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| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-03 06:58:52 -0800 |
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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-03 06:58:52 -0800 |
| commit | 810b87604ebba39233a6671f1bb7b54cb8e03304 (patch) | |
| tree | 2c9629f7a3c4adcbe3891cc62e5cafc5c2eaeb56 /41511-h/41511-h.html | |
| parent | 9e645abc503b6d767648464138ecedc444ddc989 (diff) | |
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- float: left; - margin-right: 1em } - -.align-right { clear: right; - float: right; - margin-left: 1em } - -.align-center { margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto } - -div.shrinkwrap { display: table; } - -/* SECTIONS */ - -body { margin: 5% 10% 5% 10% } - -/* compact list items containing just one p */ -li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } - -.first { margin-top: 0 !important; - text-indent: 0 !important } -.last { margin-bottom: 0 !important } - -span.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; line-height: 1 } -img.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; max-width: 25% } -span.dropspan { font-variant: small-caps } - -.no-page-break { page-break-before: avoid !important } - -/* PAGINATION */ - -@media screen { - .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, .dedication, .plainpage - { margin: 10% 0; } - - div.clearpage, div.cleardoublepage - { margin: 10% 0; border: none; border-top: 1px solid gray; } - - .vfill { margin: 5% 10% } -} - -@media print { - div.clearpage { page-break-before: always; padding-top: 10% } - div.cleardoublepage { page-break-before: right; padding-top: 10% } - - .vfill { margin-top: 20% } - h2.title { margin-top: 20% } -} - -</style> -<title>MAFEKING: A DIARY OF A SIEGE</title> -<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" /> -<meta name="PG.Title" content="Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege" /> -<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" /> -<link rel="coverpage" href="images/img-cover.jpg" /> -<meta name="DC.Creator" content="F. D. Baillie" /> -<meta name="DC.Created" content="1900" /> -<meta name="PG.Id" content="41511" /> -<meta name="PG.Released" content="2012-11-29" /> -<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" /> -<meta name="DC.Title" content="Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege" /> - -<link href="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" rel="schema.DCTERMS" /> -<link href="http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators" rel="schema.MARCREL" /> -<meta content="Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege" name="DCTERMS.title" /> -<meta content="mafeking.rst" name="DCTERMS.source" /> -<meta content="en" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC4646" name="DCTERMS.language" /> -<meta content="2012-11-30T05:31:47.283062+00:00" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.modified" /> -<meta content="Project Gutenberg" name="DCTERMS.publisher" /> -<meta content="Public Domain in the USA." name="DCTERMS.rights" /> -<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41511" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" /> -<meta content="F. D. Baillie" name="DCTERMS.creator" /> -<meta content="2012-11-29" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.created" /> -<meta content="width=device-width" name="viewport" /> -<meta content="EpubMaker 0.3.20a5 by Marcello Perathoner <webmaster@gutenberg.org>" name="generator" /> -<style type="text/css"> -.pageno { position: absolute; right: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } -.pageno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } -.lineno { position: absolute; left: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } -.lineno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } -.toc-pageref { float: right } -pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap } -</style> -</head> -<body> -<div class="document" id="mafeking-a-diary-of-a-siege"> -<h1 class="center document-title level-1 pfirst title"><span class="x-large">MAFEKING: A DIARY OF A SIEGE</span></h1> - -<!-- this is the default PG-RST stylesheet --> -<!-- figure and image styles for non-image formats --> -<!-- default transition --> -<!-- default attribution --> -<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> -<div class="clearpage"> -</div> -<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> -<div class="align-None container language-en pgheader" id="pg-header" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the </span><a class="reference internal" href="#project-gutenberg-license">Project Gutenberg License</a><span> -included with this eBook or online at -</span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license</a><span>.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<div class="align-None container" id="pg-machine-header"> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Title: Mafeking: A Diary of a Siege -<br /> -<br />Author: F. D. Baillie -<br /> -<br />Release Date: November 29, 2012 [EBook #41511] -<br /> -<br />Language: English -<br /> -<br />Character set encoding: UTF-8</span></p> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-start-line"><span>*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>MAFEKING: A DIARY OF A SIEGE</span><span> ***</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p> -</div> -<div class="align-None container coverpage"> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 56%" id="figure-190"> -<img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Cover" src="images/img-cover.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">Cover</span></div> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -</div> -<div class="align-None container frontispiece"> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 98%" id="figure-191"> -<img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="WRECKING THE ARMOURED TRAIN AT KRAAIPAN." src="images/img-front.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">WRECKING THE ARMOURED TRAIN AT KRAAIPAN.