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The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce A la g6n4rositA de rAtablissement prAteur suivant : La bibliothAque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour Atre reproduites en un seul clichA sont filmAes A partir de Tangle supArieure gauche, de gauche A droite et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Le diagramme suivant iliustre la mAthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 > i 6 ■ I WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. With tht Hpval Canadians \ Stanlep WcK^own Brown War Coff eipondent of the Toronto ** Mail and Empttc,'' with the First Canadian Contingent to South Africa toronto : the Publishers' Syndicate, Limited 7*9 King St East 1900 Entered according to Act of Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand nine hundred, by Stanley MoKeown Brown, Toronto, Ontario, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture. CONTENTS. Chapter I. p^ob On Active Service i CUAPTEE II. The Call to Arms Q Chapter III. En Route to Quebec 12 Chaffer IV. The Stay in Quebec 19 Chapter V. The Keynote Sounded 28 Chapi'er VI. The First on Board 34 CHAFfER VII. On the " Sardinian " 37 Chapter VIII. A Burial at Sea 51 Chapter IX. Into the Southern Seas 53 Chapter X. On Land at Cape Town qq Chapter XI. A Night OflF, and A Meal 76 Chapter XII. Off to the First Camp %i Chapter XIII. In the Sands of De Aar 93 Chapter XIV. Orange River Camp loi Chapter XV. A Canadian Picket's Catch , . 112 Chapter XVI. The Belmont Garrison 117 Chapter XVII. The Christmas Dinner 127 Chapter XVIII. The Sunnyside Sortie 132 VI CONTENTS. CHAFTBR XIX. PAOB The Spirit of Unrest 135 Chapter XX. The Pipes that Failed 141 Chapter XXI. The Routine of a Day 143 CUAPTBR XXII. Picked the Winner— but Lost 164 Chapter XXIII. First Force in the Free State 157 Chapter XXIV. When the Weekly Mail Arrived 167 Chapter XXV. A Move that was Shortly Stopped 170 Chapter XXVI. Lord Roberts' First Visit 180 Chapter XXVII. The First of the Mighty March 184 Chapter XXVIII. Paardtiberg 190 Chapter XXlX. " Pom Fom Tuesday " J05 Chapter XX a. > A Week Close to the Boors 208 Chapter XXXI. Night Attack — Cronje's Surrender 211 Chapter XXXII. Paardeberg's Aftermath 219 Chapter XXXIII. To the Free ^tate Capital 225 Chajpter XXXIV. The Stay at Bloemfontein 241 Chapter XXXV. Fighting to Thaba 'Nchu 253 Chapter XXXVI. Canadians under Shell Fire 263 Chapter XXXVII. Heading for Kroonstadt 269 Chapter XXXVIII. Pretoria at Last — and Home 278 PREFACE. '^'HIS book is written with but one object, ^^ and to that object alone I have endeavored to confine it. The organization of a Canadian Contingent for active service in South Africa has been the text for almost endless discussion. Statesmen have dwelt upon its importance, sol- diers have debated its military value, civilians have lectured on its genesis and its probable results, and politicians have made it the football of their partisan ambitions. In the abstract it has been talked of, written of — and will be yet again. But what of the expedition itself ? Is it not well that some intimate record, unvarnished though it be, should be preserved of the doings of those thousand men, alive and dead, who brought to Canada her greatest glory and her widest fame ? Even this may yet be attempted by abler pens than mine. But I have thought it reason- able to write in this book of the First Canadian Contingent as I knew it, from Toronto to Quebec, from Quebec to Cape Town, and from Cape Town to victory. The story will, at least, serve to recall some of the incidents and ad vrentures with which our soldiers met, and to aflfbrd those at home some idea of the trials and discomforts which they so bravely encountered. Questions of viii PREFACE. policy I have left untouched, nor have I tried to follow the general fortunes of the British arms in the South African campaign. My desire has been simply to tell of what happened to the Canadians of Paardeberg while they were on active service. For the most part the story is gathered from my own observations as war correspondent of the Mail and Empire. A ir the fight at Zand River, having been woundevi, I was no longer at the front, and for the record of later events I am indebted to the courtesy of others. To these, including officers and men of the contingent and fellow correspondents in the field, I des:"e to express my thanks, together with the hope that in the reading of these pages they may find some small portion of the pleasure which the writing of them has afforded me. Stanley McKeown Brown. Toronto, December, 1900. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER I. ON ACTIVE SERVICE. W^ " I should say not," came from another soldier of the regimen*- who stood in disgust on the veldt at De Aar, as one of the fiercest and most destructive sand storms I ever saw waged over the Canadian camp ground. "Is that you, Corporal?" asked the first speaker, as he groped his way through the blinding, sting- ing dust. " Yes, I'm here, and it's our owu tent I'm try- ing to find." It was the first permanent stop the Royal Canadian Regiment had made from Cape Town, and the trying conditions consequent on this new kind of storm made the halt seem more like a prearranged chastisement than an experience to which the volunteers had looked forward with delight. The two soldiers, the Non-coiiimissioned officer and the Private, stood making grimaces and hold- ing their breath as each hell-retreating blast beat against their kharki serge suits and stung their 2 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. faces and hands like the crack-ends of a thousand lashes. Though these men were quite near the lines of their own regiment, and within a hundred yards of the tents, they wore compelled to lie down flat on the ground for a moment with hand- kerchiefs over their mouths and faces to keep from actually smothering or choking ; at the same time edging their way toward the lee side of a bale of pressed hay, behind which a few transport mules stood tethered with their heads turned from the storm. When they were able to see their way they slipped into the Corporal's tent. As they lay face downward on the pulverized sand which formed the floor of the tent, they had time for a word or two. "Had your grub. Corporal ?" asked the hungry looking Private, as he ground his teeth on the sand which forced its way into his mouth on the last important query. "No, and not much chance for it," was the reply, " but those cute Scotchmen of our lot are up at the Kaffir hut there, giving their features a treat by sampling strings of dried meat." " How are chances for some of the dried meat?" timidly asked the Private, who had been a bank clerk in Canada. " It's the first Sunday I ever went with only one biscuit. I wouldn't mind a full course meal just now and ." The sand cut his sentence short as it sifted through the flap of the tent with an uncommonly severe spurt " Go on," said the Corporal, " wish hard, while you're at it. But I've been through the North- WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. West aflfair in '85, and since then I joined the permanent force and had a taste of the Yukon trip, so I'm pretty well used to a few hardships. You tenderfeet will learn to hold your hunger before you are out here long ; " and giving a smile tinged slightly with contempt for the dust- blown homesick Private, he looked at him with a scrutinizing glance which had the effect of bringing a redder background for the sand which was cemented on the young fellow's cheeks. The boy of the ranks looked up listening to the tornado outside, whero not even the high circle of frowning kopes which totally surrounded De Aar, save where the railway cuts through a pass, could be seen on that first Sunday morning in December. Now and again KaflBrs, who had been born and brought up in sandstorms, were made to wince as they turned their backs on the whirling dust-devils and grunted out a few choking gutterals to the mules they were driving, tethered together with long halter " rims," from one part of the desolate camp ground to the other. " Well, Corporal," the ex-clerk had the courage to falter as soon as the hurt look on his own face had given way to a sickly brave smile, " how long could you go without eating any- thing in this country ? How long could j'ou live and campaign on one biscuit a day ? " " Oh, judging from what I have done in the Rebellion and on the northern trail, I should say a week without anything. Look at what Dr. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. Tanner did ! and a year at least on one biscuit a day ; that is, as I've said, judging from what I have done before," and the Corporal inflated his then famished stomach and pushed his chest with apparent pride a little farther into the sand beneath him. " I wonder how long I'd stand at the same rate ? " and an appealing look came into the lad's eyes as he tried to fix them on those of the Corporal, though now almost blinded by the fitful gusts which blew through the smallest openings in the tent. " Couldn't say," returned the Corporal, afraid to open his mouth and rather pleased to give such a terse and haughty rep^y to a question which he could see was a vital one to the Private. "I suppose I could last out about half the time that you could," the younger one went on, and his slight form almost showed signs of tremb- ling when he thought of such an ordeal, " but — still, you see, you've had the experience and — well — mine is to come." " You'll get lots of it," said the Corporal with a nod, " watch what I do and you'll not be far wrong." There was no reply from the slight soldier ; there was simply a dizzy look in his eyes as he watched the Corporal get up when the storm had abated enough for the Non-com. to see his way outside. - The Corporal nodded to the Private with a WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. certain superiority in the twist of his head, and moving out of the tent as if on business bent, said hastily, " I have to see about ten men for a fatigue." There is no doubt that the former bank clerk, then a Canadian Private, was much impressed with the greatness of the Corporal, and as the former found his way back to his own canvas lodging with a queer look on his face and his hand involuntarily reaching toward the front of his tunic in spasmodic and endearing strokes, he resolved that he would remember the grand les- son in self-control which had been so well taught to him by the hero of the Yukon and Rebellion. There is no doubt also that one other lay within hearing of that conversation taking no part in it, and that he saw the Corporal, after making a careful detour, rush for the Kaffir huts and secure a larger share of dried meat from the negroes than had any of the former alms-seekers. I saw the Corporal devour what he had boasted he could do without, and if it was not done altogether in silence, it was at least in perfect solitude. 6 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER II. t IP I ( THE CALL TO ARMS. (JtCARCE was there ever a younger looking *^ lot of soldiers recruited in a battalion than in the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry, the First Canadian Contingent that sailed from this country to fight Imperial battles in South Africa. Even after a year's hard campaigning they looked, as far as their faces could show, like a battalion of school-boys alongside most British regiments, though not with regard to physique — and they carried out, true to their appearance, youth's enthusiasm in every part of the African struggle. They had been fired at homo with the proper spirit; which never left them, even after they had finished their 7,000 mile voyage over the trackless ocean and had landed on the Dark Continent. When the regiment paraded together for the first time it was noticeable that they were like a thousand boys in their teens, but they went as the representatives of ideal Canadian manhood, while mentally and physically they well upheld the honor of the country whose best sons they were. Right grandly did they take their places at the front as the cream of Great Britain's greatest colony ; valiantly did they fight their way into the pages of some of the greatest WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. history which Britishers have ever made; and, when called on, right heroically did they face death in a far off land. And these same boys, though practically uninitiated, upheld honorably and manfully the best traditions of the British army. There was scarcely a town or hamlet in Canada and certainly no city that was not all bustle and excitement when, in October, 1899, the call to arms came. Each separate community was ready with its representatives, anxious to put down on the roll books as many names as possible, and disappointed in many cases when more could not be sent. The latent loyalty to the motherland showed itself in spontaneous outbursts that made the whole Dominion respond with the blare of music and the clank of arms. The recruiting stations were literally besieged with men, flushed with the enthusiasm that the enlistment of soldiers for Africa had caused throughout the length and breadth of all Canada. Men of all classes came. The banker vied with the farmer for a place in the lines, and followers of all professions competed in every way with regular soldiers to be among the first to offer their services. So eager were the men of this country to be off in defence of the Empire, that in many cases the applicants did not exercise proper judgment in even presenting themselves at the several recruiting points. The British height standard in the army is five feet four inches for men, but, since Canada had such a 8 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. ' I I plethora of good subjects to choose from, the Militia Department decreed that that standard for our South African Contingent should bo raised two inches, so that none of the Canadians would be under five feet six inches. This of course, to save needless trouble, was particulaiiy pointed out, and even then, hoping against hope as it were, hundreds presented them,selves who had not the requisite number of inches in stature to allow of their enrolment. Enthusiasts, strong in spirit, but weak physically, crowded the barrack rooms of the country, knowing, as they must have known, that they had no possible chance of ever passing a proper medical examination. The Royal Canadians were a fine lot of men, but in the excitement and hurry of the time even some of that regiment slipped through or were blindly passed on by the recruiting officers and medical men, who were obviously unfit to undertake the task ; and although it was not a frequent occur- rence, still there were ases after the men had sailed where boasts were made regarding the " pull " that certain members of the battalion had had, whereby they were able to get on the strength of the regiment, where of course those same men knew that they had no right to be. There were many in the ranks who were under age, but since the settlement of that question generally rested with the man himself, it was scarcely the fault of the recruiting officers ; but ^t certainly was not right to send any man when it was clear that he was physically incapable of I ! WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 9 performing the active duties of a soldier. Fortu- nately, cases such as have been last mentioned were few, and proud one is to be able to say that the make-up of the Royal Canadian Regiment as they left Canada was one of a " thorough thousand." What unbounded disappointment was felt by some of those who were rejected at the recruiting points can be best remembered when one recalls the several cases of suicide consequent on that rejection. Many did not thoughtfully consider the seriousness of the undertaking, and although there were few who were not anxious to be in the heart of the campaign when once the Cana- dians reached the front, still it is true that there were hundreds among that body of men who thought on leaving this country that they were going on one of the greatest outings of their lives, — a gigantic picnic. To those who went with such anticipations the trip was the surprise of their existence. On the boat going out it was strange in some cases to note the change in a man's demeanor, especially after the first oflficial word was received on board the " Sardinian " that there was still lots of fighting going on, that there would be the best of chances in the world to get to the front, that in fact the outlook was that the war