experiments in process and flavouring, and many
disappointments, he has secured an admirable essence of horse. This will
sound familiar and commonplace to people who can get a bottle of such
things at grocer's, but it may save many a good soldier's life none the
less. I hope to see the process at work, and describe it later on.

Mr. Lines, the town clerk, who has quietly stuck to his duties in spite
of confusion and shells, gave me details to-day of the rations allowed
to civilians. During the siege there has been a fairly steady white
population of 560 residents and 540 refugees, or 1,100 in all. This does
not include the civilians at Intombi, whose numbers are still
unpublished. Practically all the civilians are drawing rations, for
which they apply at the market between 5 and 7 p.m. They get groceries,
bread or biscuit, and meat in the same quantities as the soldiers.
Children under ten receive half rations. Each applicant has to be
recommended by the mayor or magistrate, and brings a check with him. I
suppose the promise to pay at the end of the siege is only a nominal
formula.

The civilian Indians and Kaffirs number 150 and 300 respectively, and
draw their rations at the station, the organisation being under Major
Thompson, A.C.G., as is the whole of the milk supply, now set aside for
the sick. The Indian ration is atta, 4 oz.; rice, 3 oz.; mealie meal, 9
oz.; salt, 1/2 oz.; goor, 1-1/4 oz.; amchur, 1/4 oz. And those who will
eat meat get 8 oz. twice a week instead of mealies. The Kaffir ration
is simpler: fresh meat, 1 lb.; mealie meal, 3/4 lb.; salt, 1/2 oz.

_February 1, 1900._

How we should have laughed in November at the thought of being shut up
here till February? But here we are, and the outlook grows more
hopeless. People are miserably depressed. It would be impossible to get
up sports or concerts now. Too many are sick, too many dead. The
laughter has gone out of the siege, or remains only as bitter laughter
when the word relief is spoken. We are allowed to know nothing for
certain, but the conviction grows that we are to be left to our fate for
another three weeks at least, while the men slowly rot. A Natal paper
has come in with an account of Buller's defeat at Taba Nyama on the
25th. We read with astonishment the loud praises of a masterly retreat
over the Tugela without the loss of a single man. When shall we hear of
a masterly advance to our aid? Do we lose no men?

To-day the morning wa