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.. meta::
   :PG.Id: 41511
   :PG.Title: Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege
   :PG.Released: 2012-11-29
   :PG.Rights: Public Domain
   :PG.Producer: Al Haines
   :DC.Creator: \F. \D. Baillie
   :DC.Title: Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege
   :DC.Language: en
   :DC.Created: 1900
   :coverpage: images/img-cover.jpg

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MAFEKING: A DIARY OF A SIEGE
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      :alt: Cover

      Cover

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      :alt: WRECKING THE ARMOURED TRAIN AT KRAAIPAN.

      WRECKING THE ARMOURED TRAIN AT KRAAIPAN.

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      MAFEKING

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      A Diary of the Siege

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      BY
      MAJOR \F. \D. BAILLIE

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      LATE IVTH (\Q.\O.) HUSSARS

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      :alt: SIGNALLING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN.

      SIGNALLING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN.

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      *WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS*

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      WESTMINSTER
      ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & COMPANY, LTD.
      1900

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   Prefatory Note

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I must crave the indulgence of the public
for producing a more or less rough form of
diary in the form of a book, and it is only
the interest which they have manifested in
Mafeking which has induced me to do so.
To the proprietor of *The Morning Post* I am
indebted for his kindness in allowing me to
re-publish the diary in book form.  To the
proprietors of *The Daily Graphic* I am indeed
grateful for the sketches with which they
have allowed me to supplement my diary.
Such as it is, I dedicate it to all members
of my dear old regiment, past and present.
Four of us were serving there: myself, and
Private Brierly, B squadron, now B.S.A.P.,
Private Williams and Private Lambart,
D squadron (the former now sergeant),
Protectorate Regiment, while the adjutant of
the I.L.H. portion of the relieving force was
Captain Barnes, also B squadron. These are
only matters of regimental interest, but as
the publication is dedicated to the regiment,
I feel justified in giving these details.

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   \F. \D. BAILLIE, Major,
   *late 4th Queen's Own Hussars.*

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   The Siege of Mafeking

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"War declared to-night, October 10th, 1899,
by old Kruger.  So much the better, this
intolerable waiting is over."  This I find is the
entry in my diary for that date, but little did
I know we were about to commence the
"Siege of Mafeking"--a much more intolerable
wait, with the additional pleasure of
being fired at without the chance of returning
it with effect.

Till you have experienced it no one (at
least I hadn't) has any idea how trying it is
to exist without news of the outside world.

On October 11th nothing happened.  On
the 12th, the Protectorate Regiment under
Colonel Hore took up a position on the
eastern heights, which overlook the town
and waited attack.  The Boers, however, did not arrive.

In the meantime the town defences under
Colonel Vyvyan and Major Panzera were
progressing apace.  We had only quite
recently been enabled to do anything in that
direction, owing to the repressive policy of
the Bond Ministry.  Therefore the defences
at this time consisted merely of a few
breastworks, wagons drawn across the ends of
roads leading on to the market square, and
a few strands of barbed wire fastened up on
these points.

October 13th, 1899.  In the morning the
same programme; the Boers reported to the
south and also to the north.  Whilst lying on
the heights--if they can be so called--we saw
a magnificent sight.  For safety two trucks
of dynamite were being run up to a northern
siding clear of the town.  About eight miles
out the Boers commenced firing.  The
engine-driver uncoupled his trucks and ran his
engine back towards the town.  The Boers
closed in and continued firing, thinking it
was the armoured train.  Result--a terrific
explosion, a column of smoke shooting up
into the air and mushrooming out until it
became a vast cloud in the clear blue sky.
In the afternoon I went out in the armoured
train to inspect the damage, but they had
pulled up the line short of the spot.  We
opened with a Maxim on the body of Boers
engaged in inspecting the hole and bagged
a couple.  The remainder galloped in the
utmost confusion towards their laager.

The armoured train had previously been
out in the morning due south and bagged
one, and went out again in the same direction
on its return, under Captain Williams, and
secured another.

October 14th, 1899.  The fight to-day
may be summarized thus: Boers firing on
the picquets; Boer retirement harassed by
the armoured train, which was eventually
supported by one squadron, which engaged
the retreating Boers heavily.  The Boers
tried to cut them off, but the arrival of
another squadron and a seven-pounder
settled the matter.  Their attack was repelled
with great loss, and we retired to our lines.

Whilst we were at breakfast firing was
heard in the direction of the cemetery to the
north of the town, and shortly afterwards
increased in volume; then came the bark of
the Maxim, the boom of heavy guns and the
increasing rattle of musketry.  D squadron
of the Protectorate Regiment was ordered out
to support the armoured train.  We waited
on the Market Square knowing nothing,
hearing only the heavy fire.

What had transpired was this: a squadron
of the Protectorate Regiment commanded by
Lord Charles Bentinck had furnished a strong
patrol to discover the whereabouts of the
Boers.  He happened to come upon them about
four miles out.  They promptly pursued and
tried to cut him off.  The Corporal with his
right flank patrol galloped on to the armoured
train, and on his own initiative directed it to
move out in support.  The Boers were driven
back, hotly engaged by the armoured train,
in charge of Captain Williams, British South
Africa Police, a train which was constructed
and conducted by Lieutenant More, Railway
Volunteers.  The train drove their artillery
from two positions; their shells burst all
round, under and over the train, and, strange
to say, only two men were slightly scratched.

.. _`THE CREW OF THE H.M.S. "FIREFLY."`:

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   :alt: THE CREW OF THE H.M.S. "FIREFLY."

   THE CREW OF THE H.M.S. "FIREFLY."

At that period Captain Fitzclarence arrived,
and engaged the Boers who were withdrawing,
firing at the armoured train, towards their
own laager.  To explain the situation now,
I must describe the field of battle.  The
railway runs due north and south of Mafeking.
The Boers' laager about eight miles N.N.E. of
the town.  The train had driven the enemy
about five miles and a half back from the town,
therefore by this divergence, when Captain
Fitzclarence came into action he had perforce lost
the effective support of the train, and the
squadron fought on its own account.  It
numbered about seventy men: it faced about
five or six hundred.  Two orderlies were sent
to Captain Fitzclarence and the armoured train
to tell them to fall back, one on a bicycle who
was captured, and the other on horseback.

Now to show the advantage of khaki
as a fighting colour on the well-bleached
Veldt.  The horseman rode up to the Boers
and was fired upon.  He then galloped along
the front of, and through and along the rear
of our own men without seeing a man,
delivered his message to the armoured train, and
returned to seek his invisible friends
unsuccessfully.  His horse was shot, and he returned
to Mafeking on an engine.  In at least two
instances he was within thirty yards of his
own men and could not see them.  The dark
clothing of the Boers is, however, more
conspicuous, but with smokeless powder and
khaki the firing line even at short ranges is
invisible as a target.

To return to the actual fight.  The Boers
pelted by a well-directed fire returned a wild
and ineffectual one.  The incidents of the
fight commenced.  Two cousins, Corporals
Walshe and Parland, Irishmen, and men of
means who had joined not for pay but for
patriotism, quickly fell, both shot through the
head by the same Dutchman, who was
ensconced in a tree, but unfortunately for himself
he let fall a piece of paper which caught the
quick eye of Private Wormald, who promptly
picked him off like a rook.  Several other
Dutchmen in like positions met the same fate.
This treatment did not appeal to the Boer,
who came out to shoot and not to be shot
at, and so he made his usual move to work
round and cut off the squadron from their base.

At the distance the squadron was from the
line (over three quarters of a mile), and at the
angle it was to the line, in addition to the
difficulty with smokeless powder of telling
friend from foe, it was impossible for the
armoured train to act.  Previous to this they
had been supported by a troop of A squadron
under Lieutenant Brady who was wounded on
coming into action.  The situation was
distinctly serious, their flank was nearly turned,
and the Boers had almost interposed
themselves between the squadron and Mafeking;
at this critical juncture Lord Charles Bentinck
and two more troops with a seven-pound gun
arrived within striking distance.  Two rounds
of shrapnel and the Boers commenced
retiring.  When their retirement was assured
D squadron withdrew, placing their wounded
in the armoured train.  The fight was over.

Surgeon-Major Anderson, who had had his
horse shot, attended to the wounded throughout
the fight in the firing line.  Our losses
were two killed, twelve wounded, two of whom
subsequently died.  Four horses killed, twelve
wounded.  Boer losses reported eighty killed,
about twice that number wounded.

Too much credit cannot be given to
Captain Fitzclarence and Lord Charles
Bentinck for the coolness and gallantry
with which they handled their men, or to the
men for the way they responded, and what
is said of them applies in the same degree
to Captain Williams and the men of the
British South Africa Police and Railway
Volunteers engaged.  The Boers had fought
in the scrubb, in vastly superior numbers
and had been thoroughly beaten.

The strain on Colonel Baden-Powell and
the headquarter staff must indeed have been
great.  For four hours they were anxiously
waiting, reports were not favourable, and they
knew that a disaster to a small force engaged
risked the whole defence as there was literally
not another man to send to their support.
Indeed one squadron engaged was actually a
part of the defence of the northern portion of
the town.  On the return of the wounded a train
with a relief party under Major Baillie with
Father Ogle, and Mr. Peart, Wesleyan
minister, went to recover the bodies, and if
necessary to render assistance to any wounded
Boers who might have been left in the
retreat.  The train stopped near the scene
of the action and the party with stretchers,
preceded by a large Red Cross flag,
moved towards the spot.  They were fired on
about half a mile before they reached it, and
as the firing increased it was decided to
retire as the men were known to be dead,
and all the wounded were brought in.

This they did quietly, the Boers in the
meantime were working round to the line to
cut them off from the train.  The train returned
to Mafeking, and on a report being made to
Colonel Baden-Powell he addressed a letter
of remonstrance to General Cronje.

15th, Sunday.  Landau and pair, with
huge Red Cross flag, arrived containing
Dr. Pirow, Cronje's doctor, who came to lunch.
He explained that the firing on the Red Cross
was a mistake, as the Boers thought that the
train was the armoured train returning, and
gave us news of Lieutenant Nesbitt and our
prisoners of the armoured train which has been
captured at Kraaipan.  He took whisky and
beer back with him for Cronje.  Sunday is
a tacit truce with both parties, and no fighting
goes on.  I suppose we are the only two
Nations who would observe it.  The ambulance
went out and fetched in the dead.  They
were buried by moonlight by Father Ogle,
a most impressive ceremony.  The Father
said a few words to the effect that it was
a righteous war, and that the Sisters were
praying for us.

16th, Monday.  The Boers brought up two
twelve-pounders to a long-range position
N.-E. of the town and commenced bombarding.
They drove in our picquet at the head
of the waterworks and occupied the trench.
They directed their fire mainly on the town
and station, consequently did most damage in
the convent, which was flying the Red Cross
and was fitted up as a hospital.  The shells
that missed the convent struck the centre
of the town, but did little harm.  The shells
that missed the station pitched round the
B.S.A.P. fort, which was occupied by
Colonel Hore and a squadron of the
Protectorate Regiment.  This they continued
all day.  Casualties *nil*.  Our seven-pounders
out-ranged.  No reply made to their fire.

The Boers had thus occupied the head of
the waterworks and cut off our water supply.
The headquarter staff had made provision
for this, and under Major Hepworth's
supervision had had all wells cleaned out and
Sir Charles Warren's old well reopened.  We
thus have an abundance of water.

Towards mid-day a flag of truce, borne by
a renegade English Colonial, rode towards our
lines.  This was unfortunate.  They had not
detected the armoured train, and the skirmishing
line of the Boers and their artillery was
just coming within deadly Maxim range.  They
rode straight on to the armoured train, and of
course the trap was disclosed.  It was a
message from Cronje, who sent in to demand
surrender to avoid further bloodshed.
Baden-Powell answered, "Certainly, but when will
bloodshed begin?" and pointed out that they
were again firing on the Red Cross flag.

Two of our wounded, both corporals, died
to-day.  The town is practically surrounded.

17th, 18th, and 19th.  Nothing happened.
Investment completed.  Boers estimated six
thousand men, undoubtedly correct.

20th.  Boers cut off some cattle which had
strayed out too far.

21st.  In addition to the main railway
line, a temporary line had been laid down
in an easterly direction towards the race
course, and north of the town extending
about a mile and a half.  The armoured
train now patrolled this line; painted
green and covered with bushes, it was
indistinguishable from the scrub surrounding
it.  I slept in the armoured train at the
railhead.  In the early morning Captain Williams
commenced firing on the Boers at the head of
the waterworks as they came out of their trench
to make their coffee, with two Maxims.  I
fear they got their coffee rather late, and
that some even did not get it at all.  This
went on with fitful replies for two or three
hours, and then firing in that quarter ceased.

On the western front in the afternoon the
Boers looted some cattle which had strayed,
and from this date sniping commenced, pretty
generally all round on both sides.

22nd, Sunday.  Band and calls on various
outlying forts, hospitals, &c.  All church
services were held.

.. _`FIRING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN`:

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   :alt: FIRING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN

   FIRING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN

And now to endeavour to describe the
town and defences of Mafeking.  Mafeking
is situated on a rise about three hundred
yards north of the Molopo river, which flows
from east to west.  It is about three-quarters
of a mile square.  The railroad runs to the
west of the town, and practically speaking,
due north and south, but immediately south
where it crosses the Molopo by an iron
bridge it inclines rather westward for
a distance of two or three miles.  The
railway embankment north and south of the
river thus furnishes cover from the east
and south-east heights on the southern bank
of the Molopo.  To the west again of the
railway, and nearly butting it half a mile
south of the Molopo, is the native stadt,
lying on both sides of the river, and on the
northern bank, commencing about half a mile
from the railway, then running in a north-westerly
direction for about a mile and a half,
and ends about a mile and three-quarters
west of the railway.  The ground in front of
the northern end is slightly higher than the
stadt and soon commences to sink away from
it, affording good cover to an enemy moving
on that side.  Near the railway the ground
slopes gradually down for a considerable
distance to the river.  The country round
Mafeking to the west, north and east,
is flat, but across the Molopo to the south
and south-east it commands the town.  The
ground to the west of the stadt commands
the stadt.

Situated two thousand yards south, and
slightly east of the centre of the town, is an
old fort of Sir Charles Warren's--Cannon
Kopje.  This is the key of the position.  It
is an old circular stone fort, and only by dint
of extraordinary exertion had it been possible
to bring it by this time up in any degree to
a state of efficiency enough to enable it to resist
even old ordinary seven-pounder guns.  It has
an interior diameter of approximately
twenty-five yards.  The native location occupied by
half-breeds lies directly between Cannon Kopje
and the town on the southern bank of the
river.  Following the course of the river
eastward about twelve hundred yards from
the town, and on the northern bank extend
the brickfields (eventually occupied by both
parties), while in the same direction, and
about three miles and a half from Mafeking
on a ridge, is MacMullan's farm (subsequently
the Boer headquarters).  To return to the
town--at the north-eastern corner is the
convent.  Due east of that is the grand stand
about a mile away, while N.N.E. from the
convent, and a mile and a half away, is the
base of the waterworks, which extend to
a trench at their head in the same direction
for nearly a mile.

Thus we have the railway station the
north-west corner, the convent the north-east
corner, Ellis's house the south-east corner,
and the south-west corner the pound; while
in a line from the south-west corner of the
town and the northern portion of the stadt,
the B.S.A.P. barracks and fort lie about
midway.  With the exception of a strip of
scrub about a mile wide to the north and east
of the convent the country all round is almost bare.

The town is composed of one-storey houses
built of soft bricks and roofed with corrugated
iron, the only exception being the convent of
two storeys and the station, which is not yet
complete.  The native stadt consists of Kaffir
huts.  The B.S.A.P. fort is a duplicate
of Cannon Kopje, thus the outline of the
defences of Mafeking is, roughly speaking,
an obtuse angled triangle, of which the apex is
Cannon Kopje, while the other two angles are
the northern end of the native stadt and the
convent.  The population in time of peace is,
Mafeking two thousand whites, the native
stadt four to five thousand, location five
hundred.  At the present moment fifteen
hundred whites approximately, native stadt
seven thousand owing to native refugees,
location five hundred.

The perimeter of the defences was between
five and six miles.  Commencing with the
convent, and working westward at the
outset, the defences were as follows:--The
railway line and armoured train protected the
north-west front, then nearer to the railway
came Fort Victoria, occupied by Railway
Volunteers; and in the arc of a circle
extending to the north end of the stadt trenches
occupied by the Protectorate Regiment at
night.  These were gradually turned into
forts.  The women's laager was established
on the edge of the stadt near the
B.S.A.P. officers' quarters, and a refugee camp in the
hollow north of the stadt, the northern end
of which was held by Captain Vernon and
C squadron Protectorate Regiment, while
B squadron, under Captain Marsh, and the
natives, held the stadt itself--the whole
under Major Godley, who commanded the
western outposts.  The town was garrisoned
by the Cape Police under Captains Brown
and Marsh; these and the Railway Volunteers
being under Colonel Vyvyan, while Cannon
Kopje was entrusted to Colonel Walford and
the B.S.A.P.  Colonel Baden-Powell retained
one squadron of the Protectorate Regiment as
reserve under his own immediate control.
These arrangements were subsequently much
augmented.  After the convent had been
practically demolished by shell fire and the
railway line all round the town pulled up or
mined during the close investment by the
Boers, the small work was erected at the
convent corner, garrisoned by the Cape
Police and a Maxim, under Lieutenant
Murray, who was also put in charge of the
armoured train, which had, however, been
withdrawn to the railway station out of
harm's way.  The Railway Volunteers garrisoned
the cemetery, and had an advanced trench
about eight hundred yards to the front and
immediately to the right of the line.  To the
westward came Fort Cardigan, and then again
Fort Miller.  In the south-west was Major
Godley's fort, at the north of the native
stadt, with an advance fort--Fort Ayr--crowning
the down to the northern end of the
stadt.  Although this was rather detached,
it commanded a view and fire for a great
distance to the south of the northern portion of
the stadt, and here the Cape Police were
entrenched with the Maxim.  Five hundred yards
to the west front of Captain Marsh's post lay
Limestone fort, commanding the valley, on
the other side of which lay the Boer laager
and entrenchments.  At the south-western
corner, and on the edge of the stadt Captain
Marsh's fort was situated.  The whole of the
edge of the stadt was furnished with
loopholes and trenches, and garrisoned by the
native inhabitants.  By the railway were
situated two armoured trucks with a
Nordenfeldt.  Cannon Kopje, with two Maxims and
a seven-pounder, lay to the south-east.  And
now to the immediate defence of the town.
At the south-western corner is the pound,
garrisoned by Cape Police, under Captain
Marsh; then eastwards Early's fort, Dixon's
redan, Dall's fort, Ellis's corner, with Maxim
and Cape Police, under Captain Brown.  On
the eastern front, Ellitson's kraal, Musson's
fort, De Kock's fort, with Maxim, recreation
ground fort, and so back to the convent, on the
left of which lies the hospital fort--all these,
unless otherwise mentioned, garrisoned by
Town Guard.  These so-called forts are
garrisoned with from fifteen to forty men, and
furnished with head cover and bomb proofs
against artillery.  Bomb proofs have been
constructed everywhere, traverses erected at
the end of streets, trenches giving cover
leading from every portion of the town
and defences; and it is possible to walk
round the town without being exposed to
aimed fire.  The trenches are constructed
with a view to being manned in case of need.
Telephones are established in all the
headquarter bomb proofs of outlying forts, and are
connected with the headquarter bomb proof,
thus securing instant communication and
avoiding the chance of orderlies being sniped,
which would assuredly otherwise be the case.
These defences were all improvised on the
spot--every conceivable sort of material being
utilized therein.

23rd, Monday.  Bombardment threatened,
so commenced by forestalling it.  Two guns
under Captain Williams, B.S.A.P., and
Lieutenant Murchison, Protectorate Regiment,
started at 3 a.m., to take up a position at
our end of the waterworks and the rail head
temporary line, respectively, with orders not
to fire unless fired on.  I rode out with them
and saw as pretty an artillery duel in
miniature as one would wish to see.  We
waited patiently, Lieutenant Murchison laid
his gun on the enemy's seven-pounder,
which we could distinctly see in their
trenches at the head of the waterworks.
We were under cover from view.  At last
a puff of smoke came from their gun, and
before it was well clear of the muzzle ours
had answered, and that gun was out of action
for a considerable period.  In the meantime,
both of our guns were playing gaily on their
trenches and remaining gun.  This went on
intermittently till mid-day, and then both
their guns ceased fire altogether.  We then
returned, and since heard that their guns were
rendered useless for some time.  On the
south-western portion of the defences a
similar seven-pounder fight was going on, and
the Boers then fired their twelve-pounder
high velocity gun a few times.  Their
ninety-four-pounder Creechy (an abbreviation for
Marguerite) or, as the men call her, Creaky,
has arrived and taken up a position at
Jackall Tree, 3400 yards S.S.W. of Cannon
Kopje, accompanied by some field guns.

24th.  Creaky commenced her ministrations
by firing about forty shells and damaged
property but hurt no one.  The convent of
course was hit, and the twelve-pounders also
joined in the fire.  Marvellous escapes reported
all round.

25th.  Creaky began in real earnest, and also
seven-pounders, twelve-pounders, Maxims, and
all.  They fired about four hundred shells,
mostly in the direction of the convent
hospital, trying, I fancy, to hit the station.
I was in the trenches in the recreation
ground.  The convent was struck several
times.  Their shell fire seemed very noisy,
but its effect was more moral than physical,
as casualties therefrom were few; the
musketry fire, however, did more damage.
The advance party down the Malmani road
had a man hit badly (since dead), young
Kelly, Protectorate Regiment, and when a
party went out to fetch him, though obviously
wounded, they were exposed to a hail
of bullets--for at least half a mile.  I saw
the lad in the hospital, and his only anxiety
was to get out and have another go at them.
At the same time on the other flank the Boers
made an attack on the native staff, hoping
on the assurance of the Baralongs to obtain
a footing there; and then when they had got us
thoroughly engaged on the south-western face,
their real attack was to have been made from
the north.  The Baralongs, however,
supplemented by two squadrons of ours, greeted them
with a heavy fire, killing many.  Consequently
that attack on our face never came off.

27th.  Shelling continued, and now, having
beaten the enemy in the field, Colonel
Baden-Powell resolved to give them a taste of cold
steel, accordingly, at 8 p.m. D squadron,
fifty-three strong, paraded under Captain
Fitzclarence, with two parties of the Cape Police
in support.  It was a fine dark night, and the
squadron moved off with injunctions only to
use the bayonet.  The two parties of Cape
Police moved towards the brickfields, one
considerably further east than the other to
enfilade the rear of the Boer trenches.  The
object of the attack was some trenches of
Commandant Louw's on our side of the
racecourse and to the north of the Malmani road
(which runs due east of the town to Malmani).
It was a still night, and lying waiting one could
hear the order to charge, and then the din
began.  The first trench was carried with
a rush; the Boers lying under tarpaulins did
not hear the advance till they were almost on
them.  Sword and bayonet did their work
well, and with the flanking parties firing on
the rear trench, and the Boers commencing
a heavy fire in all directions and from all
quarters, things for a time were very lively
indeed.  It was estimated that six hundred
Boers were in laager, so after giving them
a thorough dose of the bayonet, the signal to
retire was given by a loud whistle, and carried
out in the same cool and orderly manner as
the advance.  In the meantime a furious fire
was being maintained by the Boers all round;
the volleys from the Cape Police completed
their confusion, and they kept on firing even
after the wounded had been dressed and
placed in hospital.  Something frightened
them again about 2 a.m., and they recommenced
their fusilade at nothing and continued
it for about an hour.  Our losses were six
killed, eleven wounded and two prisoners,
including Captain Fitzclarence and Lieutenant
Swinburne slightly wounded.  We subsequently
heard that the Boers lost one hundred--forty
killed by the bayonet, and sixty whom
they had probably shot themselves in the
hideous confusion that reigned in their camp.
Captain Fitzclarence used his sword with good
effect.  The Cape Police, who were under
Lieutenant Murray, lost none.  The attacking
squadron did not fire a shot, but in the rush
to the second trench the occupants probably
shot their own men in the dark at close range.
This story later shows the terror the Boers here
have of cold steel.  Our snipers were now close
to the enemy's trench, and one of the Boers,
probably an artilleryman, waved his sword
over the top, whereupon one of his comrades
was overheard to shout, "For God's sake do
not do that, or they will come with their
bayonets."

.. _`FITZCLARENCE'S BAYONET CHARGE.`:

.. figure:: images/img-037.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: FITZCLARENCE'S BAYONET CHARGE.

   FITZCLARENCE'S BAYONET CHARGE.

What I said about coolness and gallantry in
the first fight applies in even a greater degree
to this encounter.  The men were admirably
led and did splendidly.  Our success so far
was marked.  The Boers had been kept at a
respectful distance from the town.  They
never felt safe at night; they had been beaten
at their own game in the open, and we
practically disregarded their vaunted artillery, on
which they had pinned their faith to reduce
the town.  Daily the situation became more
a question of endurance.

28th.  Ambulance, under a flag of truce,
fetched in our dead.  Boers very surly.  The
dead were buried that night.  Shell-fire and
sniping continued; little harm done.

29th, Sunday.  Band, &c.

30th.  Transferred my residence to the
western portion to watch the Boers moving
to and fro on our western front, about two
miles out, sniping going on both sides all
round.  Desultory shell fire.

31st.  Enemy's force occupied a position
on the south-eastern heights and from Jackall
Tree three thousand four hundred yards
S.S.W. of Cannon Kopje, where they had
erected earthworks, their artillery pushed
forward to within two thousand yards, and
opened a heavy fire on the kopje, commencing
at 4.40 a.m., under cover of which their
infantry attack was pushed from the south-east
to within three hundred yards of the kopje,
but was repelled by the B.S.A.P., fifty-seven
strong, with two Maxims and a seven-pounder
under Colonel Walford.  They attacked with
great resolution, but our fire was held till they
came within good range, and then after
sustaining it for some time they broke and fled.
Their ambulances came to pick up the dead and,
under their cover, many who had been
playing "possum" got up and ran for their lives.
Our losses were six killed, including Captain
the Hon. D. H. Marsham and Captain Pechell,
K.R.R., and two sergeant-majors, five wounded
severely.  I may perhaps be permitted to
say a few words about personal friends.  It
seemed as if it could not be true.  In Captain
Marsham's case, well known as he was to the
Boers, and popular as he was on both sides of
the border, the enemy will regret his death
almost as deeply as his comrades here did.
Captain Pechell had a brother serving here as
a private in the Protectorate, who has since
got his commission in that regiment; an
additional sympathy must be felt for his
family and regiment, as almost at the same
time his brother in the same regiment was
killed in a Natal fight.  I only voice the one
feeling here of personal sorrow for their loss
and sympathy with their relations.

The Boers were well thrashed, and my
previous description of Cannon Kopje will enable
readers to grasp what a thoroughly gallant
fight it was.  The Boers must have lost very
heavily.  Later in the day they attacked the
southern end of the native stadt, in a
half-hearted manner, but it was not pushed home,
and were easily driven off.  Both these fights
were easily visible across the valley, with the
exception of the commencement of the Boer
infantry advance, which one could only gather
from the continuous musketry fire.  This
night we buried the dead, all the available
officers in the garrison attending.

November 1st.  The enemy shelled Cannon
Kopje again, and galloped up from the south
within about a mile, dismounted, and made a
show of attack, but were driven away.  Shell
fire and sniping.

2nd.  Desultory shell fire and lots of
sniping at horses watering, five horses
wounded.  At about 10 p.m. Lieutenant
Murchison shot Mr. Parslow, *Daily Chronicle*
representative, but as the matter is still *sub
judice*, comments or opinions are undesirable.

3rd.  Heavy shelling and sniping.  The
Boers having occupied a position in the
brickfields, Captain Goodyear and the Cape Boys
attacked them and turned them out, during
which Captain Goodyear was unfortunately
severely wounded in the leg.

Inquest this morning returned a verdict of
wilful murder against Lieutenant Murchison,
who will be tried by Field General Court
Martial.  Mr. Parslow's funeral took place
to-night, attended by the staff and many
others; the other correspondents and myself
carried the coffin to the grave.

4th.  Heavy shelling and sniping all round,
eight horses shot.  The Boers having experienced
the delights of the dynamite explosion, now
determine to repay us in our own coin.
Loading a truck with dynamite, they brought
it up to the top of the incline on the railway,
which runs from the north down to Mafeking
Station, meaning to run it into the station
and explode it in the town.  In this amiable
intention they were foiled, as either owing to
the rustiness or roughness of the line, which
had not been used for three weeks, to the
defective fuse, or some other unexplained
cause, it blew up a mile and a half out of
town, and I trust assisted a few of them to
the other world.  The curious part of the
explosion was that everyone insisted that
a shell had burst exactly over the spot he
happened to be in, and it was not until next
day that the occurrence was explained.

5th.  Sunday.  Band, and celebrated Guy
Fawkes day with fireworks, first warning
the enemy not to be alarmed.

6th.  A smart bit of work on the part of
the Boers.  Their big gun opened fire at
4.30 a.m., and after firing one shot they took
her round to the south-eastern heights, where
they had erected a work for her, and fired
again within twelve hours; by the remote
road they preferred, it must have been more
than four miles; two field guns and a large
escort accompanied her.

.. _`RELICS.`:

.. figure:: images/img-045.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: RELICS.

   RELICS.

7th.  Rumours were rife as to the intended
attack on the native stadt this morning, but
this pleasant attention was anticipated.  At
3 a.m. Major Godley paraded with Captain
Vernon's squadron, Protectorate Regiment
and mounted Bechuanaland Rifles under
Captain Cowan, with two seven-pounders and
the Hotchkiss gun, under Lieutenant Daniel,
B.S.A.P., Captain Marsh's Squadron P.R.,
being held in readiness to support, if necessary,
from the southern portion of the stadt.  And
here it must be explained that due west
the Boers had established a laager with about
two hundred and fifty men, two twelve-pounders
and a diabolical one-pound Maxim
in entrenchments, and daily shelled the stadt
and western defences, and that it was from
this quarter that the attack was expected.
However, Major Godley took up a position
within good range of the laager, and as day
broke the Boers were roused by the
seven-pounders and the Hotchkiss, supplemented by
long range volleys.  The Boers broke to ward
Cronje's large laager, about three or four
miles south-west of the stadt.  I was
watching operations from the top of the
B.S.A.P. fort, and the whole fight was clearly
discernible in its earlier stages, an admirable
example of Boer tactics, as their advance to
their attacking position was across our western
front, though at safe distance from rifle fire.
Within ten minutes of the commencement of
fire knots of Boers came galloping from the
large laager, in tens, twenties, twos and threes,
anyhow, in fact, and about half way they met
the Boers who were retreating, who then
rallied and returned with them to the attack.
They swept over the ridge towards the north,
and as they drew nearer were assailed by long
range volleys from Captain Marsh, and then
the fight began.  There could not have been
less than five hundred, personally I fancy
eight.  Their guns were in full swing and
firing wildly fortunately, for the majority of
the shells burst by the women's laager and
the fort, which did not seem logical, as we
were not hurting them.  Their one-pound
Maxim, however, was putting in good work.
The object of the sortie had been attained in
drawing the attack where we wanted it, and
a gradual and slow retirement on the works
commenced.  Then, unfortunately, one of
our guns was temporarily disabled, but under
a very heavy fire was righted without any
casualty, which was miraculous, as the
one-pounder had got the range and put shells
around it all the time, shooting off the heel
of a man's boot and bursting all around and
among the men and horses.  However, all
got under cover all right.  Captain Vernon
handled his men coolly and well, and retiring
by alternate troops they kept the enemy at
bay.  The fire was very heavy, and but that the
majority of the Boer firing was wild, we
should have lost heavily.  Major Godley was
shot through the hat, slightly wounded in the
hand, and his horse shot.  The Bechuanaland
Rifles at their baptism of fire behaved steadily
and well, and Captain Cowan was well justified
at his pride in his men.  The Boers attacked
the entrenchments, advancing to within six
hundred yards of them, but were beaten off
with loss.  Working round to the northern
flank, however, they managed to account for
eleven horses and two men in about as many
seconds, but the undesirable attention of the
stationary Maxim convinced them that their
presence was no longer necessary.  It was
very hot whilst it lasted, and then to the
looker-on came the welcome sight of first one,
then twos and threes, then larger bodies,
cantering off in the direction from which they had
come, and then, the most welcome sight of all,
three large wagons flying the Red Cross flag
coming to pick up their casualties, showing
that their loss must have been heavy.  Our
loss, six men wounded, six horses killed, nine
wounded, and many cattle and donkeys in the
vicinity of the forts killed and wounded.