had just started. Frequently was it said before tht. depar- ture of the regiment : " You had better hurry up and get away or the whole affair will be declared off before the transport sails. It will be 2 10 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS, all over long before you get there." Many were imbued with this idea to start with, but when we passed the SS. " Rangatira " at sea, and secured copies of the Cape Town papers, those who had had this prophecy instilled in them became more serious. The phantom picture faded, and war views took its place. Once the eight companies had been recruited, when the strength of the battalion was made up, all eyes turned to old Quebec and the incient Capital, for a week at least, became the military Mecca of the Dominion. In the hurry to be off, and the consequent pre- parations that each man had to make; in the excitement of the home leave-takings with the pulse of the country at fever heat, hundreds were unable to realize that their dear ones had gone till after they had taken their departure. They were buoyed up by the spirit of the times, and, swayed by the popular voice, they had no time to sit down and seriously calculate and rationally discuss the gravity of the situation. And thus it was, when the sailing orders came a couple of days earlier than was expected, that a feeling of grave unrest came over families and friends who had theretofore been enthused with the idea of having a father, a brother, or a sweetheart, on the First Canadian Contingent. Both those who departed and those who remained behind, after having ceased to be swayed by the popular cry " To Arms ! " were given ample time to meditate on the action that WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 11 had been taken. I knew of cases where fond parents communicated with departing sons at Quebec and asked them if at all pos'ibie to retrace their steps and come back to the homes that had just then begun to feel their absence. There is no doubt that in future cases of enlistment of regiments in Canada for the Imperial service the same grand heart-speaking enthusiasm will be rampant, but it is also true that the men who rushed so eagerly to drill hall and barrack room to be first on the lists, and who did actually go through the recent campaign will study the ques- tion most thoroughly before they take that step which may to them mean death. Some there are who are bom with such an indomitable fight- ing spirit that nothing can restrain them, but the experience of a hard war campaign, especially when one has not been used to soldiering, takes away a lot of the glamor and tinsel which makes the army so attractive to laymen. It is a glorious thing to fight for one's country, but it is a road, which, if journeyed on far enough, proves conclusively that " the path of glory leads but to the grave." These are facts, concerning the First Canadian Contingent at least, which cannot be overlooked, and to omit dealing at least shortly with this side of the Canadians' departure would be to ignore the feelings of thousands of the thinking people of the nation at least. i 11 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER III. EN ROUTE TO QUEBEC. '^'HE eyes of the Canadian people, then, turned ^^ pensively to Quebec, and the Ancient Capital contained for the time the heart of the whole Dominion. Many a home had sent out its brave.st and best, marching to martial music, and from the middle of October to the last days in the month farewell demonstrations and glorious good- byes were the order, till, as the time drew near for the mobilization of the regiment, all thoughts turned with one accord to old Quebec. Cities and towns all over the country were the scenes of the wildest jubilation, and all showed marvellous activity in their desire to give the departing soldiers a send-off that would live in their memories till their lives' end. The people of the Dominion, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, were astir and alive to the fact that this occasion should not be allowed to pass without their show- ing their great sympathy with the popular move- ment. Never could a people be more united concerning any movement. Instead of having the men for only one contingent, Canada stood ready, by the voice of the people, to send a hun- dred. Where was the city or village that did WITH THE ROTAL CANADIANS. It m not actually carry shoulder-high its volunteer soldiers to the depot en route for Quebec ? It was a more trying ordeal and a more tire- some task for the men of the First Contingent than even some of the after marches on the veldt proved to be. The population by the million turned out to cheer their fighters on, to shake them by the hand and wish them good luck and God speed, to admonish them with encouraging words and to press into their hands some last souvenir, that they might think when far away in a distant country of the love that awaited them here. Then, packed with presents, each heavily laden train rolled out, bound for a rushing trip to Quebec. There was a spontaneous migration to the old French capital, and soon the long lines of cars emptied their human freight under the citadel's sullen rocks. As each company entrained at its recruiting point a weary lot of men soon took refuge in the berths of the colonist sleepers which had been supplied to them, while officers somewhat later prepared for what might be called the first night of the campaign. Among the men at any rate, a difference was soon found between home iife and the life of a soldier. It was " the gay life of a young recruit," — which had from afar looked so dazzling, — with all the paint and varnish rubbed off. To those who had been used to downy beds of ease at home and soft inviting quilts and blankets, the experience of jumping into a berth 14 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. betwaen a couple of horae blankets was a sudden change. At any rate those who had left the best homes behind them were the first to acknowledge that they wore suited with the change, and they who would be rao.st expected to do a little grumb- ling were the ones who kept an unlocked for silence. Dining-cars on the trains and an excellent service supplied the men with a memorable meal to start with, a meal which months afterward they looked back on from the African sands and longed to have repeated, even if they could only get the bread they had without the butter, or the good coffee and tea, to say nothing of the sugar and milk. All the way down to Quebec from their different starting points the young soldiers were well looked after as far as eatables and bouquets were concerned. Bouquets are often pretty but they lack a certain life-sustaining quality that bread appears to have. Seven o'clock was the usual time for retiring on the trains, and though there was no order to " turn in," nature demanded, after the hard day's work of being said good-bye to, that an early respite from hand shaking be taken. But how long could the men sleep without being aroused ? How many stations or cross-roads would allow the troop trains to pass by without an ovation ? The tiniest flag stations sent down extra bright banners and lanterns, with which came the Reeve of the township, the postmaster and his family, the country school teacher and his flock, the rural WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS, 16 minister and hia congregation, to hold the train up. If there was a band, or the nucleus of any kind of musical organization within ten miles of the stopping place, it was present, and had been present for a couple of hours previous to the arrival of the train. , Then, as the gayly decked engines pulled in, the flags waved, the lanterns flashed, the band beat up lively airs, and the people clamored for the soldiers. For the Royal Canadians there was no chance of dreaming through these receptions, or sleeping past a stopping point. The car win- dows were raised, soldier heads were pushed out, and the good-bye jubilation was again indulged in. For fear the men might be hungry, milk pans heavy with cakes and sandwiches were passed around, and perhaps for the tenth time a nocturnal feast was indulged in. All these rural enthusiasts pressed for souvenirs to be brought back on the Canadians' return, and Mr. Kriiger, late President of the South African Republic, must have had ten thousand faces to supply the popular want, so much in demand were the whis- kers he prides himself in wearing. Not only did the men demand portions of that worthy's hirsute appendage, but the hair-pulling propensities of the women was noticeably conspicuous. It mattered not what the size of the 'and at each place was, nor how many instruments com- posed it, the essential was that it should be at the station and make its presence unquietly apparent. The most wonderful band — next to the one-man I 16 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. species — that T saw en route was one composed of two bass drums, a snare drum, and a couple of pairs of heavy brass cymbals, backed by as many strong men as there were pieces. Their hearty rendering of " The Maple Leaf Forever " and " God be With You till We Meet Again," was, if not exactly harmonious and distinguishable, truly pathetic and given with such a sense of loyalty as to be deeply touching. This band was heard till the Royal Canadians had passed the station for some miles, and rang in the ears of most of the men for days. At another station where an interview with the sleepy soldiers was requested, there was no band, but in its stead came a trained (?) party of sing- ers, who smote the air with their voices as vehe- mently as did the former cymbal and drum band. Their selections were of a purely religious strain, and proved a pleasant break in the monotony of brass bands. They also, in the short intervals between the rendering of standard hymns, prof- fered substantial food. And so from east and west, from north and so'ith on the way to Quebec the men were kepi busy receiving the plaudits and congratulations of the people of the Dominion. Every province showed its unbounded appreciation of the move Canada had taken, Ontario, the banner province, leading in point of excitement. From that Province, as was natural, had enlisted a larger portion of the contingent than from any other, and there the feelings of loyalty and enthusiasm WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 17 found their widest vent. Yet the people of other sections of the Dominion were not less eager to testify the regard and admiration in which the boys were held, and nothing could exceed in warmth and genuine feeling the farewell ovations that were tendered the departing soldiers at Winnipeg, in British Columbia, and, indeed, at a hundred different centres of population through- out the country. In the Province of Quebec news does not spread so rapidly as in the more modernized districts of the west, and the passage of the volunteers' trains did not excite the same degree of attention. But wh«n the contingent had gathered at Quebec, and were paraded for the last time before they embarked for the seat of war, the French inhabitants joined with their English friends in enjoyment of the spectacle; nor did they withhold their plaudits from the brave band of men, both French and English, who had offered their lives for the honor of Canada and the defence of England's flag. On sped the trains through darkness and the early morning light, waking the residents of sleepy villages and quiet towns to a realization that the Spirit of War was abroad in Britain's empire, — that the drum-beat of England had indeed rolled around the world. It was* not merely that a thousand young Canadians had enlisted to serve in a great and hazardous cam- paign. Nor was it even that the Dominion rejoiced in lending specific and tangible assistance w 18 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. to her mother country in a time of stress. Underlying all the cheering, all the music, all the throbbing of a nation's heart, — underlying even those deeper and sadder emotions which came with the partings and the dread of an unknown future, there was one great thought — no less real because so seldom expressed. These men repre- sented more than a martial spirit, more than a country's pride. They symbolized the far-reach- ing strength of Victoria's arm. They typified the all-pervading influence of Victoria's power. They told of an Empire newly aroused to a real- ization of its true greatness. They signified the result of centuries of colonizing effort, of genera- tions of a colonizing policy whose aim had been to bind ever closer in one high destiny the new and growing nations of the earth. And, more than all, they stood for the highest type of civil- ization the world has yet seen, a civilization which insists on maintaining the equal rights oi men wherever gathered, — a civilization whose threatened existence they, with tens of thousands of others from all the quarters of the globe, had been commissioned to maintain. And so, at last, we reached Quebec. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 19 CHAPTER IV. THE STAY IN QUEBEC. '^'HE length of time the men stayed at the ^^ Ancient Capital was indeed shorter than had been anticipated. The first to arrive got there on Thursday, October 26th, and the last to report, the right half of " A " Company from Winnipeg, were on hand by Saturday; and in two days more the contingent started on their long ocean voyage. At Levis the men bundled out of the colonist cars as quickly as they could, and as each com- pany was formed up it presented a motley appear- ance, at least as far as dress was concerned. Soldiers who had enlisted from regular battalions were generally uniformed according to the style adopted by those regiments. Those who had recently joined battalions in order to increase their chances of being taken, were in most cases in civilian's clothes. Some wore Glengarry caps and kilts, others forage caps and rifle uniforms, not a few were in bicycle costumes, and one enthusiast for the sake of a more military appear- ance, was outfitted in an old discarded artillery uniform and the long boots in which he had ridden many a cross-country race. But they all 20 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. had loyal hearts alike, and that was the one uniform requisite for the occasion. Before the ferry was ready to pilot these hetero- geneous crowds across the St. Lawrence to Quebec they were flocked on the landing platform on the south side of the river. Two companions of one of the city companies stood waiting side by side in line. " Where are we going to stay till the 'Sardinian* sails?" asked the first, rubbing his eyes and yawn- ing. " I believe at the Chateau Frontenac," the other replied, with a glance up at the grand hotel on the heights across the river. " That will be all right I guess," the first went on, "but I heard we were going to be billeted around the city." "You two will be billeted in the guard-room if there is not less talking in the ranks," joined in the Color-Sergeant, who always saw the humor- ous side of things. " There is a time and place for all things. Buck up !! Buck up !!" This little pleasantry put an end to the specu- lations of the young innocents, and before they had time to form any more wild conjectures the gates to the ferry swung open, and with the rest of their company they surged on to the miniature troop-ship and were being carried for the first time toward the winding streets of Quebec. Once landed on the north side of the river, and having been taken off the crowded ferry like a prize consignment of horses, the men read- BUUUflSSUiMnHn* WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 21 justed their formation and started down through the south-east part of the city back of the water front. Quebec, from an historical point, at least, had always held for the men an amount of interest, and now they were, the great majority of them, for the first time in their lives, passing up and down over the quaint, little old streets, which might have belonged to some crumbling city in Europe rather than to one of Canada's most worthy ports. The men of the regiment marched on past the basins, crossing curious old draw-bridges and firmly-made piers, glancing now at the idle fish- ing smacks, with their short and rough French- Canadians slopping around the decks, preparing for sale, oysters, which they offered by the barrel. And the queer-looking two-wheeled trucks, with a ladder-like structure, well balanced on the axle, used for all kinds of moving purposes; the great