hers, constantly on Gun Hill looking at our firing.

_Sunday, 7th January._--From Sir George White's signals we realize
what a close shave they had yesterday in Ladysmith. A nice cool day
and no firing; in fact, a day of rest. We attended Church Parade at 6
p.m. with the 2nd and 6th Brigades. The Boers are as usual in the
trenches working hard, while our time just now is spent in rain and
constant calls to arms.

_Wednesday, 10th January._--A move at last, and I received orders to
join General Hildyard's Brigade with my two guns, while the others
were attached to other Columns. We were all hard at work to-day
loading up wagons, and I was busy copying a large map of the country
which our Commander lent me. In the evening General Hildyard sent for
me on business, and I sat down with him and his Staff to dinner,
including Prince Christian, Captain Gogarty (Brigade Major), and
Lieutenant Blair, A.D.C. General Hildyard was very kind, and said he
was glad I was to go with him; and the next morning I moved off my
guns at daylight, and arrived at the rendezvous by the hour named. It
was a fine morning, although the wet and soft ground gave me doubts
about getting our guns across country. But off we started; the Cavalry
scouting ahead, then the East Surreys, Queen's, and Devons, and the
7th Battery Field Artillery, followed by my guns escorted by the West
Yorks. About a mile from Chieveley we had to cross a drift in which my
wagons went in mud up to the tops of the wheels, and one gun got
upset, which I got right again with the assistance of three teams of
oxen and a party of the West Yorks. It was indeed a job, because the
ground was like a marsh, and our ammunition wagons, with three tons'
weight on them, were half the time sunk up to the axles; but we all
smiled and looked pleased while everybody helped, and in six hours we
were clear and on the road. We were all done up with the shouting and
hot sun, and the General ordered us a two hours' rest while he took
the Brigade on to Pretorius' farm, which we ourselves reached at 6
p.m., crossing another bad drift on the way. The men were absolutely
done up, and we were glad to arrive and find ourselves in a fine
grassy camp with plenty of water. General Hildyard called me up and
said he was pleased with the splendid work we had put through that
day. On our left were miles of baggage wagons of various Brigades
going into camp along a road further west of us.

_Thursday, 11th Janu