• Author: Edward Jollie
• Date: 1900
• Place: Mafeking, South Africa
• Comment: Letter written to his mother during the siege of Mafeking
• People:
• Description: Letter
• Keywords: BOER WAR
• Original: AA014

B.S.A.P.
"Beseiged" Mafeking
Bechuanaland
Begun 22nd Jan. 1900

My Darling Mother,
Oh! dear, where am I to begin? I have so much to talk about that it seems that a lifetime to say it all would be too short. I have been worrying so much about not being able to let you know all this time how I am getting on, and also imagining how anxious you all must be concerning the welfare of this child. Don't worry, darling little Mother, I shall come out of it all in my usual festive style, I dare say. I have an idea I was born to be hanged and not shot, and the hanging seems some distance off yet, I think.

I haven't the least idea how and when you will get this letter but I thought I would write one in case there was a chance of sending it soon; or at any rate have it ready to go immediately communication is opened with Cape Town, which we hope (and Oh, how sincerely) will be the case within the next two months, if Lord Roberts is worth his salt.

Just fancy, dear Mother, we have been besieged exactly 100 days yesterday. It's really no joke, when you consider that the Boers are entrenched all round the town; have forts and earthworks; torn up the line, likewise the telegraph wires and have cut us off from everywhere. Not only that, but every day the gentle Boers bombard us, from different directions, with their big guns, the shells of which come flopping into the town, killing people, and smashing up houses, etc. Whilst we, having no guns big enough to reach them, have to sit and let them do it. At present they are shelling us with a 94 pounder (i.e. a gun that throws a shell weighing 94 lbs. and an awful weapon it is too), also a 12 pounder quick firing Krupp gun, a 9 pounder French gun, a 5 pounder, and a 1 lb. Maxim Nordenfelt. The latter throws 10 1 1lb. shells in quick succession, whilst they traverse the gun from right to left of vice versa, thus sweeping the town from end to end; she's a little beast too. Then also they have a 7 pounder gun, so you see, they can make things pretty lively for us, and they do too. Not only the big guns hold forth, but their sharpshooters with Mauser rifles entrenched about 1200 yards from the town, fire down the streets incessantly, beginning at daylight in the morning until dusk. Also, they have a nasty habit of firing volleys into town at intervals during the night, on the off-chance of picking somebody off. They have shot several people with their promiscuous shooting; only two days ago, a woman standing just outside her door was shot through the head by a stray bullet. The same day a Kaffir, drawing water from a tank, suddenly fell down, shot through the heart. The most mean trick they play us though, is letting off their 94 pounder, and the others, into town at night-time, when one least expects them. They sight their guns before dark and leave them pointed, and at night, 8,9 or 10 o'clock, bang they come just when everybody is out taking a little fresh air, so that there's no time during the 24 hours that you can feel safe. One thing, and one thing only, I fear, is there in their favour, and that is that they do NOT shoot on Sundays. That one day, in which you can walk about the town freely, without a bullet whizzing past you, or without the necessity of suddenly lying flat down in the middle of the road while a shell goes screaming over you, is a great blessing, and we certainly take every advantage of it. Every Sunday we have something on, sports or cricket or football match, and yesterday it was an Horticultural and Agricultural, and a "Siege Baby" Show, all in one. The latter was for the best baby born during the seige. One of our Sergeants' baby took first prize, being the biggest etc. and the first one born during the siege. You've no idea what a relief Sunday is, and how everybody enjoys themselves; after living down holes all the week, risking your life every time you cross a street, stepping down your bomb-proof untio the last big gun has gone off (at night) which may not be until 10 o'clock, before you dare show your nose above ground for a breath of fresh air, Sundays are certainly days to be remembered.

I fear, darling Mother, that you must have got a very gloomy idea of the state Mafeking is in from the papers. Weeks ago 2 native runners who got through the Boer lines brought us papers saying the Boers are within 250 yards of Mafeking, which is expected to fall hourly. Another one (a Dutch paper) said Mafeking had been taken, after a bombardment which only left three houses standing, and that the Boers had re-christened the place "Cronjie's-fontein", the name of their General now besieging us. I was afraid all of this would have been telegraphed perhaps to New Zealand, that you would have heard it, and be imagining me as a prisoner in Pretoria, in the deepest dungeon beneath the castle moat. However, so far I'm all right, I'm glad to say, and you needn't be a bit anxious. The Boers will never take Mafeking, although it is only a small place (about the size of Patea). They haven't got the pluck to try it again, I don't think. The two or three attempts they did make were rather feeble, and they are getting a wholesome dread of our tight little garrison. Good night, dear Mother, I shall have some more to talk about (I hope) to-morrow night.

23rd Jan
I have an idea that if I ever get to the end of this letter that it will be a pretty long one. N'importe, as Walter Mathews used to say, and so long as you find it interesting, dear Mother, I am happy. I miss all your letters so very much, for you must know it is months since I heard from any of you. I only hope there will be many letters waiting for me, when we get into communication with Cape Town once more. A curious thing, a Runner got in from Bulawayo about a week ago, bringing some letters with him, and there was one for me from Cecil Wray, which had been posted in Wanganui on the 27th Sept. so it had been about four months on the way. It came via Beira, Umtali and Bulawayo. Communication between Mochudi and Bulawayo is still open, though closed between Mochudi and here. Col. Plumer and his column are at Mochudi, advancing southward towards us, and repairing the line as they come, for the Boers have torn up all the rails and blown up the culverts. Lynchae and his natives have joined Plumer, and have had a fight with the Boers at Siquani (36 miles from Mochudi) in which the Boers got licked, had their laager burnt, and 100 wagons taken from them. Fancy old Lynchae sticking to us. Several of our men (B.S.A.P.) on out stations (up the line) are missing, supposed to have been shot, or are prisoners in the hands of the Boers; the former, I fear, is the case, poor chaps.