ships that lay resting at the docks preparing for sea; the hump-backed horses, jamming their iron shoes between the crevices of the cobble-stones, seemingly trudging up hill all the time ; the jab- bering and gesticulations of the nervous French- Canadian inhabitants, all made up a new and strange world to the men who were making a short stay on their way to war. Though some of the soldiers may have heard before leaving their homes where they were to be quartered in Quebec, still all began to surmise as to where they were being led. But they had not long to wait, for farther down, on the verge of one of I ■ 1 22 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. I !l' the south-eastern piers, where the cold, lapping waters of the St. Lawrence slushed constantly against the piles of the curbing, stood the long, low, barrack-like emigration sheds, where new inhabitants of Canada are wont to be kept on landing. Here was the Quebec home of the Royal Canadians. Rain in torrents gave them a damp welcome. Soup by the boilerful was ready for them to consume. Once having tramped through the gates of the high picket fence which surrounded the rather meagre grounds of the place the men were bonded goods, and as they surveyed their surroundings and glanced at one another with a not unfrightened look, they seemed to realize for the first moment the army term, " confined to barracks." With nightfall came their first barrack-room meal, and, while fast-talking servants helped the caterers to prepare the huge knuckles of meat, mushy potatoes and coarse bread in a steaming kitchen, the men's greasy tables were set up on the long verandah of the sheds, and they sat down, those who had them with greatcoats on, the more fortunate ones being on the side next to the wall, where the water dropping off the roof had not so much chance of running down their shivering necks. Hunger had attacked them, as it did many a time in the campaign later on, and they made good use of the time allotted for the meal. * The day before, these volunteers, the pride of Canada,- had feasted in their own homes, and the WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 23 comparison of the food brought many a young soldier'^ mind back to the parental roof, back to the old houses of their boyhood ; and, as if by some arrangement, it once having been started, the youthful young fighters rose and sang lustily, "Home, Sweet Home" — and when they came to the refrain, " There's no place like home," there was a pathetic reverence in the tone of the voices of those men which spoke clearly of the souls within them. Not, it must be understood, that these Royal Canadians were sorry they had come, but because the dawn of the great change between soldiers' and civilians' lives was break- ing on them with an earnestness which had scarcely been anticipated. Supper over, on the long, empty floors of the gigantic shed, the companies and sections were allotted their sleeping space. Pillows, straw mattresses and blankets were served out at dark and greedily taken possession of by the men of the battalion, who were anxious for some place whereon to lay their sleepy heads. The ends of the long rows of straw ticks were choice posi- tions, and, as might be supposed, there was some speculation and discussion as to who should occupy these " lower berths." Both sides of the great box-stoves were also vantage points, and took the places of the " cosy corners " which had been left by some at home for ever. Between meal time and the hour for retiring the men of the regiment gave themselves up, with scarcely a single exception, to the then WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. i t pleasant duty of letter writing. Every man was busy, and thousands of fingers worked almost as hard as they did exactly four months afterward digging cover for their heads on the battlefield of Paardeberg. The temporary post office in the emigration shed was the busiest comer of the building, and the appointed mail clerks had an evening of ceaseless toil. Lieut.-Col. Otter, Major Mac- dougall, and Capt. Panet, in charge of the arrange- ments, had a thousand and one details to perfect ; but when it was time for the men to cease writing and turn to their beds, the order of things was as good as could possibly be wished for, on the first night in camp. At 10.15 p.m. the bugle sounded " lights out," and the stillness which came over the well-filled dormitories was broken only by the heavy sleeping of the men, and the washing of the cold waves as they slushed in at the silent piers. Then did the work of the duty officer, Lieut. J. Cooper Mason, become less onerous, and he, too, was allowed to pass the quiet hours with less disturbance than had been before. A look at the sleeping soldiers just as the dawn began to break and one had a glimpse of a peaceful bivouac on the veldt, supplemented as the Quebec scene was by the additional comforts of pillows, mat- tresses and stoves — but yet how difierent it all was to the real bivouacs on the sand, where cover- ing was scanty and the stores were scarce ! It was a realization of night in war time, but even with this idea suggested it proved afterward, WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 26 when the reality came, to be a palace compared with a hermit's hut ! And so the following nights in those prison- like sheds became a repetition of the first, save for the fact that on each succeeding night men were allowed out on pass to explore the city at their leisure. Early the first morning before the huge hiiig3d gates were unlocked, the same two chums of the Toronto regiment stood at the back entrance to the sheds, washing without soap in a pail of water, used at the same time by fifteen others anxious for their morning ablutions. They were able to get one wet towel between them before some other over anxious soldiers appropriated other parts of it. " Staying at the Frontenac ? " the one who had been first to speak the day before, sarcastically, though blandly, asked. " No, I have been billeted," and without a fur- ther discussion of the joke referred to, the young men who had been made wise the night before by the clicking of a bolt on the fence gate as they marched in, sat down to some thin soup and mechanically cut bread, which latter had done duty on the greasy board tables the night before. Visions of a grand hotel or even of billeting for them had faded with the sun of the previous day. Their day dreams had scarcely been real- ized. It was a rude awakening ! A close observer of the habits of the Royal Canadian Regiment must admit that they were 8 26 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. an inquisitive thousand, who made the best of all opportunities for seeing new things, so that the parts of Quebec which were not thoroughly searched by them were few. Aa soon as passes were issued and men were able to appear at the emigration shed gate, pro- perly dressed for walking out, there was a gen- eral advance made on hotel dining-rooms, and on the old fashioned, but well-regulated and out-of- the-way restaurants, which abound in the city. Scarce was there a cos}'^ eating apartment in the caf^s or clubs that did not have its little coterie of uniformed men, making the most of a well- chosen meal. All the best hotels, and some of the worst, presented an animated appearance on the nights preceding the departure of the troops. They were the last nights on which the men might " stand easy " before being called to " attention." Caleches rattled incessantly over the lumpy stone- paved streets, carrying parties of soldiers around the town ; jolly, singing crowds who enjoyed their interim liberty as only those who have been recently deprived of it can. Each party had its headquarters at some hos- pitable cafd Needless to say that the rendez- vous of the two chums of the city regiment was at their long- looked -for Frontenac, and that they were among the leaders of the first batch to apply for their passes from the shed. Men who walked up town when going out often drove back at the expiration of their time, to remind themselves of what the last privileges of a civilian were. It WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 27 was at Quebec that the Roynl Canadians secured the reputation of being free money-spenders, a propensity which never left them all through the South African campaign. Headquarters for the officers of the regiment were at the Citadel, where the officers' quarters were crowded with beds and baggage. The mess of the officers was at the Garrison Club, where the Quebec regular officers made everything as pleasant for their guests as it was possible for them to do. Telegraph and express messengers flocked there, and between the great fort at the top of the hill and the emigration shed there was a constant flow of soldier traffic. Companies were parading through the streets to the Citadel empty-handed and marching back v/ith their issues of Lee-Enfield rifles and kits. At the sheds in the daytime the uniforms and outfits were served to the men. Groups rummaged through boxes of boots to get footwear to tit them, and ransacked the stacks of clothing, till at last all were supplied with black serge military clothing which fitted them fairly well. Then came the last two nights, which were more exciting and hilarious than the first two. The men on the Saturday night, for the most part, held forth at the Drill Hall, where a grand smoking concert was given in their honor ; the officers attended a dinner given for their benefit at the Citadel by the genial members of the Garrison Club. "^"T i ! 28 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER V. THE KEYNOTE SOUNDED. /^N the occaBion of that dinner historic speeches ^^ were made, in keeping with the greatest military movement that Canada had ever seen. Lieut.-Col. White, the acting D. 0. C. of Quebec, presided, and after those present had duly honored the toast of the Queen, and the health of His Excellency, Lieutenant Governor Jette replied to the toast of the Lioutenant-Governor, stating that it was time for actions, not words. He was, he said, grateful to the Queen for the increase of liberty since she began to reign. Thankful he was that the contingent went with the entire approbation of all the people of Canada. The health of Lieut. -Col. Otter and his officers was feelingly replied to by the Commandant of the Canadian Contingent. To the toast of " The Army, Navy and Militia" the Hon. Dr. Borden (whose son, Lieut. Borden, has since been killed in South Africa) replied. Dr. Borden said that it was a fitting time to include the militia with the army and navy, for the soldiers from this country were going out to fight along with the Imperial forces for the first time in the history of Canada. " It is the proudest WITH THE KOYAL CANADIANS. 29 incident of my life," said the Minister, "that I liave been at the head of the Militia Department when such an important event i" at hand. This is an epoch in the history of the Empire at large. It has been a long time coming, but at last the people of Canada have realized their responsibility and the debt they owe the Empire. Canada has thrown off her swaddling clothes and stands forth as a full-grown member of the family which makes up the Empire. We are now making history very fast in connection with this great Empire. Canada is not alone in sending assist- ance to the Mother country. Britain has become, not an Empire with a number of dependencies, but an Empire which is a collection of great nations, of which, perhaps, Canada is the leading one. It has been a process of development slow in the past, but rapid of late. We have been worried a great deal about the nature of the con- stitution whereby parts of the great Empire would form portions of the United Empire. This has been worked out juat as the great British Constitution has been worked out, by process of development ; just as the great British Constitution is unwritten, as this work is unwritten, and before we know it we find ourselves taking part in the wars of the Empire. We don't know exactly how it has come about, but somehow it has come about. I rejoice that this is a people's movement, not that of any government or any party ; it emanates from the whole people of Canada, and it is being ' (I 80 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. endorsed by them, as shown by the words and deed^ of the people at all points where the troops started from. For proof look at the bank accounts and the work of the noble women. No party or government can say that it has had more to do with this than other people. It is a popular movement, and this fact justifies the government in taking this action, and sending the contingent without calling on Parliament. I believe in con- stitutional government, that Parliament must govern the country, — but there is something superior to Parliament, — it is the people. The voice of the whole people of Canada is backing up the gallant thousand." The Minister then complimented the officers and companies going with the British army on service. He told how the troops had been mobilized and outfitted within fourteen days from the time that it was first known that Canada ^vas to send her men to the front. Major-General Hutton followed and said that he was greatly pleased to be present on such an historic occasion, and that he was proud to con- gratulate Lieut.-Col. Otter. The Major-General said that the Canadians were about to take part in a critical campaign. He had seen two campaigns, one of them against the very people who were being fought then, — the Boers. He had known their character and tenacity. He warned the officers that, though they had a gveat opportunity, they had a great responsibility. This was the greatest historic episode in the fi. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 81 history of Canada during the last quarter of a century. The men, he said, might think that they were going to see a new country, but they were really going with their lives in their hands, to fight. All the officers had been chosen on his recommendation, and he was sure that the best men in Canada had been secured, irrespective of party or creed. He had had great pleasure, in writing to General Buller, to tell him that we were sending from the shores of Canada, the best battalion that Canada could show, and so far as he knew the best Canadian soldier at their head. The General paid tributes also to the ability of Lieut.-Col. Buchan and Lieut.-Col. Pelletier, the latter, third in command, being the representative of the French Canadians. He also referred to the officers attached, who were peculiarly fitted to their several tasks, and the Major-General said that, in so far as it lay in his power, he would try to have them on the general staff in South Africa. He complimented Lieut.-Col. Lessard, Lieut.-Col. Drury, Capt. Forester and Major Cart Wright, who were attached to the regiment for special duty. The General's closing words were, " It is the great disappointment of my life that I am not in South Africa." These two important speeches were listened to with rapt attention, and since the conclusion of the Royal Canadian Regiment's campaign in South Africa the prophetic truth which lay in both of them may be plainly seen. All people in Canada have been pained to hear 32 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. . ■ of the death on campaign of Hon. Dr. Borden's son with the Mounted Canadians, and pleased that Major-General Hutton received his heart's desire later, in being allowed to take part in the South African campaign, where the Colonial Mounted Infantry division under his command did such good work. The next day, Sunday, there was more quiet, the men, according to their various religions, taking part in two church parades. An eloquent sermon was preached to the Protestants at the Episcopal Cathedral by Rev. F. G. Scott, while, for the Roman Catholic members of the contingent, Rev. Father O'Leary, the Roman Catholic Chaplain of the regiment, held Low Mass at the Basilica. During the Sabbath afternoon Major-General Hutton addressed the officers at the Frontenac, after orders had been given that the " Sardinian " should sail on the morrow. The palatial hotel was crowded with military men and officers of the contingent, with curious sight-seers and friends who had come from all parts of Canada to bid good-bye to those who were leaving for the far off theatre of war. Scarce would it be possible to crowd into the corridors and parlors of any hotel a more representative gathering of the fair women and stalwart men of the broad Dominion. Activity dominated the Citadel, where the Governor-General, Lord Minto, at night, gave a dinner to Lieut.