8th.  Sniping and shelling and a new
earthwork being constructed by the Boers
three thousand yards due north of the
B.S.A.P. fort, called Game Tree fort.

9th.  The cheering news from Natal of
three British victories has arrived, great
excitement prevails, and naturally--it is our
first news for nearly a month.  Shelling and
sniping of course goes on, and one shell burst
in Colonel Walford's stable, where three
horses were together, and killed the centre
horse, thirty-one shrapnel bullets being found
in it.  The others were untouched, as were
also the men all round.

10th.  Game Tree fort has begun with
high velocity twelve-pounders.  These are
pernicious guns.  Old Creaky can be provided
for.  She is carefully watched from everywhere--if
she is pointed a bell rings, when the
smoke comes from her muzzle another bell
rings, and everybody goes to ground till the
shell does (or does not) burst.  But these
smokeless guns give no warning; the report and
the shell arrive simultaneously.  Twenty-seven
shells were fired in a very short time round
the fort, three burst in it, and one knocked
a bucket from a nigger.  But when they had
got the range accurately the Boers desisted.
Their artillery tactics are marvellous.  They
fire in a casual way at any thing; if they get the
range accurately they seem satisfied, and begin
to shoot at something else.  They keep on
shooting for some time and unexpectedly
stop; then just as vaguely begin again, with
apparently no ulterior object, but general
annoyance.  One thing only is certain, that
from 4.30 to 5 a.m. Creaky will fire a round
or two, and probably stop till after breakfast,
and that from 8.30 to 9 p.m. she has never
missed her farewell shot.

11th.  Shelling all day, sniping getting
really lively.

12th.  News of Colonel Plumer's column.
We were all grieved to hear of poor Blackburne's death.

13th.  Slight shell fire, very quiet all round.

14th.  Sniping and shelling rather lively,
to compensate for yesterday.

15th.  Very quiet.  Heavy rain during the
night; the Boers entrenching themselves
towards the brickfields.  An American
despatch rider of Reuter's, Mr. Pearson,
arrived, having ridden from south of
Kimberley--a great performance.

16th.  Heavy thunderstorm and rain;
shelling and sniping all round.

17th.  Shelling and sniping.  The big gun
again shifted rather farther back.  Mr. Pearson
started on his adventurous ride back to
Cape Town.  I wish him every success.

18th.  To-day is the beginning of the end,
I hope.  Cronje's laager to the south-west
is breaking up and trekking south.  All
squadrons have been warned to be in readiness
to start at once, and we hope our turn is
coming at last, but General Cronje is capable of
any ruse to draw us out and endeavour to
overwhelm us in the open.  They do not forget
to leave us Creaky, who gave us a heavy
doing to-day; sniping is going on continually
daily on our south-eastern and eastern front.

At this point of the siege it is worth while
to review the situation.  The Boers have been
compelled to detach a large portion of their
force to the south, leaving, however, ample
men to invest the town.  They have had four
severe lessons and seem more disinclined than
ever to come to close quarters.  They have,
however, entrenched themselves in suitable
positions round the town, and it is impossible
to say at any given point what their strength
might be.  Our strength is about nine
hundred rifles, including all available white
men, and a sortie, even if successful, might
seriously impair our strength; whereas, as we
are, we can hold the town, which is our
primary object.  For a sortie at the most we
could only hope for two hundred to two
hundred and fifty men, and the rapidity with
which the Boers concentrate, and their
vast superiority in artillery, would give
them a very good chance of inflicting a defeat,
which might be ruinous.  No! their shell and
musketry fire is annoying, but with the
precautions that have been taken they cannot
inflict sufficient damage to compel surrender.
Thus, the whole thing resolves itself into
a matter of "patience, our turn is coming
soon."  For if we cannot get out, neither they
nor three times their number can get in.

From this time on till the beginning of
December it may be as well to explain the
situation in advance.  The fighting on the western
and southern fronts had almost ceased, but the
Boer entrenchments were occupied by picquets,
who indulged in occasional sniping, and it
was unknown how many were in the rear of
them.  The fort to the north, Game Tree fort,
was armed with a five-pounder gun, and was
occupied fairly strongly, and between that
and the waterworks was another trench,
occupied by the Boers, from which they were
eventually ousted by the fire of the
Bechuanaland Rifles.  To our eastern front lay the
trench by the race-course, strongly held; and
south of that in front of McMullen's farm
(the Boer main laager), a trench about thirteen
hundred yards from the town.  There are four
or five brick-kilns about eleven to twelve
hundred yards from the town, running in
a diagonal direction from the trench down
towards the Molopo, and it was about here
that the continuous skirmishing took place;
our works being pushed out to meet theirs
from the bed of the river, which was connected
with the town by a trench running due
south from Ellis's corner, past the old
Dutch church.  Their guns were admirably
placed for raking the town, stadt, and
defences on the south-eastern heights, about
three thousand yards from the town.  To the
south of the river the Cape boys occupied
a trench, near the eastern end of location, and
about two thousand yards from the enemy's
big gun.

19th, Sunday.  Band and calls.  Laager,
to the north-east at Signal Hill, trekking eastward.

20th to 23rd.  Daily shelling and sniping.
Captain Sandford moved the Boers and the
seven-pounders from the western
entrenchments.  One of these guns they now
abandoned with the exception of a picquet.

24th.  Shelling and sniping; the B.S.A.P. fort
came in for most of it; two men wounded.

26th, Sunday.  We had our first game of
polo, a concert, and a football match.  Church
in the evening.

27th.  An advanced trench had been
constructed in the river bed, six hundred yards
from the Boer trench, and fourteen hundred
yards from the big gun: Lord Charles
Bentinck occupied it after dark.

28th.  The big gun was harassed by volleys
all day, and did not fire much, a lively
skirmish going on at intervals throughout the
day on the eastern front, Maxims, guns and
rifles; Cape Boys partaking from the south of
the Molopo.  Fitzclarence relieved Lord
Charles Bentinck this evening.  The Boers
vacated the brick-kilns after the firing had
been going on for some time.

29th.  The long-range volleys have
undoubtedly had good effect.  The big gun
cocked up her nose and fired two rounds
wildly this morning.  On the eastern front was
a crowd with telescopes and field glasses,
laughing at the gunners, who could plainly
be seen dodging about, and making many futile
efforts to get off their piece safely somehow.
Ellis's corner, Fitzclarence's squadron, the Cape
Boys in the river bed and in the trench,
volleyed him directly old Creaky's muzzle was
elevated.  The enemy could not find out
where the fire came from, and fired their
smaller guns and one-pound Maxim, on chance,
all about the place, but did no harm.  Creaky
only got off three rounds to-day.  When the
Boers in the trench tried to join in, the Maxim
at Ellis's corner was turned on to them;
while the Maxim from De Kock's fort paid a
similar attention to the race-course trenches.
The Boers in the north-west also shelled
to-day.  Lord Charles Bentinck relieved
Fitzclarence after dark.

30th.  This was the hottest day's firing we
have had for some time.  At 3 a.m. a heavy
fire commenced all round.  The Boers had been
annoyed by our native snipers in the river
and brickfields, and commenced firing so-called
volleys from their trench in the direction of
the river bed.  The Cape Boys and the
squadron fired on the big gun and Ellis's
corner fired on the Boers.  Our Hotchkiss also
fired, but the seven-pounder gun, concealed in
the bed of the river, did not fire, but awaited
developments, as its position was still unknown
to the enemy; this went on with short
intervals all day, but an hour and an half before
sundown began a most furious fusillade all
round.  Creaky, who had now been furnished
with cover for her gunners, joined in the fray,
and for over an hour heavy firing was
incessant, and a very pretty fight followed.
In all this firing on the south-eastern corner
the bullets drop in the town, and the market
square and surrounding streets are no places
for a contemplative stroll at these times.  The
other day, during a game of football, a
ninety-four-pound shell passed through the players
and burst in the town house, in the centre of
the square, but marvellous to relate, none were
injured though the interior of the town house
has disappeared.  To return to the skirmish,
after a vast expenditure of ammunition our
casualties were nil; I trust the enemy's were
heavy.  In a Transvaal paper, dated
December 2nd, they confessed to several being
slightly wounded lately by our continuous fire.

December 1st.  To check an undesirable
expenditure of ammunition, Colonel Baden-Powell
detailed an officer, Mr. Greenfield and
six men to accompany the Cape Boys (who
invariably opened the ball) up the river bed
with orders not to fire unless sure of killing
some one, because, though they thoroughly
enjoyed themselves yesterday they got through
an enormous quantity of powder and shot.
These Cape Boys are good men, fair shots,
very brave, and have accounted for quite
a large number of Boers while out sniping.
In consequence of these orders sniping
resumed its old condition, and not many
volleys were fired.  Creaky, in consequence,
fired rather more.

2nd.  The fire of the Bechuanaland Rifles
drove the Boers from their advanced trench
to the north-east, which they had occupied,
but subsequently abandoned and destroyed, as
it was too advanced.  But another trench was
constructed midway between this trench and
our own advanced trench.  Four railway men
out sniping towards Game Tree fort, came upon
the niggers the Boers had posted in advance of
that earthwork, and shot one, the rest fled.
The Boers swarmed into the trench and their
commander was heard to order some men to
go and cut the party off.  Sharp came the
answer, "No, the rooineks are attacking in
force."  Eventually, after crawling a thousand
yards under fire, the party got off safely,
having accounted for two Boers.

3rd, Sunday.  As our parties were digging
late Saturday night and early this morning in
the vicinity of the Boer trenches the Boers
sent in a flag this morning to ask if we meant
to fight on Sunday.  We sent back to say no.
I rode round the western outpost from the
outside and was much struck by the admirable
way Major Godley had laid out the trenches; they
were practically impregnable.  I also went up
to Cannon Kopje which, with infinite difficulty,
has been much strengthened daily, or, I should
say, nightly.  We then had sports, tilting at the
ring, tent-pegging, &c., two pony races, and
a polo match, and all the rank and fashion of
Mafeking assembled to partake of Colonel
Hore's and the Protectorate Regiment's
hospitality, and to "listen to the band."  The
only thing that has been thoroughly levelled
in Mafeking is the Polo ground, which is very
fair, and the ponies surprisingly good.
Practising polo, and mounted sports, however,
have been forbidden during week days, as it
draws so much fire.  Indeed, Creaky elevated
her muzzle once during the afternoon, which
caused a certain amount of sensation, as we do
not exactly trust our foes, and one shell in the
crowd would have secured a good bag.  It
was probably to show her to the Dutch ladies
who drive out to their camp on Sunday.  These
ladies have ceased watching the effects of the
shells on the town since long range volleys
began.  Church in the evening.  Sunday is
indeed a welcome fillip all round, particularly
for the poor women and children, who are
confined to the laager all the week; eleven of
the latter have died since the commencement
of the siege.  There are services for all
denominations, every Sunday; but I think the
evening ones are the more plentifully attended.

4th.  A quiet day; not much shelling or sniping.

5th.  Shelling and sniping.  A shell burst
in Well's store, killing a nigger outside (at
least he died afterwards), close to me.  The
pieces flew all about, and I had not time to
analyse where they were falling; they came
too quick, but it was a pretty close shave;
but then there have been innumerable close
shaves and marvellous little damage done to
life so far.  The shell passed through the roof,
just below the look-out man, whom the shot
threw into the air.  Fortunately it exploded in
the next store, otherwise no doubt he would
have been blown to pieces.  As I write two
shells have just exploded, one blowing a Kaffir
to pieces and wrecking a chemist shop, the other
knocking over a white man, who is just being
removed to hospital; how much hurt I do not
know.  (I hear that he was killed.)  About 3
o'clock began the most tremendous rain, which
lasted for two hours, the market square became
a lake, the streets rivers, whilst our little Molopo
developed at short notice into a raging torrent.
It swept away all impedimenta, wooden bridges,
&c., at once.  The squadron in the river bed
had to retire and Captain Fitzclarence while
endeavouring to cross was nearly drowned.
The seven-pounder was nearly washed away;
the ammunition was.  The trenches and bomb
proofs were full to the brim, many of them
proving to be in the beds of regular streams.
Had the Boers known or been able to seize
their opportunity they might have made it
very nasty for us with shell fire, but as it was
they were in a worse plight than we were, as
they had no dry cover for drying their clothes,
and could not replace them, and when they
emerged from their trenches our Maxims
opened on them.  The headquarters' staff set
to work and had everybody fairly comfortable
by 7 o'clock.  Natives were at work bailing all
night; dry clothes were given to those who had
no change, brandy and quinine served out to all
the trenches, the men sleeping in adjacent cover.
Wagons fetched up the women from the laager,
and blankets were distributed to all who
required them.  As usual all rose to the occasion,
and having proved themselves under fire now
repeated the process under this onslaught from
water.  Perhaps the people who were worst off
were the B.S.A.P. at Cannon Kopje.  A wet
night--their shelters flooded--and literally
everything they possessed carried away, except
their blankets, arms and the clothes they stood
up in, and no shelter at all.  However, take
it all round, the enemy were much worse off
than we, which is always consoling, and
consequently being miserable, and having
nothing to do, they opened a lively fire on the
town generally, lasting about half an hour.

6th.  Shelling and sniping as usual.  It is
their custom now to begin in the evening
about 4, keep it up till dark, and then fire
Creaky once from about 8.30 to 9 o'clock.
Mr. Gerrans, town councillor, was extracting
the fuse of an exploded shell--result--he was
blown down and severely injured.  His
foreman, Green, had his foot blown off, and
a passer by, Smith, a Johannesburg refugee,
returning to his trench, was so injured that he
died in an hour.  Everybody was much
depressed by this; it seemed so sad that more
damage should be caused among the whites
by an accident than had hitherto been the
result of six weeks' shelling by the enemy's
heavy gun.  However, since artillery has been
invented mankind will tamper with loaded
shells, in spite of all warnings, orders, or
entreaties to the contrary.

7th.  Lady Sarah Wilson arrived this
morning, having been exchanged for Viljoen
who had been sentenced to six months'
imprisonment before the war began.  He,
I fancy, will look fatter and in better condition
than his friends outside, and did not appear
over keen to join them.  This plucky lady
was received with loud cheers when she
entered the town; she has indeed had a bad
time, and everybody was greatly relieved to
see her back safely, though perhaps this is not
quite the best place that I know of to have
a villa residence.  As she drove up to her
house the firing commenced again--they did
not waste much time.  Heavy shelling
continued after dark.  Three men killed, eight
wounded.

Apropos of shells, I presume in the course
of his life Colonel Baden-Powell has had many
curious communications, but certainly none
more curious than this one.  The other
morning a Kaffir picked up an unexploded
five-pound shell; when the fuse was unscrewed,
instead of a charge the following missive was
found:--


"Mr. Baden-Powell,

Pleas excuse me for sending this
iron messenger i have no other to send at
Present.  He is rather exentric but vorgive
him if he does not behave well i wish to ask
you not to let your men drink all the whisky
as i wish to have a drink when we all come to
see you.  cindly tell Mrs. Dunkley that her
mother and vamily are all quite well.

I remaijn, Yours trewly, a Republican."


I am afraid the ingenious gentleman in
question will have to wait a while for his
whisky.

8th.  Quiet all the morning; but this
afternoon shell fire began, killing one man,
Protectorate Regiment, and wounding two.
Creaky only fired one round, our snipers
keeping her quiet; but sniping all round
made things pretty lively.

9th.  Pretty quiet; not much shell fire in
the morning, but began in the evening, and
pretty smart sniping continued all day.  I
must now endeavour to describe the hospital
arrangements, and the noble work done by
the ladies of Mafeking.  The hospital
arrangements for the defence of the town were made
under the supervision of Dr. Haves, Major
Anderson, R.A.M.C., and Surgeon Holmden
assisting him; Major Anderson being attached
to the Protectorate Regiment, which might
have been moved at any time.  In addition to
being under a hot fire the whole of the first
fight, he accompanied the ambulance to Cannon
Kopje, during the fight there.  Bullets
whistled round the Red Cross the whole way
there and round the stretchers (which he
assisted to carry) on their return to the shelter
of the railway embankment.  There may
have been some excuse for firing on the Red
Cross during the first fight, on the second
occasion there can have been none; probably
the Boers considered that we adopted the
same practice as themselves and brought up
our ammunition in ambulances.  Whether
this is a valid excuse or not, I will leave my
readers to decide.  The Red Cross flag, at
the commencement of the siege floated over
the railway embankment, the first dressing
station, the refugee camp dressing station, the
women's laager, Messrs. Weil's (who had placed
their house at the disposal of the authorities
for the use of the wounded), the convent,
which is fitted up as a hospital, and
the Victoria Hospital.  General Cronje
stated, and with some show of reason, that
he could only recognize one hospital, and
the women's laager.  However, prior to
this, he had sent many shells through the
convent, possibly from its being a two-storied
building and naturally a conspicuous mark.
Consequently Victoria Hospital, always the
main hospital, became the only one used
throughout the operations.  Dr. Haves was
the P.M.O., Miss Hill the matron; and here,
on behalf of the garrison of Mafeking, I must
endeavour to convey our feelings of deep
gratitude and admiration for the work done
by this lady, the nurses, and their assistants
(the ladies of Mafeking) during the siege.
I can testify personally to their devoted care
and attention to patients, and Britain may
well be proud of them.  One ninety-four
pounder went through the hospital, wrecking
a ward and killing a little native boy.  Shells
fell all round it, and bullets were continually
hitting it, one, indeed, wounded an already
wounded man, but these ladies continued
their work undisturbed, assisted to the
utmost by the sisters from the adjacent
convent, situated some fifty yards away.
These poor ladies having had to abandon
their home (which was literally wrecked, and
will have to be entirely rebuilt), had to take
refuge in a dug-out by the hospital.  The
hospital arrangements and the attention of
Dr. Haves, Major Anderson, and Surgeon
Holmden (who was himself sick in the
hospital), were beyond all praise.
Fortunately the accommodation was adequate, an
additional building being erected for Kaffirs.
But these for the most part preferred being
treated and returning to their own abode.
They appear nearly insensible to pain.

To give a few instances, one native was shot
with a Martini bullet through the lung; he
roared with laughter when it was extracted,
and will not part with it for anything, and is
now all right.  A Zulu wounded in the toe, on
seeing a man's temperature being taken, when
given the thermometer, placed it between his
toes, and on being told to put it in his mouth,
said he was not hurt in the mouth, but in the
foot.  Another native was shot through the head
with a Mauser and lived; so, indeed, did a
railway volunteer, Nelson; the bullet went clean
through his head, and he is well and out of
hospital.  But the natives, though suffering from
horrible injuries, seem to regard them lightly.
Most of the native wounded are by shells; they
are very careless, but I fancy the numerous
casualties are making them more cautious.
The unfortunate man killed yesterday was
a man named Footman, of the Protectorate
Regiment, who was in a room singing a song,
"Poor old Joe has gone to rest," to the
accompaniment of a banjo, when the shell
burst on him, and literally blew him to
pieces--two more men were slightly injured,
and a chaff-cutter knocked to pieces; but
the remainder were providentially untouched.
The worst of sniping is that it consumes such a
lot of the ammunition which we may eventually
require, though it certainly has a quietening
effect upon the enemy's artillery; but I cannot
believe the Boers will abandon this place
without one more serious attack, when they
hear of the advance of our troops, and the
remnants of other commandoes join them.
They must have one tangible proof of success.
So far, beyond doubt, the prolonged defence
of Mafeking has resulted in the natives either
keeping quiet or rising on our side, whereas
had the Boers been successful in these parts,
the natives must have perforce sided with
them, as their emissaries had strained every
nerve to induce them to do, prior to the war.
I sincerely trust that the penalties of treason
will be rigidly enforced, and that if not death,
at least outlawry and confiscation will be
inflicted on the Colonial Dutch who have
risen, for no man has a right to a vote who
has deliberately risen in British territory and
fought against Her Majesty.  The Transvaal
is another matter, though they have
raided our territory, burnt farms, and looted
cattle and annexed British Bechuanaland--that
is a matter for settlement by the Government
and not for individuals to suffer.  If the
Boers are well thrashed, and they have fought
well, the two nationalities will soon settle down
together.  But a Dutchman, or at least the
lower classes (which correspond, after all, to
poor whites of America with this difference,
that they have a lot of black blood in them),
cannot understand anything but a good
licking.  Disarm them rigorously, and give
them a just government and they will soon
peacefully acquiesce therein.  But pack the
Hollander-cum-German official back to his
own country.  South Africa is no place for
them.  Let them try the South American
Republics; with their venal habits, they will
be thoroughly at home.

A more heterogeneous garrison has seldom
been collected.  A mounted corps (the
Protectorate Regiment), two detachments of
mounted Cape Police, the B.S.A.P., also
mounted, the Bechuanaland Rifles, the Railway
D.W., and the Town Guard, all employed
in trenches, and the horses only used for
orderly work.  The Town Guard is
composed of every white man or householder,
Indian or otherwise, capable of bearing
arms, unless enrolled under the Red
Cross.  They are formed into companies in
their own districts, and under their own
commanders, Colonel Vyvyan being
commander of the whole, and range from boys of
sixteen to men of seventy.  The younger boys
are employed as messengers.  The Town
Guard have been subjected to severe tests,
sleeping and living in trenches, and
enduring the hardships of war for two months,
without a chance of returning the enemy's
fire.  A few individuals who are good shots
are permitted to go out sniping, but the
majority have to keep their fire for short
ranges, in case of an assault.  They have done
their duty well, and been under fire
continually.  All sorts and conditions of men are
there, and a more mixed body it would be
impossible to conceive.  In any case, they
have stood the test well, and surprised myself
and indeed everybody by their efficiency.  Of
the police of both corps, it is impossible to
say too much--they are as fine a body of men
as you could wish to see, and the work they
have done speaks for itself.  The B.S.A.P. have
had the more opportunities as a body,
but wherever the Cape Police have had
a chance they have done every bit as well.
The Protectorate Regiment I have already
described fully, and they also have proved
themselves to be the fine fighting material
I thought them from the first.  But when,
oh! when, shall we use our horses?  The
Bechuanaland Rifles, a fine body of men,
largely augmented since the commencement
of the war, had a mounted detachment under
Captain Cowell.  The Railway Division
under Captain Moore, who has been promoted
since the commencement of the war, are also
a fine body of men who can turn their hand
to anything, from fighting in a land ironclad
to manning their own works.  The
authorities were warned long prior to the
outbreak of hostilities, that more troops were
required here.  With even two squadrons of
cavalry and half a battery we should have
been able to keep the Boers at a greater
distance from the town, and beaten them
occasionally in the open, well away from our
lines.  Half a battalion of infantry would
have done the garrison work as efficiently
as the dismounted men of our mounted
corps.  In fact, we might long ago have raised
the siege by a decisive blow, which we have
been, under our present circumstances, unable
to deliver.  I think I stated this in a letter
some six weeks prior to the outbreak of the
war.  However, I presume we shall soon be
out of this now, though we have no news, as
for the past fortnight no runners seem able to
get through at all.

10th, Sunday.  We had mounted sports,
polo, and in the evening, church.  Heavy rain
threatened, but held off.  I watched through
a telescope a party of Dutch ladies being
shown Creaky, who was put through her
antics, being elevated, depressed, levelled in
various directions, for their benefit.  So, both
sides enjoyed themselves after their kind.

General Snyman's harangues and reports
of victories (which roughly surmised
are--extirpation of the British army--the only two
places in South Africa held by the British,
being Mafeking and Cape Town--possession
of Delagoa Bay, and a fight at sea, where the
British were defeated) are now received in
silence and *cum grano*, by his followers, instead
of being greeted with cheers, as formerly.
Really, I begin to believe there is a limit to
the credulity of the Boer, though hitherto
I had supposed it boundless.  But what can
equal their colossal impudence, in invading
the suzerain power, annexing Bechuanaland,
and proclaiming us rebels.  Colonel Baden-Powell
has recently organized a troop of old
cavalry soldiers, and armed them with lances.
They have to-day ridden all round the town,
showing themselves in all quarters, to the great
astonishment of the Boers, who, I suppose,
now expect another little surprise packet, and
will be anxious for a few days; as they knew
we had no lances with us.

11th, Monday.  Colonel Baden-Powell has
issued a proclamation calling upon all burghers
to return to their farms by the 14th, and
that if they do so, and surrendered their
rifles and one hundred and fifty rounds of
ammunition, they will not be molested,
otherwise, they will be treated most rigorously,
when we take the offensive; that they are
being grossly misled by their leaders; that
foreign intervention is hopeless.  The Staats
Artillery may surrender as prisoners of war
at any time; this does not apply to British
subjects, traitors or deserters.  This might
have produced an increase of shell fire, I
should fancy, judging from our heavy days'
shelling last week.  Their General rode
forth with his escort, our snipers placed
three volleys round him, whereupon he
galloped back to the big gun, and
all the artillery began merrily, trying to hit
our headquarters.  They fired a few shells
this morning, but the heavy rain seriously
damped their ardour.  Still, if the General be
annoyed, they will probably re-commence
their attentions.  Later.  The orderlies with
the various flags of truce, have returned,
proclamations were sent to each of their
outworks, and all the Dutchmen volunteered that
they were quite sick of it, and had had enough,
which I can quite believe.  The rains are
beginning, they complained of the soakings
they have already had, and with inadequate
cover sickness will soon play havoc with
them.  The orderlies gave them cigarettes and
conversed with them, and in two or three cases
they asked them how they came to let the
re-inforcements in, referring to the lancer
troop.  In one case the Dutchman said
he had heard them come in, but did not
know what it was, in the other cases they
said they had not seen the re-inforcements,
but they had seen their spoor.  Shelling has
recommenced.  To-night we send up fire
balloons, weather permitting, which will
probably produce some effect on their side.

The following is a copy of Colonel
Baden-Powell's letter to Snyman and the
proclamation to the burghers:--

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: center large

   A LETTER TO THE BOERS.

.. vspace:: 1

Mafeking, 8th Dec., 1899.

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: left white-space-pre-line

To General \J. \P. Snyman,
   near Mafeking.

SIR,--I beg to thank you for having handed over
Lady Sarah Wilson in exchange for the convict P. Viljoen.

At the same time, I beg to point out that I have
only consented to the exchange under protest, as being
contrary to the custom of civilised warfare.

In treating this lady as a prisoner of war, as well as
in various other acts, you have in the present campaign,
altered the usual conditions of war.  This is a very
serious matter; and I do not know whether it has the
sanction of General Joubert or not, but I warn you of
the consequences.

The war was at first, and would remain, as far as Her
Majesty's troops are concerned, a war between one
Government and another; but you are making it one
of people against people in which women are considered
as belligerents.  I warn you that the consequence of this
may shortly be very serious to your own people, and you
yourself will be to blame for anything that may happen.

Regarding your complaint as to your being attacked
by Natives, I beg to refer you to my letter dated
14th November, addressed to your predecessor General
Cronje.  In this letter I went out of my way, as one
white man to another, to warn you that the Natives
are becoming extremely incensed at your stealing their
cattle, and the wanton burning of their Kraals; they
argued that the war lay only between our two Nations,
and that the quarrel had nothing to do with
themselves, and they had remained neutral in consequence,
excepting in the case of the Mafeking Baralongs, who
had to defend their homes in consequence of your
unjustifiable invasion.  Nevertheless you thought fit
to carry on cattle thefts and raids against them, and
you are now beginning to feel the consequences; and,
as I told you, I could not be responsible.  And I fear
from what I have just heard by wireless telegraph that
the Natives are contemplating further operations
should your Forces continue to remain within or on
the borders of their territories.  Before the
commencement of the war the High Commissioner issued
stringent orders to all Natives that they were to
remain quiet and not to take up Arms unless their
territory were invaded (in which case, of course, they
had a perfect right to defend themselves).

Linchwe--of whom you complain--remained neutral
until you brought a force into his principal town and
looted his traders' stores, and were making preparations
for shelling his stadt on the 26th ultimo.  Having
obtained accurate information of these intentions of
yours, and warned by what had happened to the
Natives near Mafeking, he attacked your laager on the
24th in order to save his town from being shelled and
consequent loss of life amongst his women and children.
In this I consider he was quite justified, and you have
no one but yourself to blame in the matter.

While on the subject of Natives please do not
suppose that I am ignorant of what you have been doing
with regard to seeking the assistance of armed natives,
nor of the use of the Natives by you in the destruction
of the railway line south of Mafeking.  However,
having done my duty in briefly giving you warning on
these points, I do not propose to further discuss them
by letter.

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

I have the honour to be,
      Sir,
   Your obedient servant,
      \R.\S.\S. BADEN-POWELL.

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: center large

   NOTICE

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: noindent

   To THE BURGHERS OP THE Z.A.R. AT PRESENT UNDER ARMS NEAR MAFEKING.

.. class:: noindent

   *From the Officer Commanding Her Majesty's Forces, Mafeking*.

BURGHERS,--I address you in this manner because
I have only recently learnt how you are being
intentionally kept in the dark by your officers and your
Government newspapers as to what is really happening
in other parts of South Africa.

As officer commanding Her Majesty's troops on this
border I think it right to point out to you clearly the
inevitable result of your remaining any longer in arms
against Great Britain.

You are all aware that the present war was caused
by the invasion of British territory by your forces, and
as most of you know, without any justifiable reason.

Your leaders do not tell you that so far your forces
have met with what is only the advanced guard of
the British force, and that circumstances have changed
within the past week; the main body of the British is
now daily arriving by thousands from England, Canada,
India, and Australia, and is about to advance through
your country.  In a few weeks the South African
Republic will be in the hands of the English; no
sacrifice of life on your part can stop it.  The question
now to put to yourselves before it is, is this: Is it worth
while losing your lives in a vain attempt to stop their
invasion or to take a town beyond your borders which,
if taken, would be of no use to you?  (And I may tell
you that Mafeking cannot be taken by sitting down
and looking at it, for we have ample supplies for
several months to come).

The Staat Artillery have done us very little damage,
and we are now well protected with forts and mines.
Your presence here, or elsewhere, under arms, cannot
stop the British advancing into your country.