I seem to be getting into the middle of my story somehow. I must start from the beginning again. War was declared on the 10th Oct. Days before that we had been having false alarms, etc. that the Boers were on us. Consequently, we all slept in our clothes, and often when the alarm sounded, two or three times a night, we had to turn out, saddle up and gallop off to Cannon Kopje; wait there until it was discovered that it was a false alarm, and then back to camp. Cannon Kopje is a Fort assigned to us (B.S.A.P.) particularly to defend; it is on the south side and three quarters of a mile out of the town, on a Kopje or hill, being about a mile from our camp. At that time it was a very weak Fort, simply a stone wall about four feet high, and semicircular only, so that if anyone attacked in the rear we would have no protection whatever. We had an iron Eiffel Tower arrangement rigged up, for a crow's nest where we had a man with a glass continually spying, so as to give us warning when the Boers were advancing.

On the 11th Oct. scouts came in and reported that the Boers were advancing on Mafeking. Great excitement, the Boers had crossed the border (which is about 8 miles from Mafeking). The whole garrison was turned out, and marched to a position on a rise about a mile S.E. of the town where we took up position, amongst trees etc., charged magazines and waited for the gentle Boer to arrive. After four hours squatting in the broiling sun, it was reported that the Boers had retired again across the border. So we were all marched back to camp again.

The next day (12th) the Armoured train steamed down the line (south) for about six miles, when she had to come to a standstill, owing to the rails having been torn up; on her way back, a Boer scout was seen on horseback, about 2,500 off. The Maxim got on to him and shot him. The armoured train consists of three bogie trucks named Firefly, Wasp and Gnat. The sides are raised to a height of about 4' 6 inches with iron rails, loop-holed at intervals to allow of rifles firing through. The engine is plated with ½ inch sheets of iron, strong enough to resist a rifle bullet, though nothing heavier. On board the carry 2 maxims and a Hotchkiss gun, while the three trucks will hold 30 men.

13th
We were all at Cannon Kopje, when, towards the middle of the day, we saw an engine and two trucks steaming out north towards Bulawayo. After a long interval, we heard and felt a tremendous explosion, and a huge column of smoke rising some seven miles off. The earth shook like an earthquake; many were the conjectures as to what it was, but none of them were anywhere near the mark. In the evening we heard what it was. It appears there were two trucks of dynamite standing in the station, which the authorities thought were dangerous to public safety, so an engine driver was told to take them up the line as far as possible, and leave them there. Luckily for him he thought of pushing them in front of his engine, instead of drawing them along behind, as the sequel will show: for he had not got out more than six miles when he was surrounded by Boers, who, thinking there were men in the trucks, immediately began firing on them. The driver jumped down, uncoupled the trucks, leaving them standing, while he made back for Mafeking as fast as his engine would go. When about 1000 yards from the trucks he heard and felt a tremendous explosion. The engine rocked so, that he expected her to leave the rails every second. It appears the Boers, receiving no answer to their fire, from the trucks, drew nearer, when one of them put a bullet into the dynamite which set the whole thing off. You can imagine that it would be a pretty big explosion when 13 (thirteen) tons of dynamite went off like that. It made a tremendous hole in the line, 30 yards long, 12 yards broad and 10 ft. deep is the native report; of course none of us have been able to go and see it. The natives also report that 150 Boers were killed by the explosion, but I think that is very much over the mark. The Boers must have thought we had planned it all purposely, one of our "Ikey, little, dodgy little ways". I know that engine driver was jolly glad to get as safely out of it as he did.

13th Oct
At the Kopje all day, the Boers are round us, but have not offered to attack. This evening 15 B.S.A.P>, including myself, were told off to go and man the amoured train, where we found 15 of the Railway chaps armed and thirsting for gore, making us all told 30 on board.

14th Oct
Saturday. This morning at 4.30 we (the armoured train) were told to steam up (north) as far as we could reconnoitre, which we started to do. About ½ a mile out we met Lord Bentinck with his patrol galloping in. He yelled out to us, "We've stirred them up for you, boys; go in and give them beans! They can't shoot for nuts". They had been out scouting and the Boers had fired on them. Lord Bentinck was slightly wounded in the hand, which was bandaged up. On we went, and jolly cold it was too; also we had had no breakfast, not even a cup of coffee. About four miles out we came upon a few clumps of Boers, whom we treated to a few volleys, to which they replied with interest, most of their shots, though, going too high. On we steamed until just over five miles out from Mafeking, when we were met by a perfect hail of bullets, and also small shell from a Hotchkiss gun they had. We replied with our rifles and maxims; the noise was simply deafening, the volleys came against the trucks with such a rattle, that we all had the irresistible inclination to duck, which we yielded to, like so many Jacks-in-the-box. The Boers were on a ridge and were firing at a range of 1000 yards, and very fair shooting they made too. Their Hotchkiss, too, came unpleasantly close, one shell just striking in front of the truck and sending the dust right through the maxim port hole, covering us with earth. Our maxim (in the Firefly), worked by one of us (B.S.A.P.) did splendid shooting and eventually silenced their maxim and Hotchkiss. One of the Boer bullets found it's way in through a loop-hole and after cannoning round the truck, split up and wounded three of the B.S.A.P., though only very slightly, luckily. We kept moving the train backwards and forward so that they could never get our exact range. We had a telephone from the trucks to the engine driver, so that we could give him orders, full speed ahead, half speed etc., in spite of the noise. Our maxim was kept going at such a rate that the water in the water jacket came steaming out, boiling over, which required that it should be constantly refilled with cold water. During the two and a half hours we were fighting our two maxims fired 4,500 rounds between them.