</span></div> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> -</div> -</div> -<div class="align-None container titlepage"> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="x-large">MAFEKING</span></p> -<p class="center pnext"><span class="large">A Diary of the Siege</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">BY -<br />MAJOR F. D. BAILLIE</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="smaller">LATE IVTH (Q.O.) HUSSARS</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 43%" id="figure-192"> -<img class="align-center block center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="SIGNALLING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN." src="images/img-title.jpg" /> -<div class="caption center centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">SIGNALLING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN.</span></div> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><em class="italics medium">WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS</em></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">WESTMINSTER -<br />ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & COMPANY, LTD. -<br />1900</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> -</div> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="large">Prefatory Note</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">The Morning Post</em><span> I am -indebted for his kindness in allowing me to -re-publish the diary in book form. To the -proprietors of </span><em class="italics">The Daily Graphic</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="left pfirst"><span>F. D. BAILLIE, Major, -<br /></span><em class="italics">late 4th Queen's Own Hussars.</em></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="x-large">The Siege of Mafeking</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>"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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 89%" id="figure-193"> -<span id="the-crew-of-the-h-m-s-firefly"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="THE CREW OF THE H.M.S. "FIREFLY."" src="images/img-013.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">THE CREW OF THE H.M.S. "FIREFLY."</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">nil</em><span>. Our seven-pounders -out-ranged. No reply made to their fire.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Two of our wounded, both corporals, died -to-day. The town is practically surrounded.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>17th, 18th, and 19th. Nothing happened. -Investment completed. Boers estimated six -thousand men, undoubtedly correct.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>20th. Boers cut off some cattle which had -strayed out too far.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>22nd, Sunday. Band and calls on various -outlying forts, hospitals, &c. All church -services were held.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 89%" id="figure-194"> -<span id="firing-from-an-armoured-train"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="FIRING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN" src="images/img-023.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">FIRING FROM AN ARMOURED TRAIN</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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."</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 85%" id="figure-195"> -<span id="fitzclarence-s-bayonet-charge"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="FITZCLARENCE'S BAYONET CHARGE." src="images/img-037.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">FITZCLARENCE'S BAYONET CHARGE.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>29th, Sunday. Band, &c.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>2nd. Desultory shell fire and lots of -sniping at horses watering, five horses -wounded. At about 10 p.m. Lieutenant -Murchison shot Mr. Parslow, </span><em class="italics">Daily Chronicle</em><span> -representative, but as the matter is still </span><em class="italics">sub -judice</em><span>, comments or opinions are undesirable.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>5th. Sunday. Band, and celebrated Guy -Fawkes day with fireworks, first warning -the enemy not to be alarmed.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 52%" id="figure-196"> -<span id="relics"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="RELICS." src="images/img-045.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">RELICS.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>11th. Shelling all day, sniping getting -really lively.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>12th. News of Colonel Plumer's column. -We were all grieved to hear of poor Blackburne's death.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>13th. Slight shell fire, very quiet all round.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>14th. Sniping and shelling rather lively, -to compensate for yesterday.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>16th. Heavy thunderstorm and rain; -shelling and sniping all round.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>19th, Sunday. Band and calls. Laager, -to the north-east at Signal Hill, trekking eastward.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>24th. Shelling and sniping; the B.S.A.P. fort -came in for most of it; two men wounded.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>26th, Sunday. We had our first game of -polo, a concert, and a football match. Church -in the evening.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>4th. A quiet day; not much shelling or sniping.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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:--</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>"Mr. Baden-Powell,</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>I remaijn, Yours trewly, a Republican."</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>I am afraid the ingenious gentleman in -question will have to wait a while for his -whisky.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">cum grano</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>The following is a copy of Colonel -Baden-Powell's letter to Snyman and the -proclamation to the burghers:--</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="large">A LETTER TO THE BOERS.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>Mafeking, 8th Dec., 1899.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<dl class="docutils"> -<dt class="left"><span>To General J. P. Snyman,</span></dt> -<dd><p class="first last left pfirst"><span>near Mafeking.