Your leaders and newspapers are also trying to
make you believe that some foreign continental powers
are likely to intervene in your behalf against England.
This is not in keeping with their pretence that your
side is going to be victorious, nor is it in accordance
with facts.  The S.A.R. having declared war and
taken the offensive cannot claim intervention on its
behalf.  And were it not so, the German Emperor is
at present in England, and fully in sympathy with us:
the American Government have warned others of their
intention to side with England should any other nation
interfere; France has large interests in the gold fields
identical with those of England; and Italy is entirely
in accord with us; and Russia sees no cause to
interfere.

The war is a war of one Government against another
and not of people against people.  The duty assigned
to my troops is to sit still here until the proper time
arrives and then to fight and to kill until you give in.
You, on the other hand, have other interests to think
of, in your families and farms and their safety.

Your leaders have caused the destruction of farms in
this country and have fired on women and children,
and our men are becoming hard to restrain in
consequence.  Your leaders have also caused invasion of
Kaffir territory, and looting of their cattle, and have
thus induced them to rise, and in their turn to invade
your country, and to kill your burghers.  As one white
man to another, I warned General Cronje on the 14th
November that this would occur, and yesterday I heard
that more Kaffirs are rising, and are contemplating
similar moves; and I have warned Snyman accordingly.
Thus great bloodshed, and destruction of farms threaten
you on all sides, and I wish to offer you a chance of
avoiding it.  To this end my advice to you is to return
without delay to your homes and there remain
peacefully till the war is over.  Those of you who do this
before the 14th instant will be as far as possible
protected, as regards yourselves, your families,
and property, from confiscations, looting, and other
penalties to which those who remain under arms may
be subjected when the invasion takes place.

Our secret agents will communicate to me the names
of those who do and of those who do not avail themselves,
before the 13th instant, of the terms now offered.
To ensure their property being respected, all the
men of a family must be present at home when the
troops arrive and be prepared to hand over a rifle and
150 rounds of ammunition each.

The above terms do not apply to officers or to
members of the Staats Artillery, who may surrender as
prisoners of war at any time; nor do they apply to
rebels from British territory or others against whom
there may be other charges.  It is probable that my
force will shortly again take the offensive.

To those who, after this warning, defer their
submission till too late, I can offer no promise, and they
will only have themselves to blame for an injury or loss
of property that they or their families may afterwards
suffer.

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: left white-space-pre-line

(Signed) R.S.S. BADEN-POWELL,
   *Colonel.*
MAFEKING, 10th Dec., 1899.

.. vspace:: 2

The proclamation has either had a good effect
or it is a curious coincidence, that, since its
issue, the town has been barely shelled at all,
sniping has almost ceased, and the Boers have
only shelled the trenches in front of the
native location, and the location itself, in
a perfunctory manner, the result being that
though we have shot a few Boers, our
casualties have been nil, except some natives
in the location, and from the 12th to the 15th
nothing worth mentioning has happened.
I fancy their news from the south must be
bad, and undoubtedly men and cattle have
gone away lately.  Thanks to their recent
vigilance, our native runners have failed to
get through, and I imagine the same fate has
befallen the runners trying to come in, for we
have been absolutely without reliable news
for the last three weeks.  General Snyman
sent in a copy of the *Volkstem*, relating our
enormities and their victories, all underlined.
I am bound to say the news was taken with
much salt; but still it was news of a sort.
The leading articles were mainly whining for
foreign intervention, so we could read between
the lines.

15th.  Later.  I was somewhat previous
in my remarks, they have just placed a shell
within a hundred yards of the hotel.

December 16th.  (Dingaan Day.)  We
were aroused at 2.39 a.m. by the Boers
celebrating their independence.  They sent
a ninety-four pounder through the corner of
Dixon's Hotel, which is our headquarters,
consequently all rooms and passages are full
of sleepers, the orderlies sleeping in the
passages and billiard room.  However,
fortunately they managed to put their shell
through the bar, which is the only empty
room in the house, and wrecked a portion of
it and the stoep, which by day is full of
occupants.  A splinter stopped the town clock,
hence the accuracy with which we timed our
unlooked-for alarum.  They have tried to hit
headquarters for some weeks, shells pitching
all round the hotel and wrecking neighbouring
buildings, but heretofore we had escaped.
Then, having drawn their bow at a venture by
night, they have at last succeeded in hitting
it.  After having inspected the damage I
turned in again.  But as our seven-pounder
at Cannon Kopje returned the fire, it became
universal, and I think the Boers intended to
attack.  Colonel Baden-Powell having anticipated
something of the sort, had had the little
gun laid on their big one the night before.
As it was impossible to sleep, I went down to
Ellis's corner to join in the fun.  For nearly
three weeks we had let them fire away
without taking much notice of them.  To-day,
however, knowing it was their national
festival, we were determined to disturb their
amusement.  Our old seven-pounders had
their advanced trenches well in range, and
three of them, about three-quarters of a mile
apart, commenced playing havoc with the said
trenches, shells bursting beautifully in and over
them.  While Creaky, like a big dog annoyed
by little ones, snapped hurriedly at each of
its puny antagonists in turn.  It made better
practice than I have yet seen, and burst its
huge shells within fifteen and twenty yards of
the guns.  When the smoke from its muzzle
was seen, our gun detachments laid down, but
the explosion and smoke of the big shells had
not died away before "boom," through the
smoke, came the derisive return of its tiny
antagonist, showing "a miss to the Boers."
The guns took no notice of Creaky after the
first shot, but concentrated their attention on
the trenches, leaving her to be soothed by
musketry volleys.  Our shell fire had a most
quieting effect on the occupants of the
trenches, and we had to stir them up by
sniping their individuals, and then when they
woke up a bit the Maxims assisted in calming
their unruly spirits again.  Altogether a most
enjoyable morning.  It is so dull being shot
at without answering, but when one's own
guns keep the game going, it is quite another
thing.  This lasted till about 6.30.  Just to
prevent their being too much taken up by
any amusements they might have contemplated,
to celebrate the day, our guns fired
a few rounds again at noon, but the big gun
only answered with a few rounds, and after
a feeble spatter of musketry we knocked off.
On the western front, about dusk, our
seven-pounder, under Captain Sandford, knocked
out their five-pounder, and they dismantled
their fort and withdrew to a more retired
position.

.. _`REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF A BOER SHELL.`:

.. figure:: images/img-085.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF A BOER SHELL.

   REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF A BOER SHELL.

We have advanced our seven-pounder
to Fort Ayr, and hope to repeat the process.
The first of our shells burst right among
them whilst they were outside making coffee.

17th, Sunday.  We had a handicap polo
tournament.  Here are the teams and the
result from *The Mafeking Mail*:--

::

   No. I.--Colonel Baden-Powell (Captain),
           Captain Gordon Wilson,
           Captain Singleton,
           Lieutenant Hon. A. Hanbury-Tracey.

::

   No. II.--Captain Lord C. Cavendish-Bentinck (Captain),
            Lieutenant-Colonel Walford,
            Major Anderson,
            Lieutenant Mackenzie.

::

   No. III.--Lieutenant-Colonel Hore (Captain),
             Captain Sandford,
             Captain Vernon,
             Lieutenant Bridges.

::

   No. IV.--Major Godley (Captain),
            Major Goold-Adams, C.B., C.M.G.,
            Captain Fitzclarence,
            Lieutenant Moncreiffe.

::

   No. V.--Major Baillie (Captain),
           Captain Marsh,
           Captain Cowan,
           Lieutenant Paton.

.. vspace:: 2

::

   *Match.*                    *Goals scored*.

::

   1 Colonel Hore . . . . . . . . .  1
     Lord C. Bentinck . . . . . . .  1
   2 Colonel Baden-Powell . . . . .  0
     Major Godley . . . . . . . . .  1
   3 Lord C. Bentinck . . . . . . .  1
     Major Baillie  . . . . . . . .  1
   4 Colonel Baden-Powell . . . . .  0
     Colonel Hore . . . . . . . . .  1
   5 Major Godley . . . . . . . . .  0
     Major Baillie  . . . . . . . .  2
   6 Lord C. Bentinck . . . . . . .  0
     Colonel Baden-Powell . . . . .  1
   7 Major Godley . . . . . . . . .  1
     Colonel Hore . . . . . . . . .  1
   8 Major Baillie  . . . . . . . .  0
     Colonel Baden-Powell . . . . .  1
   9 Lord C. Bentinck . . . . . . .  1
     Major Godley . . . . . . . . .  0
   10 Major Baillie . . . . . . . .  1
      Colonel Hore  . . . . . . . .  0
   
                                     Total
                                  goals scored.

   Colonel Baden-Powell's team  . . . . 2
   Captain Lord C. Bentinck's team  . . 3
   Lieutenant-Colonel Hore's team . . . 3
   Major Baillie's team . . . . . . . . 4
   Major Godley's team  . . . . . . . . 2

.. class:: small

Colonel Baden-Powell's team had a Captain who
played an excellent game.  Major Baillie was decidedly
the mainstay of his team, not only by the unerring
accuracy with which he hit the ball, but also on
account of the verbal assistance delivered unceasingly
in stentorian tones to his side.

.. vspace:: 2

We are now making great preparations for
Christmas, which we are apparently
condemned to spend here.  Church services as
usual.

18th.  A quiet day; except on the western
front, where their five-pounder keeps pegging
away; however, no one takes any notice of
it, as our new gun-pit is not yet completed.
To-morrow we hope to have another lively
morning.  The Boers have been drilling,
apparently practising an attack formation,
somewhat late in the day, however, and not
of much use now, as they could not get in if
they tried, and they are not likely to make the
attempt.  As I before said, Colonel Baden-Powell
has collected some thirty lances and armed
a troop with them, so that, if the enemy depart
hurriedly, we may be able to speed them on
their way.  Went sniping in the evening; they
fired the one-pound Maxim and a good deal of
musketry fire.  Our troops in the advance
trenches had quite good shooting all day.

19th.  As I anticipated.  The Boers' *reveille*
was sounded for them at 4.30 a.m. by our
seven-pounders, which made excellent practice
on the brickfield trench.  Their big gun
repeated its performance of Saturday
harmlessly.  We shifted them from their trenches
and turned Maxims on them, while the
Nordenfeldt at long range volleys pestered
their big gun.  Their one-pound Maxim fire
was wild, but they slew an inoffensive
jackass.  This lasted until about 6, and was very
pretty.  At about 7 Creaky began to fire at
Cannon Kopje, but without effect; she shot
straighter in the morning; and at about 9 our
seven-pounders began again, but the enemy
would not be drawn, and now only occasional
dropping shots come idly from both sides.  On
the western front our seven-pounder silenced
the five-pounder at Game Tree fort.  On the
eastern front the race-course trench much
annoyed the gun under Major Panzera, with
volleys, till kept under by the convent
Maxim and our one-pound Maxim.  These
two artillery fights cannot much impress the
Boers with the extraordinary value of the much
belauded ten-tonner, and must destroy her
moral effect, for whichever of our guns she fires
at immediately returns her fire.  However, she
has annoyed us quite enough and done sufficient
damage to life and property, but if we had
only had a gun which could have reached
her properly, we should have knocked her
out long ago.  A duel between our
Nordenfeldt and Creaky began this afternoon, and
has since been of daily occurrence, amidst
the laughter and applause of the spectators.
No sooner has the big shell struck, than crack,
crack, comes from the Nordenfeldt.  Indeed,
of late the little gun fires when the smoke
from Creaky's muzzle appears, and gets off
its three shots before the arrival of the shell,
which the gunners of the monster do not
seem to appreciate at all.  It is a regular
case of dignity and impudence with the laugh
on the side of impudence.  In the evening
Captain Sandford silenced the Boer gun on
the western front.

20th and 21st.  Quiet days.

22nd.  Quiet, but furious musketry fire at
night, bullets flying everywhere.

23rd, Saturday.  Fairly quiet.

I broke my head taking a fall at polo,
which we now play two or three times
a week; it is a new experience going to and
from the polo ground under fire.

24th, Sunday.  Owing to siege exigencies
it was deemed necessary to hold our Christmas
on the Sunday, as the Boers' religious festival
is held on New Year's Day.  All creeds held
their ordinary Church services.  Lady Sarah
Wilson and Mr. B. Weil had organized
a Christmas tree and tea for the two hundred
and fifty children of Dutch and English
parentage who were in the town.  Brakes
were running to and from the laager, filled
with children, shrilly cheering and waving the
Union Jack, the most effective one run
by poor Captain Vernon, who was killed
within forty-eight hours.  The children
seemed thoroughly to enjoy themselves, and
great thanks are due to the organizers of the
fête and their assistants, for everyone was
pleased to see the children enjoy themselves.
For the adults, sports were held, and a
cheerful Christmas Day was passed.

Christmas Day.  All creeds held their usual
Christmas services though under some
difficulty, as everyone was on duty, though the
Boers kept Christmas as Sunday; yet it was
no certainty to commence with.  The
Rev. Mr. Weekes, the Church of England
clergyman, had to play the harmonium, as well as
conduct the service.

26th.  The myriads of locusts which had
lately devastated our grazing grounds, already
insufficient for the large number of cattle in
and about the town, had rendered it imperative
that some steps should be taken to raise our
close investment sufficiently to obtain an
extended field for grazing secure from attack
or raid.  This was sufficient reason for action
in itself, but in addition, the approach of our
forces to Gaberones in the north, made it
advisable to prepare to open up the line and
endeavour to join hands with them, and thus
by extending our perimeter and line of forts
to throw additional work on the investing
force, and so prevent reinforcements being
sent to the commandoes acting against our
troops north and south; nay, we even hoped
to draw reinforcement from these commandoes
to assist in maintaining the strict investment
which the Boers deemed it so necessary
to retain around Mafeking.  Accordingly,
Colonel Baden-Powell decided to attack Game
Tree fort, which commands the line to the
north.  And now, before going further with
an account of the fight, let me say that in
spite of great secrecy, as to the time or place
of attack, the Boers, through treachery, were
forewarned and forearmed as to our intentions.
The garrison was doubled, and the fort from
an open earthwork turned into a block-house
with three tiers of fire, while the line was
broken in the night between the fort and the
town, preventing the efficient co-operation of
the armoured train.  On Christmas night, at
about 11 o'clock, the chief of the staff, Lord
Edward Cecil, collected the correspondents
and told them of the intended attack, advising
them to rendezvous at 3 o'clock, with the
headquarters at Dummie fort.  The plan of
attack was as follows:--C squadron,
Protectorate Regiment, were to take up a position
during the night near the railway to the west
of Game Tree fort, supported by D squadron,
under Captain Fitzclarence, and the armoured
train with a Hotchkiss and Maxim, under
Captain Williams, B.S.A.P.  The right
flank being protected by the
Bechuanaland Rifles, under Captain Cowan.  The
whole of the right attack under Major
Godley.  The left attack being composed of
three seven-pounder guns, one cavalry
Maxim, and one troop, Lord Charles
Bentinck's A squadron, Protectorate Regiment,
under Major Panzera, with the other two
troops in support, the whole left attack being
under Colonel Hore.  The Dummie fort lay
midway between the two attacks.  The wait
from 3 o'clock seemed interminable, but at
4.28 the first gun fired, and then our
seven-pounder shells burst merrily over the fort.
The infantry commenced volleys and the
Maxim joined in.  The armoured train was
stopped by the broken line some half mile
from where it could have efficiently
co-operated, and the squadrons commenced their
attack from the railway line, D being
escheloned some three hundred yards in the
rear of C.  From the Dummie fort the attack
could be perfectly seen, as it advanced rapidly
across our front.  The rushes were well made,
and the charge in perfect order, the leaders
racing in front of their men right up to the
fort, where the firing for a while ceased, and
then broke out again with renewed vigour.
From where I was, I thought the attacking
squadron had secured the position, and, from
the slowness and deliberation with which the
men retired, that the supporting squadron was
falling back to its lines, as, with the smokeless
powder, we could not see our men firing, and
the sound was drowned in the rattle of Boer
musketry.  This, alas, was not the case.
Captain Vernon, who had been wounded in
the advance, led his men most gallantly up to
the work, to find it with three tiers of
loopholes and an iron roof, the bushes in front
concealing this until right on to the fort.  Here
he and Lieutenant Paton and fifteen men fell,
and his sergeant-major mortally wounded.
Captain Sandford had been shot twice just
short of the work, but called on his men to
charge.  These were the last words he spoke,
and only four of the men of his troop were
not placed *hors de combat*.  Captain
Fitzclarence had also fallen wounded, before
reaching the work, but I am glad to say is
doing well.  With this spirit shown by the
officers and responded to by the men,
small wonder that we may be proud
of the attack, even though unsuccessful in
obtaining possession of the work, and that
the Boers afterwards seemed more depressed
than ourselves.  They knew the men they
had to deal with.  Corporal Cooke got on the
roof of the work, and had four bullets through
his tunic, but was untouched.  Mr. Paton and
Sergeant-Major Paget were shot whilst firing
with their revolvers through the loop-holes
(the Boers still speak of Paton's courage),
and so were many men.  After the retirement,
the stretcher parties went out, and the Boers
assisted in succouring our wounded, and
behaved on the whole very well, though some
young roughs got out of hand and plundered
the dead and wounded.  Their leaders
behaved exceedingly well, and did their best
to restrain them.  I went up there and a
more ghastly collection of wounds could not
be imagined, mostly shot at the muzzles of
the rifles in the head, and in some cases with
large Boer bullets.  Death must have been
instantaneous.  The field cornets told me they
had been expecting the attack, and the
rapidity with which reinforcements arrived--the
presence of General Snyman, and several
leaders, and the destruction of the line,
together with the increase of the garrison,
tend to endorse their statements.  Our
wounded were all wounded in front, some of
the men retiring backwards so as not to be
shot in the back.  Sergeant Barry, mortally
wounded, sent word to his mother that he had
three wounds all in front.  Our force was
under one hundred actually attacking.  The
Boers when reinforced about four hundred.
Our losses killed or since dead: Captain
Vernon, Captain Sandford, Lieutenant Paton,
twenty-one rank and file; wounded: Captain
Fitzclarence, twenty-two rank and file; four
prisoners.  The men retiring were quite cool
and willing to have another go--smoking and
laughing in some cases, but in the majority
bitter and angry at not having got in.
British troops have certainly performed as
fine feats of arms, but no more determined
attack with inferior numbers against an enemy
armed with modern rifles in a strong position
has ever been pushed home, or a more deliberate
and gallant retirement under heavy fire been
made.  The enemy were much impressed,
and said they had never seen such brave men,
and though we failed in taking the fort,
the action has resulted in the enemy daily
strengthening every work, and upset them
greatly, as they hourly anticipate a fresh
attack, and gusts of musketry break out from,
their lines at night, for no apparent reason.
Indeed, the rapidity with which their white
flags were hoisted on the arrival of our
ambulances make me, in my own mind,
absolutely certain that they were prepared to
contemplate surrender, and in any case they
will certainly not be able to spare men from
this place to assist their retiring commandoes.
Altogether their rash and insolent advance
into British territory has placed them here, as
elsewhere, in about as unpleasant a position
for irregular troops as can well be imagined.
In the evening we buried our dead.

The Protectorate Regiment, after a life of
four months, and a strength of four hundred,
has now suffered one hundred and ten
casualties.  It has accordingly had to be
re-organized from four squadrons into three.
On no occasion has it been engaged without
distinguishing itself, and I think in its last
action, though repulsed, it has, if possible,
distinguished itself most.

What I have said about the contemplated
surrender of the Boers has since been
confirmed by what I heard on my journey south
towards Vryburg.  Keely, now Resident
Magistrate in these parts, had been taken into
camp about this time to swear neutrality; and
the Boers made no secret of their intention to
surrender the fort; but they were kept up
to the mark by one determined man, who,
lying behind an ammunition box, swore he
would blow out the brains of the first man
who offered to surrender.  It was at this man
that Paton was firing through a loophole with
a pistol when he was shot.  Nobody else on
our side seems to have spotted the individual
in question, hence the Boers, on our retiring,
continued the fight.

27th, 28th, and 29th.  Desultory shelling,
sniping, and occasional wild firing from the
enemy by night.  We hear cheering native
rumours from the south.

31st, Sunday.  Sports, &c., driving
competition, horse-show.  I won hack competition.

January 1st, 1900, New Year's Day.  We
had anticipated a quiet day, as this is a Boer
festival.  I presume they thought we
anticipated this, for they commenced early with
a heavy bombardment and experimented with
incendiary bombs, which however were of no
success.  A valuable member of the garrison,
one of our few carpenters, Slater by name,
was killed.

2nd.  Our usual shelling, and a niece of
a Baralong chief killed in the stadt, amongst
others.  In the evening Mr. Hamilton, *Times*
correspondent, gave the staff and the other
correspondents a most excellent dinner, which
we all thoroughly appreciated, at Riesle's
Hotel.  How so good a dinner could be served
after about four months' siege is indeed
extraordinary.

3rd.  The quick Q.-F. Krupp was moved
to the north-west of the town, and fired on
the western forts, amongst other places into
the women's laager, killing two children, one
Dutch, one English.

4th.  Typhoid has broken out in the
women's laager.  I suppose we may consider
ourselves lucky it is not more prevalent.  The
usual shelling goes on.

5th.  Enemy quiet, with the usual shelling,
which is terribly monotonous.

6th.  Boers rather vicious to-day, and the
usual Saturday's spar all round at sundown.
Runners went north and south.

7th, Sunday.  In the early morning heavy
musketry fire from the Boers, quite contrary
to their usual custom.  Sports, Christie
Minstrels, and a comical turn-out competition.

8th.  Rained hard.  Shelling went on
as usual, and my usual sniping ground destroyed
by four shells, and the occupant fatally injured,
Shrapnell fired over the women's laager.

9th.  From now onwards we may assume
a very heavy shelling every day.  Two whites
and two natives injured while tampering with
a hundred pound shell, one white since dead.

10th.  Mrs. Poulton, born a Dutch woman,
shot through the head and killed, also a few
natives; this woman's sister at the commencement
of the siege expressed the wish that the
streets of Mafeking might run with English
blood.  This charming lady, named
Hammond, created so much disturbance at the
commencement of the siege that she was put
under restraint; her daughter has since been
severely wounded.  Curses, like chickens,
come home to roost.

11th.  Usual day of shelling.

12th.  A Boer attack on Fort Ayr.  They
galloped wildly fifty yards in advance of their
trenches, about one thousand five hundred
yards from Fort Ayr, and indulged in a
fantasia, but never came any nearer.  Their
guns, however, five, twelve, and one hundred
pounders, shot very straight and shelled for
two hours.  Our casualties, one man wounded,
since dead.

13th.  Big gun did not fire, enemy very
quiet; expect they are running short of small
arm ammunition.

14th, Sunday.  Great excitement caused
by disappearance of Creaky, many rumours.
She was seen in at least six different places,
but we all hoped she had taken a fond farewell.

15th.  Creaky actually discovered about
two miles down the Malmani Road.  She had
apparently been moved by our persistent
persecutions, and we thought she had been
moved into a worse position for her.  We have
materially changed our minds, at any rate, at
the eastern end of the town, where she fires
regularly at meal times, mostly hitting hotels.
She commenced firing at 11 o'clock.

16th.  Dislike the shelling more since I have
fever; one shell struck auxiliary hospital.

17th.  Enemy tried to foist Kaffirs into the
town, to further diminish our food supply,
under a flag of truce.  Colonel Baden-Powell
refused to receive them.  They fired heavily
and inexplicably on our white flag carried
by Ronny Moncrieffe while retreating.
Tremendous indignation in the town, though
there is some rumour that one of our Kaffirs
fired a shot somewhere (this was subsequently
found to be untrue).  Shell hit bomb proof
occupied by Mr. Vere Stent, Reuter's representative,
and myself.  Large pieces ricocheted
through Dixon's Hotel which was crowded;
usual providential escapes.

18th.  They shell the town as usual.  Most
unpleasant this end.  They knocked off all
corners of the square in two days; several
casualties.

Our system of avoiding the gun is having
look-out men in all parts, who ring so many
strokes when the gun is loaded, so many when
pointed, three strokes for the town, six when
pointed off it.  The enemy, however, have
rather frustrated this, as they do not fire till
uncertain intervals after the gun is pointed,
ranging from an hour downwards.  The
lookout then rings another bell, but it gives
a remarkably short time to take cover, and
it is these odd shells and not a sustained shell
fire which causes the loss of life; at any rate,
there is no doubt that since the change of
position of the gun a far greater proportion
of damage has been done.

19th.  There was an artillery duel between
one of our seven-pounders--whose shells were
made at our own factory here, and the fuses
designed by Lieutenant Daniels, B.S.A.P.,
in which the shells and fuses proved a
complete success--and the enemy's five-pounder
which was almost immediately silenced.  And
now as regards the factory.  The ammunition
for the ship's gun, that weapon of our
grandfathers, which was unearthed in the stadt,
and which shoots with great violence, though
doubtful precision, to enormous ranges, has
been cast here.  The seven-pounder's shells
have been cast, studded, fused, and in every
respect made perfect here.  Some 2.5-pounder
shells, left here by Dr. Jameson, have been
fitted with two enlarged driving-bands and
have been fired from our seven-pounders with
complete success.  Too much credit cannot be
given to the ingenuity, ability, and energy with
which Conolly and all his mates have worked
at strengthening that portion of our defences.

20th.  The two sides when at trench work
happened on each other at night in the vicinity
of Fort Ayr, and we drove them back.  A very
effective day's shelling.

21st, Sunday.  Agricultural and produce
show, including babies.  The first prize for
foals since the commencement of the siege to
Mr. Minchin, Bechuanaland Rifles; for babies,
to Sergeant Brady, B.S.A.P.; a great success,
and really extraordinarily good show.  My
fever nearly gone.

22nd.  Rather late shelling to-day, and
rumoured attack on Kaffir stadt by Boer
friendlies did not take place.  A certain
amount of firing from Fort Ayr.  Rain begun again.

Colonel Baden-Powell protested the other
day against the firing on our white flag, and
General Snynian, who, as far as I could judge
personally whilst in conversation with him
after the action at Game Tree fort, is a
crabbed old gentleman, somewhat naturally
rabidly anti-British, and according to the
Boer standard an extreme martinet, sent
in an answer apologising for his burghers
having fired on the white flag, and stating
with regard to Colonel Baden-Powell's
remonstrance to his arming and raising the natives,
that he had merely armed a few as cattle
guards.  In that case the Boers must have
many cattle in close proximity to our camp,
unseen and unknown to us.  He further stated
that he had noticed us building fortifications
on Sunday, to which Colonel Baden-Powell
replied that we had merely taken out and
relaid some mine lines, and that he had been
vastly interested, while riding round the
western outposts on Sunday, to see the assiduity
with which the Boers had been working at
their new fortifications in that part.

23rd.  The usual sniping continues on the
western front, but peace, punctuated
occasionally by one-hundred pound shell, is more or
less prevalent on the eastern.  As regards
our food supply, luxuries purchased at store
are a thing of the past, as the authorities have
taken charge of all tinned and other eatables
in the place.  We have now stood four months'
siege, and it seems probable that this may be
indefinitely prolonged, and it is mainly owing
to the private enterprise of Mr. Benjamin
Weil, the representative of Julius Weil & Co. here,
that we are really ready to stand, as far
as provisions and stores go, as long a time
again.  In addition to having supplied all the
Government required, he laid in large stocks
on his own account, and when the history of
the siege of Mafeking comes to be written, he
will be found to have played by no means the
least important part.  In addition to the white
troops employed, and to the Baralongs, who
defend their own stadt, we have four other
black contingents: the Fingoes under Webster,
the Cape Boys under Corporal Currie, C.P.,
a detachment of Baralongs under Sergeant
Abrahams, and the "Black Watch" under
Mackenzie, a mixed Zulu crowd.  These
gentry, to their huge delight, are continually
engaged in endeavouring, with some success,
to spend as much gunpowder and spill as
much blood as in them lies.  The Cape Boys,
under Corporal Currie, who took charge of
them after Captain Goodyear's wound, from
which I am glad to say he is recovering, have
done notably good service, their motto and
apparently only principle being "Don't know
retiring."  In this there is a good deal of
common sense; for the Boer, though not very
dangerous when faced, becomes deadly and
dangerous when he can shoot quietly at you
as you retire.  There is another portion of our
defences--or perhaps that is a misnomer,
I should rather say of our forces--to which
I have hitherto not alluded, and that is the
excellent transport service.  All the mules
were individually selected by Colonel
Baden-Powell and Colonel Walford, assisted by
Mr. Dunlop Smith, A.V.D., and Mr. Mackenzie,
transport officer, and anybody who saw the
beautiful spans of mules turned out for the
driving competitions would have felt that in
all cases their choice was well justified, and
the condition of the mules reflected the greatest
credit on the squadron leaders (for each
squadron leader is responsible for his own
transport), conductors and drivers, and to the
care and supervision given by the two officers
before mentioned.  The driving was excellent,
and the mules looked in the pink of condition.
Rather heavy shelling, and more sniping
than usual.  There were several casualties,
mostly natives, one shell exploding in
a hut and killing and wounding most of
its occupants.  From this date the authorities
have taken over all stores of food and drink,
and nothing, even luxuries, can be obtained
without an order from headquarters.

24th.  Desultory shelling.

25th.  There was a good deal of firing
to-day round the western trenches.  In the
evening a native convicted as a spy was
executed.  He had been sent in to obtain full
information as to the stores, forts, their
garrisons, and the general disposition of the
forces of the town.  He quite acknowledged
the justice of his sentence, but only seemed
to think that it was hard lines that he should
be executed before he had had time to procure
any information at all.  This is the third
native spy executed, and the various native
contingents are detailed in turn for the duty.

26th.  Bradley's Hotel was partially
wrecked by a shell.  This is the most
effective explosion we have so far had.  A large
piece from the shell went humming overhead
beyond the B.S.A.P. fort, quite three-quarters
of a mile from its bursting.  There is generally
time for a morning ride before the big gun
commences shelling, but during the last three
or four hundred yards into the town, if the
bells have begun to ring, there is a certain
amount of excitement in returning to the
hotel, as it is to this portion of the town that
the enemy generally confines his attentions
about breakfast time.  Later in the afternoon,
Lady Sarah Wilson and Captain Wilson, who
are both now convalescent, were seated with
Major Goold Adams in a passage in the upper
storey of the convent, when a shell burst about
four feet over their heads, covering them with
a pile of bricks and rubbish, but fortunately
they escaped with a few bruises.  There were
rumours of a contemplated attack early next
morning, and the northern and western fronts
accordingly stood to arms.  More significance
was given to the rumours in that the Dutch
women in the women's laager unanimously
sought the shelter of the bomb proofs at an
early hour.  It was not till the next day that
the reason was patent.

27th.  During my return from my morning
ride the big gun fired, and I saw the shell
burst somewhat short of the women's laager.
I naturally supposed this was an accident.
It was not, however, the case.  The big gun
commenced a rapid fire in the same direction,
and the effects of the shells as they fell
were heliographed back from the western
heights.  The messages were intercepted by
our signallers, under Sergeant Moffat.  They
placed eight large shells in and close round
the laager, and we now understood the reason
for the Dutch women taking the cover they
did.  It was a most deliberate piece of
barbarism; mercifully, there were no casualties.