Presently we found we were getting too far out from town, and there was a chance of the Boers getting to the rear of us, tearing up the line and so cutting us off, leaving us stranded in the veldt, so we went astern for about quarter of a mile. The Boers thought we were retreating, and came rushing out of their cover, cheering like anything; suddenly we halted, started forward again and got into them at a range of about 700 yards, and didn't we give them "what for" too. They scuttled back like rabbits, many of them losing the number of their mess in the process.

Presently, away to our right-rear, we saw our reinforcements riding along the ridge, two squadrons of the Protectorate Regiment galloping for all they were worth; and to us, who had just had about enough of it (nearly 3 hours fighting on an empty stomach too), it was a grand sight. The squadrons halted about a mile to our right, near some kaffir huts, dismounted, and advanced towards the Boers, firing and taking cover as they went. The Boers were not slow or behindhand in meeting our men, but came on well, taking cover behind every tree or small ant-heap they could find. Our fire, though, was resistless, and gradually they had to give back, though very stubbornly. Presently, one of our 7 pounder guns arrived on the scene; she unlimbered and got to work on the gentle Boer with schrapnel. This certainly had the good effect of hastening the Boer's retreat. During this young battle the amoured train, being left comparatively alone, except for the occasional volley, when the Boers could spare a thought for us, we bethought ourselves of grub and having plenty of Bully beef and bread on board, immediately set to and had a good "blow out" (ain't Teddie vulgar?) at the same time keeping very interested eyes on the fight that was raging (and on the tinned meat too, of course, which was disappearing rather too fast for the fancy of slow eaters like myself.) About eleven o'clock the Boers had had enough of it and began retiring in good earnest. Then an orderly came galloping over to us to get stretchers and volunteers to go and bring the wounded to the train from the huts on the ridge, nearly a mile off, and a jolly long mile it was. However, coming back seemed about ten miles, for no sooner had we got the wounded into the stretchers than the Boers opened fire on us, in spite of our carrying a red cross flag, stretchers and no arms whatever, so we got the order to retire at the double, which we did, until our breath and strength gave out, by which time we didn't much care whether we were hit or not, and walked along slowly and sullenly, whilst the bullets whizzed overhead or struck the ground to the right or left of us. Mighty glad we were when we got back to the train, and to hoist the wounded in (seven of them). While we were away an engine had come out with orders to us to leave the wounded, and steam back to town, but the order was too late, and we had the wounded safe on board. We got back to Mafeking about 12 o'clock. The station was crowded with people, and the cheers they gave us made me feel it was the proudest moment of my life, such congratulations, hand-shaking, and "Glad to see you safely back, old chap". "Thought you would be cut off, you had steamed so far out; we thought it was all up with you", etc. Then my chum Lloyd who had sneaked out of hospital in a pair of pyjamas and a dressing gown appeared on the scene with a bucket of beer and lemonade. What Ho!! cried the unsuspecting Pelican!! After that, some food and then to sleep in the station waiting room, in case we should be wanted again. You should have seen the armoured train after the fight. The rails round were simply bespattered with bullet marks. Thank goodness they couldn't penetrate, or we should all have been wiped out. We had a quiet day for the rest of the afternoon. This fight was the biggest surprise for the Boers, for they had been boasting that they were simply going to walk in to Mafeking, just fire a shot or two to frighten us into giving in, and then to take possession of the town. And I believe they would have got in, too, had it not been for the armoured train. For thirty of us kept the Boers back (400 Boers) for three hours till our reinforcements came, and they hadn't expected such resistance. An engine, carriages, nurses, parsons, ambulance, etc. went out shortly after the fight to bring in any that might be wounded and in spite of their carrying a red cross flag, stretchers and no arms, the Boers fired on them again. We (our side) lost 7 killed and about 12 wounded that day. The Boers are supposed to have lost 70 killed and very many wounded.

15th. Sunday. Nice and quiet after all the turmoil of yesterday. The Boers, unless compelled, don't fight on Sundays, and a very good job too. Cronje, the Boer Commander, has sent us word he intends shelling the town to-morrow.

16, Monday. The Boers commenced their shelling this morning at 9.30, with two twelve-pounder guns and 1 seven pounder. It came as a great surprise to us, who were playing quoits alongside the armoured train, to suddenly hear the boom, and the whizzing just over us of a shell from a big gun; we scuttled back into the train in double quick time, and lay uncommonly low, when the next one came over and crashed into the Convent, about 200 yards to our rear, making a gaping hole in the wall and bringing the Nuns out at a very un-nunlike pace. They found afterwards the shell had struck in the room they had set apart as a surgery for dressing wounded, etc. It's lucky the wounded hadn't arrived.

We, in the train, began to realise that we were in a decidedly awkward position. For if the Boers spotted us we would have a decidedly warm time of it, for if they could manage to put a shell into our engine there would be a general bust up, and after our Saturday's performance they would give anything to do for us. Luckily, during the night, we had painted the train green, and hung a lot of green branches all over her, so as long as we didn't move there was a possibility of the Boers not seeing us (and they didn't), especially as there was a good deal of scrub along the line. Well, they shelled all day till about 4 o'clock, while not a shot was fired from our side. They did not damage to life, and only knocked about a few houses, and the Convent, which had a red cross flag flying, and which Cronje had promised should not be shelled.

