we
should ever have moved the Boers out of the Colenso position with our
30,000 men; indeed, I hear that the German Attache said it was a
wonder, and that his people would not have attempted it under ten
times the number. As it is, we are all glad that General Buller has
succeeded.

_Tuesday, 6th March._--Nothing special to note except that wagons and
ambulances have been pouring out of Ladysmith down Grobler's Hill
during the last few days.

_Wednesday, 7th March._--In the afternoon General Coke kindly came to
wish me good-bye as his Brigade had received orders to sail for East
London, and at the same time gave me orders to proceed to Ladysmith.
Meanwhile the Naval Brigade under Lionel Halsey passed our camp on the
way to Durban, and we drew up to cheer them and received their cheers
in return. Poor fellows, they looked as weak as rats.

_Thursday, 8th March._--We left Colenso at 5.30 a.m. with the 73rd
Field Battery for Ladysmith. We were much interested on the Grobler's
Hill road to see the Boer trenches and shelters, which were simply
marvellous and made the place impregnable. The trenches were blasted
out of solid rocks, some 6 feet, and some 6 to 8 feet thick, of solid
rock and boulder; these were all sandbagged, fitted with shelters with
burrowed-out holes, and were extended for a front of half a mile
facing Colenso. On the other side of the road, slightly higher up, was
another line of similar trenches, while the road itself was defended
by a series of stone conning towers--to use a Naval term--all
loopholed and commanding the entire passage. It was a wonderful
revelation to us after the "prepare to dig trench" exercise prescribed
by our own drill book. The Governor of Natal, Sir Walter
Hely-Hutchinson, happened to ride by when our Naval guns were drawn
up, and when he found that I was in command he sent for me, was very
kind, and said he would write to my father to tell him he had seen me.
Although still feeling ill from dysentery I tried not to make much of
it, but I could no longer ride my horse so got on a wagon. We moved on
to Ladysmith at 4 p.m. and were much interested in the various hills
and positions _en route_; we passed over Caesar's camp, which we found
a very straggling uninteresting sort of place. The town itself lay on
the left and was now used as a hospital; we passed along over the iron
bridge where the troops from India were encamped, and much admired
their khaki tents and green ambulance