</span></p> -</dd> -</dl> -<p class="pfirst"><span>SIR,--I beg to thank you for having handed over -Lady Sarah Wilson in exchange for the convict P. Viljoen.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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).</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>I have the honour to be, -<br /> Sir, -<br /> Your obedient servant, -<br /> R.S.S. BADEN-POWELL.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span class="large">NOTICE</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>To THE BURGHERS OP THE Z.A.R. AT PRESENT UNDER ARMS NEAR MAFEKING.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><em class="italics">From the Officer Commanding Her Majesty's Forces, Mafeking</em><span>.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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).</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="left pfirst"><span>(Signed) R.S.S. BADEN-POWELL, -<br /> </span><em class="italics">Colonel.</em><span> -<br />MAFEKING, 10th Dec., 1899.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">Volkstem</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>15th. Later. I was somewhat previous -in my remarks, they have just placed a shell -within a hundred yards of the hotel.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 98%" id="figure-197"> -<span id="removing-the-effects-of-a-boer-shell"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF A BOER SHELL." src="images/img-085.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF A BOER SHELL.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>17th, Sunday. We had a handicap polo -tournament. Here are the teams and the -result from </span><em class="italics">The Mafeking Mail</em><span>:--</span></p> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>No. I.--Colonel Baden-Powell (Captain), - Captain Gordon Wilson, - Captain Singleton, - Lieutenant Hon. A. Hanbury-Tracey.</span> -</pre> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>No. II.--Captain Lord C. Cavendish-Bentinck (Captain), - Lieutenant-Colonel Walford, - Major Anderson, - Lieutenant Mackenzie.</span> -</pre> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>No. III.--Lieutenant-Colonel Hore (Captain), - Captain Sandford, - Captain Vernon, - Lieutenant Bridges.</span> -</pre> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>No. IV.--Major Godley (Captain), - Major Goold-Adams, C.B., C.M.G., - Captain Fitzclarence, - Lieutenant Moncreiffe.</span> -</pre> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>No. V.--Major Baillie (Captain), - Captain Marsh, - Captain Cowan, - Lieutenant Paton.</span> -</pre> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>*Match.* *Goals scored*.</span> -</pre> -<pre class="literal-block"> -<span>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</span> -</pre> -<p class="pfirst"><span 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.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>We are now making great preparations for -Christmas, which we are apparently -condemned to spend here. Church services as -usual.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>19th. As I anticipated. The Boers' </span><em class="italics">reveille</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>20th and 21st. Quiet days.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>22nd. Quiet, but furious musketry fire at -night, bullets flying everywhere.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>23rd, Saturday. Fairly quiet.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">hors de combat</em><span>. 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>27th, 28th, and 29th. Desultory shelling, -sniping, and occasional wild firing from the -enemy by night. We hear cheering native -rumours from the south.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>31st, Sunday. Sports, &c., driving -competition, horse-show. I won hack competition.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>2nd. Our usual shelling, and a niece of -a Baralong chief killed in the stadt, amongst -others. In the evening Mr. Hamilton, </span><em class="italics">Times</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>5th. Enemy quiet, with the usual shelling, -which is terribly monotonous.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>6th. Boers rather vicious to-day, and the -usual Saturday's spar all round at sundown. -Runners went north and south.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>11th. Usual day of shelling.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>13th. Big gun did not fire, enemy very -quiet; expect they are running short of small -arm ammunition.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>16th. Dislike the shelling more since I have -fever; one shell struck auxiliary hospital.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>18th. They shell the town as usual. Most -unpleasant this end. They knocked off all -corners of the square in two days; several -casualties.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>24th. Desultory shelling.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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."</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 97%" id="figure-198"> -<span id="the-old-naval-gun-at-work"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="THE OLD NAVAL GUN AT WORK." src="images/img-115.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">THE OLD NAVAL GUN AT WORK.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 85%" id="figure-199"> -<span id="boers-attack-on-a-r-s-a-p-fort"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="BOERS' ATTACK ON A R.S.A.P. FORT." src="images/img-136.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">BOERS' ATTACK ON A R.S.A.P. FORT.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 97%" id="figure-200"> -<span id="in-the-trenches"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="IN THE TRENCHES." src="images/img-139.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">IN THE TRENCHES.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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?</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>17th. Very little firing till the evening, -and then usual performance.