28th, Sunday.  A quiet day.  I rode round
the western outposts in the morning and
found them considerably augmented in
strength.  They are now a series of
bomb-proof block-houses, a zig-zag approach runs
from the refugee laager up to Fort Ayr.  So
approach is possible without danger (which
was not so before).  A thousand yards to the
front of Fort Ayr the new Boer fort is plainly
visible, and flies a flag we have not seen
before, blue, white, and orange, with a vertical
green stripe.  It is possible that there may
be some political significance attached to this,
possibly that our friends, the Transvaalers, by
uniting the two Republics, hope to get the
Free State Boers to fight their battles further
away from their own territory; but, after all,
it is pure surmise, for we get but little news
of any sort--and of political news none at all.
Due south, and about eight hundred yards
away from Fort Ayr, a new fort has been
constructed, commanding the bed of the
Molopo, and garrisoned by Cape Police.  It
is about on the position of the old look-out
post.  In the afternoon I rode round the
eastern works.  A trench now runs from
Ellis's corner across the river, past the gun
emplacement, past Webster's Kraal, up to and
beyond the Nordenfelt position.  It is hard to
believe with the much stronger position we
now have, and the reduced number of Boers,
that they will attack again; but, on the other
hand, it is harder to believe that they will
leave Mafeking without a desperate effort to
capture it.  In any case, the garrison are
confident.  On the termination of evening
service we sing the National Anthem.  I have
heard it sung in many places, the most
impressive of all at St. Paul's on Jubilee day;
certainly next to that occasion, I think the
singing of it in Mafeking appealed to me most.
For the men who were singing it on Sunday
night would be fighting for it on Monday
morning.  And now, whilst on the subject,
and having just read Mr. Kipling's poem,
I hope the widows and children of the
irregular troops serving out here will not be
forgotten when it comes to "pay, pay, pay."

.. _`THE OLD NAVAL GUN AT WORK.`:

.. figure:: images/img-115.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: THE OLD NAVAL GUN AT WORK.

   THE OLD NAVAL GUN AT WORK.

29th.  Good news of victories from the
south.  It seems as if the tide had turned,
and as if Old England, slow as usual, was
going to forge ahead at last.  Her Majesty's
message was received with the deepest
satisfaction here.  It was a month late, but none
the less acceptable for being delayed.  Colonel
Baden-Powell issued an order, in which he
referred to the execution of the spy, and
warning all persons, women included, who
might be found treasonably corresponding
with the enemy, that, on conviction, they
would be inevitably shot; also that he
regretted having to take such strong measures,
but that as the enemy chose to fire on the
women's laager, he should confine the Dutch
prisoners in a gaol constructed in the laager,
so that, if the enemy persisted in their brutality,
they would kill their own friends.  (It was
a curious coincidence that on Sunday, after
Saturday's performance, there was a feeling of
insecurity in the town, and most people were
of opinion that in all probability the Boers
would violate the Sunday truce; but when
the Dutch women were seen walking about,
the feeling of confidence was quickly restored.)  In
the afternoon the gun bequeathed to us by
Lord Nelson commenced firing on the Boer
laager at Weasel's Springs, near the head of
the waterworks--a range of something over
three thousand yards.  Her round shot
bounded about the veldt through, over, short
of, the laager, rapidly dispersing a mounted
body of Boers in its proximity; for, unlike
a shell, when she strikes, you have by no
means done with her.  The drill is
somewhat complicated, but thanks to an edition of
Captain Marryatt's works, we have succeeded
in resuscitating this long extinct form of
exercise.

30th.  The results of our ancient piece's
firing last night has been that the laager has
shifted away, in the direction of Signal Hill,
and that the Boers generally have been so
busy that they have not yet found time
(mid-day) to discharge their Creuzot gun.  There
was an alarm, last night, and the eastern
front and reserve squadron were held in
readiness all night.  Yesterday the Boers
re-established themselves on the nearest
brick-kiln, and a sniping entertainment was
organized for them by Corporal Currie, C.P., who
has charge of the Cape Boy Post, within three
hundred yards.  One Boer, who for some
extraordinary reason, wore a white shirt
(which he will never do again) occasionally
showed his back over the edge of a shelter he
was constructing for himself, acting
apparently on the principle of the ostrich,
Trooper Piper of the Cape Police eventually
got him, and at the same moment, his friend
who was firing from a loop-hole, fired at
Piper; fortunately Currie, who was covering
the loop-hole, fired almost simultaneously and
got him too, to the huge delight of the Cape
Boys; stretchers came up under the Red
Cross and removed the bodies, the second
man was a bearded man and a well known
sniper, he was an excellent shot, and the
news of his demise was received with
universal pleasure by the garrison, while for
the rest of the day his friends made the post
very warm for its occupants.

31st.  There is one effect of this continual
shell fire which is perhaps undesirable, and
that is the remarkable degree of selfishness it
engenders.  There is really nothing to do and
no excitement.  News is rare, and not always
of the best, and with lack of the proper
amount of exercise and the frequent ringing
of bells, which are almost as bad as the shells
themselves, tempers get short, and the
solicitude on "No. 1's" account increases.
However, entertainments like the one organized
this evening, go far to relieve our spleen and
vary the interminable monotony of the siege.
We were warned in the afternoon that our
artillery was going to bombard the Boer lines,
and from various points of vantage numerous
spectators strolled out to look on.  Personally,
I made my way to the trench running from
Ellis's corner to the river, and selected a spot
where I was well away from other people,
and which commanded a good view of the
Boer trench, and, above all, of the big gun,
which showed clearly against the white
marquees in rear of it.  At the time there was
no firing going on, and cattle on both sides
were being brought home.  Absolute stillness
reigned, only broken by the lowing of the
beasts, the sounds of the poultry yards, and
the barking of dogs.  These, with the drowsy
hum of the insects, made one feel extremely
sleepy, and one might well have imagined
oneself lolling between two peaceful villages
at home.  However, at 5.30 p.m. a change
came very distinctly "o'er the spirit of the
dream."  Our guns commenced, three
seven-pounders and the Nordenfeldt, and steadily
shelled for about an hour, answered by the
nine-pounder quick-firer, five-pounder Krupps,
and old Creaky, who swung her nose
backwards and forwards from one extremity of
the eastern defences to the other, making, on
the whole, moderate but extremely varied
practice.  As I had a pair of very strong
glasses, a small cluster soon collected around
me, thereby inviting the undesirable attentions
of their riflemen, who, however, were pretty
well engaged themselves, and consequently
did not annoy us very much.  It was about
as safe a performance for the onlookers as
could well be imagined.  The guns drew
most of the fire, and were scattered over
a large extent of front.  One could plainly
see the big gun, and when she fired our way,
had ample time to get into the trench.  There
were no casualties on our side, but after dark
the Boers, who had been much upset by
this disturbance of their reliefs and feeding
arrangements, commenced to shell the town,
killing one man outside the newspaper offices,
and contriving, in some extraordinary manner,
to drop a fragment of shell down the chimney of
the headquarters' staff offices.  This they
continued till past nine, doing no further damage,
except to houses.  The Boers in the course
of the day put a five-pounder shell through
a portion of the hospital, and at night fired
a volley into the operating room, where
a patient was being examined.  So we
conclude that they must have lost some men
during the day, which made them vicious.
During the past fortnight they fired upon
a flag of truce, deliberately shelled the
women's laager, and fired on the hospital.

February 1st.  To-day completes the
sixteenth week of the siege, and we have had
plenty of shell fire to celebrate it; one big
shell, I regret to say, bursting on a splinter
proof at Cannon Kopje, wrecking it, and
killing one man and wounding two others.
These splinter proofs were a line of trenches
running down towards the town from the
kopje, and it had seemed that by no chance
could they possibly be struck direct by
a shell.  In the evening the Boer shell fire
again continued till a late hour, and the last
explosion that we heard puzzled us a good
deal.  It subsequently transpired that Major
Panzera and Corporal Carrie, with three
natives, had crept up to the nearest
brick-kiln, from which the Boers were unfortunately
absent, and had blown it up with fifty pounds
of dynamite.  This will probably keep the
Boers away from that locality for a while, as
they are not unnaturally very cautious of
approaching any place where they suspect
the presence of dynamite.  A Kimberley
native informed us that they stop the natives
going home from the Kimberley mines and
ask them if there is dynamite laid down
round the town, to which the natives
generally reply, "Plenty!"  They seem to be
having a much better time in Kimberley
than we are here, as the natives say we
live here like mere cats, whilst they have
apparently no big gun to annoy them down there.

2nd.  They began shelling later here to-day,
so one's morning's ride was uninterrupted,
but they are, however, now in full swing
again.  Sergeant Francis, B.S.A.P., died of
wounds received at Cannon Kopje.  Our
usual shelling.

3rd.  We sent off runners north and
south.  In the morning the enemy devoted
his attention to the town.  But in the
afternoon our seven-pounder and
Nordenfeldt, east of Cannon Kopje, commenced
firing on the enemy, who were constructing
a new trench, considerably in advance of the
old position of the big gun on the
S.E. heights.  Consequently Creaky vigorously
assailed them in turn, and the Krupp gun
and the one-pound Maxim galloped from
McMullen's farm to her assistance.  The big
gun made very good shooting, but fortunately
only one man was hit, and he by a sand-bag
hurled up by a shell aimed at the
Nordenfeldt.  The Nordenfeldt gun detachment
consists of two men, Privates Lowe and
Mulholland, both of the Railway Volunteers,
and these two men have served this gun
for months daily, often under a heavy fire
directed entirely at them.  At the same time
our beloved relic of Lord Nelson was
engaged on the western front in bombarding
the new fort in front of Fort Ayr, being
answered on that front and assisted by
musketry and rifle fire.  The week, as usual,
culminated in the customary Saturday
evening flare-up all round.  The big gun was
cleaned and oiled for Sunday, and we thought
it was all over till Monday morning.  This,
however, was not the case.  The Boers were
unusually jumpy.  They treated us to
incendiary shells till late, and kept up a heavy
musketry fire at fitful intervals during the
night.  They commenced constructing a new
trench in the Brickfields, and can plainly be
heard working at it.

4th, Sunday.  The usual quiet day.
At Fort Ayr, while cleaning the Maxim,
it was accidentally discharged, and the
Boers promptly answered, so Mr. Greenfield,
in charge of the post, strolled out to
explain matters, and was met half way by the
Boer representatives, who talked to him for
a bit, gave him the latest news (presumably
untrue), exchanged little harmless chaff, and
agreed to swap newspapers for whisky.
The newspapers, needless to say, contained
flaming accounts of universal Boer victories,
which, here, one finds it somewhat hard to
credit, and they agreed to furnish similar
papers next Sunday.  It is curious to see in
the advertisement sheets advertisements from
manufacturers, stating themselves to be
manufacturers to Her Majesty the Queen,
to read the London letter, and a column of
society chit-chat in a paper published in the
capital of our enemy.  However, it is an odd
world.

5th.  Two lots of runners came in
from the north this morning.  Personally,
I received my first communication from
home since the siege began, only a wire
though.  Quite a number of letters came in,
but were very unequally distributed.  One
receiving a dozen, the vast majority none,
Hanbury Tracey was exceptionally fortunate,
as he received a money-lender's circular and
a bill, re-addressed in red ink, from his
orderly room at home, and that was his sole
communication.  They shelled us as usual,
and kept it up late.  A wet night, but that
did not seem to deter them.  Their
incendiary shells were, as usual, a failure.

6th.  Shelling all day, and firing at night.
Two natives were killed and Colonel Hore,
commanding Protectorate Regiment, had
a narrow escape whilst returning from
the Court of Summary Jurisdiction.

7th.  They commenced shelling early
this morning, so far with little damage.
There seem regular streaks of luck in
this shell fire, and sometimes we strike
a very bad one, but it is really marvellous
how these huge shells have done comparatively
little injury to life here.  From what
we can gather from other places, it will be
about the worst knocked about town in South
Africa.  The remains of some buildings have
been removed and the majority will require
re-building.  Yesterday, a shell went clean
through the smoke box and boiler of a
locomotive, and did not explode until striking
the ground beyond.  One also pitched on the
top of an unfortunate native in an engine
ash-pit and destroyed him.  The price of food has
naturally risen enormously and will probably
rise more.  The humble Kaffir, if he possesses
a hen which lays regularly, can maintain
himself and another.  An egg fetches sixpence, and
a Kaffir's ration of mealie meal only comes to
threepence sterling, consequently the henless
Kaffir sponges upon his more wealthy brother.

This afternoon I rode up to Cannon Kopje
and arrived simultaneously with a ninety-four
pound shell from the contrary direction.  We
did not, however, hurt each other, and I
dismounted and tethered my horse under the
best cover available, and to ground with me
like a rabbit.  They fired one or two more
shells at the kopje, doing no harm, and we
then strolled up to the look-out post to have
a look at our persecutor.  It was a lovely
evening, and as she was then pointed on the
town, one could view her proceedings with
the utmost equanimity, speculating mildly
as to whether she would pitch her shell on
one's own bomb proof or not.  The shell,
however, burst prematurely, just clear of the
muzzle of the gun, and we continued watching
the town and the rest of the defences, all of
which lie like a panorama from the Cannon
Kopje look-out.  Creaky was then re-loaded,
and with her nose cocked high in the air, was
apparently aimed in the direction of the planet
Venus.  As a matter of fact, however, she was
aimed at Fort Ayr, and after the discharge
one imagined one could trace the projectile in
its flight by the hurtling sound it made; but
when by sound it seemed as far as Fort
Miller, one could see the strike close by Fort
Ayr (which is about four miles from the
gun), and yet the noise of the projectile
through the air continued for some seconds
longer, producing a very curious effect.  She
re-loaded and was again pointed on the town
when slowly she swung her nose round and
was pointed on us, a roar of look out from
the man on duty, and the crowd of languid
spectators was transformed into a body of
active men, heading straight for their
accustomed shelters, which having attained,
they peered carefully at the gun, waiting for
the smoke from the muzzle, which would be
the signal for their final disappearance.  We
waited and waited, but she came not, so,
deciding that it was the good-night gun,
I walked back, accompanied by one of the
garrison of the kopje, and ate my dinner at the
hotel with the comforting assurance that
I had last seen her directed a good mile from
the dining-room.

This morning Corporal Currie and his
men killed and wounded a few Boers,
coming at dawn to their trenches.  The
Boers consequently gave us a quiet day, as
their obsequies and attendant ceremonies
seemed to fill in all their time; but at dark
they commenced a heavy fire of small arms,
shell, and vituperation, upon our advanced
post, about two hundred and fifty yards from
their main trench.  They assure the garrison
of this post that they intend to make it
particularly warm for them, and it is about
as warm a corner as one could well select.
I rode out in the afternoon to Captain
Marsh's post on the western edge of the
stadt, we have there driven the Boers out of
and occupied Fort Cronje, a mile from the
western edge, and seven hundred yards from
the nearest Boer fort.  This Fort Cronje
commands the whole of the valley on the
other side of the ridge, under cover of which
the Boers used to remove their reliefs and
reinforcements to and from Cronje's laager
and the western laager.  Its capture has
largely extended our field for grazing.  We
had proposed to walk out there, but on
consultation we decided not to, as one is
under a pretty heavy fire in the open the last
part of the journey, and one would see it
better and under more favourable
circumstances on the Sunday, during the truce.
Riding back, I tried a short cut, at a good
pace; the Boers, however, were not quite
asleep, and began sniping with marvellous
ill-success, as I was about to get under cover
again.  To-day we were informed that we
must be prepared to hold out for another four
months, which we are quite ready to do.
The garrison and inhabitants received the
intelligence with the utmost equanimity felt
no earthly doubt as to the result, merely
expressing extreme boredom at the prospect of
four months more of such monotonous existence.

9th.  A runner from the south arrived,
informing us of Buller's crossing the Tugela.
Comparing this news with the Boer accounts
of British defeats with heavy losses on
the 24th, south of Tugela, one can only
conclude that they must indeed be in a
bad plight when they can invent such
amazingly circumstantial and appalling lies.
However, I hope we are nearing the end of
the last act, and "God Save the Queen."  They
have been quiet to-day, and as far as we
know, no funerals to occupy them so hope
and trust that they are digesting some bad
news; the Kaffir who brought the messages
states that the Free Staters have had enough
of it, but that Cronje will not allow them to
surrender, as they had everything to lose and
absolutely nothing to gain; we can well
believe it.  The Kimberley correspondence is
of a chatty description, refers to the weather
and papers (which have not arrived), but the
gist of the whole is cheerful and consequently
welcome, though we should prefer news.
Their food supply seems good, which is
consoling.  But this much is certain, that
if we have to hold out another four
months, the means of our doing so, in the
supply line, is due to the presence of
Mr. B. Weil.  I wonder whether it is appreciated,
even yet at home, what a stupendous and
monumental liar the Boer is.  The Kaffir says
what he thinks you will like.  The Boer,
however, says what he knows he likes himself.
I hope some day to read a British account of
the war.  The Boer account would pain me if
I believed it.

10th.  The enemy remained quiet, at
least as regards their big gun,
yesterday evening, though the now nightly
fusillade began about 8 o'clock.  This
morning they commenced shelling late, and
apparently directed their projectiles at the
Mill, which works every night, protected by a
traverse, at the south-eastern corner of the
town.  They only fired two projectiles, one of
which struck Mr. J. Dall, Town Councillor,
and commander of one of the Town Guard
posts, full, blowing him to pieces.  His wife,
poor woman, who was in the women's laager,
where the intelligence was abruptly conveyed
by a panic stricken Kaffir woman servant,
came up semi-distracted, under the escort of
the Rev. W. H. Weekes.  It was, of course,
impossible that she should see him, and the
scene was a very painful one for her friends
in their endeavours to be of some comfort to
her.  Musketry and the discharge of field
pieces continued all the afternoon, during
which we had an exceedingly heavy thunderstorm
which flooded some of the uncompleted
and advanced trenches, compelling the
evacuation of the one within two hundred
yards of the Boer main trench, during which
operation one of our men was wounded.  The
others remained there, and sought the best
cover from fire they could in its immediate
propinquity.  Firing continued all round the
outposts, at intervals all night and well into
the dawn on Sunday morning.  Since we
have been warned to be ready for four months
more siege, the question of food supplies for
natives has become very serious.  Two of
these unfortunate fugitives were shot last
night in their endeavours to elude the
vigilance of the cordon all round us.  It is not
the question of meat so much as the
question of grain, which is our difficulty.

11th, Sunday.  I was aroused about
dawn by musketry fire, and as I heard no
more, supposed I had been dreaming, but
when starting for my early ride, was told
there had been heavy firing to the east.  I
went to Fort Ayr, from whence the Boer fort
seemed ridiculously close, and so on to the
Cape Police fort, and from there the Boer
sniping station looked within six hundred
yards.  I was, however, informed that it was
a good sixteen hundred yards off.  It was a
perfectly lovely morning, and had one's horse
only felt as fresh as the morning, the ride
would have been indeed enjoyable, but the
stress of the siege in the way of shortness of
provisions has fallen far more severely on the
horses than the human beings.  From this
fort I rode to the B. Squadron horse lines.
The horses are not at present a pleasing
spectacle, but, owing to our extended
grazing ground, I dare say they could
still do some work.  Sundry of them are
killed and turned into billtong for the
Kaffirs.  Thence along the picturesque
bank of the Molopo, through the centre of the
stadt to breakfast at Captain Marsh's.  This
officer, whose squadron has held the stadt
since the commencement of the siege, has, from
his West Coast experiences, a wonderful knack
of dealing with natives, and in a great measure
the absolute confidence of the Baralongs in
the white garrison may be ascribed to him, they
have accordingly constituted him a sort of
universal referee in all their local troubles.
After breakfast we walked out from the edge of
the stadt to the two forts occupied by Sergeant
Abrahams and his detachment of natives, within
six hundred yards of which are situated
the Boer forts, also garrisoned by natives.
Between the opposing forts both sides rambled
at their own sweet will.  We then went on to
Fort Cronje, originally in the occupation of
the Boers, and having attained our utmost
limits we sat and smoked and looked at the
stadt (distant about a mile), and appreciated
how Mafeking looked to the Boers from their
western outposts.  Personally, the northern
end of the stadt reminds me of nothing so
much as the Curragh Camp when viewed from
the Newbridge Road, and, indeed, the veldt
all round looked fresh, green, and undulating
enough for the Curragh itself.  Fort Cronje
is enfiladed by the blockhouse north of the
Molopo.  Eastward from Sergeant Abrahams'
fort, and in a circular direction across the
railway line towards Cannon Kopje, extend
forts occupied by McKenzie's contingent.
We thus now have a large and secure grazing
ground, the area of which I had not previously
appreciated.  We strolled back to the stadt and
rode back to shop and church.  During the
morning and afternoon occurred some of
those interchanges of courtesy between
ourselves and our opponents, which generally do
take place on Sunday.  Corporal Currie, who
during the week spends all his time in
endeavouring to slay and not be slain by the Boers,
was called over by them to translate a note
they had received.  They offered him tobacco
and small civilities, and patted him on the back
saying he was a "freundlish kerel."  They
also said they were sick of it, and what a
waste of time it was not to be ploughing.  A
somewhat similar conversation was carried
on by Mr. Greenfield on the other side.
The Dutch, in addition, said they thought it
would all be over in a month, that they
hadn't got any papers, but would give them to
us at the first opportunity, which we
understood to mean, when their romancing
journalists had sufficiently seasoned the dish of
Dutch defeats for Mafeking consumption.
The bicycle sports had to be postponed owing
to the condition of the track, but there was a
cricket match in the morning between
Fitzclarence's squadron and the town of Mafeking,
which the latter won by nineteen runs, and in
the afternoon a concert, where our commanding
officer, as usual, distinguished himself by
his comic songs and humourous sketches.
This talent is well known to his friends, but
is certainly not so well known to the British
public, who only have had the advantage of
viewing him from a serious side; however, we
appreciated him quite as much in his lighter
capacity, and the concert was a great success.
The Beleagured Batchelors' Ball, given by the
batchelors of Mafeking, had in consequence of
Mr. Call's death been postponed till to-night.
It commenced merrily enough, and had been
going on for about an hour when history and
the Duchess of Richmond's ball repeated
itself.  The staff officer arrived warning all
officers to fall in.  Heavy firing commenced
all round, and an attack was anticipated.  The
galloping Maxim raced across the veldt in the
dark from the western outposts to the town, at
no time a pleasant journey, and now with the
innumerable pitfalls all round it, it was lucky
to get there without a smash.  The Bechuanaland
Rifles and a squadron of the Protectorate
Regiment were pushed forwards towards the
brickfields, taking the place of the Cape Police
who had reinforced the extreme eastern
advanced posts.  The Boers had put three
hundred more men into their advance trench
and kept up a heavy fire at intervals all night,
as indeed they did at all points.  Our men
did not fire much.

.. _`BOERS' ATTACK ON A R.S.A.P. FORT.`:

.. figure:: images/img-136.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: BOERS' ATTACK ON A R.S.A.P. FORT.

   BOERS' ATTACK ON A R.S.A.P. FORT.

12th.  At dawn this morning I went
to Ellis's corner, as heavy firing was
going on in that direction.  The
five-pounder was firing at Currie's post and the
Cape Police, from the Boer main trench at
under two hundred yards.  Their quick firer
and one-pound Maxim were also doing so.
The big gun seemed anxious to participate,
and was elevated several times, but owing to
the Boer trench being immediately in the
line of fire did not venture to.  Things
slackened somewhat at half-past six, and I
went for a ride round the western side where
a few odd shots were being fired, but nothing
was going on.  About half-past eight the big
gun commenced firing at Cannon Kopje, and
after half a dozen shots transferred her
attentions to the town, mainly bursting in fairly
close proximity to this dug-out, but so far no
damage to my knowledge.  This afternoon I
take up my residence at Cannon Kopje for a bit.

.. _`IN THE TRENCHES.`:

.. figure:: images/img-139.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: IN THE TRENCHES.

   IN THE TRENCHES.

12th.  When I had finished the last
paragraph I left my dug-out and went to lunch,
and as I walked to the hotel, heard a single
shot, of which I naturally took no notice.  An
hour afterwards I heard that it had claimed
its victim in Captain R. Girdwood, late 3rd
Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, assistant
commisariat officer here, who was mortally
wounded.  To the garrison and all who knew
him the blow was severe.  Throughout the
whole siege he was always laughing and
joking, and nothing ever subdued his
never-failing cheerfulness: to meet him was a regular
tonic if liver or temper were at fault.  The duty
he did in assisting Captain Ryan to regulate the
supplies of food and stores was invaluable, and
Colonel Baden-Powell in his general order
literally expressed the great regret and
sympathy felt for his wife.  In the evening I
went up to the kopje, and am for a time
attached to the B.S.A.P.  Prior to my
departure they gave us a good doing in the
town, both musketry and shell fire.

13th.  To sleep in the open and live on
the heights in fine weather is undoubtedly
an improvement on the town, at any rate
for a short time; though one is away
from headquarters and the latest garrison
gossip, one's view of proceedings is universal
and uninterrupted, unless one happens to be
the recipient of Boer favours.  The bomb
proof gives ample cover and a dining-room,
for the rest one lives in the open which,
in this perfect weather, unless the sun be
unduly hot, is charming, and though washing
arrangements be scanty, the air is better and
the view far less circumscribed than in the
town some two thousand yards away.  Last
night wild musketry fire went on all night,
and incendiary Boer shells provided the kopje
contingent with fireworks gratis, and only
succeeded in setting one house on fire, which
was quickly extinguished.  Poor Girdwood
died this afternoon and was buried this evening.

14th, Valentine's Day.  I rode into the
town and having transacted my business,
and had a pleasant ride round the western
outposts, returned just in time to elude
their first shells.  They are messing about
their works as usual, but what they are
doing we cannot quite make out.  They have,
however, withdrawn their marquees from
their gun at McMullan's farm.  The homely
Dutch families generally play about the gun
(the Asp on the Cocktrice's den--N.B. the
Cocktrice's business end directed on us), and
when family life is most in evidence in the
gun's vicinity they generally fire on the town,
as it does not amuse the dear things to fire at
a small mark where they may possibly do no
damage, whilst they think they cannot well
miss everybody in the town.  The fair ladies
frequently fire the gun themselves and dandle
their babies on high to look on at the
prospective slaughter of English women and children.
Charming race!  I think even Sheridan could
scarcely find a Dutch woman "an excuse for
a glass," or, indeed, an excuse for anything
else.  However, if their menkind had as much
pluck as they possess venom, Mafeking would
not now be flying the Union Jack, but the
Vierkleur of bilious hue.  This is plentiful in
the vicinity, but has not, and will not,
desecrate the township, and I trust the new
issue may serve as a model for the ribbon of
our Transvaal medal.  Sundown: Creaky
dismantled.  Are they sick of it at last?

15th.  As dawn broke a crowd of us went
up to the lookout post, to look for our dear
departed, and when we failed to find her we
accepted our loss with due philosophy.  I rode
over to Fort Ayr to see Mr. Greenfield, who
is isolated for a month in this post.  He must,
when not engaged in rallies with the Boers,
find it very dull, for he accepted with avidity
the offer of my diary of the siege to read.
He had, however, found Creaky in front of
his position and about five miles due west of
the town; what she proposes to do here time
will show, but our end is pretty safe from her.
Later I received a telephone message to say
how pleased he was with the account of the
fight of November 31st.  This blunder, in my
diary, is a legacy from my late typewriter.
His last batch of copy (which was the last
straw that gave the correspondent the
"hump ") dated the 12th, though irritating,
was rather amusing, I have now transferred
my favours elsewhere.  The gun has commenced
bombarding the stadt and women's laager.

16th.  I rode up to Major Godley's and had
the "31st of November" cast in my teeth
once more (since corrected).  The big gun fired
twenty-eight shots at the stadt and women's
laager.  From Cannon Kopje there is
twenty-three-and-a-half seconds between the smoke
from her muzzle and the report, which makes
her a matter of nine thousand yards away, and
about the same from the centre of the town
which she cannot now properly reach, and to
strike which at all, she is elevated apparently
at right angles.  She devoted several shells
to McKenzie's western shelter trenches, doing
no harm, however.  Her change of position
must have been another deliberate atrocity on
the part of the Boers, for which I trust their
Commander will be strictly called to account.
There can be no immediate effect expected on
the defences or ultimate resistance of Mafeking
by the deliberate bombardment of women and
children, black or white.  And he who sows
the storm may reap the whirlwind, for the
blacks neither forget nor forgive, and this is
one more, and by no means the least, tally in
a long score.  Now, as regards the position of
the Baralongs and our other native residents.

At the outbreak of the war, the Boers
flooded the town with all the refugee Kaffirs
from Johannesburg and other parts of the
Transvaal, who happened to be in our vicinity,
hoping either on the capture of the town,
which they confidently anticipated, to secure
a good labour market, or, in the event of an
unexpectedly protracted resistance, to exercise
through these additional mouths, a severe
pressure on our food supplies, and thus
indirectly on our length of defence.  They
carefully, however, first robbed them of all
their money.  Now, picking a Kaffir's pocket,
or wherever he may carry his money, ranks
about as high in the code of honour, as
stealing coppers from a blind man's plate.
I am not sure whether it is a transgression of
the Law of Nations, but as by the time this
diary is read the Boer will not be, as he
certainly never ought to have been, a nation, it
is of small moment, but the act of robbery
distinctly took place.  The Baralongs were
assured by both sides that the war was
between two white races, and that they had
no cause to interfere.  We went even further,
and refused to allow them to assist us.
However, when the Baralong had seen his cattle
raided, his kraals burnt, and himself
bombarded, he, somewhat of a rhetorician, but
lacking perhaps in the logical capacity for
distinguishing between "a military operation"
and "an act of war," decided that the Boers'
application of the former to his property was
good enough excuse for him to indulge in
the latter to prevent a further application, he
accordingly, in his childlike manner, invited
the Boers to enter his stadt, and shot
several of them when they tried to.
Recently, too, the Boers made overtures to
secure the Baralong assistance, and the Chief,
Wessels, said he must think it over; after
long deliberation he declined.  It was
probably in order to punish them for this
lack of readiness to support them, that
the Boers so slated the stadt.  However
this may be, the Baralongs and other natives
have loyally and consistently supported us,
and deserve ample compensation for the
hardships, privations, and losses which they
have sustained.  All day the Boers have
been making feeble attempts on McKenzie's
outpost; and at night, seated at the kopje,
one could see a circle of fire running all round
the outposts.  On the eastern side, our Maxim
in the brickfields, our seven-pounder and their
five-pounder and many rifles were flashing in
the darkness; in the distance Fort Ayr was
warmly engaged, while to support McKenzie
in our immediate proximity, the armoured
train was creaking and groaning up the
grass-grown line.  And nothing perhaps brings
home our isolation so much, as to see the rails
overgrown with grass, and reflect that this is
a main line to England.  Owing to the custom
of the Boer of elevating the muzzle of his rifle
over the parapet and firing in the air, bullets
were whistling and falling all round us on the
kopje all night, which, as we were a mile
from, and two hundred feet higher than, the
trench they were firing at, argued poor
marksmanship on their part.  However, we
were all fairly safe, and the Boer presumably
quite so, and as he made plenty of noise
I suppose everybody was satisfied.

17th.  Very little firing till the evening,
and then usual performance.

18th, Sunday.  Our usual quiet day.  The
bank now opens for business on Sundays.
As the Kaffirs, in common with other natives,
persist in burying their specie, it is very
literally locked up, and to restore the
circulation of silver we have a paper issue for small
sums.  Indeed, we are now a very self-contained
community, we have our bank, our
ordnance factory, our police, and flourish
under a beneficent and remote autocracy.
As regards the ordnance, the factory was
started for the manufacture of shells for our
seven-pounders, for shot, brass and iron, for
our antique cannon, and for the adaptation of
five-pounder shells (left here by Dr. Jameson)
to our seven-pounders by the addition of
enlarged driving bands; these have all proved
a complete success, and too much praise
cannot be given to Connely and Cloughlan
of the Locomotive Department, who have
organized and run the aforesaid factory.  As
great a triumph has been the manufacture
of powder, and invention of fuses by
Lieutenant Daniel, B.S.A.P., and Glamorgan
Artillery Militia, and thus we are
rendered secure against our ammunition running
short; a gun is also being manufactured, and
will shortly be used.  This factory is of long
standing, but prior to this the authorities
have not allowed us to allude to its existence.

