a very lucky and good shot, at which, needless to say, Sir F. Clery
was very pleased.

_Wednesday, 20th December._--Again a nice and cool day. In the evening
I fired my 12-pounders at trees and villages to the left of Fort
Wylie; the 4.7 gun, manned by the Natal Naval Volunteers, also did
good work. We are now living like fighting-cocks, as the field canteen
is open, with many delicacies, about half-a-mile to our rear. We also
received unexpectedly to-day, with acclamation, lots of letters and
English papers.

_Thursday, 21st December._--Stood to arms at 4 a.m. and commenced
firing about 6 a.m., in a very good light; my own guns were directed
on the rifle pits 8,500 to 9,000 yards away, on the other side of the
Tugela River. At this range the ammunition carries badly and the guns
shoot indifferently. I put some common shells, however, into the
enemy's rifle pits, but we are all getting tired of this sort of
desultory firing and existence.

_Saturday, 23d December._--About 8.30 a.m. the Commander-in-Chief and
Sir F. Clery and Staff, accompanied by the foreign attaches, rode up
to our guns and stayed for an hour sketching the hills on the right
of Colenso, which I presume is now our objective. Mr. Escombe, late
Premier of Natal, was also up with us all day watching our firing.
Captain Jones also came to ask me to represent the Naval Brigade on
the Sports Committee for Christmas Day; so I went down to General
Barton's tent, met Colonel Bethune, Captain Nicholson, and others, and
we arranged a good programme between us.

_Sunday, 24th December._--No firing to-day. Church Parade at 8 a.m.,
when we brigaded with the Irish Brigade. A very large stock of beer,
cakes, pine-apples, and other good things arrived in camp for the
Natal Naval Volunteers; they gave a good share to our fellows who were
very pleased, having none, and all are now busy preparing their
plum-puddings for Christmas Day.

_Christmas Day, 25th December._--We stood to arms at 4 a.m., but
orders came for the guns not to fire. I was up at 5.30 a.m. to take my
Sports party down to camp for the Brigade events. Our men won the
Brigade Tug-of-war right out, and got great fun out of the wrestling
on horseback on huge Artillery steeds, so that we came back to camp
very elated. At 3 p.m. we marched down again for the finals in Sports;
our fellows rigged up an Oom Paul and a Naval gent on a gun limber;
this we dragged all round the camps and created quite a _furo