooting under exciting circumstances well nigh 

 impossible. The majority of the locks are out of order, 

 i.e., if you nurse them you will find in most cases a 

 perceptible drag on the trigger before the lock is released ; 

 but that matters not at each inspection of arms the 

 barrels are peeped into, and if they are bright the arm is 

 deemed serviceable. 



Notwithstanding these drawbacks, the British soldier 

 has generally managed to make a good fight of it when 

 called upon to do so. 



We were commanded by Sir Garnet (now Lord) 

 Wolseley. Our object was to conquer Secocoeni, the 

 head chief of the Basutos. He dwelt in terrible fast- 