19th.  Went out to try and shoot plover,
which form an acceptable addition to our
rations, as we have now come down to horse-flesh
and six ounces of bread per day.  Fairly
quiet day.  Strolling down to town in the
evening, I assumed that their snipers were
too much occupied with our people in the
brickfields to bother about me.  They were
not, however, and were unpleasantly attentive.

20th.  Re-transferred my residence to the
town, the firing is heavier down here through
the day, and also, indeed, the night, but here
we are under cover.

21st.  Gun did not fire more than two or
three shots, but at night there was very
heavy firing along the brickfield front, they
shot some of the working party, and also
headed some of the natives going towards
Kanya.  The Boers made a half-hearted
sort of attempt to turn our men out of the
advanced trench, but utterly failed.  The
question of feeding the natives has been
solved by the establishment of a soup
kitchen, the component parts of the stock
may be varied, but the result is eminently
nutritious.

Gun changed back near to old position
east of town, they elevated and depressed
her several times, but did not fire.  As
the bells rung, however, the moral effect
was exactly the same, possibly also the
physical.  Sergeant-Major Looney, A.S.C.,
was reduced to the ranks and five years penal
servitude awarded to him for selling
Government stores.  Private Miller, Protectorate
Regiment, tampering with a loaded
ninety-four-pound shell, was blown to pieces.  This
form of lunacy is apparently ineradicable.
We anticipate an attack to-morrow, as it is
the Orange Free State Independence Day.
I wonder if the Free State still exists: the
following letter *apropos* of this from the
leader of the opposition in the Free State
before the war is, I think, interesting:--

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: left

   (*Copy.*)

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: left white-space-pre-line

BLOMFONTEIN,
*September* 4th, 1899.

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

CHARLES METTAM, ESQ.,
   Box 23.
      Krugersdorp.

.. class:: noindent

   DEAR MR. METTAM,

Your letter of the 30th inst. is to hand, and affords
a by no means solitary instance of the one sided and
high-handed treatment former Free State Burghers
have to undergo at the hands of our so-called brethren
in the South African Republic, yet in spite of all this
the political union or alliance was put through our
Raad, and should hostilities break out, we shall have to
be belligerants and be involved in all the horrors of
war and have to lose our independence, and for what?
As a just reward for the folly of allowing a spurious
sentiment to override common sense.  So it is,
however--and under the circumstances, as you have lost
your Free State burgher rights you could not claim
protection here.  The only way I see for you--as you
hold to your birthright staters--is to bring your
position to the notice of the British resident, and ask
him to advise you how you are to act.  With kindest
regards to Mrs. Mettam and yourself.

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

Yours faithfully,
   \J. \G. FRASER.

P.S.--I think a great many of our people are being
educated by this crisis to the accuracy of the policy
which I placed before them at the last election, and
have since always advocated.

.. class:: left

   J.G.F.

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HER MAJESTY'S AGENCY,
   PRETORIA,
*September* 11th, 1899.

.. class:: noindent

   SIR,

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and
enclosure (herewith returned) of the 7th instant, and
regret that it is not in my power to discuss the matter
to which you refer by letter.  I should, however,
recommend you, if you should be in Johannesburg,
to see the British Vice-Consul there, who will no doubt
give you such advice as may be possible under the
circumstances.

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

I am, Sir,
   Your obedient servant,
      CONYNGHAM GREENE.

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

MR. C. METTAM,
   P. O. Box 23,
      Krugersdorp.

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line

Certified true copy.
   E. H. CECIL MAJ,
      C. S. O.

.. vspace:: 2

23rd.  They commenced shelling cattle
and northern end of the town.  As the
inhabitants have not been shelled severely for
ten days, they seem more concerned in
running to see where the shell pitches, than
in taking cover as they have been strictly
warned to do.  Steady rain has commenced,
depressing the big gun and the Boers.

24th.  Rain continuing, gun and owners
still depressed.  No news received for ten
days and great universal anxiety felt for
anticipated decisive intelligence.

25th, Sunday.  No heavy shelling yesterday,
but firing all night and this morning.
Cape Boys in advanced trenches, and Boers,
engaged in an argument as to their respective
mothers and other female relatives' merits and
demerits.  The arguments for and against
having rapidly degenerated to assertions,
shooting began, but as it was merely a personal
quarrel no one else interfered, and, indeed,
white flags from both sides met within a
quarter of a mile of the firing, which continued
all day.  Our Sunday concert was a great
success, and the day being fine was most
enjoyable.  It is curious what different people
buy at the stores, the Europeans buying
mainly the necessities of life, while the Kaffir,
who has plenty of money, but is only allowed
to purchase a limited amount of meal, browses
off Pâte de Foie Gras, and other similar
comestibles.  In the afternoon I went to
inspect our new gun.  She reflects the greatest
credit on her builders, the finish and turn-out
being quite dandy.  She's a smooth bore 5.5,
and carries a round shell; we ought to have
good fun from her.

26th.  Runners in this morning, news very
meagre.  Her Majesty's telegram received,
which gave intense satisfaction, but we have
been anxiously anticipating decisive intelligence.
The Kaffirs report that the Boers are
few round here, but will not abandon the
prosecution of the siege; on our side we
cannot afford a serious sortie, as a reverse
*might* mean the fall of Mafeking, which is not
desirable or in the least probable.  The Boers
began shell-fire at dawn this morning, and
continued it at intervals all day.  This was
the most rapid fire we have had, and the
continuous clanging of bells might have
induced a stranger to suppose that we were
indulging in some popular celebration.  They
particularly favoured our end of the town.
In the evening we tried our new gun on
Game Tree fort at about 2300 yards, she was
a great success, and her range was apparently
only limited by eyesight.

27th.  Being Majuba Day we expected an
attack, so I went up to Cannon Kopje before
dawn.  What attacking there was was in the
brickfields and was done by us, but after a fitful
splutter of musketry for an hour things
quieted down.  I went up to Fort Ayr but
nothing was doing, and with the exception of
musketry fire and a few small shells, it was
a quiet day.  The Boers blew up the line
about two miles north of the town.

28th.  We have got our news at last, and
though the shell fire is very much heavier
than usual the population is wandering about
with a bland smile on its face and a
comfortable contempt for the Boer nation at
large, only tempered by the fear that the
military success over Boer armies in the field
may be discounted greatly if the British
people allow themselves to be hoodwinked
by the most unscrupulous, self-interested
politicians who ever led a country to its
ruin, but who have unfortunately sown seeds
which may sprout again and to which there
is only one successful treatment, that of
*force majeure*, followed by *pax Brittanica*,
to be upheld again whenever necessary by
the aforesaid *force majeure*, which is the
only argument that South Africa, black or
white, in its present condition can
understand.  Generosity would be wasted, kindness
treated with ill-concealed contempt, and blood
and treasure cast away, whilst race hatred
would again be rampant, were the Dutch
to be once more in a position to struggle for
supreme control.  It is a strong man armed who
keeps South Africa, let that man be British.

The Boers are determined to keep us
amused, and do not approve of the Free
Press; they have just now blown the newspaper
office, by our dug-out, to pieces, and are
trying to silence our mild manifestations of
joy by particularly heavy shell fire.  This
afternoon we tried our new gun again on
the veldt, with bursting charges in the shells,
and the results were eminently satisfactory;
they afforded a certain amount of interest to
the garrison of Game Tree fort, who, as the
gun was pointed almost at right angles to
them, bobbed somewhat unnecessarily to each
discharge.  The explosion of the shell might
well have puzzled them for it was exactly
like the discharge of another gun.  It is a
shame to be cooped up here in such weather,
"where all around is beautiful and only Boers
are vile," and if they had any sense of
decency or humour they would give us one
good fight to finish, as it is we hang on in
trenches into which they cannot possibly
come, they hang on in opposing trenches into
which we cannot afford to go, exchanges of
shots go on all day, varied by shell fire on
their part, which is becoming monotonous,
and the dullest, deadest level of warfare has
been effectually attained.  To-day we had
our little joke; a dummy truck was placed on
the line about two miles south of the town,
some snipers fired a few shots from it and
then abandoned it, they were, however,
successful in drawing the fire from the
quick-firer Krupp and one-pound Maxim at Jackal
Tree with occasional shots from the big gun;
they made execrable shooting, but killed
some cattle and a horse or two in a remote
portion of the veldt, and unfortunately killed
the Sergeant-Major of the Black Watch, a
fine Zulu over six feet four inches: a
one-pound Maxim hit him clean in the head.
Yesterday, too, Trooper Elkington, a particularly
smart, good-looking fellow in the Cape
Police, was struck in the face by a five-pound
shell, and his nose and eyes destroyed; he
still lives, poor fellow.  *Apropos* of Zulus,
there is a mad Zulu in the town who, when
the frenzy seizes him, strips, and indulges in
a war dance in front of the Boers; how many
thousand rounds of ammunition they have
fired at him it would be hard to say, but one
day for certain they fired a five nine-pounder
Krupp at him, the only result being that he
assegaied the spot were each shell fell.  My
own personal experience of him was
aggravating.  One day having selected a secluded
spot with good cover from which to snipe,
and thinking myself exceedingly well
concealed, I was much annoyed by the inordinate
amount of bullets which came my way,
and whilst waiting till they stopped
a bit, happened to look round and
discovered that my friend, stark naked, was
dancing about a hundred yards in rear of me,
when he had finished he put on his clothes
and went home.  He is still alive, and dancing
when inclined.  Mr. Whales, who has edited
*The Mafeking Mail* and brought out daily
editions throughout the siege, had an
extraordinary escape yesterday.  A 94 lb. shell
came into his office and exploded whilst he
was talking to two other men, wrecking the
place, but providentially only slightly
scratching one man.  As he emerged from the *debris*
much shaken, his first remark was, "That the
slip would not be issued to-night."  This is the
second shell through the office, and though
the setting up operations are carried on in
a bomb proof, he has consistently carried on
his editorial avocations regardless of the
heaviest fire.  This practice I am glad to say
he proposes to discontinue in a measure, and
work more or less underground, for, as he
truly says, "The third shell may hit
me."  Really this does look as if it were the
beginning of the end, and as if this somewhat
isolated outpost of the Empire were going to
get its communications with civilization
restored.  It has been an experience, and
though certainly not a very pleasant one,
I do not think the survivors can but have
profited by it.  I rather fancy, however, that
it will take a singularly astute foeman ever to
involve any of them in a siege again; it is,
however, Colonel Vyvyan's second experience
in South Africa, as he was once before shut up
in Etchowe.

March 1st.  Yesterday a large party of
women and children, who do not belong to
this district, were sent away; the Boers turned
them back, and when they were retiring
deliberately opened a heavy fire on them,
killing and wounding many.  This is not the
first deliberate outrage on the native women
and children, and in addition they have
flogged and turned back women trying to
escape.  Colonel Baden-Powell has addressed
several remonstrances to General Snyman on
the subject, and pointed out that he cannot
expect the native chiefs in the vicinity to
restrain their tribesmen, if the Boers persist
in murdering their friends and relations, and
that he, Colonel Baden-Powell, cannot be
answerable for any subsequent occurrences in
the way of reprisals on the part of the natives,
to which General Snyman has answered as
a rule more or less civilly (generally less) that
we and the natives may do our worst.  To-day
is the usual sort of day, heavy sniping at
intervals and a fair amount of shelling.  Certainly
the amount of damage done to Mafeking in life
and property has been wholly disproportionate
to the amount of shell fire sustained, the reason
of course being the soft mud bricks of which
the houses are constructed; and to-day we
had two very fine object lessons of the
extensive damage these shells would have
done among more solidly constructed edifices.
Mr. Whitely, the mayor's, house, which is built
of stronger materials than any other house in
Mafeking, was struck by a shell, and the
damage done was far greater than was usually
the case.  Round the house of Mr. Bell, the
magistrate, there is a loose stone wall, the
shell struck and exploded at the base of it,
the fragments of shell did but little harm, but
one boulder about twice the size of a man's
body was hurled about twenty-five yards,
and two rocks about twice the size of
a man's head were projected through the
house some twenty-five yards away, while
stones of various sizes were hurled great
distances and in every direction.  So, though
thanks to its flimsy construction, Mafeking has
escaped better than many a more important
town would, it does seem rather like breaking
a butterfly to use modern siege guns against
a place of this sort.  However, it is still a fairly
lively butterfly in spite of twelve thousand
pounds of metal from one gun alone.  We
have developed a new trench N.E. of the
town to enfilade the enemies' sniping trenches,
which, though it does not silence them, seems
to annoy them passably.

2nd.  Shell fire.  Our new gun was tried
on the sniping trenches, more for ranging
purposes and to learn her extent and powers
than anything else.  The Boer trenches showed
great curiosity as to what she was and why
she did it, for her shells burst with a most
delightful report and seemed to spread very
nicely.  A new toy like this is a god-send to us
in our present dull condition.

The Boers during the experiment,
however, kept themselves and their curiosity
underground.  The Boer big gun was
removed at sunset and the usual crop
of surmises, bets as to destination, cause
of removal, &c., sprang rapidly into
existence, and at any rate gave us something to
talk about; it takes very little to interest us here.

3rd.  The Boers tried dynamiting our
trenches last night, but failed, our advanced
parties are within forty yards of each other.
At dawn the big gun, which had shifted back
to the south-east heights from where she
flanks our brickfield advance, commenced
heavy fire, sending thirty-six or thirty-eight
shells before breakfast, and mortally wounding
Sergeant-Major Taylor of the Cape Boys; we
also had four or five others wounded more or
less severely.  They, however, stuck to their
ground in shallow trenches which were hardly
any protection, and that we suffered no greater
loss is a matter of astonishment to everybody.

Our seven-pounders then commenced on
their trenches, and the firing was heavy all
round the whole morning.  The Boers
contemplated renewing their entertainment in the
afternoon, but our snipers had crept up to
within about eight hundred yards of the big
gun and commenced picking off the gunners.
Trooper Webb, C.P., fortunately shot their
Artillery Officer whilst laying the gun, at
a fairly early stage in the performance,
and this seemed to damp their enthusiasm.
They commenced running about like a lot of
disturbed ants, messengers were dispatched to
the laager, their doctor arrived on horseback,
and they then proceeded to hoist three Red Cross
flags on the work.  They carried a stretcher
under a guard towards the laager and met a
carriage, but he was apparently too bad to be
put in that, and the carriage returned to the
laager, when some mounted men rode forth,
and, meeting the stretcher, dismounted and
followed behind.  Altogether they seemed
very depressed whilst we were correspondingly
the reverse, and in the confusion the big
gun forgot to go off, and was removed before
dark.  With the exception of musketry the rest
of the day was quiet.  Our saps have now
crossed each other.

Sunday.  This morning at daybreak the
Boers were still working, so we gave them
a volley at forty yards and are believed to
have shot four.  Sniping continued all day, and
later on we killed another.  From this quarter
the Boers, who were evidently very cross,
sniped viciously all day.  I walked up with
Captain Williams, whose turn it is now for duty
in the brickfields, and personally I consider
it a most undesirable place of residence.  The
big gun has disappeared.  We are all glad
to hear that our old friend Cronje is in
a tight place; from all accounts he will trouble
us no more.

5th.  The big gun is back at the old place
east of the town; her immediate *entourage*
evidently prefer gun practice at a safe range,
for we have shot a good many gunners.
Their efforts to get the gun off under musketry
fire always cause amusement.  They rush to the
gun, and then disappear, this goes on
sometimes quite a long time before the gun gets
fired.  Sergeant Major Taylor died last night;
he was a splendid fellow and a good
representative of the Cape Boys, who are a most
gallant race of men and good shots.  In times
of peace he was one of the leading members of
the Church in the location.  There is heavy
firing in the direction of the brickfields, so
I must see what is going on.

6th.  Yesterday our seven-pounders made
very good shooting on the Boer brickfield
trenches, and after Mr. Feltham, Protectorate
Regiment, had thrown dynamite at them
for some time, the Cape Boys went to poke
them out of their sap with the bayonet, but
the wily Boer was gone; they had closed
their sap.  In this fight of "sit down" (as
the Zulus say), I for one had worn out much
patience and several pairs of trousers, and we
seem to be borrowing more and more hints in
the way of mortars, hand grenades, &c., from
our forefathers.  The Boers seemed much
annoyed yesterday afternoon, and heavy firing
went on last night and is going on this
morning.  The big gun did not fire yesterday
though she was elevated and pointed several
times, nor has she fired this morning.  There
are strong rumours that the Boers intend to
trek, and are preparing for it; that the gun we
see is a dummy; and that the real one has
been withdrawn to defend a position on the
frontier.  We sincerely hope it is true.

6th.  The gun proved herself to be the
"old original" by letting us have two or
three shots in the evening.

7th.  Heavy firing all night in the
brickfields; only two shells.  The Boers have
commenced to trek.  Trooper McDonald,
Cape Police, died.  His was an adventurous
career; he joined the Argyle and Sutherland
Highlanders in '47, served in the Crimea
(French and Sardinian Medal, two clasps),
served in the Indian Mutiny, was kidnapped
when embarking home by Americans, fought
for the North against the South, deserted the
North and fought for the South, afterwards
went to Australia, thence to New Zealand,
and served in the Maori War where he was
taken prisoner.  Later he came to South
Africa, served in the Basuto War, Sir Charles
Warren's expedition, Carrington's Horse, the
B.B.P., and transferred to the Cape Police,
in which corps he has died of hardships and
old age, fighting the Boers.  He is not the
only Crimean veteran we have here, both the
Navy and Army are represented.  Mr. Ellis
joined the Royal Navy in 1854, served in the
Baltic and the Black Sea, came to Africa and
served in the Galika War.  Mr. Brasier served
in the Crimea and Mutiny, and there are
others of whose extent of service I am not so
certain.  The contrast between them and the
Cadet Corps, who are utilised for orderly
work, &c., is remarkable, and if the Boers
have their greybeards and boys fighting, why
so have we.  It seems very curious at first,
but one soon gets used to it, as indeed one
does to the underground residences, all
business, as far as possible, being carried on
in dug-outs; dining-rooms, offices, stores,
barracks, even the bank where Mr. Urry, who
with Captain Greener runs our paper coinage,
sits in charge of a vast amount of paper, but
very little hard cash, for the Kaffirs have buried
all specie obtainable, are below ground.  In our
dug-out we have some siege mice, born since
its construction, of a friendly and confiding
disposition, who come and feed on the table,
and play about and have a good time generally;
other animals are therefore not admitted.

8th.  Good news arrived of Cronje's defeat
and surrender, and the wiping out of Majuba
Day.  Soldiers were proud, the population at
large delighted, but most of all the South
African Englishman.  For the last twenty
years he has been taunted by the Dutch with
Majuba; he can now hold up his head again,
and nothing could conduce more to a
permanent pacification of South Africa than the
wiping out of the day.  Henning Pretorius,
one of the leading Transvaal burghers, when he
heard of Majuba, said, "Now it is finished.
They will never stop till they have wiped us
out."  This he maintained till his death, which
occurred recently, and he always urged that
the Boers should make friends with us and
become one nation.  Usual heavy firing at
night, only one shell.

9th.  Heavy firing all night, commencing
early with heavy volleys on the north and
north-west fronts.  I rode round the western
outposts; it is a very pleasant ride and the
Boers were pretty quiet, at least as concerned
me, for they took no notice at all.

10th.  Heavy firing this morning in the
brickfields, the gun is elevated and pointed on
the town, in which position she has remained
for the past two or three days with very
occasional shells.  The Boers are daily
treking by degrees.  I propose to go down
to the brickfields this morning as that is
about the liveliest spot in Mafeking, though
I fancy very little of it will go a long way.

Trooper Webb of the Cape Police was
shot through the head in the brickfield
trenches last night; a fine specimen of a
splendid corps.  He was shot through the
ankle in a sortie at the commencement of the
siege, and when able to hobble he came out
for duty as look-out man and orderly at
headquarters; yesterday, as he was not so lame, at
his earnest request he was allowed to go on
duty in the advanced trenches, and during his
first tour of sentry-go, was mortally wounded
by a chance bullet in the dark.  He is greatly
regretted by the townspeople and all ranks,
and Her Majesty loses a fine soldier, a
first-class policeman, and a good all-round man.

I went down to the brickfields this morning
and met Captain Fitzclarence and Captain
Williams; things were pretty quiet down
there in the morning, though they livened
up again shortly afterwards.  I went round
the trenches with them.  One's mode of
progression is distinctly uncomfortable, bent
double, with a certain amount of water in the
trenches, which are shallow as yet between
the various works, but being deepened daily.
The various works and trenches all have their
names, Regent's Circus, Oxford Street, &c.,
whilst our most advanced work is called the
New Cut, and the Boers' trench forty yards
away Houndsditch.  The sound of the
Mauser at this short range has a very
different effect to its sound at the longer ranges,
and the crack of the bullets when they strike
is like the explosion of a young shell.  The
Boers at these ranges are very quick and
good shots; they shoot at your hat if visible,
or at the sound of your voice, and as the
loopholes have to be kept closed, the only way of
looking out is by means of a pair of Zeiss
glasses which project over the edge of the
parapet while one's head is in safety some
inches below, even so they put a bullet
through one of the lenses this morning
(which, as they were mine, did not please me)
and through the hat of the look-out man, but
with them you can see right into the Boer
loopholes with comparative safety, though bullets
frequently, owing to the tremendous
penetration of the Mauser, come clean through the
upper part of the parapet, and the sand bags
on the top are cut to ribbons.  The advance
post is occupied by the Cape Boys, who
under Lieutenants Feltham and Currie (who
has recently been promoted) take it day and
day about; one was shot this morning.  This
post which we now occupy was sapped up to
and occupied from the other side by the Boers,
but was retaken by the Cape Boys under
Currie, with Captain Fitzclarence and some of
the white garrison; they had to emerge in
single file from a narrow opening which was
commanded by the Boer loop-holes, and run
round the edge of the excavation of the
brickfield up to the loop-holes occupied by
the Boers, a distance of some twenty yards;
the latter fled on their approach.  We have
now occupied it from our side and strengthened
the work.  The trenches approaching the
advance works are exposed to fire from the
front and right flanks, but are being
strengthened daily.  On our return from the
advance work we made our way to the river
bed where Currie's post is established, and it
was there that poor Webb was killed.  The
garrison of the trenches are now fairly housed
and comparatively safe, though, of course,
casualties occur daily; still, if the Boers try a
sortie they will meet a very warm reception.

Sunday.  Last night heavy firing as usual,
but to-day, contrary to our late custom, peace has
reigned in the brickfields, and both sides sat on
their parapets and asked after various friends on
the other side.  The Boers have lately, as the
natives express it, become much more tame,
and have allowed Kaffir women to gather
wood, pumpkins, and Kaffir corn without
molestation.  Our Sunday was absolutely
peaceful and quiet, and as we are not able now
to indulge in mounted sports, &c., owing to the
condition of the horses, we have fallen back
on cricket as our Sunday relaxation.

12th.  The natives went out last night,
and McKenzie's boys got into Jackal Tree
which they found empty.  The Baralongs
attacked Fort Snyman from the rear and had
a lively engagement with the hundred odd
Boers who garrisoned it, and after finishing
their ammunition, withdrew with a loss of one
killed and two wounded.  We know of one Boer
dead for certain, for Trooper Webb of the
C.P. blew his head off at the entrance to the work,
and we fancy that at the short range our
volleys must have accounted for several more.
General Snyman has returned and notified his
arrival by an unusually heavy dose of shell
fire.  I rode round the western outposts this
morning with Captain Wilson; the natives
seemed quite pleased with themselves, more
particularly as they had secured some thirty
head of fat cattle in a raid two days ago.  We
then inspected the soup kitchens which he is
managing, and which are a great improvement
on those first started; the food provided is
very popular with the natives, who come in
their hundreds for it.

13th.  Our runners brought us in good
news of the relief of Ladysmith and the heavy
Boer losses.  Everybody is consequently
jubilant, and our only regret is that we can't
drive these Boers over the frontier and clear
British territory; however, Colonel Plumer
is at Lobatsi, and as there cannot be any
considerable body of Boers between this and
Kimberley, we ought soon to have the line
open both ways.  They began shelling early
and kept on with their home-made shrapnel
all day, killing two and wounding several.
One shell burst in a pigeon-house and killed
sixteen valuable carrier pigeons; the shot is
somewhat large for pigeon shooting, but
apparently effective.  The base of another
shell went through the head-quarter office,
making a hideous mess, but hurting no one; in
fact, they were shooting offices all round, and
the ordinarily neatly-kept official papers were
in two or three cases much upset and covered
with the *debris* of their various abodes.  This
new shrapnel is essentially a man-killing shell,
for which reason I suppose the Boers have
paid particular attention to the earthworks,
*per contra* if they want to snipe cattle or slay
men they generally employ common shell.
Last night a cattle raiding party came in with
some horses, saddles, rifles and bandoliers
belonging to some deceased Boers.  The
Boers had tracked this party of Baralongs,
who, seeing them following on their spoor,
had doubled back on their own trail and
ambushed them at short range.  They accounted
for six or seven, and relieved their dead of
their arms, &c., as far as they could, before the
Boers recovered from their surprise, and drove
them off with a loss to the raiders of one
killed and two wounded, the latter of whom
they brought in.  This success has naturally
much pleased the natives, and encouraged them
greatly for future raids, which is most useful, as
the results feed us and harass the Boers.  The
advanced trenches also got a couple by
moonlight as they were creeping up to our trench.

14th.  Shelling has begun again this
morning, quite up to its best form.  The Boers in
Snyman's absence take things much more
easily, and if we could only kill him here and
Kruger in the south, as well as old Cronje, it
would save a vast amount of trouble, for it
takes these leaders all their time to keep their
followers up to the scratch.  They had a sort
of "indaba" this morning.  I only trust it was
bad news for them, they get their news
about a fortnight before we do.

15th.  Fairly quiet day, pretty heavy shelling.

16th.  Very little shelling.  The Cape
Boys in the advance trenches were playing
a concertina, and so chaffed the Boers, saying
they were dancing, and asking them to send
some ladies, &c., that one of them, either
attracted by the music or bursting with
repartee, popped up his head, and was
incontinently shot by a wily Cape Boy, to
the intense delight of the others.  They have
a distinct sense of humour, though possibly
a somewhat grim one.  The advance trenches
are now deepened and strengthened, and are
as safe as it is possible for them to be to walk
about in; from the advance trenches the
Boers and ourselves throw bombs, and
they are also using explosive bullets; their
bombs are made like old hand-grenades, the
bombs of both sides being charged with
dynamite.  They throw theirs by hand,
but ours, though of a cruder form (being
mainly jam tins) are propelled in a much
more scientific manner.  Sergeant Page, of
the Protectorate Regiment, has rigged up
a bamboo as a fishing-rod, and casts his bomb
with great precision the short distance to the
Boer trenches.

17th.  Pretty quiet day.  Last night
McKenzie's boys raided Jackal Tree fort,
killed one Boer and a Kaffir, and secured
three horses and rifles.  The dug-outs are
all so close to various residences that it was
amusing to see one card party, disturbed by
the ringing of the bell, dive from the mess to
the dug-out, and actually be back picking up
their cards before the shell which had passed
high in the air, had exploded.  Vices in time of
peace become virtues in war time; the most
expert Baralong cattle thief, who under
other circumstances would assuredly be in
durance vile, is now indeed a *persona grata*
and leader of men, and whilst enjoying
himself at the top of his bent is making the
most of his fleeting opportunity.

18th, Sunday.  I went down to the brickfields
to the advanced trenches; down there
both parties had agreed not to shoot, and
exchanged tobacco for peach brandy, &c.,
asking after their various friends and relations.
I got three snap shots at the Boers in the
advance trench, and we studied each other
with great curiosity, our clean shirts, collars,
and Sunday clothes apparently astonishing
them as much as their remarkable grime
surprised us.  On the way back there is
a pleasant meadow, in which we lay and
smoked and tried to pretend it was England,
though that was somewhat a failure.  Whilst
down there I met an old warrior who had
drifted a long way from his last fight.
A native of Bagdad, he was in Sarif (?) Pasha's
command at Plevna, which he said was a very
different siege to this; he says they fought
only occasionally there, and then killed
thousands of men, but rested in between,
whilst here we were continually shooting.  If
we killed thousands here the siege would soon
come to an end.  The old man is very fit and
seems to enjoy his fighting still.  Runners
came in from the south this morning who had
seen the relief of Kimberley, which impressed
them very much.  They said that the man who
wrote the Bible must have been referring to
the English army, when he spoke of the
Tribes of Israel and the thousands which
composed them, and that the aforesaid army
was big enough to eat up all the Kaffirs; they
reported, also, that the searchlights of the force
advancing up the line had been seen as far as
Taungs, and that the Boers were concentrating,
but are pretty thick between here and the
advancing force.  As regards this place the
boot will soon be on the other leg, as the
Boers are now afraid to move about except in
large bodies, and we hope that our communication
will soon be thoroughly restored.  The
runners from Setlagoli reported that the
raiding party I spoke of on the 13th, had
killed and wounded some twenty Boers,
including the man who had shot one of our
Baralongs in cold blood the day before.
There was a smoking concert to-night to
celebrate St. Patrick's Day, largely attended
by Irishmen and others; the proceedings were
harmonious throughout.

19th.  A fair amount of shelling.  A party
of Boers and three guns have returned from
the north, where native rumour says they
have had a repulse, and in which direction
musketry fire was faintly heard yesterday morning.

20th.  We got runners in from the north;
the Boers seem in a bad way all round.

21st.  More runners in.  To-day we were
unlucky, and we had a few casualties.

22nd.  More runners.  Plumer's column
twenty-four miles away.

23rd.  We shelled the brickfield trench,
but did not succeed in drawing fire from the
big gun, which has been almost silent for the
last few days.  In the garrison there are
soldiers from all parts of the world, one
German veteran who served all through the
Franco-German War in the 84th Regiment,
Trooper Block by name, was through the
Orleans campaign, and has since served in
all the South African wars; there are men
who served in the Chilian war, the Carlist,
and in fact practically every known war for
the last fifty years.

24th.  Last night the Boers evacuated their
brickfield trenches, which we occupied with
much cheering; they left several cases of
dynamite behind connected with a wire, with
which they proposed to blow up our men;
the wire was, however, promptly disconnected.
In Dutch newspapers discovered in the
trenches was found the account of the fall of
Bloemfontein, which was confirmed by runners
from Plumer this morning.  The Boers have
now withdrawn to a respectful distance all
round the town, which is, however, still
invested, but the big gun so far is quiet.
This must be the beginning of the end, and
we have nearly completed our six months'
siege.  I fully expect the big gun to be
removed in a day or two; last night was the
first time she has failed to reply to our
artillery fire.

We have started a post-office here, with
stamps, &c., and also a very tastefully designed
£1 note.  I must finish off my entries as
a go of fever makes it difficult, almost
impossible, to write at all.

