enter the Transvaal -- Concentration of the army
near Ingogo -- Naval guns ascend Van Wyk, and Botha's Pass is
forced -- Forced march through Orange Colony -- Victory at
Almond's Nek -- Boers evacuate Majuba and Laing's Nek -- Lord
Roberts enters Pretoria -- We occupy Volksrust and Charlestown.

_Monday, 7th May._--Still at Elandslaagte. Rumours of a possible
attack made us stand to guns before daylight, and it was well we did
so, as at 5.45 a.m. a party of Boers tried to rush the station and
were repulsed with slight loss on both sides; they managed to clear
off in the dim light. The attacking commando became afterwards known
as the "Ice Cream Brigade," being largely composed of Italians and
Scandinavians.

_Thursday, 10th May._--Rumours of a move. Poor Captain Jones is laid
up with jaundice, and indeed all in camp are a little off colour. Nice
letters to-day from my father and Admiral Douglas. The Middlesex and
Halsey's guns are shifted over to Krogman's farm. Self busy putting to
rights some of our wagon wheels which had shrunk from the tyres owing
to the great heat and drought.

_Friday, 11th May._--A great move this morning. The Dorsets trekked at
daylight to hold Indudo Mountain and Indumeni on our right. General
Clery's Division marched with Dundonald's Cavalry up Waschbank Valley,
and the 5" have been shifted to cover this advance. We were much
amused to-day in reading the first edition of the _Ladysmith Lyre_
(Liar), which perhaps I may be forgiven for quoting, with songs sung
by the garrison:--A duet by Sir George White and General Clery, "O
that we two were maying"; by Buller's Relief Force, "Over the hills
and far away"; by the Intelligence Officer, "I ain't a-going to tell";
by Captain Lambton, "Up I came with my little lot"; then a letter from
Ladysmith to Paradise Alley, Whitechapel:

"DEAR MARIA,

"This 'ere seige is something orful. We sits and sits and sits
and does nothing. Rations is short, taters is off, and butter is
gone. We only gets Dubbin. These blooming shells are a fair
snorter; they 'um something 'orrid. 'Opin' this finds you as it
leaves me,

"Your affectionate,

"MARTHA."

Among other amusing items was, "Mrs. K. says her dear Oom is getting
too English: he no longer turns into bed in his clothes and boots."

_Sunday, 13th May._--We got our marching orders at last about 11 a.m.,
and