Soon after four o'clock a Boer with a white flag came riding in; when about 100 yards from us we stopped him. He was astonished, for even at that distance he hadn't seen the train until we came out. He was blindfolded and taken to Col. Baden Powell. He brought a message from Cronje, demanding the surrender of the town; which demand was laughed at. He expressed much surprise at seeing us none the worse for the shelling, and also at our not having fired a shot in return. He was blindfolded again and led back to the Boer lines.

17th
Boers sent in to borrow four nurses to help nurse their wounded. No nurses would go.

18th
Cronje informed us he couldn't take the town without bombarding it, and that he had sent to Pretoria for a big siege gun to do it with. Promptly told to bring 40 blooming guns.

Quiet for the next five days, no gun arrived yet. The Northumberland Fusiliers reported to be 27 miles off and coming to our relief as quickly as possible. They haven't arrived yet.

23rd Oct
Everyone disagreeably surprised this afternoon when, after a distant boom being heard, a big shell fell near the railway station, burst, and the parts went whistling over the town. Everybody rushed out to pick up pieces and it was soon seen by their size that the big gun had arrived, in spite of our being so sceptical over it. One of the shells that day didn't explode, so we were able to weigh it. It weighed 94 lbs., and they are firing from a distance of 3½ miles. I guess things are going to be a bit lively, with that big gun going off every now and then to vary the monotony.

 The Boer's Creusot Siege gun. "Big Ben"

24th Oct
The usual bombardment from Big Ben (the big gun). A trooper of the Protect^e. Regt. had his leg broken by a piece of shell from her. Everybody is very busy digging rabbit warrens for themselves to get into when the gun is firing. It looks very funny to see the people so busy, digging and carting steel rails and sleepers about to put on top of their "dug-outs" or "bomb-proofs". Whether they are the latter remains to be seen. I very much doubt it myself. Although keeping underground does, of course, diminish the chances of one's being hit, immensely. Everything now is done "shells permitting". The newspaper comes out "shell permitting". You accept an invitation to spend an evening at a friends house, "shells permitting". There's a choir practice on Friday, "shells permitting " One always makes that proviso before making an engagement etc. We in the armoured train don't feel at all comfortable when the shelling is going on. We are so exposed and above ground that we offer a pretty good target to the gentle Boer. We steam up and down the line as far as we can go and have a pot at the Boers whenever we can get them within anything like range, but they are very shy, and seem adverse to coming too close to our maxim, although they fire hundreds of rounds at us during each day, but so far haven't had the satisfaction of putting any of us hors-de-combat. There's precious little room for 30 men in this train: and when it comes to sleeping at night-time we lie like sardines in a box as close as we can get. Luckily the nights are cold or we should be stewed. The days are very hot; and the iron rails each side make the place like an oven, when they get warmed up by the sun. Often we chance getting shot by a Boer and lie underneath the train, where there is a certain amount of shade, and generally more or less of a draught.

25th
To-day the Boers made a very determined (?) attempt to get into the town. They started operations by shelling us with seven (7) guns, 94 pounder, 7 pounders, 1 lb. maxim, Hotchkiss etc. As for rifle bullets, they simply fire thousands of them into town. They kept this us all day long from a range of about 1000 to 1200 yards, never attempting to get any closer. I suppose they thought the noise would be enough to make us surrender. We all had orders not to fire unless they came within 600 yards or so, so on our side there was scarcely a shot fired in return; everybody kept under cover, and there wasn't a single casualty all day. Our seven pounders, which could reach them of course, banged a few shells into them, and, I fancy, gave the wily Boer something to think about too. At any rate, he was quite satisfied enough with what our big guns could do without testing our rifles as well.

We have four telephones put up in different places round the town; I had charge of the one on our side (north) of the town. Colonel Baden Powell issued all his orders through them, and we were able to report how things were going, through them, during the day. In the evening I took down the General Orders through the telephone, in which Col. B.P. congratulated the B.S.A.P. on their steadiness and coolness under the heavy shell and rifle fire of the enemy to-day. What Ho!! Three cheers for Col. B.P., of course. Oh, I forgot to mention, I think, that after the engagement of the 14th the members of B.S.A.P. on the armoured train were also congratulated in the General Orders on their steadiness, coolness etc. under fire, and on their gallantry in bringing in the wounded, and so forth: and weren't our comrades at the Kopje jealous, too, that they had not been on the train. However, their time was to come, and for many of the poor chaps it came all too soon.

The enemy have built redoubts and earthworks all round us now, and are generally creeping closer and closer, working at night, of course; making a trench 200 yards or so nearer us, occupying it, and the next trench will be a little closer still and so on.

There are many exaggerated guesses as to how many Boers there are round us, some even putting their numbers down at 6000 men, but I think that is very wide of the mark. The general idea is that there are between 2000 and 3000, hemming us in. On our sides we can raise about 2000 men of sorts (i.e.) 200 Police (Cape and B.S.A.P.), 500 Protect. Regt., and the rest townsmen, shop-keepers, etc., so practically only 700 of our side are used to bearing arms.

One always hears of the Boers being such remarkable good shots, but our experience of them goes far to contradict it. They shoot badly with the rifle, and their artillery fire is worse, almost. Still working the telephone: it's getting uncommonly monotonous too, often getting called up two or three times a night.

