President. Major-General J.C. Bates , U.S. Army. Vice-President. Lieutenant-Colonel Jas. S. Pettit , U.S. Infantry. Assistant Adjutant-General. Secretary and Treasurer. Captain Benjamin Alvord , General Staff. Executive Council. Lieutenant-Colonel James S. Pettit , U.S. Infantry, A.A.G. Major Wm. P. Evans , U.S. Infantry, A.A.G. Major John S. Mallory , 12th Infantry, G.S. Captain Benjamin Alvord , 25th Infantry, G.S. Captain H.C. Hale , 15th Infantry, G.S. Captain C.H. Muir , 2d Infantry, G.S. C

Upon an evening after a long and tiring trek, I arrived at Dreamdorp. The local atmosphere, combined with a heavy meal, are responsible for the following nightmare, consisting of a series of dreams. To make the sequence of the whole intelligible, it is necessary to explain that, though the scene of each vision was the same, yet by some curious mental process I had no recollection of the place whatsoever. In each dream the locality was totally new to me, and I had an entirely fresh detachment. Th

"Any fool can get into a hole."— Old Chinese proverb. "If left to you, for defence make spades."— Bridge Maxim. I felt lonely, and not a little sad, as I stood on the bank of the river near Duffer's Drift and watched the red dust haze, raised by the southward departing column in the distance, turn slowly into gold as it hung in the afternoon sunlight. It was just three o'clock, and here I was on the banks of the Silliaasvogel river, left behind by my column with a party of fifty N.C.O.'s and men

I suddenly found myself dumped down at Duffer's Drift with the same orders as already detailed, and an equal detachment composed of entirely different men. As before, and on every subsequent occasion, I had ample stores, ammunition, and tools. My position was precisely similar to my former one, with this important exception, running through my brain were four lessons. As soon as I received my orders, therefore, I began to make out my plan of operations without wasting any time over the landscape

I was at Duffer's Drift on a similar sunny afternoon and under precisely similar conditions, except that I now had seven lessons running through my mind. I at once sent out two patrols, each of one N.C.O. and three men, one to the north and one to the south. They were to visit all neighboring farms and kraals and bring in all able-bodied Dutchmen and boys and male Kaffirs—by persuasion if possible, but by force if necessary. This would prevent the news of our arrival being carried around to any

Again did I find myself facing the same problem, this time with ten lessons to guide me. I started off by sending out patrols, as described in my last dream, but their orders were slightly different. All human beings were to be brought into our post, and any animals which could be of use to the enemy were to be shot, as we had no place for them. For my defensive post I chose the position already described in my last dream, which seemed very suitable, for the reasons already given. We consequentl

Again I faced the same task with a fresh mind and fresh hopes, all that remained with me of my former attempts being nineteen lessons. Having detailed the two patrols and the guard on Waschout Hill as already described, I spent some twenty minutes—whilst the stores, etc., were being arranged—in walking about to choose a position to hold in the light of my nineteen lessons. I came to the conclusion that it was not any good being near the top of a hill and yet not at the top. I would make my post

Once more was I fated to essay the task of defending Duffer's Drift. This time I had twenty-two lessons below my belt to help me out, and in the oblivion of my dream I was saved that sense of monotony which by now may possibly have overtaken you, "gentle reader." After sending out the patrols, and placing a guard on Waschout Hill, as already described, and whilst the stores were being collected, I considered deeply what position I should take up, and walked up to the top of Waschout Hill to spy