1 50 TALES OF A NOMAD. 



fort and surrounding works, but the range was too long 

 for their guns, and we did not experience much incon- 

 venience. However, one shot went crashing through 

 our peaceful little home, the canteen, and another per- 

 forated the hospital hut where poor Sergeant McGonigal, 

 wounded in the cavalry engagement, and a wounded 

 soldier of the 94th were lying. 



The enemy now began a long-range rifle-fire, with the 

 object of letting their bullets drop into the fort. They 

 wounded a man by this fire. To provide against it we 

 had to construct screens, or what are technically termed 

 curtains. 



It is generally supposed that the British infantry 

 officer knows nothing excepting the routine work of his 

 particular branch. It is by no means so ; for Major 

 Brooke had as nice a notion of rough-and-ready engineer- 

 ing work as any man need have, and met each difficulty 

 as it arose by some acute arrangement. How he managed 

 it I don't quite know ; for I never saw him peering into 

 engineering books, so I suppose he was born with a 

 genius for meeting difficulties and overcoming them. 



He seemed to be everywhere at once, and the sight 

 of his dapper form and pleasant face kept up the spirits 

 of everybody. 



I fancy the only thing that troubled him was not 

 being able to get at the enemy. 



The enemy after a time ceased to fire with the guns ; 

 and there was a lull for a few days. 



The siege was getting monotonous. We were entirely 

 cut off from the outside world, and knew nothing of what 

 was going on. We felt sure that we should remain in 

 ignorance of all until probably a relieving column ap- 

 peared, or news came of the utter defeat of the Boers 