26th
The usual bombarding. This evening 30 natives and two Cape Police crept to within 150 yards of the Boer Laager, fired three volleys into them and retired. One of the C.P. got wounded in the foot. The Boers got a regular scare, and fired away for about an hour afterwards at imaginary foes, shadows of trees, etc. They do waste a great deal of ammunition. I don't suppose we did much damage, but the moral effect was good, at any rate.

27th
Fairly quiet. Back on the train again. The Boers have a trench some 1200 yards from the train, and are potting at us all day, immediately they see a head above the rails, so we have to lie jolly low until evening. When it's fairly quiet during the day, we play quoits alongside the train, but get rather unpleasant interruptions in the shape of "Big Ben" putting a shot in a little too close to be pleasant. It appears to be the fashion at present to snap-shot us and the armoured train, with the bullet marks on it. We have been "took" dozens of times by men, women, boys and last, but not least, by a Kaffir, which fairly "took the biscuit". We've been photographed by the Times Correspondent, Black & White, and several other leading papers: we feel quite "the cheese" in fact.

28th
Nothing much happened during the day, but this evening 70 of the Protectorate Regt. under Captain Fitz-Clarence made a night attack on the Boer laager, to the E.N.E. of the town. They crept up close, fixed bayonets, and charged, getting right into the enemy's trenches. The Boers, completely taken by surprise, yelled for mercy: "Don't kill me, my master, don't kill me". Our men were in the trenches three quarters of an hour, bayoneting every Boer they could see. Three Boers were hiding under a tarpaulin. They were all three wiped out. Capt. Fitz-Clarence killed two, cutting one chap's head clean off with a sweep of his sword; those who saw it down say it sounded just like the crack of a whip. All the man state that after the first few minutes they lost their heads, with the lust for killing, saw red, as the Kaffirs call it. Our casualties were 2 killed and six wounded (4 since dead). The Boer loss is not known, but supposed to be pretty considerable, about 70 killed being the general estimate. Cronje sent in next day for a few hours' armistice to bury their dead.

29th
Sunday, and quiet.

30th
The usual shelling. Managed to get to church this evening, the first time since the siege started.

31st Oct
We heard a great deal of firing and shelling this morning from the direction of Cannon Kopje, where the rest of the B.S.A.P. are stationed, and which is the key to Mafeking, being on a hill three quarters of a mile from and overlooking the town.

During the day we (in the train) learnt that the Boers had made a most determined effort to take the Kopje. The enemy shelled them with five guns, including the 94 pounder, whilst they advanced under their shell fire, thus getting to within 300 feet of our Fort (which as simply a stone wall about 4½ feet high) and over which our fellows had to put their heads every time they fired, for it wasn't loop-holed as it should have been. At 300 yds. our two maxims got on to them with deadly effect, simply mowing them down. It was too much for the Boers, they broke and fled, first hoisting the red cross flag, and when our men ceased firing, they took advantage of the red cross flag to retreat (at the double) under it. Their leader, Cronje's son, was killed, bravely leading his men on to the attack, and then trying to rally them when they wavered at our maxim fire. It was an awful fight and we lost very heavily. Out of our fifty odd men seven were killed and several wounded. Amongst the killed were two of our Captains, 2 Troop Sergeant Majors, and 3 Troopers, whilst another Sergeant Major and Corporal were wounded. My chum Lloyd was badly wounded, and died to days afterwards. Poor chap, he had only come out of Hospital two days before the fight, and then to be knocked over was dreadfully hard lines, and I shall miss him immensely, dear old chap. One of the Troop Sgt. Majors was an old soldier with 21 years service, and this was his first fight, after all those years service.

The enemy are also supposed to have lost very heavily. They took away three wagon loads of killed and wounded, estimated at 100 men. The Boers attacking numbered considerably over 1000 against our 58. They had five guns, whilst we hadn't even one, which makes our victory all the more meritorious. Colonel Baden-Powell congratulated the B.S.A.P. in General Orders.

To-day we got the orders to leave the armoured train and to go and reinforce our comrades at the Kopje. We had hardly arrived there when "Big Ben" gave us a taste of his quality - knocking down half the Fort and burying three men under the debris of earth and stones, etc. However, we dug them out not much the worse.

1st Nov
A quiet day. The Boers are burying their dead. We buried ours this evening, each just sewn up in a blanket. Poor old Lloyd, I am dreadfully sorry about him. We had made such great plans of going back to New Zealand together, too.

2nd
What a dirty crowd we do look. We live day and night in the trenches, and haven't had our clothes off for weeks, nor have we had a shave. A wash about every three or four days is about as much as we can manage.

They shelled us pretty heavily today, but did not damage. 7 pounders we don't tale much notice of now, we are getting used to them; but "Big Ben" is not to be trifled with, and we treat him with very much respect. He's an awful weapon.

3rd
A dispatch rider got in to-day from Kimberly with the news that 12,000 troops had arrived there, the advance body of which expected to reach Mafeking on Monday. Good news if it is true. But it's a case of yelling "wolf, wolf": we don't believe anything till we see it now-a-days. The yarn is that Sir Redvers Buller is going to relieve Mafeking, make his base here, and go into the Transvaal from here. I only hope we will be relieved soon, we are all very tired of being shelled and sniped at day after day, without a chance of retaliation, for the gentle Boer won't come to close quarters. Cannon Kopje taught him it wasn't good for his digestion.