.. _`Mafeking Siege Note`:

.. figure:: images/img-183.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: Mafeking Siege Note

   Mafeking Siege Note

24th.  Last night Sub-Inspector Murray
and Trooper Melahue, Cape Police, went
out, and having reconnoitred the rear of the
enemy's trench, came to the conclusion that
it was unoccupied.  Inspector Browne, of the
Cape Police, and the Cape Boys under
Lieutenants Feltham and Currie, proceeded
to occupy it.  The Boers had left a mine of
250 lbs. of nitro-glycerine behind.  Sergeant
Page, Protectorate Regiment, discovered and
disconnected the wire.  The men cheered
themselves hoarse, and rightly too, for this is
the most decisive success we have scored since
the commencement of the campaign, as the
town is now for the first time free from
musketry fire, and our guns are again within
striking distance of the Boer artillery.

25th, Sunday.  The Siege Exhibition took
place to-day.  A most creditable exhibition
from the ingenuity shown, and also considering
its peculiar surroundings.  We shall hope to
forward some of our exhibits home.  I went
out and inspected the Boer trench.  If it is "an
ill bird that fouls its own nest," a Boer is
indeed ill.  They are occupying a trench
about seven hundred yards away, from which
they shoot with a certain amount of precision,
but with no result, upon their late happy
home.  Personally, I particularly wished to
inspect the brick kilns, at which I had
discharged some hundred rounds of ammunition.
It is very interesting, but still somewhat
annoying to find that it is practically bullet proof;
however, on the other hand, the particular
place of resort from which I had fired the
said ammunition was also fairly safe, so
perhaps I had no reason to grumble, and at
any rate I had frequently silenced them.

26th, Monday.  Exceptionally quiet to-day.
Late at night I was in Mr. Weil's dug-out
when he received the news of the English
troops' arrival at Vryburg.  Mafeking
accordingly jubilant.[#]

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: noindent small

[#] This eventually turned out to be untrue.

.. vspace:: 2

27th, Tuesday.  The Boers commenced
early and continued a heavy shell fire all
day, pouring more shells into the town than
they had any two days of the siege.  It was
very curious, but the news received the night
before caused the population to show more
absolute disregard for the shell fire than they
had done on many days when the bombardment
was comparatively light.  The Premier's
message to the two Presidents was published
this evening, and now even the most pessimistic
admit it is possible that there may be a
satisfactory solution of the war.  We hope we
may be able to slightly assist in a less passive
manner than heretofore.

28th, Wednesday.  After our treat of
yesterday, absolute quiet reigns to-day.  Really
there is no understanding the Boers.  Our
locally manufactured field-piece burst last
night, but the shell managed to reach the Boer
laager.  What they contemplate and what is
their plan of campaign leaves everybody
wondering.  No ulterior object can be obtained by
their desultory mode of conducting operations.
Occasional casualties, which is apparently
their only object, is the sole result arrived at,
and these casualties are, we think, more heavy
on their side than ours.

29th, Thursday.  A quiet day.  The Boers
gradually evacuating their eastern trenches.

30th, Friday.  The guns are fairly quiet.
We are gradually occupying the evacuated
trenches.

31st, Saturday.  In the morning a quiet
day.  In the afternoon a body of four
hundred or five hundred Boers and three guns
hastily left their eastern laager in a northerly
direction.  I took up a position in the
convent, and from there could see considerable
confusion and excitement amongst the Boers
galloping backwards and forwards in the
direction of Signal Hill.  The sound of guns
too was distinctly audible to the north, some
six or seven miles away.  The garrison
livened up.  The guns under Major Panzera
and Lieutenant Daniells commenced playing
from every face.  A mounted squadron under
Major Grodley demonstrated towards Game
Tree fort on the north.  For an hour or so
things were lively, but quieted down.

Our old "Lord Nelson" reached the laager,
and the big gun was annoyed by the Hotchkiss.
It is a curious fact that all the pieces
of ordnance with which we are "blessed" are
obsolete naval guns.  Rumours as usual
flying around and we really had something to
give scope for conjecture.

April 1st, Sunday.  The siege as affecting
me pecuniarily is becoming expensive.  I lose
bets at the end of each month as it interminably
prolongs.

A quiet day and a flag of truce from the
Boers asking us to fetch our dead who were
killed in the northern fight the day before.
Accordingly wagons under Lieutenant the
Honourable Hanbury Tracy and Lieutenant
Singleton went north, where they met the
Boers, who assisted them to find and recover
the bodies.  Three men were brought in
belonging to Colonel Plumer's column, and
Captain McLaren, Lieutenant Crewe, and
Troopers Murray and Robinson were reported
wounded.  It would seem to have been a sharp
skirmish between a strong patrol of Colonel
Plumer's and a considerably more numerous
body of Boers, but as far as we can ascertain
Colonel Plumer's main column was not engaged.

Our demonstration against Game Tree
resulted in our killing two Boers, and even by
their own accounts, numerically our losses were
evenly balanced.  Fourteen dead horses were
seen on the field.

2nd, Monday.  Flags of truce from the
enemy reporting the death of Captain McLaren.
Regret and sympathy barely express my own
feelings, and how many of us are there
scattered about the world, who when they see the
next polo tournament, will think again of the
best of players, the nicest of fellows, whom
Hurlingham and the scenes of his many
triumphs will see no more.

There seems a chance of another fight this
afternoon.  The Boers are very restless and
galloping about in all directions.  I do not
suppose they mean to attack us, and, as far
as I can make out, are nervous and seem to
expect pressure from the east.

Some men were interviewed yesterday who
had returned from Natal.  They reported the
death of Joubert and were far less confident
than they have shown themselves heretofore.

3rd, Tuesday.  I am heartily glad to say
that Captain McLaren is not dead, although
severely wounded and a prisoner in the Boers' hands.

A despatch was received from Colonel
Plumer this morning stating that he had had
an engagement north of the town and that
his losses were Captain Crewe (who was
buried here this morning), Lieutenant
Milligan, killed; Colonel Plumer, Major
Weston Jarvis, and Captain Rolt, slightly
wounded; non-commissioned Officers and
men killed, seven; wounded, twenty-six;
missing, eleven.  Three missing are known
to be dead and the others are wounded in the
Boers' hands.  Captain McLaren has written
from the Boer camp, where he is, we are
all glad to hear, going on well and being very
well treated by the Boers.

Yesterday afternoon we had a successful
brush with the enemy to north-west, no
casualties on our side.  Their ambulances
were seen very busy.  To-day everything is so far quiet.

4th.  Early this morning Lieutenant
F. Smitheman, Rhodesian Regiment, Colonel
Plumer's intelligence officer, arrived through
the Boer lines.  I met him as he was going to
change.  He said, "How do you do?
I am ---- to be in."  I said, "How are
you?  I am very glad to see you, but
I should be ---- glad to be out."  However,
there is no satisfying everybody.  The
country was infested by Boers and he had
walked twenty-two miles that night
accompanied by two natives.  He is as a scout *facile
princeps*, and thus eluded the hostile cordon
successfully, though he had one anxious
moment when he fell into the trench
connecting Fort Ayr and the refugee laager, heard
native voices, and was for some time under the
impression it was the Boer trench.  He was
second in command of Colonel Plumer's
scouts in 1896, and afterwards disappeared
into Central Africa for two years, going from
Chinde to Blantyre, to Lake Nyassa, then by
Lake Bangueolo to the source of the Congo,
thence due south through the Mashakalumbwe
country to Victoria Falls, and through which
country he was the first white man to pass, and
from the falls to Bulawayo, where he arrived in
December, 1898.  Though his journeys then
may have been long, arduous, and dangerous,
they can scarcely have been more exciting
than the short twenty-two miles he walked
last night.

A quiet day.  Flags of truce pass daily
informing us of the condition of the wounded.

5th, Thursday.  This morning Smitheman
went to the brickfields with the Colonel and
was shot at a bit.  We all told him that we
were afraid we shouldn't be able to find him
any entertainment as the Boers are very quiet
just now, and he said we needn't trouble.
However, as the morning wore on the
enemy's sixteen-pounder commenced
bombarding us from Game Tree and Jackal Tree
and kept on the whole morning, apparently
directed by a deserter, Private Hay,
Protectorate Regiment, who selected his late fort
and the headquarters of the Protectorate
Regiment, as his main target.  I shouldn't
care to be Private Hay after the war as there
is £50 on his head, dead or alive, and the
Boers are hard up.  The afternoon was pretty
quiet, and the Boers have now retired all
round to extreme musketry range of all the
town.  They livened up in the evening
though, and fired a good deal, landing many
bullets in the square.

6th, Friday.  The morning began very
quietly, and we were afraid that Smitheman
would not get his introduction to
"Creaky."  However, in the afternoon she began, and
he had a full opportunity of learning the
meaning of the various sounds of the bell,
the joys of the rush to the "dug-out," and the
philosophy with which you can see your
friends in the distance shelled, when she
diverted a certain portion of her fire on
Cannon Kopje.

Major Goold-Adams had just shifted into
a new office after his former one had been
destroyed, and somewhat prematurely, for
"Creaky" promptly blew it up with the first
shell; fortunately it was empty at the time.
They gave us a good doing and stopped
for the night.

7th, Saturday.  We were awakened by the
big gun, which kept on all day.  Smitheman
was again lucky.  He went up to lunch at
the kopje, and then they began shelling that,
so he had had most of the pleasures of
Mafeking compressed into three days.  They
pall, however, after six months.  He seemed
to think we were having a harder time
than he anticipated, and it is very interesting
to have an outside opinion, because we are so
thoroughly used to it that we do not know
whether it is a bad time or not, being only
convinced of two things--that the place can't
fall, and that we will not get hit by a big
shell if we can help it.  Smitheman returned
to Plumer to-night.

8th, Sunday.  A quiet day.  A body of
women, who, at Smitheman's instigation, was
endeavouring to escape towards Kanya, where
food is ready for them, was turned back by
the Boers.  To the south a similar body was
also stopped, and by direction of the Boer in
charge each one was stripped, shambokked,
and driven back naked to Mafeking.  Yesterday
there was a desperate fight between a
party of our Fingoes engaged in cattle raiding
and the Boers; the former were cut off and
surrounded in a "pan," where they took what
cover they could and defended their lives to
the last.  Out of a party of some thirty odd,
ten or eleven got away when they repulsed
the first attack of the Boers.  The Boers
returned, however, with one hundred more
men, and killed all but one man.  They
had two Maxims and a one-pound Maxim-Nordenfelt.
The fight lasted twenty-five hours,
and by the account of the wounded survivor,
corroborated by the women who returned
to-day, the Boers must have suffered severe
loss.  The survivor escaped by hiding in the
reeds, and is now in hospital with a wound in
his stomach.  The natives were vastly
outnumbered, and made a stubborn resistance
with their obsolete arms against all the Boers
could bring against them.  Unfortunate it is
that so few of many brave men escaped.

Snyman is becoming remarkably civil in his
intercourse, and had sent in a letter saying he
was astonished that natives had been employed
cattle raiding, as they were such barbarians.
They were right gallant barbarians, anyhow.
Smitheman has a wonderful insight into native
character, and a marvellous grasp of the
Baralong.  It is curious to note how the
Englishman associated with the natives identifies
himself with his tribe and becomes a
Zulu, Baralong, Fingoe or Basuto with a
firm belief that all other natives except his
own particular tribe are no good at all and
that their methods of fighting are useless.
Having heard the point discussed by many of
my friends and having witnessed their
implicit confidence in their own particular
tribe and distrust of the others, one can
understand that the foreigner may see
something to laugh at in an Englishman's absolute
and justified confidence in the English.  They
call it insularity in Europe.  I wonder what
they would call its offspring here.

9th, Monday.  Runners from the north
arrived with the intelligence that Smitheman
had passed them well clear of the Boer line, so
we hope he is safe.  The big gun has been
shelling all the morning, and some of her smaller
brethren have taken it up this afternoon.
Many conflicting rumours, but a force of
many men and guns went south on Friday
night.  We hope this portends the approach
of our expected relief.  It would be hard
lines indeed, after all this dull work, not to
finish the campaign in the Transvaal.  The
natives say the Boers are going to give us
another severe doing to-morrow.  The flags
of truce exchange much chaff.  The Boers
say, "Why don't you come out and fight in
the open?" and the answer is, "Come and
drive us out."  The other day the Boers said
to our orderly that it was very brutal sending
men who had never been to sea to St. Helena,
besides what would they do there?  Whether
he expected us to find picnic parties for them
or not I do not know.  I wish I were at
St. Helena, one would have a chance of getting
somewhere else from there.  The orderly said
there was plenty to do, but the Boer objected
there were no horses for them to ride, and when
the orderly said, "Let them ride the turtles,"
he was very wroth.  Again, yesterday, the
Boer volunteered that they, the Dutch, were
knocking us about in the Free State.  The
orderly said, "The Free State, where is the
Free State?" and the Boer said, "North of
the Orange River."  On the orderly's
answering, "Ah!  You mean New England," the
Boer seemed hurt, but they are pretty
civil all the same and both sides
continually ask after their various friends and
get answers.

.. _`PEACEFUL TALK BETWEEN BOERS AND BRITISH.`:

.. figure:: images/img-199.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: PEACEFUL TALK BETWEEN BOERS AND BRITISH.

   PEACEFUL TALK BETWEEN BOERS AND BRITISH.

10th, Tuesday.  A fairly quiet day.  The
high velocity guns shelled our outlying posts
on the western border, with occasional shots
at the camp, while the big gun and the smaller
ones shelled the town.  Natives from the
south report that the country is at present
unsafe for despatch riders as, though there is
no commando, there are a considerable number
of Boers roaming about the country between
here and Vryburg seeking whom and what
they may devour and under no immediate
control.[#]

.. vspace:: 2

.. class:: noindent small

[#] Later they themselves were devoured.

.. vspace:: 2

11th, Wednesday.  We were awakened this
morning by the big gun and had a very heavy
day's shelling.  I went out for a ride and up
to Fort Ayr.  They were shelling from every
side in all directions and kept it up till nearly
noon, Mr. Greenfield is at present doing his
month's detachment duty at Fort Ayr.  It is
not an enlivening spot, being built
underground, and as you are continually sniped it
is impossible to emerge therefrom except at
night or by means of a long rear trench
leading to the refugees' laager.  It is garrisoned
by thirty men, a Maxim and a seven-pounder.
On the western front the Boers made an
attack on two of our outlying posts.  They
advanced to within four hundred and fifty
yards, but after losing some ten or a dozen
men they retired.  During the day they
planted some thirty shells into the women's
laager.  To all their heavy bombardment we
answered not a shot, but in the evening when
they were dismantling the big gun the
Hotchkiss opened on her with good effect,
apparently wounding or killing several of the crowd
round her.  She immediately opened fire on
the town and struck the Dutch Church with
great violence.  After she had ceased firing
the Hotchkiss opened again and failed to get
a further reply.  Score:--Hotchkiss four, big
gun three.

12th, Thursday.  This morning the big
gun has disappeared and is supposed to be in
McMullin's laager.  She has not fired, and
with the exception of the five-pounder we
have had a quiet day.

Several wagons with escorts have trekked
from the laager and they are apparently busily
engaged in packing up others.

A pigeon left Colonel Plumer yesterday
at noon arriving here in forty minutes, and
runners in this morning brought Her Majesty's
message to Colonel Baden-Powell and news
of Lieutenant Smitheman's safe arrival at
Colonel Plumer's camp.

Captain McLaren is, I am glad to say,
better, and in the hands of a skilful German
surgeon who thinks he will do all right.

The rains have begun again which is
fortunate for us.  Had it not been for the
exceptionally rainy season I do not know
what the cattle would have done or how we
could have held out.

13th, Friday.  A quiet day.  We were
only shelled to-day with the five-pounder and
the one-pound Maxim and so we are quite
quiet.  Colonel Baden-Powell has had an
erection built on the top of the headquarter
house from whence he looks out and can
control the Mafeking defences like the captain
of a ship, shouting his instructions down
a speaking tube to the headquarter bomb proof,
which are thence telephoned on to the parties
whom it may concern, so that he can personally
turn on the tap of any portion of the defences
he may think fit.

14th, Saturday.  This morning there was
quite a lively amount of shelling.  One shell
burst in Fort Ayr and killed two of its
garrison.  Personally I started for a ride, but
finding it rather livelier than I cared for made
it a pretty short one.  One must get exercise,
but there is no particular object in getting
shot unnecessarily.  Last night Colonel
Plumer's column endeavoured to send us in
some hundred head of cattle which we want.
It was a moonlight night and the Boers must
have been informed of their advent for they
waylaid them very effectually, killing and
wounding many, as well as their native drivers,
and capturing the rest.  This is a bore, but,
however, we can get on without them and we
shall get them back shortly.  In consequence
of this diversion they were firing pretty well
all night.  Easter Day to-morrow.  We can
do very well without the Easter eggs the
Boers send us, and as our hens have ceased to
lay we shall get none of our own.  Our hot
cross buns were represented by a cross being
stamped on our scanty bread ration.  I rather
hope that this is the last feast of any sort that
the garrison of Mafeking will celebrate under
siege conditions.

.. _`A SHELL BURSTING IN THE NATIVE QUARTER.`:

.. figure:: images/img-204.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: A SHELL BURSTING IN THE NATIVE QUARTER.

   A SHELL BURSTING IN THE NATIVE QUARTER.

Colonel Vyvyan was very lucky in securing
a beautiful specimen of a sixteen-pounder,
Vicker's Maxim, which passed over his head
and did not explode.  In the scurry for the
shell he secured it, as he was mounted.  They
are using a new sort of one-pound Maxim and
not being quite able to reach the women's
laager with it they planted six shells in the
hospital.  Yesterday one of Colonel Plumer's
wounded died while undergoing an operation
in the Boer camp and they sent his body in
last night.

I cannot understand the Boer, and have
given it up as a bad job.  He appears to
have no laws and few instincts, and to be
totally irresponsible.  Sometimes he behaves
exceedingly well, and at other times
remarkably ill, and you can never calculate what his
conduct will be under any given
circumstances.  General Snyman is sanctimonious
and a hypocrite, and seems to look upon
truth as an unnecessary portion of his field
outfit.  Commandant Botha is a good
sportsman, and well liked on their side of the
border, and is a kindly dispositioned man.
Snyman is a strict disciplinarian as Boers go,
whilst Botha seems an easier going man.
If Snyman has been away, on his return the
more or less quiet existence we have led,
thanks to Botha, is immediately disturbed,
and heavy shell fire commences.  Snyman is
not popular in Mafeking, the inhabitants of
which look upon him as a combination of
liar, fanatic and woman killer, and, generally
speaking, an infernal nuisance.  The Dutch
say he is very venturesome; he will, I
believe, venture a lot to obtain cattle, but
apparently less to obtain Mafeking.  The
Boers at the outset could have captured
Mafeking for about half the lives they have
expended in their various futile attacks.
They can never capture it now, and the one
ardent desire of the garrison is that they may
only endeavour to do so.

15th, Sunday, Easter-day.  A quiet day
and the big gun still undiscoverable.  The
various churches were well attended at all
the services.  In the afternoon we had sports,
organized by Captain Cowan and the officers
of the Bechuanaland Rifles.  They were a
great success, and the costume race, won by
Mr. Daniel, B.S.A.P., dressed as a hospital
nurse, Mr. Dunlop Smith, A.V.D., as the
"Geisha" second, Captain Scholefield,
B.S.A.P., as a bride third, was a great
success, and one of the most amusing contests
we have had here.

Yesterday it was indeed bad luck for
the poor fellows of Fort Ayr garrison who
had remained under cover during shell fire
and thought it was all over, for when
Troopers Molloy and Hassell came out to get
their coffee the last high velocity
sixteen-pound shell struck the sand bags overhead,
killing Molloy dead and mortally wounding
Hassell, breaking both his legs.  Mr. Greenfield
tells me the way he bore his sufferings
was literally heroical, complaining not at all,
and only asking for a cigarette.

I have not previously alluded to the
"sowen" porridge, which is now a part of
the rations, and has for a long time done
much to solve the question of the food supply
of Mafeking.  It was first made by Private
Sims out of the husks of oats for the
consumption of himself and sundry of his comrades,
but on this fact being ascertained by the
indefatigable Captain Ryan, Sims was put on
to make it on a larger scale for the natives.
The European portion of the garrison and
inhabitants gladly bought it, and it is now, as
I said before, an acceptable portion of the
daily rations.  The natives, too, have had
great windfalls lately in the matter of locusts,
which are really not bad eating, and at any
rate much appreciated by them.  The feeding
of the natives, indeed, at all times a difficult
question, is, I may say, practically solved,
except in the case of the Shangans.  These
unfortunate devils, who are equally repulsive,
morally and physically, as far as I have seen,
are detested by the other natives, and
consequently it is very hard to look after them
properly.  The Basutos, Zulus, &c., come to
be fed naturally, whereas the Shangan is like
a wild beast, and only seems to crawl away
and die.  So much is this so that on Mr. Vere
Stent's ordering his Basuto servant to make
some soup for a starving Shangan he had
picked up, the Basuto indignantly protested
that "the Shangans were bad men and killed
missionaries," however, the man in question
was rescued in time and is still living.  They
form luckily an insignificant proportion of
the native community.

After the siege is over and the Queen has
got her own again it is to be hoped that the
unswerving loyalty of the Baralongs will not
be over-looked.  You hear on all sides that
the Baralongs are not a fighting race, and the
Zulus and any other race you may mention
would wipe them out.  Incidentally the Zulus
tried to in their big trek north, and the wily
Baralong, fighting his usual fight, had
considerably the best of it.

In more modern times he successfully withstood
the Boers, not, however, an attack on
the present scale.  After the first day's
shelling the mouthpiece of the Baralong tribe,
Silas Molemo, came up to Mr. Bell, Resident
Magistrate, and said to him, "Never mind
this we will stick to you and see it through,"
which they certainly have done.  They
are not a tribe who would make a dashing
attack or to use the expression "be bossed
up" to do things they don't particularly want
to, but given a defensive position they
will hang on to it for all they are worth as
they have proved many times during the war
in their defence of their stadt.  They have had
their cattle raided, their out-lying homesteads
destroyed, their crops for this year are *nil*, and
all through a time when the outlook to a native
mind must have seemed most black they have
unswervingly and uncomplainingly stuck to
us and never hesitated to do anything they
were called upon to do.

I cannot do better than give an account of
the unsuccessful attempt to bring in cattle
from Colonel Plumer.  Mathakong, the leader
of the party, had forty men under his command.
He and the Baralongs have so far been very
successful in getting in cattle; by profession
a cattle thief, but only on a large scale,
there is nothing mean about Mathakong.
Colonel Plumer selected some hundred head
of cattle in good condition and it was these
that the party endeavoured to bring in.
When they were some distance out it was
reported to Mathakong that the Boers
knew that they were coming and were going
to try to intercept them.  However, as he had
been given to understand that it was desirable
to get the cattle in he determined to make
the attempt, as at any rate they might get
some in, and if he stayed where he was the
Boers would probably surround him.  The
Boers got on both flanks of the cattle, assisted
by the Rapulanas (the Rietfontein rebel
natives), and heavy firing began.  The
Baralongs pushed forward with cattle falling all
round them and behind the bodies of the
cattle kept up a running fight until all their
ammunition was gone.  They stuck to them
till only fifteen head were left, and then when
they left, the Boers came up cheering loudly.
There were two wounded men amongst the
cattle and the Boers according to their custom
came up and interrogated them and then shot
one and cut the other's throat.  The Baralongs
then came into Mafeking dragging old
Mathakong with them as they could not otherwise
persuade him to leave the live cattle.  He
was much upset by the loss of the cattle, but
the fight did not worry him at all, and he
said that had the cattle not been in such good
condition he would have rushed them along
faster and got most of them in.  This,
however, is only one of the many cases in which
the Baralongs have done, or have endeavoured
to do good service.  They lost four killed and
seven wounded and account for their small
loss by the protection afforded them by the
herd amongst which they fought their running fight.

16th, Monday.  Fairly quiet day.  The
Boers shelled the western outpost and
brickfields.  I went down to the brickfields
to see Captain Brown, Cape Police, who is in
charge and was in charge when he occupied
the Boer advanced trench.  Since then he
has been wounded, but is now back at duty
again.  He told me that the idea of the Boers
was apparently that we should not enter the
trench until the morning after they had
vacated it, but our doing so the night before
and cutting the wire had frustrated their
amiable intention of blowing up our men
and presumably rushing the brickfields in
the confusion.  The other day, a Cape
policeman met a Transvaal policeman with
a white flag (between these forces in
times of peace a very good feeling prevails)
and chaffed him, saying, "Why don't you blow
your mine up."  "Ah!" said the latter, "you
were too slim for us there."  Houndsditch,
the old Boer trench, has now been converted
into a strong fortification for ourselves, and
the brickfields generally are a far more
desirable place for residence, the several Boer
trenches now being nine hundred to one
thousand two hundred yards away.  They
have some very good marksmen in their
trenches however, and make things very warm
for our advanced trenches.  A Cape Boy
exposed himself for a moment two or three
days ago and was picked off through the head
by a Martini at once, and in the very few
open spaces which of course they have got
accurately ranged they shoot remarkably
close.  The brickfields are now garrisoned by
the Cape Police and Cape Boys under Captain
Brown and Lieutenants Murray and Currie.

The big gun is still conspicuous by its
absence, and it is reported to have gone to
Pretoria.  If that be so it is the greatest
sign so far that the Boers feel hopeless about
taking the town and the point may be fairly
scored off against any point they may have
scored against us yet.

There was a wedding this morning between
a private of the Bechuanaland Rifles and
a Dutch girl, he cannot talk Dutch nor she
English.  Let us hope that it is a good omen
of the future settlement of South Africa with
the British as "Boss."

This morning, too, three ambulances were
seen coming in from the North, and an
ambulance and five waggons went in that
direction, so Plumer may have had a successful
"scrap," at any rate, we all hope so.

These high velocity guns seem beautiful
weapons, I must confess that in common
with the rest of the garrison I should dearly
like to see them tried on the Boer.  It is all
very well to be an expert in artillery, but ours
is not the most agreeable way of gaining the
experience.

17th, Tuesday.  The question of firewood
and indeed all fuel has of late been a somewhat
serious one to Mafeking, and as the cold season
is coming on or rather is beginning, increases
in importance daily, consequently Mafeking
has had to sacrifice its scanty supply of trees.
Probably the residents in their vicinity wish,
if they had to be cut down, it had been done
at the commencement of the siege, for it seems
as if the Boer artillery when having no mark
in particular but the town in general had
mainly aimed at the trees, at any rate, when
they were merely idly shelling the majority
of shells fell in their neighbourhood.  It
will, I fear, put the general appearance of
the town back for some years.

With the exception of perfunctory shelling
in the brickfields, we have had a quiet day
and the big gun is still absent.  Indeed, now
so far have our outlying trenches been pushed
that except from the big gun and quick-firers,
we experience but little annoyance in the town
itself.  During the last week our runners have
been most successfully stopped, but before this
we have been fortunate enough to get London
papers three months old, and the Court House
has been turned into a reading-room, where
the papers are daily eagerly devoured by all
conditions of men and women too.  Everybody
at home seems very pleased with Mafeking,
and we here feel really proud of the way our
fellows are fighting in the South and the way
everybody is turning up to fight.  It should
be a fine object-lesson to the Continentals.
In many ways they must have had a more
amusing time than we have had and fighting on
a much larger scale, for this sort of fighting
after the first two months is about the dullest
sort of entertainment you can well imagine:
they so hopelessly overwhelm us in artillery
that we cannot get out to have a go at them.
Indeed, any sortie must resolve itself into
storming one of their forts which we are not strong
enough to do, and so the forts on either side
face each other, fire at each other, but otherwise
leave each other severely alone; and outside
their zone of fire their artillery takes up
whatever position it thinks fit and shells whatever
portion of defences or town it feels inclined
to.  One advantage in a long dragging
performance like this is that neither side seems
in any particular hurry and a very wet day
generally means a certain immunity from fire.
Yesterday we had a heavy thunderstorm, and
the first flash of lightening exploded one of our
mines in front of the brickfields simultaneously
with the thunderclap.  I felt the ground shake
and thought it was a particularly heavy clap
of thunder.  The mine which was charged with
ten pounds of captured nitro-glycerine blew
a tremendous hole in the ground, and was,
generally speaking, a great success, so what
would have happened had their carefully
prepared two hundred and fifty pound mine
gone off, or what would have been left
of Mafeking, I do not like to think.  The
mine is now recharged and repaired, but I am
afraid the Boers have a nasty suspicious
disposition which will prevent them from
sampling it.

The Cadet Corps have been lately doing
their messages mounted on donkeys captured
from the Boers.  Like the other mounted
corps, however, their ranks are gradually
being depleted for the soup kitchen.  This
corps is formed of all the boys of Mafeking,
ranging from nine years upwards.  It does
all the foot orderly work, thereby sparing
several more men for the trenches, and is
dressed in khaki with "smasher" hats and
a yellow puggarree.  It is commanded by
a youth, Sergeant-Major Goodyear, the son of
Captain Goodyear, who was wounded in the
brickfields, and is directly supervised by
Lord Edward Cecil.  It drills regularly, and
the boys are wonderfully smart.

Our acetylene search lights on the principle
of the duplex heliograph repeat the signals
from a central station to the stations all
round the outposts, and answer very well.
These and all the signalling arrangements
are under the charge of Sergeant-Major
Moffatt, late Carbineers, who has been very
successful on several occasions in tapping the
Boers' helio messages.  He has also invented
a new acetylene signalling lamp, which he
has patented, and which he claims can be
worked (instead of the helio) on a cloudy day
as well as at night.  From what I have seen
of the lamp I think his claims are well
founded.

18th, Wednesday.  Desultory shelling.
Last night eleven native women tried to get
out, nine were killed and two were wounded.
This, in spite of repeated protests of Colonel
Baden-Powell, who has pointed out that
Snyman continually shells the native village,
and that when the women try to escape they
are flogged by day and shot by night.  Botha,
on hearing of the occurrence, expressed his
great regret and promised to look after the
wounded.  Last night, too, the Boers were
blowing up the line to the south, about five
miles out.

19th, Thursday.  The Boers are continually
blowing up the line southward, and great
activity prevails around all the laagers, more
particularly at McMullins's.  Straws show
which way the wind blows, and we hope this
renewed liveliness portends the approach of
relief.  A quiet day.  The recent heavy rains
have caused a lot of fever here, but in spite of
that the health of the garrison is on the whole
good.

20th, Friday.  Runners arrived with papers
and a letter giving an account of the murder of
young Dennison at Vryburg.  He, it appears,
was wounded, and the Boers shot him in cold
blood.  In the same papers we read accounts
of the excellent treatment received by Cronje
and the other Boer prisoners, and the infamous
treatment accorded to Colonial prisoners of
war by the Boers.  Having contravened every
known law of war, except perhaps poisoning
wells, it would seem only reasonable that they
should be treated judicially, as they claim to
be a civilized race, and given a chance of
explaining their breaches of the Geneva
Convention.  Failing to do this they should be
accorded the justice for which they are always
clamouring.  It appears to me less important
to conciliate the rebel Dutch than to avoid
stirring up the indignation which is expressing
itself very freely amongst the loyal Colonials
at the ridiculously lenient way in which the
rebels are treated, and as the Bond Attorney-General
cannot see his way to proceed against
them, it would surely be possible to replace
him by an official who was not an avowed
sympathiser of theirs.  The rebels, so far,
apparently have had really a very good time
of it.  They have looted their loyal neighbours'
property, and harried their cattle and farms,
murdering them, when so inclined, to their
hearts' content, and now are apparently
neither going to be asked to pay for their
amusement or even disgorge their plunder.
You do not as a rule expect the conquered to
be satisfied with the victor's settlement of
a war, but apparently in our case we are
going to pacify our enemies at the expense of
our friends.  However, I suppose the matter
will square itself, and the Colonial troops will
not trouble to take prisoners to undergo
a farce of a trial.