-Col. Otter and his officers ; and at the sheds where the men were, the keenest inter- WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 33 est was taken in all the last preparations prior to embarking on the transport. All night long, on the cold dock, where the troop-ship lay teth- ered at her moorings, oflScer'i and details of men were busily engaged in the loading of stores from the wharf to the ship, which was to be their home for weeks to come. i ■!< 84 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER VI. THE FIRST ON BOARD. ^itfJARLY on the morning of the 30th of "^^ October two mer) of the Canadian perman- ent corps stepped briskly past the " Chien D'Or," and stood talking at the head of the long flight of public steps that lead from the lower twisting street to the one they had just come along. They knew Quebec perfectly, but still there was a cer- tain hesitancy about their movements that one might have taken for an unacquaintance with the city. They rested their feet uneasily, looked up and down the street in a noticeably anxious man ner, and, for at least five minutes, they tramped from corner to stair-landing and back again. " No word at Mat's place ? " the taller one spoke at last. " Not a word," answered his companion, with a face absolutely devoid of expression, save for a scowl that played over it after he had spoken. " Nor wasn't there no note left at the hang-out on the corner ? " " No note at all, but he'd been there late last night, and was weakenin' on the scheme," was the reply from the younger soldier, who was becoming more communicative. '• Well, I'm off swearin' to carry out a job with |.^ WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 35 him again. He know'd we was in earnest, and now he ain't playin' his part," came from the one who had spoken first, v hilo he nodded his head emphatically and tapped the heel of his boot with a battered swagger-stick. " This here pledge ain't worth what it's written on." This, as he pulled a dirty piece of blue paper from his pocket, tapped it sharply as he held it out to his companion. " We agree to go to South Africa with the contingent to-morrow, Monday, October 30th, or on such other day as the transport sails. Each of us having been rejected, we pledge ourselves to go if it is possible to get on the ' Sardinian.' " " Meet just past ' Chien D'Or ' to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock." " Quebec, Oct. 29th, 1899." The other one looked at the paper, which had been neatly and precisely made oUt, written by a hotel clerk the day before, and said, "Don't tear her up ; she is worth two-thirds of what is there yet." "In what way ?" queried the pledge-holder. "Ain't two names left outside of Jim's, and don't they go ?" " Yes, yours and mine is there if you're game. Are you for it ?" and he looked intently into his companion's eyes. " Sure ! " was the laconic reply, and a vise-like hand clasp between the two was the second seal- ing of the pledge that the third man had pro- posed the day before and failed to keep. 36 WITH THE ROTAL CANADIANS. Two soldiers stepped out towards the dock; and hours before the regiment had embarked two stowaways were safely ensconced on the "Sar- dinian." 'Twas a Quebec pledge that was broken, but still kept. % •; WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 87 CHAPTER VII. ON THE " SARDINIAN." /^N that same eventful Monday, the second ^^ last day of October, all preparations had been completed for the regiment to sail. What work there is in connection with the embarking of one thousand men, only those who have the work in hand can tell, though one may form a certain idea of the task by studiously watching the myriad of operations necessary before the stay-ropes of the ship are loosed and she is at last off. Piles of blankets to bale up, boxes of boots and uniforms to be looked after, men's kit- bags to be checked over, provisions for a thou- sand hungry men for a month to be packed, and so on through the long details. For officers totally unaccustomed to such work, nothing but praise can be given for the expeditious way they were able to discharge these duties. Thousands and thousands of people were out on the morning the steamship sailed to see the Royal Canadian Regiment, set up, as they were, in their new uniforms of black serge and white helmets, and to watch them parade for inspec- tion on the Esplanade. All residents and visi- tors were more than ever eager to have a glimpse 38 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. of the men before they started on their long sea voyage. Formed into a square, and kept wait- ing too long, till addresses and the like were read, the battalion was first inspected by Major- General llutton, and then by the Governor- General, Lord Minto. Speaking to the men, the Governor-General complimented them on their appearance, and told them that Canada might justly feel proud of them. The words which Lord Minto spoke in addressing Lieut.-Col. Otter will long live in the minds of all who heard the Governor-General. He said : " The force you command represents a great deal more than a serviceable regiment on parade. We are stand- ing here upon historic ground, under the ram- parts of the old City of Quebec, surrounded by celebrated battlefields, and in an atmosphere full of glorious traditions of two great nations, who, respecting each other's warlike qualities on many a hard-fought field, have now joined hands in common loyalty to Queen and Empire. The people of Canada have shown no inclination to discuss the quibble of colonial responsibility, they have only unmistakably asked that their loyal oflfer should be made known, and they rejoice in its gracious acceptance. In so doing, surely we have opened a new chapter in the history of our Empire. They have freely made their military gift to an Inijjerial cause, to share its privations, and the dangers and the glories of an Imperial army. They have insisted on giving vent to the expression of that sentimental f WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 39 Imperial unity which may, perhaps hereafter, prove more binding than any written Imperial Constitution. The embarkation of your force, Col. Otter, to-day, will mark a memorable epoch in the history of Canada and the Empire. Of the success of your force we have no doubt. We shall watch your departure with very full hearts, and will follow your movements with eager enthusiasm. All Canada will long to see the Maple Leaf well to the front, and to give to her contingent a glorious welcome home again. And now, as the representative of Her Majesty, I wish you God-speed and every success." The Premier of the Dominion, the Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, then addressed the men, and said they were going to obey the call of justice, humanity and civilization. He rejoiced to see the alacrity with which the Canadians had responded to the call, and rushed to the aid of a great Empire, of which all were so proud. They would, he felt sure, return with honor to themselves and to their native land. A lengthy and loyal address was presented and read in French and English by the Mayor of Quebec, the Hon. S. N. Parent. This concluded the last hour before the troops, marching to martial music, were headed to the Allans' wharf, and tramped with their heavy trappings on to the wooden and clattering decks of the transport "Sardinian." Tens of thou- sands, who had not been able to see the review, were thronged on the Citadel, on Dufferin Ter- 40 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. race, and crowded the walls along the city front. Men, women and children, fought for hours to try to gain an entrance to the docks, and even the strong military and police cordons were at times unable to cope with the crushing masses. As speedily as possible, after the last good-byes were said on the wharf, the companies had been allotted their places on the ship. On the battlements of Quebec, Wolfe wrote the first pages of British history in Canada, and it seemed but natural, that, from out the shadow of the Ancient Capital, should sail away the First Canadian Contingent bound to fight for the flag which he had so bravely planted on the Plains of Abraham. To many that hour of departure was a trying one, but yet the parting had to come. The sul- len old rocks of the Citadel, crowded as they were with a surging mass of humanity, seemed to swell toward us and follow the heavily-laden troopship as she reluctantly slipped from her moorings at the dock, slid into the waters of the St. Lawrence and made for her gateway to the ocean. As the madly-wild enthusiasts and cheer- ing multitude waved to the men on the " Sar- dinian" a fond farewell, and to some of the soldiers the last farewell they ever heard on earth, even the sun tarned away his face, and darkness settled over the craft which had started to bear the Royal Canadians to South Africa. Till dusk came, steam yachts and tugs, pleas- ure boats and barges, followed the Canadian WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 41 transport far down the river. Those on the escort boats cheered and rushed to the sides of their craft in wiki anxiety to catch whatever souvenirs the departing soldiers had to part with. There was a craze for the soldiers' buttons, and when the supply of small tokens became ex- hausted, almost anything else was brought into requisition. Forage caps and sleeping toques, and even new suspenders, were quite in demand. The men's quarters were all in the forward part of the ship, and little could be seen of the masts or the rigging, where the soldiers had swarmed, as the pleasure boats turned slowly back, cheered to the echo, and left the Royal Canadian Regi- ment alone on the mighty deep. Down into the depths of the ship's steel belly the men were first sent to be shown and allotted their sleeping quarters — and what a revelation ! First, on the deck below the promenade deck, were hundreds of hammocks slung over the tables where the men ate, and when the soldiers had taken refuge in these for the night, their heavy frames, with the sagging of the swinging bed, almost touched the boards beneath them where they dined three times a day. They were placed so close together, that when one man swung or turned in the night, he jabbed the men in the swaying meshes on each side of him. This was the " troop deck." Deeper, and on a level with the hold, was the " berth deck." How it ever had the courage to call itself a " deck " I know not, for the truth is, 4 42 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. I the whole com])artment was below the level of the water on the hull, which was thea twenty- four feet dipped down in the ocean. However, in the berth deck were arranged more, many more, wleeping compartments for the men. But these were all stationary in long rows, with nar- row passages at the men's heads and feet, with scant room for one to walk down between. Here, with shallow partitions, the men lay side by side like eggs that are crated in paste boai'd casings. About a foot and a half from the floor the first tier of bunks was constructed, giving a man little more than room to crawl into his lodgings. Above him was built the next row of berths, some two feet from the iron ceiling and the heavy rings where the horses used to be slung when the " Sardinian " was formerly in use. The size of the bunks was six feet jy two feet, ^nd in each was placed a straw mattress, a tick, pil- low, blankets, rifle, whatever the soldier ever wanted to keep for his own use without having propriated ; and last, but not least, his own -cious body was supposed to find a resting place among these other accoutrements. What- ever air ventilation was sent down to this black hole had to be conveyed by means of canvas air- chutes from the upper decks. As for the oflicers and non-commissioned officers, they had, accord- ing to rank, more commodious quarters. This was the sleeping accommodation. The fitting up of the ship, to have been done i WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 43 in such a short time, was well seen to ; of this there is no doubt, but she had too many on board. She would ordinarily have lent herself to the demands of five hundred soldiers — and she carried ten hundred and thirty-nine, besides a fonnidable ship's crew. The tables where the men messed were long stationary affairs, with fixed backless bench seats on either side ; and here, sparsely lighted by the port holes, and by whatever sun's rays could escape down the hatchways, the soldiers went three times a day to meals, from the second last day in October till the second last day in Novem- ber. Not the semblance of a tablecloth was used, and at the time of disembarkation, after a month's constant spilling of soup and overturning of greasy meat and potatoes, those festive boards would have made splendid material for a huge bonfire with which to celebrate the end of the tiresome voyage. The sergeants had a mess of their own at one long table which ran parallel to the separate berths allotted to them and almost within reach of where they slept. Their food was somewhat more extravagant than that of the privates, and they boasted of a tablecloth and water bottles constantly on the table. Some privates who were able to hold converse with the oracle, and who paid the price, were able, like Lazarus, to obtain something to eat at the Sergeants' mess door, and on a couple of occasions 1 have known a private to succeed in securing the whole course 44 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. of provisions at the sergeants' table after they were through. The sergeants also had a couple of hastily constructed bath rooms a few feet from the end of the dining table, which, when they were working properly, and the water was not scalding hot, proved a decidedly healthful addi- tion to heir quarters. Once, it was afterwards learned. Private " Banker," through constant perseverance and sheer recklessness, was able to indulge in the luxury of this bath after the regular hose-drenching on deck for the men had been discontinued. - . The otiicers' mess was in the regular saloon of the ship, and when the dishes were not flying from one end of the table to the other, when the Major's fish was not jumping into the Colonel's coffee, they were enjoyable and well put on. The saloon was not large enough to accommodate all the officers at once, consequently there were two sittings — one for hot meals, and the next for meals that had been hot, but that had had all the enthusiasm cooled out of them. One thing that was served equally to the officers, non-commissioned officers and men at meal time, without discrimination as to rank, was the rolling of the ship, which, as if it had some spite against all the soldiers, cut up her best pranks when the bugle and bell called them to the table. Then did the " Sardinian " stick her nose deeper into the briny billows and heave her propeller higher in the air. The after part of the vessel was reserved for -> , WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 45 ter they a couple ieet from len they was not iful addi- 'terwards constant IS able to after the I men had saloon of lot flying when the ) Colonel's I put on. ommodate ihere were le next for id had all lly to the d men at g to rank, if it had ut up her ialled them kian" stick and heave 3served for the officers of the regiment ; the sergeants had a small allotment of deck room just forward of this, and the men had the rest of the fore part of the ship where it was not taken up with bakers' quarters, cooks' galleys, shooting targets, old stationary hoisting machinery, wooden horse- stalls, carpenters' and armourers' shops, and other newly-added board structures. Though limited, the men made good use of their promenade deck. The ship was 425 feet long by about forty-six feet at her widest part, when she did her best rolling, and sent barrels tumbling down the hatchway, she seemed about twelve feet long with no width at all. Most of the experiences of the campaign were new to the Royal Canadians, arid that of being at sea was among the most novel. There was one young private who was having his first ocean voyage, and at the same time his own doubts as to whether or not the seaworthy old vessel would be able to carry us on the long slanting trip across the Atlantic. He was always early to bed, preferring his lowly berth to watching the high-rolling waves, as many others did, from the side of the ship at night. When we had been two days and two nights at sea the captain had the ship lay to in order to escape the belt of a storm which was raging. With engines slacked down the vessel lay tossing like an uneasy sleeper, while some of this par- ticular private's companions stood over the rail watching the turbulent billows shiver along the 46 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. whole length of the boat. Suddenly one of thom turned around. " Where's D.?" he asked of the rest. " In his bunk," the others answered in chorus. " Let's get him up ! " suggested the first speaker. " You can't do it," replied his particular friend, "he's too much in love with the shelf he sleeps on." " Well, I'll see if I can't. You go down below and get in your bunk just over his, and I'll be down in a mi^'ite. You can have my soup to-morrow if I don't get him out." Bill went down to his six-by-two, and was soon apparently fast asleep, with Private D. in the bunk underneath. In a moment the man who planned the scheme plunged down the hatchway, waking two or three with the clatter of his heavy ammunition boots. He groped his way over to Bill's bed, turned on the light, at the same time giving a knowing wink to his companion. " Well, Bill," he started in a half-tremulous, half -pathetic voice, " I guess the worst is bound to come. They say we're stuck." " Nonsense," answered Bill ; then, restraining an obstreperous laugh by biting his lower lip, went on : " Surely you must be mistaken ; but — I know this is a bad coast." "What's that?" and Private D.'s head, with eyes protruding, shot out into the aisle below. "I tell you. Bill, she'll be on the rocks in ten minutes," the schemer continued, paying no r WITH THB ROTAL CANADIANS. 