It rained last night, with the result that we got simply drenched in the trenches. We hear many of the Boers have had enough of it, and are leaving every day for their homes and farms. It is estimated there are not more than 1500 round us now. We wouldn't care if they were 10,000 if it wasn't for that big gun of theirs, which goes through brick walls like through so much paper. Our casualties last Tuesday were very heavy, and very much felt by us all. There names were, killed:-

        Capt. Hon. D. Marsham
        Capt. Pochell.
        Troop Sgt. Major Crunihan.
          "    "     "   Upton.
        Tpr. Burroughs.
         "   Martyn
        

        Sgt. Major Butler.
        Cpl. Newton.
         "   Cooke.
         "   Lloyd (since dead).
         "   Nicholas (since dead).
        

5th Nov
Fireworks (Guy Fawkes day), this evening which must have surprised the Boers considerably, with different coloured lights shining and an occasional rocket going up.

Sunday, 7th
This letter strikes me as becoming more like a diary than anything else. Last the night the enemy attempted to blow up the armoured train, by loading a trolley with dynamite, putting a fuse to it and starting her down the incline towards the station and the armoured train, which was standing on the main line. Luckily the fuse burnt too quickly, and the whole affair blew up while still 1000 yds. or so from the train, and so doing no damage, unless perchance, it caught one of the Boers who may have followed too closely to view the effect.

8th
Usual shelling.

9th
A small general attack on the Stadt early this morning. Our casualties were 4 wounded. The enemy took away two waggon loads of dead and wounded, how many of each of course we don't know.

In Orders this evening Capt. Greener (B.S.A.P. Paymaster) is appointed Chief Paymaster to the Garrison, and Sgt. Maj. Jollie is appointed Assistant Paymaster. What Ho !!

So tonight I go into town to take up my new job. I shan't be sorry to get out of this trench and back into a house, and perhaps a bed. Ye Gods! What a luxury.

I expect also there is some extra pay attaching to this appointment, so I consider myself very fortunate to be chosen for the post.

10th
I came in last night and reported myself to the Chief Paymaster, and began work this morning, and hard work it is going to be too.

The usual shelling. They have instituted a look-out and a church bell. The look-out watches the big gun all day through glasses and when he sees the Boers going towards her for the purpose of loading it, he rings the bell. This can be heard all over the town, and as there is an interval of two or three minutes between loading and firing her, it gives people ample opportunity of getting down their bomb-proofs, or at any rate under cover somewhere. It's really a capital idea, and will, I feel sure, save many lives.

The Boers have a horrid habit of letting off the Big Gun at night. They point and sight her just at dusk, and about 8 o'clock bang she comes into town, without any warning, just when people have come out of their hole to get a little fresh air, and are walking about the streets. If she would always fire at a certain time one would know what to do but she goes off at such erractic hours that you really "don't know where you are", 7 o'clock, 8, 8.30 etc.; she even fired at 12.5 one Sunday night, or rather just Monday morning. Last night she killed 3 unfortunate natives. When she does strike a house or anything she fairly wrecks it.

11th
Usual shelling.

There is much talk of a relief column coming, but it's a mighty long time arriving.

12th
Boy killed by Big Ben to-day in the Market square. Couldn't find his foot for a long time, at last discovered a fowl pecking at it 200 yards off. Corporal of the Protect. Regt. also killed by a piece of the same shell.

16th
Boers made an attack on the S.W. side of the Stadt, but were repulsed.

17th
They have moved their Big Gun during the night to a place in a more S.E. direction of the town; and a good deal closer than before. Before she took 15 seconds to arrive (the shell did), now she is only 8 seconds; so we get less warning.

18th
A white woman got shot at the women's laager to-day, by a Mauser bullet.

19th
Relief column seems to be further off than ever. Will it ever come?

This paymaster business is an awful job. There is such a lot to do. I begin every morning at 4.30, Paying native labour boys, of whom there are generally 300 in the morning and 200 at night to pay. The night boys get 3/- each and the day boys 2/-. They employed digging trenches, strengthening redoubts, etc. Then the rest of the day the white people have bills to settle. I have to make out pay lists for 800 men, each week, so it is generally 7.30 in the evening before I can sit down to tea and feel my day's work is over. I see I am to get 5/- a day extra for this job, so with my Police pay I am getting 15/- a day, not so bad; decidedly better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick, as Walter Mathews used to say. Good old Walter, I should like to hear his hearty laugh again, I guess it would cheer us besieged people up somewhat.

I wonder if you and Sally will have started for England in January as you proposed doing. I also wonder when I shall have an opportunity of sending this letter to you. We are so closely invested that the runners find it very hard to get out; often they have to turn back, through the Boers discovering them and firing on them. One or two of the poor beggars have been caught and shot by the Boers, after being almost flogged to death first. There are rumours in the town that food will shortly be scarce; if we get short of food God help us. Luckily there's plenty of rain this season, or water would have been a very serious question with us. The Boers have tried to win over the Chief and natives in the Stadt, but luckily they remain staunch to us. If we get short of food, though, they may change their minds and go over to the Boers. The Stadt is suffering pretty considerably; their huts being of mud, with a thatched roof, a shell going into one sends it up in the air like a huge umbrella. A shell from "Big Ben" struck a tin house just near the Court House to-day, and it looked awfully funny to see whole sheets of corrugated iron shoot up into the air like kites, going up several hundred feet, and then down again with a bump. It was most comical.

20th Nov. to 8th Dec
Nothing exciting; shelling every day and all that sort of thing.

