Diary of Ebenezer 'Edward' Barron, 1901 - Part 5

[[?]] who [[?]] all [[?]]
and they must [[???]]
[[?]] we had a short
but sharp [[?]]
we had no [[?]]
but they had 6 killed
& 14 wounded - A few
days before we arrived
we went out about

here we went out about
100 of us on patrol calling
at farms in the early a.m.

to see if any stray Boers
were to be caught but
we had no success not
one Boer could we find
On the third day we camped

at a farm & was just getting
ready to light fires for dinner
when [[?]] down came the
rain in torrents. Thunder
& lightning galore. & we had
just to be satisfied with

what dry food we had with
us. I had Bread butter &
marmalade - & a drink
of milk after which I
got at farm. At 2 o clock
orders were given. Saddle
up which was done in
quick time. I can assure
you the rain still pouring
off we went some of the
men searing & growling
generally & when about

half an hour out - you
talk about a Blizzard well
that is nothing compared
to it. The horses refused
to go & formed front out of
their own a accord - turning their
heads to the storm

we stood there till it

abated somewhat &

then off again. I am not

exagerating when I say that

the water was running out

of the lace holes in my

boots running down all

over me like a shower

bath although I had

a cavalry cloak on.

which will keep out the 

rain for a whole day (that

is an ordinary days rain)

well just after dark

we got to camp where

[[?]] was not a bit

of stick to light a fire

or anything in the way

of comfort. The rain 

by this time had [[?]]

only coming in [[?]]

occasional showers so

I looked out a flat rock

just about the size for

my bed & raised above

the level of the ground

and spreading my bed

while was sopping wet

on top of it stripped &

turned in, The rain came

down again, but I was so

[[?]] and done up that I went

to sleep & continues to do 

so peacefully until morning

when to my surprise I woke

as fresh as a daisy & had

none of the pains I made

spring mind to have  [[?]]

[[?]]

Friends from home give

as sound advice Not

on any account to sleep

in wet clothes well I took

it & stripped myself of

everything & got into sopping

wet blankets which I 

think was the better of the 

two evils - Freinds forget

that we often have to take 

the shirt we are wearing

off, & wash it, getting it

dried again before putting

it on (we cannot go to

bed during the operation)

When I got wet & in fact

for two months I have

not had a clean [[?]]

[[?]] shirt nor socks.

Xmas passed very

quietly very little activity

church parade on Xmas

day & [[?]] about along

this & that to put the 

time in nice bathe

occasionally in the water

we have to drink.

D^r Matter

2^nd T I B

As the column has moved

off, come up as quickly 

as possible  so that we

can overtake them

Yours [[?]]

E Barron Cpl

 

 

 

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