21st, Saturday.  Lord Roberts's message
was received yesterday, stating that owing to
unforeseen delays the relief column would not
be able to reach us by May 18th as originally
promised, and asking us to husband our
provisions beyond that date.  The news had
no depressing effect on the town or garrison,
and everybody is resolved to undergo
anything sooner than surrender.  As regards the
healthy portion of the garrison the task is
a fairly easy one, but for the sick (which are
daily increasing in number), the women and
children, and the native population to subsist
on gradually decreasing rations is indeed
hard.  Luxuries are, of course, a thing of the
past, and it is only with the utmost economy
of the necessities of life that our supplies will
be equal to the task.  However, by the time
you get this, the matter will be settled one
way or another, but as long as the Union
Jack is still flying, any privations will be
cheerfully welcomed.  The rations now are
a quarter-pound of bread, half-pound of meat,
supplemented with horseflesh and "sowen"
porridge.  It is due to the care of the
authorities, and mostly so to Captain Ryan, A.S.C.,
whose skilful, painstaking, and unwearied
manipulation of supplies in the way of
calculation, storage, development, and their
issue, that we are able even now to live in
comparative comfort.  He has organised his
butcheries and bakeries most admirably.
I went round the stores the other day, and
paid a visit to his sieving-room, where he
has constructed large sieves to sift the fine
oatmeal for bread purposes from the husks
which are used for making "sowen"
porridge, (one hundred pounds of oats producing
twenty pounds of fine meal).  There I found
a dozen or so coal-black individuals under the
superintendence of an Englishman, sifting
whilst grinning through their covering of
flour, and constituting an interesting and
very comical spectacle.  There is nothing
wasted.  We eat the fine meal and the
"sowen" porridge, the horses eat the refuse
from the "sowen" porridge, while we again
eat the horses.  As a local poet remarks--

   |   "Till the Queen shall have her own again, for the flag
   |         we have always flown,
   |   If we cannot live on the fat of the land, we'll fight on
   |         the horse and 'sowen.'"
   |

To-day Mrs. Winter and her little boy,
aged six, walked to the edge of the town,
where recently it has been quiet, but the
sight of a petticoat in fancied security was
too much for the Boers, for they immediately
sniped at her, fortunately, however, without effect.

They were shelling the brickfields to-day,
but were otherwise quiet.  They, however,
nearly hit Colonel Baden-Powell with a
shell when he was in that quarter.

22nd, Sunday.  A quiet day.  The concert
in the afternoon was a great success, and
Colonel Baden-Powell as usual "brought down
the house" in his musical sketches.  On
reading some old papers I see the Boers have
the consummate impudence to protest
against our conduct of the war.  Now
I wish clearly to point out that I do not
try to saddle the whole Boer nation with
the conduct of some of their worst characters,
but the lower class Boer is, in many cases, no
better than a savage and sometimes, in the
case of educated Kaffirs, considerably worse.
I am not trying to pile up atrocities against
them, but *à propos* of the subject generally,
the following facts are somewhat interesting.
George Umfazwi, the head Fingoe, a Christian,
is a leading member of the Rev. W. H. Weekes's
congregation in the native location.  One
night he went out cattle-raiding, in charge of
a mixed party of Fingoes and Baralongs.
These parties, as I have said before, go out on
their own initiative, and sell their plunder to
the Government.  Soon after starting they
came upon the body of a Baralong woman,
who, when endeavouring to escape, had had
her throat cut.  Naturally the Baralongs were
more than annoyed, and vowed to kill all the
Dutch women they might come across.
Umfazwi, however, told them that if they
persisted in their intentions he and the
Fingoes would have nothing more to do with
them.  In the course of their raid they
occupied a Dutch homestead, from which
they were fired upon by Dutchmen.  In the
house were three Dutch women, whom the
natives did not touch, only taking the cattle
and returning to Mafeking.  In the next raid,
Umfazwi and his Fingoes were surrounded,
as I told you in a former account, and, after
a hard fight, were all killed--no quarter being
given.  I was talking yesterday to Major
Anderson, E.A.M.C., and he said, in the
course of the conversation, that he preferred a
savage warfare, for then you knew what to
expect, and that if he had to go out again, he
would sooner not take a Red Cross flag, as on
each occasion on which he had done so, it had
drawn the fire; whereas, when he went out
without, he only took his chance with the rest.

23rd, Monday.  To-day they shelled the
town, doing no damage.  They employed a
new sort of nine-pounder shell, which will
make a nice lamp stand.  Two deaths from
fever last night, and I fear there will be another
death to-day.  These late rains have brought
out a sort of typhoid malaria.

A most interesting account, from a private
soldier's point of view, has been contributed
by Private G. Hyslop, Bechuanaland Rifles,
to *The Glasgow Weekly Herald*, and though
his sources of accurate information are
naturally somewhat limited, it is a most fair
and intelligent account of the siege.

24th, Tuesday.  We received glorious
news last night, but it seems almost too
good to be true, namely, that Lord Roberts
had surrounded the Boers at Kronstadt, and
had given them twenty-four hours to surrender,
and that Lord Methuen had reached Klerksdorp.
It is quite possible, but still one does
not like to believe it before it is verified, and
it is after all a rumour.  On the face of it, it
seems probable, and that it is a continuation
of his turning movement.  If so, the Boers in
these parts are nicely out-manoeuvred, and
we look for our Relief Column following
Methuen's tract as far as Border Siding, and
then coming up the line.  Automatic relief, so
glibly talked about in some papers, will not be
of much use to us, for what we most require
is provisions.  I saw it stated in an article in
*The Times* that Kimberley and ourselves were
of no strategical importance in the campaign,
but I totally disagree with this idea.  Had
Mafeking and Kimberley fallen at first, or
had Cronje been able to disregard these two
isolated places and swept down south, the
Colony, to a great extent, would have fallen
into his hands.  The troops in the South
would have had a far greater extent of
country to reconquer, and Mafeking at
any rate must have eventually fallen.
The natives would have lost confidence,
the Boers would have retained possession of
the line and the rolling stock from the Vaal
River to the north, Rhodesia would have been
open to attack, and the whole conditions of
the war entirely changed, and not changed in
our favour.  I suppose this also holds good of
Ladysmith, but there, of course, the Boers
would have left a considerable force in their
rear.  I think it was the half-heartedness
of the Boers in only partially invading
the Colony and Natal and remaining to nibble
at the tempting baits of apparently two
unprotected towns, which gave the troops
coming out an advantage which they never
would have had had the Boers made one
dash for Capetown.  And even now, though
in a very much less degree, I consider
this town of strategical importance.  We
keep a large number of Boers in our
proximity, and the Boers in the neighbouring
districts are more concerned about preventing
our relief than in opposing the force from
which the really imminent danger threatens.
And if it be true that Lord Methuen is at
Klerksdorp, the Boers in these parts will
have no earthly weight in the decisive portion
of the campaign.  Why they should wish to
take Mafeking except to score one trick, as
all other advantages they have gained they
have since lost, it is hard to say.  Their
chance of invading Rhodesia is gone, the
crossings of the Vaal River are in our hands.
There are no stores now in Mafeking and
beyond the bare temporary possession, they
would gain nothing at all, added to which
I should have thought that by this time they
might have learnt that they were not going to
have even a temporary possession.

The verdict of the court martial which
tried Lieutenant Murchison for the murder
of Mr. Parslow and sentenced him to death,
has come back confirmed by Lord Roberts,
who, however, has commuted the sentence to
one of penal servitude for life.  Murchison
was at one time a major in the Royal Artillery,
and so far as I know him personally, I do not
consider him responsible for his actions.

The Rhodesian postal authorities notified
us to-day that press telegrams (owing to the
congestion of the lines) would be taken off
the wires at Umtali, sent by train to Beira,
and then be re-telegraphed to London *viâ*
Lorenzo Marques.  The press has naturally
protested strongly, as their course of action
will probably entail a delay of a week.  The
postal arrangements throughout the
campaign have been most infamous; whether the
fault lies at Cape Town or Bulawayo I know
not, but in any case some abominably careless
official should be hauled over the coals.  We
have consistently got letters out from here
which have been received at home, and it simply
means total imbecility or inexcusable idleness
on the part of responsible authorities if we are
unable to receive letters in the same way.
Most people here naturally say it is the fault of
the Bond Government, and though they have
deserved hanging many times over, I do not
think this particular crime can be laid at their
door, though the absence of our guns certainly
may.  Mr. Schreiner has, I see, protested
against the Boers being sent to St. Helena.
I am unaware if he has protested against our
being detained here.  He also states that
people misjudge him and he seems annoyed.
He has only been judged by his actions, which
here, as well as elsewhere, are deplored.
However, this savours of politics, and is
therefore somewhat out of my province.

.. _`TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAFEKING.`:

.. figure:: images/img-233.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAFEKING.

   TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAFEKING.

25th, Wednesday.  Last night we received
warning from native sources that the Boers
intended to make an attack on the town
to-day, and that it was to be a personally
conducted tour by young Eloff, who had been
sent from Pretoria to take Mafeking or die
in the attempt.  He is, or ought to be, very
much alive, for his operations were conducted
from a safe distance and the town is much
as usual.  Of late we have been so dull
here, that a considerable amount of fictitious
enthusiasm was boiled up over this impending
attack.  Mr. Hamilton of *The Times* thought
it was good enough to sleep in the advanced
trench, but the more wary and possibly less
enthusiastic, amongst which I include myself,
considered a good bed was preferable to an
indifferent one.  However, I looked out
cartridges and laid out weapons when I went
to bed, but didn't wake any earlier next
morning, and was roused by Ronny Moncreiffe
shouting out, "Get up, there is a battle
going on."  I vainly tried to persuade him to
allow me to remain in bed until the enemy
were near enough to be dangerous, but he
insisted that I should get up and look on.
I decided there was no immediate necessity
for weapons, and rode off to the nearest
telescope to find the enemy.  At the B.S.A.P. fort
I found the officers of the Protectorate
Regiment just coming off the roof, yawning
and looking very bored.  They told me what
had happened up till my arrival, and I went
and looked through the telescope for a bit
at our friends the enemy whom we could
clearly see.  They were firing their guns
and maintaining a heavy musketry fire,
though in somewhat purposeless manner
about one thousand five hundred yards
from our advanced trench.  A gentleman
on horseback, presumably the dashing
Eloff, galloped out from the western
laager, and with many gesticulations and
fruitless haranguing endeavoured to get them
to advance, but they were obdurate.  They
pitched one or two shells up by the fort,
which were promptly annexed by piccaninnies,
as the majority did not burst, and they killed
a nigger, and a ricochet hit old Whitfield in the
stomach, but, owing to the width of his figure,
the bullet did not penetrate.  I think what
put them off most was our absolute silence.
We did not fire at all except some twenty
rounds at some Boers that had been ambushed
in the culvert, which had the effect of driving
them into some bushes, where they hid
for a couple of hours.  I really think the
people surrounding us here have honestly
had enough of it, and it will take a better
man than young Eloff to bring them up to
the scratch, though there are certainly more
Boers about here than there have been for
some time.  The object of this particular
attack was to draw our fire and make us
disclose our positions on the western front,
and the result was a most conspicuous failure.
We refused to be drawn by the feint, and so
the real attack, which was supposed to be
concealed elsewhere, was never able to
develop.  Apparently the plan was good, like
General Trochu's, but it has at any rate so
tired them that they have been unable to do
anything since.

26th, Thursday.  Received my first letters
since this abominable isolation commenced.
One from Weston-Jarvis and another from
Smitheman.  Weston is very cheerful.
Smitheman, extravagant as regards paper,
and rather sparing of words and ink; I also
received some *Morning Posts*, and see that
I have successfully established communication,
which is satisfactory.

27th, Friday.  More runners, but thanks
to the usual breakdown of the Beira-Salisbury
line, dates and news are so mixed, and the
contending forces seem so extraordinarily and
intricately involved with each other, that we
have given up trying to understand how
things really are going.  It doesn't very
much matter, as the result is a foregone
conclusion, and at the worst can only be shortly
delayed.  One thing is amusing, and that is
to see the various reasons different countries
give for not offering to mediate.

28th, Saturday.  Nothing doing.  Preparing
for the tournament to-morrow.  My
Kaffir wishes to go and join Plumer.  He
doesn't approve of the food supply of
Mafeking.  I thought I should never get rid
of him.  Thank goodness the brute has gone
now.  He has been a sort of "old man of
the sea" to me.  I only kept him because he
appeared generally in small health, but when
he flung his rations into the middle of the
square yesterday, I thought it was high time
for him to be off.  The last few days the
enemy has been more busy on the north-eastern
front, and established themselves in a
sniping trench seven hundred yards from our
advanced trench, and made themselves rather
a nuisance.  We, however, made it so warm
for them that they are concluded to have
withdrawn, but everywhere else, since the
25th, they have been fairly quiet.

29th, Sunday.  A most successful
tournament, and almost up to Agricultural Hall
form.  Most regiments in the service
represented, and the sword mounted and bayonet
dismounted both particularly good.  It was
trying work judging on half rations, but well
worth it to see such good sport.

What a funny little Frenchman that Prince
Henri d'Orleans must be?  His compliments to
a French comic paper on caricatures of the
English would almost entitle him to a
prominent position on its staff, where, at any
rate, he would score a greater success than
posing as an unemployed patriot.  By the bye,
was he not once attached to the British Army,
and if so, whence this venom?  But of
tea-table tacticians and sofa strategists you must,
indeed, have more than enough.  Reading the
papers from home one sees excellent persons
with presumably nothing to do, recommending
people generally to turn the other cheek to the
smiter; personally, I and, indeed, most of my
neighbours, think that the smiter has had
quite sufficient chances at our entire carcasses
during the last few months, and if they feel
themselves so imbued with an overflowing
Christian spirit, I should suggest their taking
a turn themselves.  I do not love the Boer,
and I don't think I shall until the Boer loves
me.  There is only one way to obtain his
respect and even toleration, and that is by
proving yourself the better man.  There will
then be peace in the country which, at the
present moment, there is not.  I do think, too,
that people at home should not be so free in
their comments upon intelligence from this
part of the world.  For many years I have
read Mr. Baillie Grohmann's letters on big
game shooting with much interest.  I have
also tried to shoot big game and Boers with
about equally moderate success.  I do assert
most emphatically that the Boers use explosive
bullets.  I have seen the bullets, heard the
bullets, and picked up the base of bullets with
fulminate caps in them.  They were not Mauser
bullets, they were not expanding bullets,
they were explosive bullets pure and simple,
and the Boers have confessed to their use.
Therefore, I think it would only have been
fair had Mr. Baillie Grohmann waited to
know on what grounds people out here have
made these assertions, before writing a
somewhat conclusive letter in which the main point
appeared to be that there was no such thing
as an explosive Mauser bullet.  It is rather
hard on some hundreds of thousands of
Englishmen who happen to be serving their
country out here, that because they are on
that service they should be immediately
considered to be destitute of that sense of fair
play with which the race generally is credited,
and I am sure that Mr. Baillie Grohmann
himself, would be the first to admit it.  We
don't expect much more from a Boer than
a bullet, and as far as we know have not
particularly grumbled at their using
explosive ones, but it is hard lines to be told
they didn't when we mention the fact.
I personally felt a sense of great disappointment
that I was not reading Mr. Baillie
Grohmann's usual letters to *The Field*, instead
of this one in *The Morning Post*.

We are threatened with another attack
to-morrow.  I hope it will be more productive
of bloodshed than the last, because we can
then clear them off a bit, and I hate feeling
hungry, as do most of us.

Colonel Baden-Powell has just received
a missive from young Eloff, in which he
states that he sees in a *Bulawayo Chronicle*
that we have concerts, balls, tournaments,
and cricket matches on Sundays, and it
will be very agreeable to his men to come
in and participate as they find it dull
outside.  Colonel Baden-Powell has answered
that he thinks perhaps the return match
should be postponed until we have finished
the present one and that as we are now two
hundred not out, and Snyman, Cronje, &c.,
have not been successful he would suggest
a further change of bowling.  With such
mild japes we pass the time away, but we
shot a Dutchman this morning all the same.
A bad joke in these times is worth more than
a good pint of porridge, as the former will go
round whereas the latter will certainly not.  It
is very edifying work trying to get fat on
laughter and sleep, but hunger is not a very amusing
form of entertainment.  They have recently
manufactured brawn of horse hide.  It doesn't
sound very appetising but the stock
disappeared with marvellous rapidity.  One
cannot help thinking that after all even
though we be hungry out here, yet we have
the glamour of war over us, whereas at home
in the Metropolis one knows hundreds of men
are worse off than ourselves.  It is to be
hoped that our impotent sympathisers will
feed the people they can reach, who, after all,
want it just as much as we do.

30th, Monday.  Very tired and stiff after
the tournament.  I feel as if all the
competitors had been beating me with big sticks.
Talking of sticks and Doctor Leyds, which
always seem associated in my mind, I bought
half a dozen very nice ones yesterday,
I hope Dr. Leyds is having a good time now.
I fancy he will have a moderate one when the
war is over, as most people directly blame
him for any discomforts they may have
undergone.  It is only natural for a Dutchman
to fight, but for the man who pulls the
strings and risks other people's skins with
the utmost heroism seven thousand miles off,
you do not feel a great amount of affection
or respect, more particularly when he is living
on the fat of the land and you are rather
hungry.  Besides, the fellow is an infernal
thief; he has battened on these unfortunate
peasants for many years, and at the first pinch
of fighting flies and leaves them.  I have no
use for a creature like that.  I was rather
amused to hear Sergeant Cooke, of the
Bechuanaland Rifles, report having slain a
Dutchman this morning.  He wasn't in the
least elated, and in a shamefaced sort of way
said he was afraid it wasn't a sporting shot.
He couldn't have been more upset if he had
shot a hen pheasant sitting, but to anyone else
the episode was distinctly amusing.

1st May, Tuesday.  We expect a mail
to-day, and this dashing fellow Eloff promised
us another attack.  He has made it.  It was
the usual sort of performance, and they blazed
away for two or three hours and didn't hit
anybody.  I got up and looked on, because
I felt I ought to, but I was rather cross and
very bored.  If the fools want to fight, why
don't they do it?  They are doing themselves
no good, and not attaining any object
whatsoever.  Colonel Baden-Powell told them some
months ago they would not take Mafeking "by
sitting and looking at the place," but even
now, if they would sacrifice two or three
thousand men, they might get in, but I am
afraid they will never try.  They make me
quite angry, they are so stupid.  Here they
are, daily losing one or two men, and the
greatest success they can show is a few stolen
cows, whereas if they would come on and fight
properly they wouldn't lose very many more
men than they have already, and we should
have a chance of a show.  Seriously speaking
though, it is their duty to take this place,
and it is very disheartening waiting for
them to try to.  We got our pigeon mails
to-day; unfortunately, no news whatsoever.
We have not received any decisive news or
had any optimistic rumour confirmed for
weeks, and in fact our last good news is
Cronje's mop up.  Isn't there an old figure
in some square dance or other called the
*chassez croissee*?  It seems to be fashionable
out here.  I don't like square dances or slow
generals.  As I telegraphed to you this
morning my general sensation is that of an aching
void.  The only satisfaction I can derive
therefrom is the certainty that most of my
friends and acquaintances will be much amused
at my being kept quiet anywhere on short
commons.  Tom Greenfield is looking terribly
hungry, but then with his length he naturally
takes more filling up than ordinary mortals.
Godley, too, looks as if he could do with a bit
more, but he always is thin.  We have got
a very tall lot of men here, Cecil, Tom
Greenfield, Godley, Fitzclarence, Bentinck, all make
an ordinary six-foot individual feel small, and
McKenna isn't exactly short.  If we have
length represented we also have breadth,
which even our present rations are unable to
reduce.  I am certainly not going to quote
a nominal roll of these individuals, as they
are fine strong men and I can't get away.

2nd, Wednesday.  This morning firing is
going on.  I suppose another attack.  I will
go out and see.  One rather funny incident
in connection with the Boer attack took place
yesterday.  As a rule they knock off for
breakfast, but yesterday they kept it up till some
time past 8 o'clock, so at 8 o'clock punctually
the natives left their trenches with their
tins to draw their porridge, absolutely
disregarding the Boer fire which was renewed at
intervals all day.  It is perfectly incredible
how we have pushed them back, for within
the area where our advanced trenches now are
I recollect seeing a horse-battery of theirs in
action during the first few days of the siege.
They take particular care not to play those
games now.  I only wish they would.  This
sort of drivel relieves one's feelings, even if
one can't see relief.

3rd, Thursday.  Firing yesterday and
to-day was not of any value; they kept it up
off and on all day.  I sat on the roof with the
officers of the Bechuanaland Rifles, and looked
on till we got bored.  The operation of getting
on to and off the roof again was far more
dangerous than the ordinary Boer battle.
This evening I rode round the guards with
Major Panzera.  It would take a more
enterprising Boer than we have run up against to
get in.  Major Panzera has a theory that he
can't be hit; I haven't, however.  Both our
theories are good enough viewed from the light of experience.

The Germans participating in the defence
of the town are going to be photographed.
I feel sorry for the German Emperor not being
here.  He would enjoy this war thoroughly.

I heard from Weston-Jarvis this morning.
He wrote a very cheery letter.  At last they
appear to be making some effort to relieve us.
Why on earth they didn't try before, Heaven
only knows!  It seems a perfectly simple
operation for any man of any ordinary sense,
but really it doesn't much matter in the long
run whether it is a month or two sooner or
later.  I also see the "Baron" is coming
down to relieve us.  I hope he won't fall on
his head and get stretched out as he usually
persists in doing.  We are always meeting
each other in some old ship or other, or in
some out of the way continent, but certainly
I never expected to be relieved by the
"Baron" in the middle of Africa; however,
the more pals that roll up the better.

4th, Friday.  Absolute quiet.  My last
letters have fallen into the Dutchmen's hands.
They will be nice light reading for them, as
they were barely complimentary.  I do not
expect to be popular after this war.  When
one is tired and bored out here, it is very
refreshing to be able to abuse all and sundry,
and think that one need not settle up for
another two or three months.

5th, Saturday.  Life is short, but temper is
shorter.  Runners in but no news.  This
morning a funeral party of the Bechuanaland
Rifles marched from the hospital to the
cemetery to bury the remains, I say advisedly
remains, of Lance-Corporal Ironside, who,
after having been wounded some two months
ago, had recently had his leg amputated, and
had at last died from sheer weakness.  He
bore his extreme sufferings with remarkable
fortitude, pluck, and cheeriness.  He was
a Scotchman, from Aberdeen, and one of the
best shots in the garrison.  It is satisfactory
to think that he had already avenged his death
before he was wounded.

6th, Sunday.  To-day the Boers most
deliberately violated the tacit Sunday truce
which, at their own instigation and request,
we have always observed.  The whole
proceedings were very peculiar.  It was a fine
morning, and the Sabbath calm pervading the
town and the surrounding forts was manifest
in the way we were all strolling about the
market square.  As regards myself, I had just
purchased some bases of shells at Platnauer's
auction mart, where the weekly auction was
proceeding.  The firing began, and nobody
paid much attention except the officers and
men belonging to the quarter at which it
was apparently directed.  They, on foot,
horseback, and bicycle, dispersed headlong
to their various posts.  One, Mr. McKenzie,
on a bicycle, striking the railway line,
reached his post in four minutes and fifteen
seconds, fifteen seconds too quick for the
Boer he was enabled to bag.  The Boers,
who on previous Sundays had displayed an
inclination to loot our cattle, had crept up
to the dead ground east of Cannon Kopje,
and hastily shot one of our cattle guard and
stolen the horses and mules under his charge.
It was the more annoying that they should
have been successful as we were well prepared
for them, and had rather anticipated this attack,
having a Maxim in ambush within one hundred
and fifty yards, which unfortunately jammed,
and failed to polish off the lot, as it certainly
ought to have done.  If we had had any
luck it would have been a very different
story.  Directly the Maxim began the Boers
nipped off their horses and running alongside
of them for protection reached the cover
in the fold of the ground.  Unfortunately they
killed poor Francis of the B.S.A.P. (the
second brother who has fallen here since the
fighting began) and took all the horses.
It was very annoying, but a smart bit
of work and I congratulate the Dutchmen,
whoever they may be, who conducted it.  Still
it was a breach of our Sunday truce, and if
all is fair in love and war the many irate
spectators will have their pound of flesh to
ask for later on.  It really was a curious
sight: lines of men impotently watching the
raid and behind them the shouts of the
unmoved auctioneer of "Going at fifteen
bob."  "Last time."  "Going."  "Going."
"Gone," and gone they were undoubtedly,
but they were our horses and he was referring
to some scrap iron.  To cover this nefarious
procedure they opened a heavy fire on various
outlying forts.  We were lucky enough in the
interchange of courtesies to secure a Dutchman
on the railway line, and as they had
practically violated the white flag our advanced
posts had great shooting all the afternoon at
his friends who came to try to pick him
up.  We buried Francis this evening.  The
concert was put off.  A certain amount of
endurance has been shown by the
inhabitants and a certain amount of pluck by
the defenders of the town, but prior to
the Boers starting fooling (successful fooling
and neatly carried out), I and several more
were standing in the market square gossiping
about things we did know, and things we
didn't, when we happened to notice a very
weak-looking child, apparently as near death
as any living creature could be.  It transpired
on inquiry that this infant was a Dutch one,
Graaf by name.  His father, a refugee, died
of fever; his brother was in hospital, and he
had been offered admission, which he refused,
because he said that he must look after his
mother.  Even then, though scarcely able
to cross the road, the kid was going to
draw his rations.  He was taken to hospital,
but I think that this is about the pluckiest
individual that has come under my notice,
and nobody can take exception to the child,
though his mother is probably one of those
amiable ladies who eat our rations, betray
our plans, and are always expressing a
whole-hearted wish for our extermination.

15th, Tuesday.  News has arrived that our
troops are within striking distance; "Sister
Ann" performance has begun again.  We
are now beginning to recover from our
exciting Saturday.  As I wired home, it was
the best day that I ever saw, and I must now
try and describe it.

Just before four o'clock in the morning
we were roused by heavy firing.  The garrison
turned out and manned the various works.
We all turned up, and I went to the
headquarters.  Everybody got their horses ready,
armed themselves as best they could, and
awaited the real attack.  Colonel Baden-Powell
said at once the real attack would be
on the stadt.  We have had a good many
attacks and don't attach much importance to
them, but we did not any one of us anticipate
the day's work that was in store for us.
When I say anticipate, every possible
preparation had been made.  Well, we hung
about in the cold.  After about an hour and
a half the firing on the eastern front began to
slacken.  Trooper Waterson of the Blues, as
usual, had coffee and cocoa ready at once, and
we felt we could last a bit.  Jokes were freely
bandied, and we kept saying, "When are
they going to begin?"  Suddenly on the
west a conflagration was seen, and betting
began as to how far out it was.  I got on to
the roof of a house, and with Mr. Arnold, of
Dixon's Hotel, saw a very magnificent sight.
Apparently the whole stadt was on fire, and
with the sunrise behind us and the stadt in
flames in front, the combination of effects was
truly magnificent, if not exactly reassuring.
However, nobody seemed to mind much.  Our
guns, followed by the Bechuanaland Rifles,
hurried across the square, men laughing and
joking and saying, "we were going to have a
good fight."  Then came the news that the
B.S.A.P. fort, garrisoned by the Protectorate
Regiment, had fallen into the enemy's hands.
Personally I did not believe it to be true, and
started with a carbine to assure myself of the
fact.  I got close up to the fort, met a
squadron running obliquely across its front,
and though the bullets were coming from
that direction could not believe but that they
were our own men who were strolling about
outside it.  That is the worst of being
educated under black powder.  I saw poor
Hazelrigg, who was a personal friend of mine,
and whom I knew at home, shot, but did not
realise who he was.  Both sides were
inextricably mixed, but having ridden about,
and got the hang of things, I am certain
that within twenty minutes, order and
confidence were absolutely restored on our side.
You saw bodies of men, individuals,
everybody armed with what they could
get, guns of any sort, running towards
the firing.  A smile on every man's face,
and the usual remark was, "Now we've
got the beggars."  The "beggars" in
question were under the impression that they
had got us and no doubt had a certain amount
of ground for their belief.  The fight then
began.  At least we began to fight, for up till
then no return had been made to the very
heavy fusillade to which we had been subjected.
I have soldiered for some years and I have
never seen anything smarter or better than
the way the Bechuanaland Rifles, our Artillery
and the Protectorate Regiment ran down and
got between the Boers and their final objective.
The Boers then sent a message through the
telephone to say they had got Colonel Hore
and his force prisoners and that we could not
touch them.  Campbell, our operator, returned
a few remarks of his own not perhaps wholly
complimentary and the telephone was
disconnected and re-connected with Major Godley.
Our main telephone wire runs through the
B.S.A.P. fort.  McLeod, the man in charge of
the wires, commenced careering about armed
with a stick and a rifle, and followed by his staff
of black men with the idea of directly
connecting Major Godley's fort and the headquarters.
I may mention McLeod is a sailor and
conducts his horse on the principle of a ship.  He
is perhaps the worst horseman I have ever
seen and it says much for the honour of the
horse flesh of Mafeking that he is still alive.
However, be that as it may, his pawky
humour and absolute disregard of danger has
made him one of the most amusing features
of the siege.  You always hear him in broad
Scotch and remarkable places, but he is
always where he is wanted.  By this time we
were settling down a bit, so were they.  They
looted everything they possibly could.  A
Frenchman got on to the roof of the fort
with a bottle of Burgundy belonging to the
officers' mess to drink to "Fashoda."  He
got hit in the stomach and his pals drank
the bottle.  Our men were very funny.
When the Frenchmen yelled "Fashoda," they
said "silly beggars, their geography is
wrong."  I was very pleased with the whole
day.  I have never heard more or worse
jokes made, and, no doubt, had I been
umpiring, I should have put some of us out of
action or at any rate given them a slight
advantage.  Every townsman otherwise
unoccupied, who had possibly never
contemplated the prospect of a fight to the finish,
now turned out.  Mr. Weil (and too much
cannot be said for his resource through
every feature of the siege) broke open his
boxes, served out every species of firearms
he could to every person who wanted them.

.. _`BOERS FIRING THE NATIVE STADT.`:

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   :align: center
   :alt: BOERS FIRING THE NATIVE STADT.

   BOERS FIRING THE NATIVE STADT.