47 attention to Private D., who had by this time wriggled his shoulders into the open space be- tween the berths. " Well, pard," said Bill, " Fm ready to go, but I'll stay here and drown like a rat. Here's my hand, even if it is the iast one I give you. Listen her bottom scraping. It's all over ! " There was a shuffling and bumping in Private D.'s narrow bed and a muffled, " Oh ! My God ! My God!!" "There she goes!" the two mischief-makers cried together, as the grinding screw of the ship started up again, and the boat went forward with a lurch. At the same instant Private D., with nothing but a shirt on, around which was securely fast- ened a dusty old life-preserver, shot out from the bottom bunk, and his long, skinny, bare white legs flashed up the hatchway, while he danced on to the cold decks houting, " Help ! Murder ! ! Fire ! ! ! Police ! ! ! ! Royal Canadians, forward 1 We're all drowned ! ! Man the lifeboats ! ! " The hilarious reception he received when he crawled down the greasy stairway, alone and shivering, a few minutes after, was such as to keep fresh in his memory forever the " loss of the * Sardinian.* " After lights were out on the decks where the soldiers slept, there was always some miscreant who kept at least a section or two awake with bis loud, idle gossip, when he himself did not wish to sleep ; and at times some practical joker would fr I 48 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. put the " C " Company's mascot dog " Walker," or the little brindle pup " Kriiger," into a row of bunks to let the canines scamper over the faces of the tired volunteers. Then there was a diminutive organ on board, the size of a regulation biscuit box — a pocket melodeon — and, in one of the larger alleyways, a certain enthusiastic set used to grind out their selections, generally ending with " For Those in Peril on the Sea." The mention of " peril on the sea" always had a disquieting influence on Pri- vate D., whose life-belt, after his ship-foundering scare, was always used as a pillow. When the soldiers came on board at Quebec they were loaded with all kinds of cherished souvenirs. Whatever could not be carried around with them had to be left in the bunks ; but it was not many days before most of the treasured tokens changed hands, for wholesale appropria- tion was carried on. Stealing was a crime, but petty larceny was an accomplishment which nearly every man had to cultivate in order to protect his own interests The latter seems to be a faculty with soldiers the world over. One poor fellow, who had been presented with a handsome fruit cake at Quebec, preserved it under his pillow for the first night, and then invited a dozen of his townsmen down to share tho dainty luxury with him, " but when he got there the cupboard was bare." " Sorry, boys ; I suppose it was the thirteen of us who brought the bad luck," said he. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 49 A^alker," ,0 a row )ver the n board, a pocket leyways, )ut their Those in •il on the ) on Pri- undering t Quebec che^'ished ;d around cs ; but it treasured ippropria- 3rirae, but nt which order to seems to er. snted with eserved it and then a to share len he got •y, boys ; I 10 brought "You would not have had a chance of a canary at a cat show if there had been only two of us," said the last man who was invited, rather savagely, as the well-meaning host led the way to the men's canteen, and in lieu of the cake bought half a pound of prunes and a shilling's worth of biscuits, which were eaten to the accompaniment of half a dozen bottles of amber-colored lemon soda. The innocent ways of some were more than atoned for by the wily ways of others, and many of those who came on board unsophisticated, landed on the Dark Conti^^^nt with ingenuity enough to look after their own welfare in all con- ceivable ways. T: .^jks that had been successfully played on them they tried on others. A lesson many a man there learned was to battle for him- self, — and once learned it seldom is forgotten. '- The North- West Corporal saw the Private first. The bakers' galley was steaming with the wel- come smell of fresh-made bread and buns, and at a door farther forward the cooks' great brass caldrons sent forth the smell of boiling meat on the first afternoon from Quebec. There had been nothing to eat since the tiresome parade and re- view and this was the first place of meeting of the North- West Corporal and the Banker Private. "Where's Private Backer?" the Corporal shouted, as he tripped in the hazy light, over the hot-air pipe at the head of a hatchway, and jammed his side arm into the calf of his leg. " Here, Corporal ! " the Private answered, " I am trying to buy some buns. What's wanted ?" 50 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 1 " Buns be confounded ! " growled the Corporal, as he made a grimace and rubbed an injured shin, " you get down to that bunk of yours and get your kit and arms piled into your cot — no time for eating." The Private, abashed, slipped down to his berth, while the hunger still gnawed at his belt. When well out of sight the Corporal slunk over to the cookhouse and beamed on the chef most kindly. "A couple of slices of beef, old chap ; our sergeant's too busy for grub." " Your sergeants don't eat with you," answered the cook, who was an old army man, and could tell the difference in rank between the two stripes on the Corporal's arm and the three or four worn by sergeants. " Well, in that case," answered the Corporal, as he secured the needed extra, "I'll arrest these pieces of meat and take them to the guardhouse." And the extra meal the Corporal got the Private never knew of. 11 WITH THE BOYAL CANADIANS. 51 )rporal, injured iirs and jot — no to his at his il slunk he chef eef , old Qswered id could ihe two three or 'poral, as ist these •dhouse." ) Private CHAPTER VIII. A BURIAL AT SEA. yi COLD, hlack ocean, a dull, gloomy day ; a popular man of the regiment dead — a burial at sea. Who of the Royal Canadians would wish to live that fourth day on the trans- port over again ? Where is the man of the thousand whose spirit was not darkened when the first death in the battalion was announced ? All night long the unconscious sufferer had been fast failing ; at early dawn death released him from all thought of peace or battle. On the aft port side of the ship the men of the regiment stood that afternoon with headfl bared and bent in solemn reverence. The Colonel and his staff stepped quietly to the front of the lines drawn up on the heaving deck, which rested not quietly even for the impressive service for the dead. The Chaplain passed noiselessly down through the human aisle of black uniformed men and took his place at the rail of the ship, wet with the sea spray which drizzled over that con- gregation of heavy-hearted soldiers. From his resting place below four stalwart friends carried the cold body of their dead companion-in-arms up the narrow hatchway, and with steps slow 62 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. •rii and sad placed it half-way across the ship's rail. Meantime the impressive service went on, each man staring steadfastly in front of him out on the bleak rolling billows of the ocean where was to be the boundless resting place of the departed soldier. The eyes of the men were glazed with the tears which spoke silently from their swollen hearts, and their throats burned and choked as they looked for the last time on the outstretched form of their silent comrade sewn in his canvas covering, lying reverently covered in the flag he had started to fight for. That dismal burial duty was a pause in the day's occupation which we prayed God would come not again. It was too depressing to be long drawn out ; it was too impressive to be ever forgotten — that burial at sea. Strong hands raised the stiffened soldier as the Union Jack was lifted from his bier of rough- hewn boards, slowly the body slid from its temporary resting place, the ocean gurgled, and the mighty sea had claimed the first of the Royal Canadians. The funeral of Edward DesLaurier was the saddest on campaign. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 53 CHAPTEK IX. INTO THE SOUTHERN SEAS. TITfl ^ ^^^ experienced the cold of the Athmtic ^^^^ for a short time around the coast of Newfoundland, we had but timidly tasted the raging storms of the great ocean, and as our ship sailed south we began to encounter the warm weather of the Torrid zone and tropics. Soon after our departure we dipped into the tepid and then warm waters of that " river in the ocean," the Gulf Stream, where the bright indigo waters seemed to have absorbed their color from the cloudless sky overhead, and where eternal summer rules the well-dyed waves. Thanks to the waters of the Gulf Stream, the men were able to indulge in the luxury of a splendid bath each morning during all the time we sailed on its warm and enticing depths. A hard-worked pump and a generous hose played a stream of water on the laughing, dancing soldiers as they huddled together on the bow of the ship each morning at sunrise. Companies were ordered for bath parade on different mornings, but since there was no dis- tinguishing badge to discriminate one company's members from those of another when they were [f ' 64 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. ready for the plunge, there was many a man who appeared under the refreshing stream when his company had not been bidden to bathe. This was one of the few occasions when the soldiers got more than had been allotted to them. However, if some had more than their share of baths on the boat, they made ample recompense for it in the after months on the veldt, when water was worth its weight in gold. What would those men have given for a "tub" at Jacobsdahl ? What would they not have sacri- ficed for a dip at Poplar Grove Drift, after their wearying foodless marches in the dust-clinging sand? And what would a general wash have been worth at Boemplatz, before the battle of Zand River? Only those who were there can tell what a consolation it is to get away for an hour from greasy, rotting kharki suits and shirts that have seen continuous service for months, night and day, to free one's self from vermin- dipped blankets and an insect creeping tent. Then does the occupation of a washerwoman loom up in all its true dignity, and she appears to the sullen, sand-stained soldier, to possess the most delightful occupation of all mankind. The ploughing prow of our vessel at last fur- rowed her way through the Gulf Stream, and once more we were in water too cold for contact with the men's skins. Whales, with their spouting artesian wells, had attracted our men already on the voyage ; por- poises, racing at the fore part of the ship like I WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 65 thoroughbred hunters taking the jumps, had given them many an hour's amusement; and even sharks, had given them very serious moments of contemplation ; but the sight of land, such as it was, was the greatest novelty seen after we had been fifteen days at sea. The curious antics of the flying-fish had interested the soldiers as this sea-urchin would dart from the water and fly fifty yards, encroaching on the birds* world, and again dip down to hold communion with his associates of the deep. " Mother Carey's chickens" had been the objects of surprise as they fluttered around the masts and rigging of the ship — but they were not land ! Early on the hazy Sunday morning of No- vember 13th word came that land was in sight, and five o'clock saw the bunks cleared, and an interested lot of soldiers scanning the heights of San Antonio, the first of the Cape Verde Islands that we sighted. Cold, craggy rocks pushed their stern peaks thousands of feet through the deep ocean, lighted in peculiar, bulging patches as the sun came out and shone on what is there called land. As we came closer, a few humble huts could be discerned at the base of the island — that is all — but imaginative members of the contingent were able to see goats browsing on the barren sides of the great hills. Some saw men playing golf on the flat parts of the island, while others noticed elephants and hippopotami strolling quietly together. A few of the Royal Canadians 1 1 If ()•■) -ij' m 6G WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. caught a glimpse of some people going to church, another group of volunteers caught sight of the bill boards of an opera troupe. What was not seen in that great hippodrome by at least some one man, would be, indeed, hard to imagine. Then we steamed slowly past the west of the second island in the group, St. Vincent, a coun- terpart of its sister island, save that the latter affords a good harbor. We had no bill of health, and we could not stop. We signalled that we were the Canadians out Boer-hunting, and that we all felt well. The little signal station at St. Vincent flashed back a message, but the deciphering of it never eventuated. The great mountains of the island scowl down on this coaling village, and the village peeps out timidly on the sea, as if quiver- ing lest some day those towering masses will fall and blot out St. Vincent forever. Passing the mouth of the quiet little harbor, we could see transports and cruisers lying at ease, giving us a cheer, the sound of which never reached us, — and in half an hour we were out on our lonely journey again, glad of the break in the monotony of the weary ocean waste. We were soon to rush over — whether the boat would bump or not — the line we had learned of in our public school days, which stretches itself around the circle of the globe and divides the Northern from the Southern hemisphere of the earth. In the wooden structure known as the vege- table house on the promenade deck, clad in old WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 67 clctheH, two stoutly built chaps sat crouched on opposite sides of a pail of dirty water facing each other. They liad already learned to be very dexterous in the use of the sharp clasp-knives which each hold in his hand— dexterous in the art of peeling potatoes. This was their employ- ment, and had been ever since their presence on board had been made known officially. They were able to scalp off the thin coating of that staple with a remarkable rapidity that only comes to one who has had constant practice. In this respect these two apjmrently happy exiles from the ranks of the Royal Canadians were master hands. They were the stowaways. " What's all this I hear about this confounded ' line * they're all rantin' about," a.sked the shorter scullion, as he whisked the dirt from his blade on to his blue jeans. " Oh ! it's a big line in the ocean that's lyin' around here some place, that they're bettin' the ship'll go over about noon to-morrow. Lots of them tenderfeet has been havin' their eyes standin' out like knobs on a hat-rack lookin' for it to-day," replied the other kitchen-helper with a tone of disgust, especially as he emitted the last sentence. " I suppose them bank dudes and counter- hoppers with the kidney feet wants it all when we come to it. No chance for Reg'lars like us. How'd you like to git a piece of it when we strike her ? " asked the one of low stature. 