hole town, and
already I notice a method in the oxen, to say nothing of the mules. What
is it all but a huge military tournament to be pulled together, and got
up to time?

This morning most people expected the attack would begin. I rode five
miles out before breakfast to see what might be seen, but there were
only a few Lancers pricking about by threes, and never a Boer or any
such thing. So we have waited all day, and nothing has happened till
this afternoon the rumour comes with authority that a train has been
captured at Elands Laagte, about sixteen miles on the way to Dundee. The
railway stopped running trains beyond there yesterday, and had better
have stopped altogether. Anyhow, the line of communication between us
and the splendid little brigade at Dundee is broken now. Dundee is
pretty nearly fifty miles N.N.E. of this. The camp is happily on a
stronger position than ours, and not mixed up with the town. But at
present it is practically besieged, and no one can say how long the
siege of Ladysmith also will be delayed. For the moment, it seems just
possible that the great force, which we vaguely hear is coming out from
England (all English news is hopelessly vague), will have to send the
bulk of its troops to fight up Natal for our relief. But the south of
Natal having few rocks is not suited for Boer warfare. When the Boers
boasted they were coming to Durban, a wit replied: "Then you will have
to bring the stones with you." For a Boer much prefers to have a
comforting stone in front of him in the day of battle. In these
districts every hill is for him a natural fortress. His hope is that we
shall venture into the mountains; ours that he will venture down to the
plains. So far hope's flattery has kept us fairly well apart. The day
after to-morrow is now fixed by popular judgment for battle and attack.
But only one thing is certain: we can stand still if we choose, and the
Boers cannot.

To be under martial law, as we now are, does not make much difference to
the ordinary man, but to the ordinary criminal it appears slightly
advantageous. For his case is very likely to be overlooked in the press
of military offences, and it is doubtful if any civil suits can be
brought. At all events, a legal quarrel I had with a farmer about some
horses has vanished into thin air; and so, indeed, have the horses. The
worst offenders now are possible spies. A few Dutch have been arrested,
but the commonest cases are out-of-work