This is the first time that the Knolly Estate has allowed the great man's memoirs to be published. What follows is the seventeenth chapter of 'The African Adventure'.

Mrs DeVries Pt 1

The Regimental wagons rolled South at barely more than a walking pace but this gave Bertie and I much time to reflect on our current situation. Being shot at certainly focuses the mind but bumbling along induces the mind to do likewise. It was strange to think, for instance, that England was now well into Autumn whilst here we were coming to the end of =Spring and into Summer. I remarked on this to my good friend who went at great depths to explain the whole thing scientifically until I put a spanner in the works and asked him to prove that the World wasn't flat after all. You see what I mean now about a wandering mind. Perhaps Bertie was correct in his observation that we'd been out in the sun to long.

Suffice to say it took a good week or so to reach our destination and the pair of us seemed to distance ourselves from the troops. During that time I became quite fluent in the clicks of the native tongue, much to the disgust of some of the men of the Light Horse who thought that I was wasting my time and became even more horrified at the grasp of English that our driver 'Freddie' now had. Bertie, too, was able to mend the balloon as much as he could in transit and also managed to go off now and again with some of our new found native friends to bring home a springbok or two when rations became low. I hadn't seen him so happy since we'd first arrived at Mrs Grey's establishment.

By my reckoning it was towards the end of October when we noticed, about midday, a cloud of dust on the horizon coming towards us.

'Trouble, Knolly?' enquired Bertie as he saw me pointing.

'Difficult to tell, but they certainly seem to be in a hurry. Bertie, my field glasses please.'

I then asked Freddie his opinion to which he just shrugged his shoulders. Well I thought at least he's not worried. Bertie handed me the binoculars and I stood up and focused them quickly. Behind me I heard my friend ready his rifle with a satisfying click. Around us the other wagons had all pulled up and the troopers on board were spilling out and taking up defensive positions.

I chuckled to myself as I brought the image into focus, and handed the binoculars to Bertie. I called out to the men 'It's OK chaps, it's horses and I do believe that they are yours!'

A mighty cheer went up as hats and shots were fired up into the air. Bertie continued to look to the distance and I noticed a smile on his face.

I poked him in the ribs 'Well, are you going to let me in on the joke?'

'Ow! Steady on Knolly. It's just that you should have held on to these a bit longer and you would have seen that one of the riders is a woman. I do believe that we are about to meet the Light Horses' Commander in Chief.'

'What! Give me those!... hmmm. Now remember Bertie if anyone asks, the balloon will not fly again.'

He pulled a face, 'I know!'

Bertie, of course, was correct. There, riding at the head of the column, was a fine figure of a woman. She rode like a man and was dressed in the uniform of her regiment. As soon as she had sight of us she spurred her horse to gallop. Her hat flew off as she let her beast have its head and her raven black hair flew out behind her like a banner. The rest of her group did likewise and formed up around her in line abreast formation in a brilliant display of equestrianism. As they came up to the wagons she raised her hand and the group slowed to canter then trot and then stopped a few yards from us. Bertie and I leaped down and applauded the skill as did the rest of the troopers. She dismounted as did the rest and came striding towards us. Ahead of her came Monty and flanking her were Stumpy, Doc and Domino.

'Knolly, Bertie,' puffed Monty 'May I present Mrs Elspeth DeVries.'

I doffed my hat took the proffered gloved hand and kissed it lightly trying to avoid the dust. 'Madam, may I commend you on your seat.'

She smiled sweetly as if embarrassed. 'Knolly, I am pleased to make your acquaintance at last, I have heard so much about you from your old school friends that I couldn't resist the opportunity to ride out in person'.

Here it was my turn to go slightly crimson. 'Mrs DeVries I'm sure they do me an injustice.' I looked over her shoulder at four giggling idiots. 'But let me present to you my friend Bertie Harrison-Harrison.'

She grinned at his name. 'Ah... the erstwhile intrepid balloon pilot.'

Bertie smiled back with a smile I'd seen all too often. 'Mrs DeVries, I see my fame, too, travels before me.' He went to kiss her hand but she moved it before he had the chance and turned back to face me. A hurt look passed across his face and he went over to the old boys.

'You both ride I presume?' she asked.

'But of course.' I replied, thinking that here was yet another very direct woman who had entered our lives.

'Good show. You must ride with me and the boys back to Headquarters. I'm sure you and Mr Harrison-Harrison would like a hot bath as soon as possible and something other than field rations.'

Bertie picked up on this 'A bath!!'

'It would seem that's settled then.' she laughed. 'Captain Stump, sort out something decent for these ah... gentlemen to ride whilst they sort out what they want to bring with them.'

Stumpy muttered something along the line of 'gentlemen pah!' and the others laughed. She took my arm and walked me over to the wagon. Bertie came with us and started sorting through our kit. He passed me his rifle.

'My, my, Knolly, what a splendid weapon!' she said raising her eybrows. 'Something my lads could all do with. May I?' She snatched it from my grasp and started to peer down its sights.

She looked at Bertie. 'German, then? A present, perhaps, much like that which you are currently holding in your hands?'

Bertie looked down to find he was holding something spangly of Felicity's and, for once, he was lost for words.

'Gifts for the natives.' I interjected and snatched the article of clothing from Bertie. 'But accept it as gift from us as I'm sure you would do it justice.'

She took the garment and held it up against her. Sequins sparkled in the sun. 'I'm not one for dressing up, but dinner tonight will be a special occasion so I shall accept.' She threw the dress across her shoulder, handed the rifle back and turned to the back of the wagon. ' So this is all that remains of the contraption that brought you here, yes?'

'I'm afraid so. Bertie fears it will not fly again. Ain't that right Bertie?'

Bertie nodded as he fossicked around in his bag for his spare ammunition.

She looked at me with a puzzled look. 'That's odd. I'm sure that Captain LeBoeuf informed otherwise and he is seldom mistaken.'

This I was ready for. 'It's true we did tell Monty that we thought it may fly again but, during our trek, Bertie has had much time to examine it.'

She stuck her bottom lip out in a petulant manner which seemed to suit her and thought about this. 'Well it doesn't matter, I was just looking forward to a flight and Cecil will be most disappointed.'

Knowing full well to whom she was referring I decided to play the giddy goat. 'If it will make things easier I will bare these tidings to your husband...'

'My husband... Cecil? You mock me, sir.' and she giggled. 'Knolly I am divorced... there, does that shock you? My husband Johan is a Boer and left me for another. To spite him and his kin I kept the name until I have helped to sweep them from the African continent.' Her eyes had a fury in them and she bared he teeth as she almost spat those last words out. She meant every word she said and it explained a great deal about her formation of the Regiment.

She sat down as though worn out by her own outburst and continued. 'There, you see what you made me do? No, do not apologise. You were not to know my history, loves or hates. As for the Cecil I referred to, why he is none other than Mr Cecil Rhodes who is currently staying with me along with some of his friends. Now here is Captain Stump with our horses.'

I helped her up and then on to her horse. She looked down at me as she set her hat back on her head and grinned. 'Let's see how well you ride then, sir. Your mount is called Rupert.' and with that she dug in her heels and leaped away. 'Catch me if you can' she called.

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