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">apropos</em><span> of this from the -leader of the opposition in the Free State -before the war is, I think, interesting:--</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="left pfirst"><span>(</span><em class="italics">Copy.</em><span>)</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="left pfirst"><span>BLOMFONTEIN, -<br /></span><em class="italics">September</em><span> 4th, 1899.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>CHARLES METTAM, ESQ., -<br /> Box 23. -<br /> Krugersdorp.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>DEAR MR. METTAM,</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>Yours faithfully, -<br /> J. G. FRASER.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="left pnext"><span>J.G.F.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>HER MAJESTY'S AGENCY, -<br /> PRETORIA, -<br /></span><em class="italics">September</em><span> 11th, 1899.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>SIR,</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"><span>I am, Sir, -<br /> Your obedient servant, -<br /> CONYNGHAM GREENE.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>MR. C. METTAM, -<br /> P. O. Box 23, -<br /> Krugersdorp.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Certified true copy. -<br /> E. H. CECIL MAJ, -<br /> C. S. O.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>24th. Rain continuing, gun and owners -still depressed. No news received for ten -days and great universal anxiety felt for -anticipated decisive intelligence.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 -</span><em class="italics">might</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 -</span><em class="italics">force majeure</em><span>, followed by </span><em class="italics">pax Brittanica</em><span>, -to be upheld again whenever necessary by -the aforesaid </span><em class="italics">force majeure</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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. </span><em class="italics">Apropos</em><span> 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 -</span><em class="italics">The Mafeking Mail</em><span> 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 </span><em class="italics">debris</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>5th. The big gun is back at the old place -east of the town; her immediate </span><em class="italics">entourage</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>6th. The gun proved herself to be the -"old original" by letting us have two or -three shots in the evening.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">debris</em><span> 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, -</span><em class="italics">per contra</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>15th. Fairly quiet day, pretty heavy shelling.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">persona grata</em><span> -and leader of men, and whilst enjoying -himself at the top of his bent is making the -most of his fleeting opportunity.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>20th. We got runners in from the north; -the Boers seem in a bad way all round.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>21st. More runners in. To-day we were -unlucky, and we had a few casualties.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>22nd. More runners. Plumer's column -twenty-four miles away.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 95%" id="figure-201"> -<span id="mafeking-siege-note"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Mafeking Siege Note" src="images/img-183.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">Mafeking Siege Note</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.[#]</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span class="small">[#] This eventually turned out to be untrue.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>29th, Thursday. A quiet day. The Boers -gradually evacuating their eastern trenches.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>30th, Friday. The guns are fairly quiet. -We are gradually occupying the evacuated -trenches.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>3rd, Tuesday. I am heartily glad to say -that Captain McLaren is not dead, although -severely wounded and a prisoner in the Boers' hands.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">facile -princeps</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>A quiet day. Flags of truce pass daily -informing us of the condition of the wounded.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 97%" id="figure-202"> -<span id="peaceful-talk-between-boers-and-british"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="PEACEFUL TALK BETWEEN BOERS AND BRITISH." src="images/img-199.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">PEACEFUL TALK BETWEEN BOERS AND BRITISH.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.[#]</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span class="small">[#] Later they themselves were devoured.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Several wagons with escorts have trekked -from the laager and they are apparently busily -engaged in packing up others.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 89%" id="figure-203"> -<span id="a-shell-bursting-in-the-native-quarter"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="A SHELL BURSTING IN THE NATIVE QUARTER." src="images/img-204.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">A SHELL BURSTING IN THE NATIVE QUARTER.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">nil</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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."</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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--</span></p> -<blockquote> -<div> -<div class="line-block outermost"> -<div class="line"><span>"Till the Queen shall have her own again, for the flag</span></div> -<div class="inner line-block"> -<div class="line"><span>we have always flown,</span></div> -</div> -<div class="line"><span>If we cannot live on the fat of the land, we'll fight on</span></div> -<div class="inner line-block"> -<div class="line"><span>the horse and 'sowen.'"