58 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. I I Uk " Fine ! " answered the other of the Quebec pledge-sworn friends. Final plans were arranged in whispered tones, whereby the two were to become possessors of a bit of the line. The next morning (November 17th), as we scudded past the Equator, 4,313 miles from Quebec, at 10.27^ o'clock, and at 13 degrees 45 minutes west longitude, amid the blowing of whistles and the discharge of a large rocket from the Captain's bridge, the two stow- aways were eagerly peering from a hole at the side of the ship. " Pull ! I noticed her bump ! " yelled the stubby soldier, excitedly. " We've got as much of it as anyone, I'll bet," said the other in ecstacy, as they both hauled at the rope with a large iron meat hook attached, which they had been trailing through a crevice in the wall of the vegetable-house for half an hour ; and they jerked through the hole a pair of discarded artillery trousers, which some private had thrown through a port hole at the critical moment, and which when sinking had caught on the pledgers' hook. " Not a bad line if we had two pair," said the lanky Equator-snatcher. "No," the other agreed, "might be able to join the artillery at Cape Town. I'm gettin' tired of infantry." "What's the best you can do for dinner?" the cook yelled in from the galley. "Pants!" answered one of the snickering WITH THE ROTAL CANADIANS. 59 stowaways, and the cook was not able to see the significance of the answer till the wet trousers were sent to the kitchen in a pail in place of the potatoes which should have been peeled while the miscreants were waiting to catch the line. Cool weather, like a Canad a October day, greeted the soldiers at the Equator, much to their surprise, but both before and after we had reached this point, midway between the north and south poles, it was hot enough to warm all flagging spirits, and both officers and men made a practice of sleeping on deck. The officers slung hammocks on the aft part of the ship, and the men slung blankets forward. The first were slung to the rafters overhead, the latter were slung on the deck wherever there was sufficient space for a human form to couch itself. All eyes used to scan th horizon for the wel- come sight of a passing vessel, and when " Ship ahoy !" sounded through the ranks, there were interested crowds to watch the passing stranger till it vanished from view. When the contingent had been two weeks and two days at sea we passed the SS. " Rangatira," of the Shaw, Savill Albion line on her way from New Zealand to London. To us she proved a post-box in the ocean, for it was by her that we were able to send the first letters home from the "Sardinian." All night long some officers had watched for the light of a vessel, and from the Captain's bridge .c was nearly dawn before a faint sparkling spectre appeared on the horizon (^ I 60 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. Two on board our boat had made a wager the night before that a vessel would come in view before twelve o'clock the next day. " What shall we bet ? " asked an officer of high rank, who gambled that no vessel would be seen. " Champagne," answered the other, " if it suits you." "Right," was the one word from this high officer's lips — for he was one of the six Colonels on board — as they scaled the compact. The " Rangatira " stopped her engines, and the "Sardinian" halted, too. A life-boat was low- ered from our ship, and after having put over to the England-bound boat with the great pillow- slips full of letters, and bringing back copies of the Cape Town papers, we both steamed on, glad to have had a handshake from a British sister ship. " Well, boys, I've lost ! " said the sporty Colonel, "and I'm willing to pay. Come along down stairs ! " Seven followers of Bacchus, besides the winner of the wager, changed their allegiance and fol- lowed the Colonel to the saloon. The nine officers sat, eight with eager eyes, around the table, and slapped the good-hearted Colonel on the back, and each in turn told him what a good fellow he was. " You must expect to lose sometimes, Colonel," ventured a young subaltern. " Oh, yes; can't expect to win always," patron- izingly, as he stuck out his chest and nibbed his hands. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 61 er the view f high 3 seen, t suits 5 high Lionels nd the s low- jver to pillow- pies of n, glad er ship. Colonel, down winner ,nd fol- )r eyes, hearted )ld him ■olonel," patron - 3bed his The steward appeared in due time — very due time. "Your order, sir?" came from the servant in the spotless duck uniform. " I've just lost a bet to and I want these boys to join us," the Colonel said in a big-hearted way. " Bring in a pint of good champagne." Eight heads dropped involuntarily, and some of those around the board had enough presence of mind to cough, while others groped for their watches, and became deeply interested with their brass buttons. It was the last " sporty " bet that Colonel is known to have made on board. It was the original intention to sail via St. Helena, the former stamping ground of the great Napoleon, and the French Canadians especially looked forward to seeing this historic spot. The Captain, however, decided otherwise, and to save time we cut off seventy miles of a "fiddler's elbow," as he termed it, by not calling there. Insteau of steaming over two sides of a triangle to call there we took a direct line, and left that visit for those of the men who later returned from the campaign on the " Idaho." On board the transport going out a degree of perfection in drill and discipline was reached which had scarcely been hoped for, but as in every other successful undertaking, it was not attained without steady perseverance and per- sistent practice. At the Morris tube ranges on the bow of the 62 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. I ship, Captain Bell, Scots* Guards, put the mem- bers of the regiment through a consistent course with the rifle, with the creditable result that one company — the Ottawa and Kingston Company — had an average of 35.1 out of a possible 40 points, and these Capital shots were closely followed by the Toronto Company, with an average of 34.96. This part of the efficiency of the Royal Canadian Regiment was later ^elt by Cronje's men when the Canadians came into the firing line at Paar- deberg. The appearance of the men on parade was good, and especially did they look well when they appeared in the kharki issue of clothing which was given to them as we neared Cape Town. There had been sent hundreds of pairs of trousers more than were required, while there was a woeful dearth of kharki tunics. This necessitated two companies landing in their rifle uniforms, and owing to this bungle on some person's part, the regiment looked rather "hit and miss" as they paraded the capital of the colony the day they disembarked. Drill on the ship was often, if not generally, attended with difficulty, for the constant pranc- ing and rearing of the boat gave corresponding gestures to the men, as they stood in line along the decks, though under the circumstances they did well. Owing to ill-advised packing of things in the hold there was a lot of stuff" sent by the Canadian people for use on the boat, which the soldiers never saw. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 63 Though the men of the battalion needed lots of athletic exercise, the outfit sent for this pur- pose never saw the light ; and when the regiment left Cape Town for the front, tobacco, which the men had at times longed for on the boat, had to be left behind to the extent of two tons. These were mistakes of which more might be [cited, but it is too late to atone for them now, and, at the time, there was no person over-anxious to be responsible for them, nor for others which deprived the soldiers of what they might other- wise have had. When it was found that cigar- ettes, which Canadian tobacco firms had kindly sent as presents for the men, were being sold to them at the canteen, those in authority decided that this was going slightly too far, and an inves- tigation was held. However, for Canada's initial venture at sending troops on a transport, all things considered, they got through as well as might be expected. The health of the men was excellent, and but for a few slight accidents befalling some on board before the regiment reached its destination, every soldier was ready to step off on the word. A word of thanks is, indeed, forthcoming to Captain Todd, Dublin Fusiliers, who accom- panied the Canadian battalion on the way to Africa to join his regiment. He was appointed quartermaster for ship's duties, and it was due to his experience on transports and to the many suggestions he made that the " Sardinian " was kept in as clean and healthful a state as it was. When his ideas had been stated and carried out f 64 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. m ■I 1 f ; there was a transformation in the condition of the vessel. Lieut.-Col. Sara Hughes, who was also on board, made many a common-sense suggestion, which facilitated the care of the troops. In all, they were a happy lot of men, and I doubt if another thousand could be got together who could get on with one another more con- genially than did the soldiers of the Royal Cana- dian Regiment. There was less disintegration among the men than the^-e was among others. It was seldom one could see a man trying to supplant another, and practically doing his best to take away whatever standing he had, or, in plainer words, " endeavoring to knock the other man's feet from under him." This cannot be said of all other cases or ranks of the regiment. The ship was really a busy little village all the time — soldiers sharpening bayonets (so that, as one man said, if they ever got joking with the Boers when these sidearms were fixed, the Dutchmen " would not be able to see the point"), men lounging on the bare decks, some writing letters, playing cards, reading, singing, talking and discussing the war — all like one multitu- dinous family — a grand miniature army of as brave fellows as ever donned a uniform. At length and at last the breaking up ot this, what seemed to be a gigantic house party, had to come, and long to be remembered was the day when we were met by an embassy of sea gulls and escorted slowly into the glassy, swelling waters of Table Bay. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 65 Like a dog that had been bounding and scampering, and had then come into the august presence of some quiet canines, the " Sardinian " glided in with the grace of a vessel that could not be ill-behaved, and stood timidly quiet in the midst of a myriad of other transports. As we tiptoed our way towards the long, low, barren-looking shores, past the Lepers' Home on Robin's Island, and within touch, it seemed, of the lazy lion's head on the top of Table Moun- tain, the sailors at the capstan let our grating chains go down, and our anchor at the bottom held us fast. : First of all we hoisted a yellow flag as a signal for a medical oflScer to come on board. The two chums of the city regiment were stand- ing, as usual together, on the bow of the boat. " What's the yellow flag up for ?'* the younger one asked somewhat concernedly. " Trouble in China, I guess," replied his com- panion in a half-dazed mood. " No ; I heard some person say something about a medical officer, I suppose we're stuck with yellow fever," the junior Private went on. Private D., of life-belt fame, overheard the last remark and joined the conversation. " Stuck ! " said he. " Oh ! I was afraid of this. My God ! surely we can get help ?" and he hastily slipped down to inspect his cork preserver, which had scarcely been out of his sight during all the voyage. 66 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS CHAPTER X. ti 1 ! ! 1 ' ON LAND AT CAPE TOWN. •jnYnjHEN we had passed medical inspection ^^"^^ and given a healthful passport, a civic and military deputation came out to our ship and welcomed Lieut.-Col. Otter and his regiment. Those deputed to receive the battalion at the ship told all the latest war news, and in a short time the Canadians were made aware of the state of the conflict — a state whereat they were much surprised; but glad they were to know that there was still the chance which most of them had hoped for. After all the " how do you do's " and " thank yous" had been said, the Commandant of the Canadians, together with Major Drummond and Capt. Todd (Dublin Fusiliers), left for the shore on the wide, flat-bottomed steam launch in which the deputation had come to us. Shortly after, our resting transport weighed anchor and edged into the inner harbor, where the Canadians were given a royal welcome and a warm reception by the soldiers and sailors on the other transports. From a ship lying at anchor came a stentorian voice over the water through a megaphone: " Who are you ? " WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 67 Through pasteboard horns our m3n answered, " Royal Canadians ! Who are you ? " The answer came, " Australians ! Shake ! " Then the cheering, one contingent for the other, was loud and long, and the voices of the colonial cousins-in-arms were soon hoarse from the shout- ing of mutual congratulations. The transport of the Gordon Highlanders welcomed us, as did a dozen others, as we passed into the wharf. Lying at the other side of the pier at which the " Sar- dinian" tied up at was the R. M. S. " Dunvegan Castle," and from the aft rail of that vessel the bandmaster stood pecaling out on his silver cornet, " Rule Britannia," in which all fighting men in the harbor joined ; and we were next glad to note how many could take up the refrain of the " Maple Leaf Forever ! " as our men sang it with lusty voices, while the Canadian transport's sides cringed against the dock and then lay quiet. We were at Cape Town ! The Colonel came back to the ship about half- past six, and found his men as anxious as rats in a trap to get off the ship. It was too late to disembark, so they stayed where they were, climbing on the rail and dock- sides of the ship, till the " Sardinian " looked like a disabled vessel, with a decided list to star- board. There was a curious, and in some cases an anxious crowd around our boat, curious to see what the men from the land of snow, as they thought, looked like, anxious because our boat 68 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. was some days behind the expected time of arrival. Soldiers, sailors and civilians flocked to the pier to chat with the wearers of the Maple Leaf. There were white men, black men, and people of neutral tinf, Christians ard otherwise, principally otherwise. They were irally a kind-hearted crowd, as was proved 1.3 number of cigarettes and other refreshing dainties which they tossed up on to our decks. " How's the war ? " " Where's Buller ? " " Who holds Pretoria ? " " How far is it to Ladysmith ? " were the questions thrown at the people on the docks, and before a reasonable answer could be given, another set of queries was hurled at these unoffending sight-seers. " Where is Oom Paul ? '* " How's General Joubert ? " " Any room for us at the front ? " and many more interrogations of a similar kind. Black " boys," some as old as sixty, scrambling for coppers, and the tramping of a fatigue party to the dock, to help unload the " Sardinian's " goods, were the last sights the men saw before they turned in to their accustomed bunks on board the ship. All night long, in the confused darkness, men were engaged in getting on shore what was needed for the contingent when it stepped on land. Meanwhile, there being no restriction then which could hamper the steps or writing of a war correspondent, a couple of us, who had crossed I WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 69 the ocean in that capacity, started up to the town, gladdened on our way at the first crossing by finding a horseshoe, which was afterward a cherished relic in our tent. Cape Town had just let loose its heterogeneous throng of workers from its shops, work-houses and factories, who were streaming along the streets near the wharves and filling the wider thoroughfares of the upper town. Truly, from the general hue of the populace, it was a black man's country, and from the gaudily dressed Kaffirs and Malay Indians to the dirty, slovenly, and barefooted types of the same races, the capital of the colony seemed to take four- fifths of its population. Pushing crowds of these dark-skinned people, together with their less swarthy companions of a bastard race, swarmed on the stone-paved streets ; and in the case of meeting these laughing, ivory-teethed loiterers, the weaker had to go to the wall, or the open street, for Cape Town's black men show little sign of gracefully giving one even that part of the walking thoroughfare which the law grants him. Their glib gutterals of constant, ceaseless conversation were to be heard in plenty on all sides, till one wondered whether or not their jabbering jaws ever took a respite from work. Then, too, in the thoroughfares there were the typical Englishmen who had made South Africa their field for fortune-hunting, mingling with the colonial-born citizens with their common low standard accents, bred in former generations 70 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. Ill In !