ore to
generalities. One hope was universally expressed, that it would soon be
over, and this I heartily re-echoed. I told one of them I thought they
had been foolish to destroy all the railway-line, as it had left their
own people so terribly short of food; to this he replied that such minor
matters could not be helped, that they must all suffer alike and help
each other; also that they were well aware that they were taking on a
very great Power, and that every nerve must be strained if they could
hope for success. So another day and night passed. I continued to send
down letters without end to headquarters; but it was always the same
answer: they were waiting for the reply from Pretoria. One afternoon we
had a very heavy thunderstorm and deluges of rain, the heaviest I had
seen in South Africa; the water trickled into my room, and dripped
drearily on the floor for hours; outside, the stream between the
hospital and laager became a roaring torrent. No one came near us that
afternoon, and I really think communication was not possible. Later it
cleared and the flood abated; a lively bombardment was then commenced,
on the assumption, probably, that the Mafeking trenches were filled
with water and uninhabitable. It was trying to the nerves to sit and
listen to the six or seven guns all belching forth their missiles of
death on the gallant little town, which was so plainly seen from my
windows, and which seemed to lie so unprotected on the veldt. Just as I
had barricaded my door and gone to rest on my sofa about nine o'clock,
the big siege gun suddenly boomed out its tremendous discharge, causing
the whole house to shake and everything in the room to jingle. It seemed
a cruel proceeding, to fire on a partially sleeping town, but I did not
know then how accustomed the inhabitants were to this evening gun, and
how they took their precautions accordingly.

I must say I disliked the nights at the hospital exceedingly. It was
insufferably hot and stuffy in the little room, and the window, only
about 2 feet above the ground, had to be left open. The sentries, about
six in number--doubled, as I understood, on my account--lay and lounged
on the stoep outside. Instead of feeling them anything of a protection,
I should have been much happier without them. It must be recollected
that these burghers were very undisciplined and independent of
authority, only a semblance of which appeared to be exercised over them.
They included some of