</span></div> -<div class="line"> </div> -</div> -</div> -</div> -</blockquote> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">à propos</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>A most interesting account, from a private -soldier's point of view, has been contributed -by Private G. Hyslop, Bechuanaland Rifles, -to </span><em class="italics">The Glasgow Weekly Herald</em><span>, and though -his sources of accurate information are -naturally somewhat limited, it is a most fair -and intelligent account of the siege.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 -</span><em class="italics">The Times</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">viâ</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 100%" id="figure-204"> -<span id="topographical-sketch-of-mafeking"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAFEKING." src="images/img-233.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">TOPOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAFEKING.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">The Times</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">Morning Posts</em><span>, and see that -I have successfully established communication, -which is satisfactory.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">The Field</em><span>, instead -of this one in </span><em class="italics">The Morning Post</em><span>.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Colonel Baden-Powell has just received -a missive from young Eloff, in which he -states that he sees in a </span><em class="italics">Bulawayo Chronicle</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 -</span><em class="italics">chassez croissee</em><span>? 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 84%" id="figure-205"> -<span id="boers-firing-the-native-stadt"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="BOERS FIRING THE NATIVE STADT." src="images/img-261.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">BOERS FIRING THE NATIVE STADT.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 88%" id="figure-206"> -<span id="captured-boer-prisoners"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="CAPTURED BOER PRISONERS" src="images/img-267.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">CAPTURED BOER PRISONERS</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Hazelrigg died that night.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 71%" id="figure-207"> -<span id="interviewing-boer-prisoners-on-mr-weil-s-stoep"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="INTERVIEWING BOER PRISONERS ON MR. WEIL'S STOEP" src="images/img-270.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">INTERVIEWING BOER PRISONERS ON MR. WEIL'S STOEP</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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 </span><em class="italics">bonne bouche</em><span> -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.</span></p> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 80%" id="figure-208"> -<span id="march-past-of-the-relieving-force"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="MARCH PAST OF THE RELIEVING FORCE." src="images/img-281.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">MARCH PAST OF THE RELIEVING FORCE.</span></div> -</div> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>The garrison in Mafeking hope to get some -recognition or decoration, but what they -attach particular importance to is receiving -the Queen's chocolate.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>18th, Friday. Did very little. Went round -and helped our pals to shop, get stamps, -money, &c., &c.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="center pfirst"><span>GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst"><span>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, </span><em class="italics">Daily Mail</em><span>, 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 </span><em class="italics">Leaves from the -Journal of our Life in the Highlands</em><span>, 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Three pleasant days there, and then -everybody came to see us off by the </span><em class="italics">Norman</em><span>, -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 </span><em class="italics">Briton</em><span> 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.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>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.</span></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 50%" id="figure-209"> -<span id="lord-nelson-by-a-curious-coincidence-the-letters-b-p-were-found-cast-on-the-breech-of-this-piece-when-dug-up"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=""LORD NELSON." By a curious coincidence the letters B.P. were found cast on the breech of this piece when dug up." src="images/img-299.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">"LORD NELSON." By a curious coincidence the letters B.P. were found cast on the breech of this piece when dug up.</span></div> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> -</div> -<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 62%" id="figure-210"> -<span id="cavalryman"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Cavalryman" src="images/img-300.jpg" /> -<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin"> -<span class="italics">Cavalryman</span></div> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 6em"> -</div> -<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> -<div class="backmatter"> -</div> -<p class="pfirst" id="pg-end-line"><span>*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>MAFEKING: A DIARY OF A SIEGE</span><span> ***</span></p> -<div class="cleardoublepage"> -</div> -<div class="language-en level-2 pgfooter section" id="a-word-from-project-gutenberg" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<span id="pg-footer"></span><h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><span>A Word from Project Gutenberg</span></h2> -<p class="pfirst"><span>We will update this book if we find any errors.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>This book can be found under: </span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41511"><span>http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41511</span></a></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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