*■! with refinement, but now to an extent degen- erated, and also the pale-faced anfcmic Dutch of the city. One was impressed with the absence of any kind of high grade standard which ruled the town, nnd noted the unthoroughness of the majority of its population. Traffic in the tumult was carried on with a superabundance of noise, and wherever one looked might be seen the bobbing of a black man, perched high on the seat of a hansom, topped with a wide, fantastic hat, and his whip snapping and cracking through the air as he wheeled off with a couple of officers of the over- crowded soldier city. Electric cars clanged up and down the streets with their passengers, for the most part, sitting on the open seats above the top. Long rows of carriages and two-wheelers stood with their rear red danger lamps flaring, at frequent intervals along the principal streets. Bells rang, announcing special war bulletins and extras at the principal newspaper offices, and people hastened through the middle of the streets, as is always their wont in Cape Town, to see what might be the latest news from the seat of war. The front of the railway depot was glutted with an idle people, and even the plat- form, where only ticket-holders were allowed, had its complement of tired travellers. In the single decent opera house of which the city boasts, people flocked to hear a mediocre play, and between the acts sauntered out to the small, round, marble-topped tables at the landing WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 71 in front of the main entrance, where men and women dranlc and laughed together, where there was a constant clinking of glasses, a jovial spirit over all, and little thought of the war, even in their own colony, in which we had come to take part. In the hotels hasty accommodation was given to the hordes who flocked there for food, shelter and drink. Bars were crowded behind with busy bar-maids, whose deep blushes, which could be procured at any apothecary shop, were not as enduring as the glib tongues they used to banter the joking customers. In front of the long counters of the sample rooms, soldiers, civilians and sailors, stood drinking deep the health of the E' .pi re, though I must admit the sailors gen- erally took refuge for their tottering sea legs on the long benches provided for the incapacitated along the walls. A sailor never seems to walk as well on land as he does on the decks of hia own ship. At the corners, till late at night, close-welded groups of Kaffirs guffawed till one would imagine there was no more animation left in them, and young officers, with their cultivated military stride, brushed past, settling the plans of the whole campaign, with the weight of a nation resting prematurely on their one-starred shoul- ders. Polixjemen also, as in most other cities, walked around, being careful to keep out of the mud, and enjoyed the metropolitan panorama as well as did any other class of persons. f :' : H I ) Ml * M 72 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANL^. It was Cape Town at night —it was not Canada. We did not expect it, nor did we prefer it. Down at the ship reveilU sounded unusually early on the morning of the 30th of November — at 4,30 — but even then, there was scarcely need for the call, for the soldiers were awake before the sun began to play on the top of Table Mountain. Though the night in dock had been one of some sleep, it was more one of antici- pation. Excited soldiers did their last packing up, and prepared their movable houses and belongings for the fray. They talked of Boers and bayonets, and referred to scalps as would the chief of a Comanche tribe of Indians. However, their bold boasts ceased and their excitement abated b^ eight o'clock, when they were marched off the boat, and again had their feet on land, which they had not even touched for exactly one month. Parade and inspection, and the well-pleased look of the Colonel, augured well for the day. Cape Town was en fete with flags, bunting and decorations in honor of the colonials, it having been the intention of the citizens to give a double welcome to the Australians and Canadians, but since the lanky men from the Antipodes had preceded us a couple of days in landing, the men of the Royal Canadians had this particular piece of loyalty shown in their honor alone. People who had not had a previous chance of seeing even part of the Canadian regiment, were out in IK- WITH THE ROYAL CANADIi^NS. 73 ida. [ally iber [cely ^ake fable )een itici- force to give the men of the Dominion a welcome which time cannot efface from their memories. One might justly be proud of that thousand who wore the maple leaf on the morning of dis- embarkation, for truly they (jonducted themselves in the most soldierly manner. With heads up, eyes straight iii front of them, with shoulders well thrown back, they tramped with a steady swing, through their line of march, never looking to the right or left, till out over the winding and dusty road they came to their camping ground overlooking the ocean on the common at Green Point. It was a beautiful spot for soldiers, and a welcome change from the rocking decks of a troop-ship. The Canadian contingent pitched their tents, and got for themselves the first meal they had had together in any camp. Those who had no kharki tunics were supplied with the English article, which, by the way, was neater in appear- ance and more serviceable than the sand-colored goods sent from Canada. New boots of Eng- lish manufacture were also issued to those who needed them, while the whole regiment was radi^ it with a murderous looking clasp-knife, tied securely to tL.3 end of a stout lanyard. What service this needy article was to the men in after days is inestimable, since it combined to make a knife, a fork, and a spoon, for all the soldiers of the army on campaign. The large, sharp blade, took the place of an ordinary table knife, its width gave it ("he luxury of a spoon, and the I 'Hi 74 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. P ill trusty marlin-spike at the opposite end was brought into requisition instead of a fork, while it would even have served, if occasion demanded, as a bayonet. There was a small store not far from the camp ground, much after the style of the general store found in all Canadian hamlets, and its attrac- tiveness soon tempted the Canadian volunteers. Private Banker had not overlooked it on the dusty march to Green Point, and wondered what the Dutch sign, " Algemeene Handelaar," in white letters, meant, placed boldly over the door. On the fire*, chance he had of quietly walking through the lines, he took advantage of it, mak- ing straight for the shop which had interested him. Half-way from the camp he met his old friend of the cookhouse, the North- West Corporal. " Where are you going ? " questioned the Cor- poral, as he slipped into his pocket a bulky tin of sardines. " Going to ' procure,' " and the Private pointed to the store, with a wistful look in his eyes. " Well, there is no time for the store," said the Corporal, " the Sergeant wants all the men to unpack blankets, and you're included." The Private turned and the two walked back together. He thought he knew what was in the Corporal's pocket, but all the shifting he could do from one side of that greedy worthy to the other, could not assure him of his convictions. Not many words had been spoken till the inquisitive WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. n Private asked, "What have you got in your pocket, Corporal ? " " Oh, just some oil to take the rust out of the rifles ; they're kind of dirty from the sea air," and he looked at the other with such a sober air that the Private was convinced of the truth of the statement. That night Private Banker, late in getting out on pass, poked his head into the Corporal's tent, where there was a light. " Coming into town ? " he asked. There was no reply, as the lonely Non-com. sat devouring the last of the greasy fish, with the lie spread wide on his face. " I beg your pardon," apologized the Private, as he backed out, " I did not know you were oiling your rifle or I should not have interrupted you." There was a sickly attempt on the part of the Corporal to smile, but even that feeble effort failed, and the two, one deceitful, the other open- hearted, parted in silence. " Every dog has his day," thought the good- natured Private, as he joined a party ready for the town, " and mine will come yet." The jolly party were not long in finding their way down town, and for the first time in more than four weeks, they enjoyed a couple of hours of freedom, away from the duties of night-watch and parade. 76 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. CHAPTER XI. A NIGHT OFF AND A MEAL. ^'HAT first night off the boat for the Royal ^^ Canadian Regiment was one long to be remembered. Pleased in the extreme were they all to get their sea-legs off' and their land-legs on once more, and, to make the short epoch more enjoyable, passes from camp were given with an ungrudging hand, so that those who wished might saunter down the streets of Cape Town and see the inner workings of an African city. The liberal Canadian money-spenders were soon in evidence all over the town, treating themselves to a good time, the meaning of which on land they had almost forgotten, though I admit the idea soon came back to them, and they seemed not to have forgotten any of the essen- tial points therein. They were treated loyally and royally by members of the Imperial regiments who chanced to meet them, and who showed them the sights of the capital in so far as it lay in their power. As may be imagined, what might be called almost a raid, was made on the restaurants and cafds. It was a repetition of the Quebec experi- WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 77 ence, though waged with more vehemence, for, after an ocean voyage of 7,000 miles, appetites are much keener than they are after a couple of days' train journey. Helmets with maple leaves attached that were hung on the hat racks in certain popular res- taurants at eight o'clock were not taken down till two hours later, when the Canadians, smiling almost as blandly as an Englishman after an excellent meal, sauntered forth to see what else was good in Cape Town. Private D. was a happy volunteer that night, since the rolling of ocean waves was not to inter- rupt his otherwise peaceful sleep in the least. He was also, in the jubilation of the hour, very unsuspecting. He, with a companion, was one of the very few who did not eat first of all after getting to the city. He was rather "concert hall " inclined, and was bent on seeing " a show." The two peeped into the Grand Opera House — that was too dressy; they visited a promenade concert hall — that was too slow ; they told their troubles to a cab-driver, and he poured balm on their troubled heads, charged them ten shillings for the ointment, and threw in a drive to a " bowery " concert hall where short-skirted dancers were holding forth. Thoy smiled, were suited, and took a good seat. After the performance the two strolled down past the '* Peek Inn," a short distance away. Two doors past the saloon a bland and suave man in shirt sleeves saw them coming as he stood in the doorway of a well-lighted restaurant. II ; iii 1 i, if ;! 1 ' ' 1 ■-, I'M »i ! II 78 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. "Good-night, boy.s !" said the agreeable gentle- man ; " been to thb show ? " " Yes, sir," they answered simultaneously and with some effusion. " Well !" ejaculated the proprietor with marked surprise, " Don't you boys know yet that every person who has been in there gets a meal here, too ?" The raw volunteers did not take long to grasp the meaning of such a sentence. They looked at each other and winked, unseen by the cafd man. " Guess we're pretty lucky," whispered Private D., "good job we didn't eat before or we'd have missed the free lunch." " Rather," his friend pompously affirmed as the two seated themselves in true aldermanic style at the end of a row of unoccupied tables. "No person else in here," remarked Private D.'s friend. " No, but all the theatre people will soon be along, when they all have a meal thrown in." No waiter being in sight, the proprietor left the door and attended to his two Canadian guests himself; " Beefsteak and onions, twice ? " queried the smiling gentleman, with a genteel nod of his head. " Right you are," spoke up Private D., whq had already acquired one English phrase, which he was using on all convenient and conspicuous occasions. "Nc V. , do you gentlemen care for some dessert?" WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 79 ^P asked the man of the place in his mildest terms. " Sometimes," he went on, interesting them, " the theatre-goers who have the privilege of taking a meal here, don't care for dessert and some do — and ah ! by the way gentlemen, you have not shown me your reserved seat coupons, though I trusted your word that you had been in the theatre." The Canadians were able to show, with the greatest of felicity, their ticket stubs. " Thank you gentlemen," said the proprietor with the politeness of a polished Frenchman. " Now, your dessert order." They gave it and finished the meal. Both young soldiers went to the proprietor and shook him heartily by the hand,and each presented him with a maple leaf, the Canadian Contingent's emblem. " Thank you, gentlemen, very much," the pro- prietor said humbly, as the soldiers settled them- selves for a chat with him. " I don't see," broke out Private D., " how they can afford to throw in such a splendid meal with a two shilling opera ticket. I enjoyed it im- mensely " Nor do I," joined his friend. " We don't either," the proprietor answered, changing his tone. " Five shillings each please, and — a shilling extra for the dessert. This is no charity dining-hall." The twelve shillings were paid and the convivial conversation at once came to an end. Instead of driving back to camp in a hansom as had been y 80 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. agreed, the two, financially embarrassed, walked to the Green Point Common. Long after lights were out in their tent, and hours after the others were asleep, Private D. turned over to his fiiend and whispered, " Every person who has been to the show gets a meal here." " Yes," said his friend seriously, reflecting on the price he had to pay for it, " and the rottonest meal I ever tasted." !;ii WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 81 CHAPTER XII. OFF TO THE FIRST CAMP. ^'IRED soldiers who had prowled around Cape ^^ Town the night before, yawned like lazy young cubs as they stretched their arms and fists almost into one another's faces when reveille sounded at Green Point on Friday, the first day of December. They had not been used to such privileged delectation, and the energy they had displayed in finding the points of interest in the colony's capital had left not a few uneager to raise their weary backs from their sandy beds when the bugle blared the call to rise. Wild rumours flew through the camp on eagle wings, to a hundred different effects. According to these incoherent stories the Royal Canadians were to be at once brigaded with the Black Watch ; they were to at once garrison several important places betwen Cape Town and Kimber- ley ; they were to be in action in two days ; they were to do almost everything imaginable, but march immediately on Pretoria and occupy it. As a matter of fact no person knew definitely what they were to do, nor did those in command know from day to day during the