JULY 187 



them. He had sixty Australians with 

 him, and on the way captured a Boer 

 remount camp with 150 serviceable 

 horses. 



The column was found to be in a 

 miserable state ; and the disaffection was 

 not clearly attributable in the first instance 

 to the men. The Officer Commanding 

 had a concert that night, and so waked 

 them up. Also, he urged them not to 

 allow discontent to grow. He knew their 

 trctubles, he said, and would be actively 

 sympathetic as long as they played the 

 game. Most of the men were of those 

 who had fought so well under Benson ; 

 but a good many had joined since then, 

 and these, naturally, were softer than 

 their comrades. It was with the new 

 men that the danger lay. They did not 

 yet know the Officer Commanding 

 personally, and they had not acquired 

 the spirit of the corps. New clothing 

 was- issued, and the affair seemed to 

 be going well ; but, alas, there was a 

 breakdown. A good many troopers, 