Tomorrow is Dingaan's Day, a great day with the Boers, so we expect them to be a bit more active even than usual with their shelling.

9th
Dingaan's Day. True enough, they opened the ball this morning at 3 o'clock, shelling and firing for all they were worth, but not a yard closer did they come, to let us pot at them. Our seven pounders replied, and we have some reason to believe we made it pretty warn for the Boers in the nearest trenches. No casualties on our side in spite of their vigorous shelling. They had "Big Ben", the 5-pounder, 9-pounder, 7-pounders and a 1 lb. Maxim gun going, at the same time pouring volleys into the town from their rifles. But as they made no offer or show of advancing, we all kept under cover and let them blaze, in fact most of the men in the redoubts were more interested in the game of cards they were playing then in the Boers' futile efforts to frighten them.

10th
The food question is beginning to be a serious one, and, I fear, will be more serious before we are out of the wood. No relief seems to be coming; and so far the Boers seem to be getting the best of it down country, and Natal. We may be here for months yet, judging by appearances, the Boers don't intend to leave us, they are building new earthworks, etc. and at one place, the brickfields, they are entrenched within 300 yards of our advance post. It must be pretty exciting down there, and it doesn't do to keep your head in front of a loop-hole too long, because being at such close quarters it doesn't take an extraordinary shot to put a bullet through at the range. The trench (ours) is manned by Cape boys, who are fighting well for us. During the intervals of firing they shout insulting remarks at the Boers, much to their wrath and disgust. Our boys have done good work there and have managed to wipe out several of the Boers who were over-bold and showed themselves too conspicuously.

13th
Still alive, which is something to be thankful for these times. Our cemetery is getting pretty full; I took a walk up there the other day and was surprised at the number of new graves; many children have died, and a fair number of men, 20 or more have been killed during this siege. It's awfully sad. For it's nothing less than murder, these Boers sitting round, week after week, and shelling with their big gun to which we cannot reply. The brutes!! I think the mildest of us feels as if we could cut any number of the Boers' throats in cold blood too, after this. Their women, I believe are even worse than the men. We have several of them down in the Women's laager, and their talk frightens are womenkind out of their wits. Occasionally a Boer woman fires the big gun for them, into the town generally, along the Eastern face, so that she can get a good view of the effect.

25th Dec
Xmas day. Baden Powell had decided to hold it on Sunday, as we cannot trust the Boers.

26th Dec
To-day our men made an attack on Game Tree Fort. They got to the Fort, but couldn't get in. Several of our officers killed whilst firing through the port holes with their revolvers. We lost 23 men, chiefly of the Protectorate Regt. The Boers evidently knew we were coming, for the place had been strengthened, and help 500 Boars, whereas it was generally manned by about 100, so there must have been treachery somewhere; in fact we know there is, for the Boers seem to know what is going on here just as well as we do.

The Boers fired a shell into town from which the charge had been withdrawn, and a letter placed in instead, to one of the Boer women here, with a message to B.P. telling him "not to drink up all the whiskey, as they were coming in soon". Let 'em all come!! I think they are as sick of the business as we are.

Eloff wrote in to say he would like to bring in a team to play us as cricket. B.P. replied they had better bring in a strong team, as so far Mafeking has made 200, not out (meaning, we are supposed to have accounted for 200 Boers killed so far).

January, 1900
Food getting uncommonly scarce, shall have to start on our horses soon, and they are thin enough, goodness knows.

The natives working in the trenches are getting very weak. Night and morning, as I am paying them, or or two fall down, and are carted off to the hospital. They are eating dogs amongst other things, one of the other things being the heels of their boots charred in the fire; they don't seem to get any fatter on it. We crave for something sweet, all the sugar ration (½ an oz. per man) going to the women and children, and they are having a bad time of it. I heard a man had a tin of treacle to sell; I went prepared to give him 25/- for it, only to find he had already sold it for 30/-. This paper money is giving me a lot of work, as I make (i.e. sensitize) the paper for all the £1 notes at night; and then have to stamp all the notes, 1/-, 2/-, 3/-, 10/-, £1 with an embossed stamp ( 1^d) so as to make forgery more difficult. My boy stole £7 worth of notes from our dug-out the other day, and tried to palm them off on some Coolies, but as the notes were neither stamped nor signed they detected it, and he was put in prison. He got 3 months hard and 25 lashes. He died in prison.

1st Feby, 1900
Started eating horse-flesh today. At least the others did. Unfortunately, my ration was bad, so only had one 5 oz. hard biscuit all day, and jolly hungry I felt by night time. Everybody seems to like the horse; they make it in the form of sausages. The only thing is that there is no proper fat to fry it in. People are using all sorts of substitutes, olive oil, cocoanut oil, linseed oil etc. The latter gives the sausage quite a fishy flavour and smell. It is very bad for one, though, if taken in large quantities, and several people have gone to Hospital in consequence of using too much in their culinary operations. It's the only oil I have, but I only use just enough to grease the bottom of the frying pan. I had some (about 1lb.) ground oats given to me, with which I made porridge, and it was good too. They are making sowan out of oats fermented. Also brawn out of horse skins with the tan scraped off and made firm with glue. This the military has commandeered for that purpose, and there's none to be got in town. The brawn is awful, still we are glad to get it. Horse soup, too, with plenty of pepper. etc. isn't bad, and lucky is the man who gets a bit of horse liver in it.