campaign what was the next step. War is a worse place than a WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. quilting-bee or a ladies' aid society for gossip and fictitious yarns. Orders had been received, however, which stated that the Canadian regiment was to entrain that day for some place up the north country, and the men on parade that morning were given this reliable information, and were told to make all necessary arrangements. With all these vapor stories diffusing in the men's minds there was great expectation among them as they started to put in order whatever earthly belongings they were allowed to take forward with them. Of course all these unreliable reports contained as much truth, on examination, as a sieve does water. The best way for a soldier to form an opinion as to his future movements is to wait and see. The glad tidings of an immediate move light- ened the work of preparation for it, and by half- past one in the afternoon the kharki-clad Cana- dians were ready to start for the Cape Government railway station to entrain for their journey. The reception they received on the line of march was even more vociferous than the grand welcome they had been given on disembarking and marching to the Green Point Common the day before. It was the warmest tribute to the volun- teers from our Dominion which the loyal citizens of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope could give. That Canadians may know the proud send-off that their sons received on that great day, no WITH TBE ROYAL CANADIANS. better reference can bo given than the account of the ovation which appeared in the Cape Times, the largest and best publication in Cape Town, or for that matter, in Africa. Written by their own men, the description can be said to be neither tainted with the touch of a partial pen, nor even shadowed with the suggestion of any Canadian. In this connection the Cape Town Times said : — " The Cape Town railway station was yester- day the focus of popular interest, for between ten o'clock in the morning and half-past three in the afternoon the Australian Contingent (mounted and foot) and the Canadian Volunteers entrained for the north. They had a royal send-off, in spite of the probably innocent game of spoof played by the military authorities and the town- house. There were three distinct departures during the day — the Australian Infantry, the Canadian Rifles, and the Australian Mounted Detachment — and official notice had been given in terms indicative of the respective times of departure, being 11 a.m., 2.20 p.m., and 4 20 p.m. As a matter of fact the first contingent was in the railway station before 10 a.m., the Cana- dians were another hour ahead of schedule time and the mounted men from Maitland had been standing waiting in the goods yard a good hour be^ire their notified time of passing through the s^ its. No doubt there were the best of reasons for this putting forward of the clock ; they were not clear on the surface to the ordinary citizen, !iM ^ ^^^- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■li|2j |25 ■U Uii |2.2 lU liO 1.4 11.6 ^ /: .> 7 <^ i \ 84 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. in t who wanted to show his enthuHiasm and admira- tion for his brother colonists' gritty loyalty. Neither were they appreciated by the hundreds and hundreds of ladies and children who stood patiently in the streets after the contingents had gone by, and wondered when the troops would pass. Cheers rolled upward from the massed thousands, shot with ciies of ' Good old Victoria ! ' ' Come back safe, boys ! ' ' Give it 'em warm ! ' and other shouts in which overcharged hearts find the alternative to hysterical displays of emo- tion. So it was with the Canadians' progress through the city. Surely never before did such a gigantic throng of people gather in the streets ; they began in thin fringes at Bree street, and ended in immovable masses of men and women in Adderley Street, from Parliament House to the station — immovable only as far as change of place goes. Packed in rows on footpath and roadway, they greeted the men off to the front with volley after volley of cheers, waved hats, handkerchiefs, sunshades, hands. Not a soul was silent, but each vied with the other in giving voice to the admiration and half- sorrowful regard they felt for the gallant sons of the * Lady of the Snows ' going light-heartedly to grapple with those who would dare assail the old lion. It is no stretch of language to say that the city was moved as it never before was stirred, and the troops caught the contagion. It was thus that ail the loyal people of Cape Town acted, and those from Britain's fair Dominion felt that WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 85 it was one of the proudest moments of their lives, and a send-off such as had not been dreamed of." When the Canadian Contingent was about ready to depart, His Excellency, Sir Alfred Milder, the Governor-General of the Colony, drove to the station and held a levee at the steps of our cars. He was accompanied by Mr. T. Ball, Mayor, and Mr. C. J. Byworth, the City Clerk. All the gentlemen wished the soldiers of Canada a pleasant trip and a happy and speedy return, and heartily congratulated Col. Otter and his staff on the fine appearance of the men, and their pluck and loyalty in taking a practical hand in the fortunes of the Mother Country. The regiment entrained quietly and in an orderly manner, and at once the kind ladies of the city began to distribute luxuries through the windows to the men, who were packed, though not uncomfortably, into the second and third class carriages. Sandwiches, tobacco and canvas water-bags, were the principal gifts presented to a battalion, which showed a hearty appreciation o£ the citizens' though tfulness at such a time. The massed multitude sent up a hearty ** Good- bye," and " God bless you." At the same time the Boers were bidding their fighters the same parting tributes as they left for the front from Pretoria. Right was appar- ently on both soldiers* sides. They met half way between the two st?-uing points, and settled the dispute at Paardeberg. m WSSB' 86 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. Sir Alfred Milner, the Governor-General of Cape Colony, stood on the platform as the two Canadian trains pulled out, and his last words were to wish the men God-speed and a quick return. First started the carriages containing the right half battalion and their officers, «E,""F,""G" and " H " companies; and after them the western men and officers of "A," "B," "C" and "D" companies were sent away. At last the Canadians had started, and, as the train made good time up the single track line of the Cape Government railway, with its many switches and curves, there were new sights and new ideas for the soldiers. After they had minutely examined the interior fixings of the cars, and had learned the use of all the peculiar devices in connection with them, they turned their active attention to viewing the country. Every available window accom- modated two or three close-cropped Canadian heads, eagerly peering out on the landscapes new to them. The engines puffed and grunted up the steep grade of the Karroo desert, and vomited out their black smoke till the air was thick with cinders. Out to the noi-th of the capital the railway passes through some of the best grain-growing and grazing country in the Colony. This was told the men, and they believed it. It was true, but no ocular demonstration of the fact presented WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 87 itself. Compared with any part of Canada it was a desolate country, with no sign of life save the huts of the black people, built here and there along the railway, where plenteous families eked out an existence on apparently nothing, their sole occupation seeming to be to dart from their low-built dwellings, half a dozen in succession, and cheer frantically as the train dashed past. " How do they live ? " asked Private D. after long reflection and continued study of their barren surroundings. "On free meals after the opera, I suppose," said his friend of the night before, who sat beside him, with no small degree of irony ; and the discussion of the question came to an abrupt end. There was one grand sight on the way up — as there was during nearly every night of the campaign — and that was the glorious and attrac- tive sunset. Could an artist paint one of those most wonderful scenes in South Africa, and pre- sent it to people who had never been bewildered by the actual sight, they would not believe that the painter had not had some flight of fancy far from the reality of his work. The train had not yet travelled through the actual kopje country, so that there was a plain desert over which to watch that first wonderful fading of the sun. Were a whole chapter to be devoted to an African sunset, it would not suffice, and were a volume written to describe this, God's picture of heaven in the sky, the words would be woefully 88 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. ill wanting when compared with those few last moments of light on the Dark Continent. There was a fair blue sky overhead, with here and there a breathless, fleecy cloud, hanging timidly from the dome of the universe. Near the horizon, banked, as if preparing for conflict, more vaporous shapes edged close together ready for attack, and then, seemingly by signal, the sun, blood-red, rushed in behind them and flashed through his unstable enemy a million golden spears, broken at times where they met too strong a foeman, but shattering others in their ruddy glare and dispersing them. Then, as a huge show- man with his heavenly views, he metamorphosed his slain obstructionists, and laughed as he poured on them his kaleidoscopic light. Tall forests grew up in the clouds, and even the wind seemed to shake the towering branches as they dulled and faded in the sky. Silver lakes, purple islands and golden streams were pictured in that magnificent changing panorama above the hori- zon, living for a moment, and then giving way to wonderful cold, grey castles, with bright- tipped turrets, guarded by terrible black giants as the sun turned his light from the paling palaces. Lightning clefts in the ruins of these phantom pictures showed the last warm, red tints of the evening. Then the reds raced into purples, and the purples plunged to greys. The gilded, glittering, dancing ocean of sand, between the spectator and the sun, rushed back to its mighty source in the west, and rolled abundantly WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 89 and precipitously back over the farthest edge of the fading earth. The sun sank instantly— and it was dark. " Worcester ! " shouted the guard of the train, as the contingent rolled in at a small station of that name, and stopped for a moment at the edge of the stone-built platform. ** What a * saucy ' name," said Private Banker, " I suppose we eat here, this station savors of beefsteak." " You haven't time chum," offered the guard, who overheard the remark, and saved the North- West Corporal, who was in the same compart- ment, the trouble of using these gloomy words. " Matjesfontein next station !" the guard shouted as the train pulled out. " That sounds like a hot meal," the ex-banker went on, keeping up his spirits by jesting a little. " I'll bet we don't get any ' scoff ' (food) there either," joined in his comforting Corporal, as he joyfully eyed a neat parcel of tinned sausage, resting quietly in the luggage-rack above him, and which he had procured in Cape Town. Then he continued: — "Say, Banker, you're always thinking of something to eat." " Well," answered the Private, as he brushed the mist off the car window, and peered out into the darkness, " you know your's is not the only rusty rifle in the regiment. There are others." The discourse at once drifted on to more general topics, and the engines still snorted along the 7 90 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. - straight steel path, which, but for the glare of the brilliant headlight, was as black as Hades itself. Songs, conversation, and an impromptu jig or two occupied the soldiers' hours, till, within a few miles of Matjesfontein, they were all able to take in a couple of hitches in their belts, reminding them that the inner man, though still alive, would be glad of a little more attention. Three short blows of the piercing whistle of the engine, an inconsistent slackening of the speed of the train, a sudden jolt, and all beads were thrust out of the window. " Matjesfontein ! " yelled the train guard. " All out for twenty minutes' refreshments ! !" North- West Corporal was already on the plat- form, followed in quarter-column by every other man of the Royal Canadian Regiment. There was a good meal provided, the scene of the eating of .which I shall leave to the reader to depict for himself. Instead of the " All aboard ! " heard at the stations in this country, the guard shouted out, according to the English custom, " All seats, please ! " and, at the expiration of half an hour, to the signal of the swinging to and fro of the guard's green lantern, the Canadians with belts pressed back to their normal notches, were again whirling north through the thick of a starless night. As best they could the soldiers stowed them- selves away to sleep on the rough berths over- head and on the seats, tossing often for choice of WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 91 position, the loser of course having to improvise some plan whereby he could rest his nodding head. By and by all was quiet on the train, and the occasional saw-mill sound of a snoring soldier, and the rumbling of the spoked-wheels of the railway carriages, was all that could be heard ; but these were no disturbance to the tired tourists. The next station. Three Sisters, was scarce a stopping place, but the engineer pulled up for orders. " Three Sisters ! " roared the guard at the top of his voice, as he jumped from his van at the back of the train, and, mirabile dictu, five hundred heads that were supposed to be sleeping were in an instant shot out of the Canadian cars in a very enquiring way. A few miles farther north was another pecu- liarly named depot. " Biesjes Bull ! " hollered the ever watchful guard, as the train paused there. " I'd like to see it," whispered Private D. to his friend, who was hedged in behind him, the two in a single birth, " you know we keep cattle at home." " I heard something bump," the friend mur- mured from out his smothering sleeping place, " I wouldn't wonder if we killed the poor beast — but never mind — it's Boers we're after, not bulls," and the two turned face-on, and went to sleep again. Still climbing the steep incline the panting trains persevered and, passing in turn Grasberg, l4 i w 92 WITH THK ROYAL CANADIANS. Victoria Road, Richmond Road (where Surgeon- Captain Osborne, of Hamilton, Ontario, who had come out with the contingent, was stationed for duty), Deelfontein and Mynfontein, landed the first half of the Canadian regiment at De Aar Junction at 3 o'clock on Sunday morning, Decoiii- ber 3rd. The left half arrived an hour later. The five-hundred-raile trip lasted some fort}'- four hours, and here, in a village of 600 popula- tion, 4,180 feet above the level of the sea, the men of the Royal Canadians pitched their tents for their first short camp up country. WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. 98 CHAPTER XIII. <.i,- "■'t-' IN THE SANDS OF DE AAR. yyi FOUR days' stay at De Aar Junction was ^^ enough for any civilized body of men, for, when it is considered that the scene in the first chapter is a typical example of the atmospheric conditions there, it is surely explanation enough why whe soldiers were ever ready to leave this important strategical point and proceed farther north. The Canadian regiment marched a short dis- tance to their quiet camping ground to the east of the station, and as they plodded along in step, stirring up the pulverized sand, the first choking sensations of this camp came to them. The battalion tramped down a slow incline and over a rotten bridge. They were swinging along in splendid style, and they started to take the bridge in the same way. "Break step, men!" shouted Capt. Weeks ot " G " Company, " never go over a bridge in step, because the strain is liable to break it down." They broke step and ever after they knew how to cross a bridge. On the circle of almost inaccessible kopjes, which all but surrounded De Aar, the Royal ■, f^ 94 WITH THE ROYAL CANADIANS. Engineers had already done some excellent work, buildin