TOPIC:

Morning Brett,
Was it you who mentioned to me, some time ago, the wretched things turning up in your swimming pool?
Regards Frank

Not the swimming pool incident, Frank, but we have had them in both of the houses we have occupied in Kloof. We were fortunate on all occasions, and only fruit was taken. The greatest disasters are those where the monkeys are disturbed and cornered in a house. The results of monkeys in a panic are best left to the imagination.

Regards
Brett

PS We did have a neighbour's bantam, and our own resident golden moles and shrews in the pool, some rescued some not, and a snake warming itself under the pool pump cover.

1899 - From the diary of Major George Tatham, Natal Carbineers

Shelling on and off all day. No casualties in our camp. Orders given for a warning bugle to be sounded whenever Long Tom on Bulwan fired and a trumpeter kept on the alert all day. Besides this, several pits were dug for shelter but after a few days all these precautionary measures were disregarded by the men and all moved about as carelessly as ever. This was particularly noticeable in the townspeople who appeared to become quite callous and rather to run after than away from the shells. Rain came on at 3 p.m.

No news of Buller further than that he had retired to Chievely. We fear Gatacre's and Methuen's columns will be surrounded and I have little hope of Buller helping us within at least six weeks. There are various opinions about the chances of our being relieved. Some are inclined to give Buller another two months, though others, more sanguine, say a fortnight. Military and civilians all begin to suffer seriously from fever and many deaths are reported from Intombi.

1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Tuesday, 19 December

We started the ball this morning and opened fire on the enemy’s trenches with our popguns. At daylight we got well onto their embankment and two shells knocked the side of their trenches into smithereens. The Major then tried shrapnel, and the Boers moved out under this fire; when our Maxims were turned on them they cleared as if Old Nick was behind, them. Some of them must have been hit as they could afterwards be seen with their ambulance Red Cross waggon and stretchers. They replied to our little escapade with an hour’s very heavy bombardment. It is rumoured that - no, I will not put any more rumours, too many lies told about the staff and everybody else.