Feby
One of the big gun's shells struck fairly into the bomb-proof shelter at Cannon Kopje and went clean through it, killing two P., our men (B.S.A.P.). One was so badly injured he had to have both legs amputated and died. The other was hurt, but died chiefly of suffocation, all the earth and rails coming on top of him, poor chaps. One of the town Councillors was killed by a Big-Ben shell this month, cut him clean in half and carried his remains right through a house, walls etc. and left shreds of his flesh hanging on some fruit trees in the garden. Another man, Capt. Girdwood, who lived in rather an exposed part of the town, was just going into his gate when a bullet struck and killed him. Pretty good shooting, for the Boers are firing at 1500 yards range, and yet all day they drop bullets up and down every street. At night they content themselves with blazing about three good volleys into the town, which rattles on the roofs, etc. Until they are fired one can't walk about with any sense of comfort or safety. Occasionally in the middle of the night something startles them, perhaps they imagine we are going to rush out and attack them; but at any rate something frightens them and they start and shoot away for a couple of hours or so, wasting thousands of rounds of ammunition and doing no earthly harm. We simply take no notice of it, never replying to this fire, simply "sit tight" as B.P. calls it.

14th Feby
They moved their big gun to another position, right south west of the town, but find the range is too long for the middle of the town. They evidently want to give the S.W. defenses a turn. Their shells from this position just fall short of where I am in the Court house. One dropped by the Wesleyan church just across the other side of the road from me. They've brought a new gun - an incendiary gun. They asked us to surrender once more, or they would burn the town down. The new gun had turned out a failure. They fire it at night, a five pound shell which bursts and lets out a lot of yellow, sticky looking stuff, which burns on striking down. It has set nothing alight yet except some grass, which was easily put out by sand. Water has no effect on it, in fact it burns better if water is poured on. We have a street patrol looking out for these shells, and everybody has buckets of sand ready. No, the new gun is a failure. Another chap killed this month; trying to open a shell, he got blown to atoms, - how silly they are.

We have unearthed an old muzzle loader in somebody's back-garden near the Stadt. It's an old gun used by the natives in their wars. We made cannon balls (solid) for it, and astonished the Boers one day by letting this thing off amongst them. None of our other guns could reach them. They have hurriedly shifted one laager further back. The gun's name is "Lord Nelson", and curiously enough, has the letters "B.P. & Co" on it, evidently the makers. Her common name is "Skipping Sallie", as she skips over the veldt, rolling over and over for miles. She won't do much damage, but the moral effect will be good. They fire here with a time fuse that will allow them about three minutes to run away and get a safe distance in case she bursts.

26th Feby
There is a rumour in town that Kimberly is relieved. Hurrah! perhaps we will be next. We are asked to hang on until the Queen's birthday (24th May) now. I suppose we can as long as the horses last. It's wonderful where these rumours come from.

March
They started on the 1st by shelling the brickfields very heavily. We lost several. More rumours (8th) that Cronje has been taken prisoner with 5000 Boers. We all hope it is true. Snyman is in command round Mafeking here; Cronje was, but had to go south.

March 13th
To-day came near to being my last on this festive scene. Until lately we have worked (Paymaster staff) above ground in the Magistrate's office. Lately the shelling, etc. has been so bad, and the work has grown and become more intricate, so that we found we couldn't get through it all with the constant interruption of rushing out and getting behind a wall when the bell went; besides we are dealing with a lot of money, which on such occasions is left on the table, there being no time or inclination to stay and put it away at the risk of a shell catching one in the act; so we had a big underground office built just outside, where we work now, altogether, though I still pay the boys night and morning, from the office above, through the window, as there are too many boys, and they smell too much to bring them into the dug-out. Well, on this occasion, about 5.45 p.m., I happened to be particularly busy down below. The boys, about 200 of them, were sitting on and around the dug-out above my head, waiting for me to come up and pay them. The foreman came down and said they were ready; I said "Wait a minute", when the firing bell went, and bang came a 94 pounder into the office above, wrecking it completely. Much of the shell came plump into the earth above my head, kicking up such a dust that we down below were in total darkness. I thought the roof was coming in. When it got lighter I made my way up above, and found three boys killed and five badly wounded. Me they were looking for under the bricks and debris of what had once been the office, thinking I was there at the time; another half minute and I should have been there, or at least pieces of me would. It was only through my being too busy at the moment to come up that I escaped.

At the brickfields there is only 70 yards separating our men and the Boers. They throw dynamite bombs at each other, and shout insulting epithets at each other from behind the sand bags. Woe to anybody who puts his head up above them. A had on the end of a ram-rod gets riddled immediately. One of the Cape Police at night time, was standing on the bags, when they let off their five pounder. The shell took out both his eyes, poor chap; he got well again, but, of course, blind for life. A fine-looking man, too, Elkington by name. Towards the end of the month, the Boers one night suddenly abandoned the brickfields; our chaps discovered this, and rushed over into their trench. They found 250 lbs. of Nitro Glycerine, with a wire attached ready for exploding. Luckily they disconnected the wire in time, or the fuse wouldn't work or something, or they would have been blown sky-high, and most of Mafeking with them. They hauled in the wire, and got 900 yards of it. The Boers must have sworn when they found the mine wouldn't work. We got a lot of newspapers of a fairly late date in this trench, but being Dutch papers, they are full of lies.

27th March
The Boers have got an extra supply of ammunition, for they have given us the severest day's shelling since the beginning of the siege. They sent in 87 94 - lb. shells. Besides 400 shells from two 15 pounder guns they have got from somewhere. These latter are worse that the big gun, being quick firers, the shell arrives as soon as you hear the report, so there is no giving warning b