Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/551

 INCLUSIVE EDITION, 1885-1918 533

Same splash o' pink on the stoep or the kraal, An' the same quiet face which 'as finished with all In the section, the pompom, an six 'undred men.

Out o' the wilderness, dusty an' dry

(Time, an 'igh time to be trekkin again /) '00 is it 'eads to the Detail Supply ?

A section, a pompom, an six 'undred men.

THE PARTING OF THE COLUMNS

". . . On the th instant a mixed detachment of Colonials left - for Cape Town, there to rejoin their respective homeward-bound contingents, after fifteen months' service in the field. They were escorted to the station by the regular troops in garrison and the bulk of Colonel - 's column, which has just come in to refit, preparatory to further operations. The leave-taking was of the most cordial character, the men cheering each other continuously.

Any Newspaper, during the South African War.

'VE rode and fought and ate and drunk as rations

come to hand, Together for a year and more around this stinkin* land: Now you are goin' home again, but we must see it through. We needn't tell we liked you well. Good-bye good luck to

you!

You 'ad no special call to come, and so you doubled out, And learned us how to camp and cook an' steal a horse and

scout.

Whatever game we fancied most, you joyful played it too, And rather better on the whole. Good-bye good luck to

you!

There isn't much we 'ave n't shared, since Kruger cut and run, The same old work, the same old skoff 1 the same old dust and sun;

Food.