A very deaf old soldier, late of the 24th
Regiment, Masters by name, asked where they
were, and then proceeded to investigate in
a most practical fashion.  I went down to the
jail which more or less commands the
B.S.A.P. fort and buildings, and had a look, and
as we saw that no attack was imminent or at
any rate likely to prove successful, we knocked
off by parties and had our breakfast.  We
were beginning to kill them very nicely.
Jail prisoners had all been released.
Murchison, who shot Parslow, Lonie, the
greatest criminal of the town, were both armed
and doing their duty.  We were all shooting
with the greatest deliberation and effect
whenever they showed themselves, and perhaps
I was better pleased with being an Englishman
from a sightseer's point of view than on any
day since the Jubilee.  The quaint part of the
whole thing was that we were shooting at
our own people unwittingly.  I had a cousin
there, and we laughed consumedly in the
evening when we exchanged notes and
found that we had been shooting close to
him amongst others.  I don't think that
any man who was in that fight will ever
think ill of his neighbour from the highest to
the lowest; from our General--or, at least,
he ought to be a General--to the ordinary
civilian, everybody was cheerful and confident
of victory.  We had had a long seven
months' wait, and at last we were having our
decisive fight.  After breakfast (like giants
refreshed) we began shooting again.  I cannot
tell you who did well, but I can assure you
that no man did badly.  Besides the men there
were ladies.  Mrs. Buchan and Miss Crawford
worked most calmly and bravely under
fire.  All the other ladies did their duty too.
Whilst the fight was developing, Mrs. Winter
was running about getting us coffee.  Her
small son, aged six, was extremely wroth with
me because I ordered him under shelter.
Then commenced what you may call the next
phase of the fight.  Captain Fitzclarence and
his squadron, with Mr. Swinburne and
Mr. Bridges, came down through the town to join
hands with Captain Marsh's squadron, and
then with Lord Charles Bentinck's squadron
and the Baralongs, the whole under Major
Godley, were now going to commence to
capture the Boers.  I must endeavour to describe
the situation.  Eloff's attack was clever and
determined.  He had seven hundred men and
had advanced up the bed of the Molopo.  Into
Mafeking he had got, but like many previous
attacks had proved--it was easy to get in,
but quite another matter to get out.  The
Baralongs and our outlying forts had allowed
some three hundred men to enter, and had
then commenced a heavy fire upon their
supports.  This discomfited the supports,
and they incontinently fled.  Silas Moleno
and Lekoko, the Baralong leaders, had
decided that it was better to kraal them
up like cattle.  One Dutchman was overheard
to shout, "Mafeking is ours," when suddenly
his friends yelled, "My God, we are
surrounded."  This species of fighting
particularly appeals to the Baralong.  He is better
than the Boer at the Boer's own game, and
never will I hear a word against the Baralong.
However, Silas was then engaged in
conjunction with our own men in collecting
them.  He collected them where they had
no water, and then the question resolved
itself into the Boer showing himself and
getting shot or gradually starving.  If the
Baralongs had been fighting the fight and
time had been no particular object, they would
probably still be shooting odd Boers, but it is
obvious that those dilatory measures could not
be pursued by ourselves, and that we had to
finish the fight by nightfall.  Our men were
accordingly sent down to round them up;
there were thus in all three parties of Boers
in the town, one, nearly three hundred strong,
in the B.S.A.P. fort, sundry in a kraal by
Mr. Minchin's house, others again in the
kopje.  The kraal was captured in an
exceedingly clever manner.  Captain
Fitzclarence and Captain Marsh worked up to the
walls, but knowing the pleasant nature of the
Boer, instead of storming the place or
showing themselves, they bored loopholes
with their bayonets.  The artillery under
Lieutenant Daniels also had come up to
within forty yards.  There was a slight
hesitation on the part of the Boers to
surrender.  The order was given to the gun to
commence fire.  The lanyard broke, but before
a fresh start could be made the Boers hastily
surrendered.  Captain Marsh, known and
respected by the Baralongs, had great
difficulty in restraining them from finishing the
fight their own way, and small blame to them
for their desire.  They had had their stadt
burned.  Odd Boers had been bolting at
intervals, and had mostly been accounted for.  The
question next to be settled was as to the
possession of the B.S.A.P. fort.  Our men
who were captive therein, and indeed the Boers
and foreigners to whom I have since talked
describe our fire as extraordinarily accurate.
Eloff had great difficulty in keeping his
men together, and as one man at least was
a deserter of ours, it can't altogether be
wondered that they did not wish to remain.
Our firing, as we had more men to spare,
became more and more deadly, and at last
now they decided to surrender.  Some
hundred broke away and escaped from the
fort, in spite of Eloff firing on them, but
their bodies have been coming in ever since
and many will never be accounted for,
because the bodies of men with rifles may
be possibly put away by the Baralongs,
who are always begging rifles we have been
unable to give them.  Eloff accordingly
surrendered to Colonel Hore.  The other
party in the kopje had made several
unsuccessful attempts to break out, Bentinck and
his squadron always successfully heading
them, but as it got dark, and our men had
been fighting from before four, it was decided
to let them break out and just shoot
what we could.  The Baralongs had some
more shooting too.  As each successive
batch of prisoners was marched into the
town absolute silence was maintained by
the Britishers, except saluting brave men
who had tried and failed.  They were brave
men and I like them better now than I ever
did; the Kaffirs, however, hooted.  As each
batch marched up, their arms, of which
they had naturally been deprived, were
handed over to the Cadets, who had been
under fire all day.  These warriors range
from nine to fifteen years of age.  They
are the only smartly clad portion of the
garrison, for our victorious troops were
the dirtiest and most vilely robed lot of
scarecrows I have ever seen, still it did
one good to see the escort to the prisoners,
they were simply swelling like turkey cocks
and all round our long lines of defences we
would hear cheers and "Rule Britannia" and
the "Anthem" being sung with the wildest
enthusiasm.  It is impossible as I said before, to
say who behaved best, but none behaved badly.
There was only one thing said afterwards, when
all sorts and conditions of men were shaking
each other by the hand, and that was, "This is
a great day for England."  Mafeking is still
rather mad with the Relief Column within
shouting distance and it is likely to remain so.

.. _`CAPTURED BOER PRISONERS`:

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   :alt: CAPTURED BOER PRISONERS

   CAPTURED BOER PRISONERS

We lost few men in our great success but
I take it that no man particularly wants to be
lost.  I really have seen brave men here, but
the man who says he wants to get shot is
simply a liar.  We know the story of the
Roman sentinel and the Highlander who
fought in Athlone (or was it Mullingar)
against Hoche and many men that have died
for their country obstinately.  Captain
Singleton's servant, Trooper Muttershek, may
be added to their roll.  He absolutely declined
to surrender and fought on till killed.  It
wasn't a case of dashing in and dashing out and
having your fun and a fight, it was a case of
resolution to die sooner than throw down
your arms, the wisdom may be questionable,
the heroism undoubted.  He wasn't taking
any surrender.  As far as I am concerned,
I have seen the British assert their superiority
over foreigners before now, but this man in
my opinion, though I didn't see him die,
was the bravest man who fought on either
side that day.  It is a good thing to be
an Englishman.  These foreigners start too
quick and finish quicker.  They are good
men, but we are better, and have proved
so for several hundred years.  I had always
wanted to see the Englishman fight in a
tight hole, and I know what he is worth
now.  He can outstay the other chap.  Well,
you must be getting rather bored by the
fighting, and I will write more anon when
I have collected some further particulars.
The Rev. W. H. Weekes, our parson,
organized a thanksgiving service on Sunday
night.  We were still rather mad, and it
gave us a pleasant feeling to sing nice
fighting psalms and hymns, because which
ever way you look at it we are perfectly
convinced out here that it is a righteous
war.  He had rather a mixed congregation,
which probably in times of peace would be
half the size, but he understands his
congregation and the congregation understand him.

Poor Hazelrigg died that night.

.. _`INTERVIEWING BOER PRISONERS ON MR. WEIL'S STOEP`:

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   :align: center
   :alt: INTERVIEWING BOER PRISONERS ON MR. WEIL'S STOEP

   INTERVIEWING BOER PRISONERS ON MR. WEIL'S STOEP

I went over and saw the prisoners this
afternoon.  They were very civil, and so were
we.  I like a Frenchman, and was chaffing
them more or less at having left "La Patrie."  They
didn't seem to mind being prisoners;
they apparently enjoyed their fight, but they
objected to their food.  I did what I could for
them, and I couldn't help feeling that they
were absolutely uninvited guests.  It wasn't
their quarrel, and why they wanted to shove
their nose into it we all fail to understand.
There is really a very charming man amongst
them, who asked me to procure him a grammar
as he wished to improve his mind by learning
Dutch and English.  Of course, I got him
a grammar, while I couldn't help suggesting
that it might have been as well to remain in
comfort in France without travelling all this
way to learn the language, also remarking
Dutch seemed rather out of date.  He rather
agreed with me, and asked me for a
collection of siege stamps as he said he
thought his girl would like them.  The
funny part of these fellows is that they
seem to think that we haven't got homes or
girls or anything else, but are a sort of
automatic "Aunt Sally," put up here for
irresponsible foreigners to have a shy at.
Nobody bears any malice about the fight, but
the Frenchman calls the Boer "canaille," the
Boer doesn't seem to like the Frenchman or,
indeed, any other foreigner, regarding him as an
impetuous fool who would probably lead him
(the Boer) into some nasty dangerous place, and
the Englishman laughs at the lot; however, as
I said before, the poor devils can't help being
foreigners.  I always like a Frenchman, a
good many have been kind to me and they are
invariably amusing.  Their stomachs, however,
are at present proud, and they cannot swallow
"sowen," or horse flesh, or any local luxuries.
However, as we pointed out, it was rather
their fault that we had not any rations in here.
Some of these men had only been in the
country a week.  It seems a long way
to come to get put in "quod," and live on
horse flesh and "sowens."  One told me he
passed a battery of our relieving column in
harbour at Beira.  I suppose he thought he
had put in a smart day's work when he got
ahead of it.  He has, but he isn't working
now.  I never liked Eloff much, not that I
knew him personally, but now I like him
better for his performances.  He very nearly
did a big thing, but both sides have apparently
an ineradicable mutual contempt for each
other, which has led to some very pretty fighting
through the whole war.  There is no mistake
about it, he did insult the Queen, and I am
glad we have had the wiping out of
that score, but he is a gallant fellow
all the same.  When we look back on our
discomfiture of Cronje, and the mopping up
of Eloff, it gives a pleasant finish to the siege.
It wanted just a finishing touch to make it
satisfactory.  There should be another fight
within a few hours, but I reckon that it will be
the relief Column's turn, and though everything
is ready for us to assist them I honestly
don't think we could go far and do much.  The
men were dog tired on Saturday, absolutely
dog tired.  I always thought the Boer was
a bad bird to get up to the gun, but
he came up that day.  I don't think he will
again.

On Monday we saw the tail end of some
Boer force arriving.  We had hoped it might
be our own people, but they appear to be
a few miles further off.  However, we know
they are there or thereabouts now.  Nobody
minds now, we know we are winning.

To return again to my story of the fighting,
the foreigners did try their best to stop the Boers
looting, but loot they did most thoroughly.
They stole everything they could lay their
hands on.  Not one officer, whose kit happened
to be in the fort has recovered anything.
One "clumpy" of Boers galloped forth laden
with food and drink.  The food belonged to
themselves, the drink belonged to us.  They
happened to fall in with the galloping Maxim,
a piece of bad luck because they all died
and our people took the food and drink.
One fellow had taken a pair of brown boots
and a horse, he had a few bullets through
the boots, the horse was killed and so
was he.

Life had been very dull here, but that
morning put everything all right.  We had
never before seen a dead or wounded Boer or
a prisoner, and it is weary work to see your
friends and neighbours shot and not see your
own bag too, but personally, except in the
way of business, I hope I haven't killed a Boer.
In the fight in the morning, though everything
had been prepared for as far as we could
tell, we had had to take up positions which were
absolutely enfiladed by the fresh development
of affairs.  The trench occupied by the
Bechuanaland Rifles, Protectorate Regiment, and
others on the spur of the moment, was directly
enfiladed by the enemy's quick-firer.  Why we
were not wiped out on that line I never shall
quite make out.  They shot the jailor, Heale,
who has done very good work all through the
siege, who I am afraid leaves a wife and family.
Then the prisoners took charge of themselves.
Our gunner prisoners ran down to the guns, one
was shot, the others served the gun all day.
The others, armed with Martinis, commenced
a heavy fire on the enemy, or cautioned the
Dutch prisoners, the suspects, as to their
behaviour, and put them down a hole.  It was an
exhilarating sight and struck me as exceedingly
quaint to see men who had committed every
crime, and were undergoing penal servitude,
dismissing their past, oblivious of anything
except the fact that we were all of the same
crowd, and had got to keep the Dutchmen out.
I hope Her Majesty will exercise her clemency;
they certainly deserve to regain their rights as
citizens.

We have had rather a dull day for some reason
or other.  A general idea pervaded the town
that relief was at hand, and when towards
evening a cloud of dust and troops were seen
to the south-west, we most of us got on the
roofs and looked at them with some interest.
It transpired subsequently, however, that
they were the enemy retiring before Mahon.
They passed round the south of the town, and
opposed him later.

16th, Wednesday.  A dull day, but towards
evening our relief was really seen.  Everybody
got on the roofs, and looked on at the
Boers being shelled; most refreshing, but as
they were not apparently coming in, people
went to feed, and enthusiasm rather died
away again, so much so that when Major
Karri Davis, and some eight men of the
I.L.I. marched in, he told one passer-by he was the
advance guard relief force, the other only
murmured "Oh, yes, I heard you were
knocking about," and went to draw his
rations, or whatever he was busily engaged
in.  However, when it became generally
known the crowd assembled and began to
cheer, and go mad again--so to bed.

17th, Thursday.  Roused out this morning
at some ungodly hour to be told they had
arrived, and strolled down to the I.L.I. to
see Captain Barnes of my old regiment.  It
appeared that Mahon and Plumer had effected
a masterly junction the day before, and that
the former, following the only true policy of
South African warfare had, as usual, said he
was going to do one thing, and done
something else, viz., camped out, and then suddenly
inspanned and marched into the town.
I can't quite convey the feelings of the
townspeople, they were wild with delight, and
pleased as they were their *bonne bouche*
was to come later.  Edwardes and Barnes
breakfasted with me and then went back
(personally I borrowed a horse from the
I.L.I.).  About 9 o'clock the guns moved
out to the waterworks, and then the fun
really began.  The Boers had been going
to intercept Mahon's entry, but he was a bit
too previous.  All the morning their silly
old five-pounder (locally known as "Gentle
Annie") had been popping away, when
suddenly the R.H.A. Canadian Artillery and
pom-poms began, ably led by our old
popguns, who had the honour of beginning the
ball.  I rode well out, as I wanted to see the
other people have a treat, but literally in half
an hour all there was left of the laager, which
has vexed our eyes and souls so much for
long months, was a cloud of dust on the
horizon, except food-stuffs, &c., which we
looted.  I got a Dutch Bible, and from its
tidiness I was pleased to see its late owner
was a proficient in the Sunday school.
So, quietly back to the town, and after
the march past of the relief column the
relieved troops began.  And now, I
suppose, after being bottled up for some eight
lunar months, I may effervesce.  As I have
said before, I have seen many tributes to her
Majesty and joined in them all, but dirty men
in shirt sleeves, and dirtier men in rags on
scarecrows of horses touched me up most of
all.  We were dirty, we were ragged, but we
were most unmistakably loyal, and we came
from all parts of the world--Canadians, South
Africans, Australians, Englishmen, Indians,
and our Cape Boys and various other Africans,
and there was not one of us who did not respect
the other, and know we were for one job, the
Queen and Empire, not one.

.. _`MARCH PAST OF THE RELIEVING FORCE.`:

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   :align: center
   :alt: MARCH PAST OF THE RELIEVING FORCE.

   MARCH PAST OF THE RELIEVING FORCE.

I wonder how the prisoners felt, poor devils;
they must have wished they were not against
us.  The Boers had certainly executed the
smartest movement I had seen for some time;
I had not believed it possible that a laager
could break up and disperse so rapidly.  We
all went back to lunch, having recovered
Captain McLaren, who, I am glad to say, is
doing very well.  Then after lunch an alarm
was raised that we had rounded up old
Snyman, and everybody started off to help
in the operation; but, alas, Snyman knows
too much.  They said that he and four
hundred Boers were surrounded and refused to
surrender, and we all wanted as much
surrender as we could get--or the other thing.
I am glad to say he was hit on the head in
the morning with a bit of shrapnel, but not
dangerously wounded, unfortunately, at least
so they report.  He seems equally execrated
by Dutch and English--Psalm-singing,
sanctimonious murderer of women and
children and his son takes after him.  I may
contradict my previous statements, but his
actions have also varied frequently.  Well,
we had a great dinner; old friends from all
parts of the world foregathered, and at our head
was Smitheman.  Many dinners then combined,
and more old friends were met--so to bed,
still pleased with England.  Men of all sorts
and conditions, trades, professions and ranks,
relievers and relieved, slept that night in and
about Mafeking, with a restless sleep, thinking
of what England would think, and we knew
and were sorry we couldn't hear what they said.

The garrison in Mafeking hope to get some
recognition or decoration, but what they
attach particular importance to is receiving
the Queen's chocolate.

Immediately after the relief column marched
in our Baralongs under Montsoia Wessels,
Silas and Sekoko and Josiah, marched off on
their own to settle up Abraham Ralinti at
Rietfontein, and bring in our trusty ally,
Saani.  He had been utterly looted, and taken
away from his own stadt, and kept a prisoner
at Rietfontein, his great notion being that we
should have a conference with the Boers,
and then lay down what he called "plenty
polomite," and blow them up when they
came to confer.  You cannot get very far
ahead of a Baralong.  I suppose this is the
first occasion on which one black man
surrendered under a white flag to another.  These
Rietfontein rebels have always been against
the remainder of the Baralongs, and have
invariably fought for the Boers since the
disturbed relations between Briton and
Boer have existed.  I hope they will shoot
Abraham, as his people's invariable cunning
in stopping our runners has caused us great
inconvenience, not to mention the numbers
they have killed.

18th, Friday.  Did very little.  Went round
and helped our pals to shop, get stamps,
money, &c., &c.

19th, Saturday.  The garrison held its
solemn Thanksgiving Service at the cemetery,
at the termination of which three volleys were
fired over our dead.  We had been unable to
do this before owing to the certainty of
drawing fire, not that that really much
mattered, as they usually fired on all our
funeral parties, though there could be no
mistaking them.  Still they had this excuse
that the cemetery is fortified.  After the last
post had sounded we reformed and sang the
National Anthem.  Then, after Colonel
Baden-Powell had spoken personally to each
detachment, we cheered him, and then with heartfelt
cheers for Her Majesty, the siege of Mafeking
closed.

.. vspace:: 1

.. class:: center

   GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.

.. vspace:: 1

And now for sheer personalities.  Mr. Stuart
had arrived, and as I considered he was
much better qualified to represent the paper
with the force than myself, I determined to
come south.  Mr. B. Weil, whom as I have
previously said, I consider to be one of the
principal factors in the successful defence,
certainly as regards the food supply,
said he was going south.  I accordingly
resolved to accompany him, and while
returning from the ceremony suggested it.
Anyhow, to make a long story short, I
arrived as he was starting, and with a small
bag, having relinquished all my Mafeking
impedimenta, climbed into his cart.  He had
to turn out one of his boys, but I didn't mind
that, and being the most good-natured of men,
he tried to look as if he didn't.  So our
caravan started--Major Anderson, Major
Davis (Surg. I.L.I.), Mr. Weil, and myself,
together with his servant Mitchell, a prototype
of "Binjamin," but absolutely reliable and
hard-working, also Bradley, of Bradley's Hotel,
Inspector Marsh, the Rev. ---- Peart, and
Ronny Moncrieffe (who had secured a horse
belonging to a Protectorate regiment, and
proposed to accompany us).  He had done
a lot of good work in the siege, and was
about as tired and unfit as a man could be.
However, he was determined to get through,
and so he did.  It was a quaint
pilgrimage, as the column, though it had
swept the country, had not particularly
cleared it, and the Boer is here to-day, gone
to-morrow, and back the next day.  Well,
our commissariat was excellent.  I contributed
some eight biscuits and three tins of
bully, and that is all I have done except live
on the fat of the land--Lord, how fat it
seemed after Mafeking--a land flowing with
fresh milk, butter and eggs, mutton and white
bread, and above all, the sense of freedom, I
never knew what it felt like to be properly
free before, and I have been more or less of
a wanderer most of my life.  No more sieges
for me, except perhaps from the outside.  Yet
I was sorry to leave Mafeking, and I may
truly say as far as I know I didn't leave a bad
friend behind me, only all my kit.  Towards
dark, after an outspan that was like a picnic,
we reached Mr. Wright's farm, where the
wounded were--one had died the night
before--and we found Mr. Hands, *Daily Mail*, badly
wounded in the thigh, but doing well; Captain
Maxwell, I.S.C., and others.  Mr. Wright
acts up to his name.  Two of his sons were
in "tronk" at Zeerust for refusing to join the
Boers, and what he had was at our disposal.
I wonder if people at home realize in what
a position our loyalists in Bechuanaland have
been placed.  If they didn't come in their own
countrymen regarded them as rebels,--if they
did they lost all they had.  But by doing as
they have done, that is by carrying on their
business while exposed to all the contumely
and insult the Boers could heap on them, with
the possible loss of life as well as property,
they have served their country as well
as those who have taken up arms; because
their houses have always been a safe place for
runners to go to, and news about the doings
of the Boers could be obtained from them.
Besides, they know which of the Boers
fought, and which didn't, and this fact now
terrifies the rebels and keeps many quiet, who
might not otherwise be so.  Mr. Weil on arrival
bought two hundred bags of mealies and
despatched them to his friends the Baralongs.
Such a pretty place his farm is, with plenty
of water and lots of game.  We slept under
the cart, and miserably cold it was.  Mr. Weil
(who is rather like myself in that respect),
could not sleep, and was determined nobody
else should do so.  So we got up, and sat round
the fire till sunrise.  Our cocoa that morning
was indeed acceptable.  The caravan, which
was as I say, quaint, marched as follows,
preceded by mounted Kaffir Scouts:--First came
Keeley and his boy in a Cape cart drawn by
mules, followed by Weil, his servant, driver
and myself in another Cape cart with six
mules, Bradley driving a pair of horses in
another, then Ronny, the Rev. ---- Peart and
Inspector Marsh riding, the latter riding B.P.'s
brother's pony.  We inspanned at sunrise on
Monday and started for Setloguli.  Halted
half way and had the pleasing intelligence that
a commando was raiding within six miles of
us.  I personally felt very unhappy.  I had
always looked upon it as a two-to-one chance,
and as we had no weapons we could make no
fight of it.  Apart from the bore of being a
prisoner I knew I should be so awfully laughed
at.  However, there we were--it was no use
grumbling, but I did, as hard as ever I could.
Then we inspanned and drove to Setloguli,
where our spirits were considerably raised by
an excellent lunch provided by Mrs. Fraser,
who is the best hostess I have ever met.  The
Frasers had a terrible rough time of it, and
now "the Queen had got her own again" were
naturally correspondingly cheerful.  Later
we were also further relieved to hear that "the
commando" was merely a small patrol of Boers,
and that it had withdrawn across the border.
During the afternoon I went up and saw the
old fort--quite interesting, and anybody who
wants to spend a quiet time might do worse than
to go to Setloguli.  The worst of it is it takes
some time to get there.  Lady Sarah Wilson's
maid was there.  She had been there since
Lady Sarah was brought in by the Boers
to Mafeking.  Mr. Weil was showing various
curios of the siege to Mrs. Fraser, including
a copy of Her Majesty's *Leaves from the
Journal of our Life in the Highlands*, which
he had looted from the Boer laager.  This
excited the good lady's unqualified wrath,
"What sacrilege for them to have it in their
hands.  Why it smells Boery," she said.  On
Tuesday Keeley was returning to Mafeking
with Lady Sarah's maid and his scouts,
so Weil engaged two scouts to accompany
us to Jan Modebi, where we were next
going to stop.  They didn't seem particularly
pushing sort of scouts, as they persistently
rode in rear of the Cape cart.  The road too,
was infamous, but it was impossible to lose the
way as the column had left an unmistakable
track behind them, and this was fortunate,
because when we had been going about an
hour and a half our intelligent guide stated
he didn't know the way.  I wonder how
Keeley felt all that Tuesday.  If he could
have heard half we said he would have
torn his two days' beard out and wept.  The
other scout lost us altogether.  Keeley and
Weil were arranging a series of despatch
riders, so as long as we got one of them to
Jan Modebi's, it didn't much matter.  We
outspanned first at a rebel's farm, and had
an excellent lunch.  I was still rather fretful.
The prospect of captivity made me so, and
I only believe in dead Dutchmen, till peace is
proclaimed.

One Sonnenberg, a brother of some Bond
member or other, was there trading, I
suppose, like most Bondsmen, running with
the hare and hunting with the hounds.
He looked well on it, and was very civil.
We inspanned and then came a long trek to
Jan Modebi's.  About half-way there, we
saw two horsemen with guns cruising about.
One obviously was not a soldier.  I reckoned
Pretoria was the ticket, however, they came
up and Weil went to interview them.  They
turned out to be one of the Kimberley Light
Horse and a civilian who was showing him the
way, and he said he had got a convoy of cattle.
It felt like being near home again then.  We
afterwards met the convoy--total, four white men
and five black.  I still marvel at their colossal
impudence, marching through a rebel country
within five miles of the enemy's border,
escorting cattle for which any Boer will peril
his skin.  He calmly assured me they were
going to pick up all they saw on the way; to
use his own words, "All is fish that comes to
our net."  I hope they got through all right.
So to Mr. Menson's, where we put up for the
night, and he, like everyone else, did all he
could.  He, too, had had a bad time.  He
didn't grumble, but when the relief column
had come through they had cut all his barbed
wire fences.  Having a constitutional antipathy
to barbed wire I sympathized with the relief
column, but naturally did not say so.  I was
amused to see three prints of Sir Alfred Milner,
Lord Roberts, and Oom Paul, the inscription
under the latter being, "The end is better
than the beginning, 14.10.99," also to hear
his account of how when driving his cattle
to Vryburg at the outbreak of the war he had
met a Dutchman who told him that they had
driven the English into the sea.  His reply was,
"Oh, that's too far to go," and so he turned
and drove his cattle back again to his farm.
Weil, as usual, bought up cattle, &c., also
butter and other luxuries, and despatched
them to the hospital at Mafeking on his own
account.

Wednesday.  We started rather later than
usual owing to the heavy rain, and half way
to Vryburg we crossed the fresh spoor of
men, wagons, cattle, &c., going towards the
Transvaal.  It afterwards transpired it was
the rebel Van Zyl and his following, bolting
from Kuruman to the Transvaal.  Let off
number two.  We couldn't have been more
than an hour or two behind them, and they
would certainly have scooped us had we
met them, so the rain was lucky.  Well, we
got into Vryburg from one side as the
troops got in from the other.  An old
acquaintance rushed me off to the Club, and
I then strolled up to see the Scotch Yeomanry
and found Charley Burn.  I found also Kidd and
several others I knew--then on to see Reade, who
had been Intelligence Officer at Mafeking before
the war, and was D.A.A.G. to General Barton,
and arranged about getting on in the first train.
This was my first chance of seeing the infantry
Tommy on the war path to any great extent.
He is no more beautiful or clean, in fact, if
anything less so than his cavalry brother,
but by heaven he looks a useful one!
However, what matter the man as long as the
flag is clean.  Met North of the Royal
Fusiliers and dined with him, they all asked
after Fitzclarence, Godley, and the others.
They and the Scots Fusiliers had done quite
an extraordinary march of forty-four miles in
thirty-four hours, and now our infantry were
within striking distance of Mafeking.  The
line should soon be repaired as they had
begun from Mafeking and the line as far as
Maribogo was practically untouched, in fact
next morning, Thursday, they ran twelve
miles north.  Thursday we began our
preparations for departure.  The garrison were
preparing to celebrate the Queen's Birthday,
and the populace to display great enthusiasm,
and the women began to come into town.  It
was not a highly polished parade, so far as
I could see.  Still, it was rather good to have
it there just then, where the Dutchmen had
been in occupation within ten days.  Rifles
were now coming in by the hundred, and the
rebel of a fortnight before became a British
patriot.  We drove to the station, and there
met the Scots Fusiliers.  I was accosted by
a warrior in large blue goggles, who said
I didn't remember him.  I naturally didn't in
the goggles, but it turned out to be Scudamore.
They did the best they could for us, and
then Dick of the Royal Irish Fusiliers
turned up, who had once been my
sergeant-major.  I was glad to see him--the old
regiment and squadron seems fairly dotted
all over Africa.  Barnes was at Mafeking, three
of us had been through the siege, and I met one
Lambart at Taungs, who had been a corporal
with us, and was a captain in the Kimberley
Mounted Corps, curiously enough all
belonging to two squadrons, B and D.  Well, we
left Vryburg with a light engine and a truck
full of niggers.  We were all sitting on
the tank, in charge of young Gregg,
R.E., who is a good train master.  He
ran us down, after dropping the niggers
to repair a bridge, to Dry Hartz, where
we had to pull out for an up-coming train,
and as we had half an hour to wait, and it was
just mid-day at twelve, we formed up and gave
three cheers for the Queen and drank her
health.  It was the smallest and dirtiest
Queen's Birthday parade I have ever attended;
nine all told, but "mony a little makes a
muckle."  We ran down to Taungs, where
one way and another we were detained some
twelve hours.  I didn't mind.  The Royal
Welsh Fusiliers were there, and I found several
old friends and acquaintances--Gough
Radcliffe, R.H., Cooper (Royal Fusiliers), Broke
Wright, R.E., the former railway staff officer.
So into a cattle truck we jumped with one of
the Welsh Fusiliers and some men and arrived
at Kimberley 7 o'clock next morning, where
I called on Sir C. Parsons, and had fish for
breakfast at the hotel.  Thus my journey was
practically ended.  It transpired that
Vryburg was held by some half dozen of our
forces, and that the remainder of the garrison
was only sixty loyalists from the town
population.  It did not seem a large
garrison, but apparently it was good enough.
There was rather a curious coincidence at
dinner at Orange River.  I saw a man whose
face I thought I knew, but I was mistaken;
it was his likeness to his brother which
misled me.  He turned out to be Tom
Greenfield's brother, who was down here sick, and
to whom I had wired to meet me at Fourteen
Streams, so that I could give him news of
Tom.  However, I struck him on the next
river or so, so it didn't much matter.

It was sad to pass the Modder River and
see our cemeteries--all English; so we
passed on to Cape Town.  And how jolly it
was to see old friends; besides, we were able
to tell our Mafeking people, womenfolk, good
news of their husbands.

Three pleasant days there, and then
everybody came to see us off by the *Norman*,
which we nearly missed.  The voyage passed
without much incident.  Everybody on board
was more or less personally interested in the
war, and there were a good many Boers and
pro-Boers on board.  On Saturday, short of
Madeira, the *Briton* signalled the news of
the fall of Pretoria.  Tremendous rejoicings
on board on the part of the British, while the
Dutch were correspondingly depressed and
seemed rather sad; some of them wept into
the sea.

The further I got from the seat of war the
less animus I felt.  So to Madeira, where we
arrived about midnight, and the news was
confirmed with particulars.  We got many
newspapers.  On to Southampton--more
victories; many valuable officers killed.  It is
really sad to take up a newspaper; one sees
friends killed in every fight.  Thus we arrived
in London at 9.15 on the 15th June, having
left Mafeking 11 a.m. the 20th May.

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.. _`"LORD NELSON." By a curious coincidence the letters B.P. were found cast on the breech of this piece when dug up.`:

.. figure:: images/img-299.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: "LORD NELSON." By a curious coincidence the letters B.P. were found cast on the breech of this piece when dug up.

   "LORD NELSON." By a curious coincidence the letters B.P. were found cast on the breech of this piece when dug up.

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.. _`Cavalryman`:

.. figure:: images/img-300.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: Cavalryman

   Cavalryman

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.. pgfooter::