1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross
Friday, 22 December
Only a few occasional shells today, the enemy still continuing their quietness, and only seem to reply in force when we are the attacking party.
Major Baillie and Lieutenant McKenzie were both slightly damaged today whilst practising polo, nothing very serious.
We received today per native runner from the north the Bulawayo Chronicle, and were very much astonished at the news it contained. In it they state that Mafeking was relieved by a flying column from Kimberley after very severe fighting. It is indeed news, and the only explanation we can think of is that Bulawayo received news of the big Modder river fight and have somehow or other transposed the name of Modder river to that of Molopo river. Relieved, is it? Not much, the tension of want of news is getting worse than ever.
Sorry to hear that Dowling is still very bad.
We are daily expecting to hear of B.P. issuing orders for a night attack on the enemy, as all the men of the P.R. have been served out with indiarubber shoes; the idea seems [ to be] a proposed attack on the big gun and if possible to put it out of action.
Another of Currie’s men killed last night, hit by a one-pound Maxim. This, I believe, is the fifteenth or sixteenth killed down at this outpost.
The Cape Boys down there are indeed doing wonderfully good service. They are within a very close distance of the Boers’ trenches, in fact, so close that shouting can be distinctly understood from one trench to another, and what is more they are always in good spirits, and amuse themselves endeavouring to outwit the Boers in every possible manner. They are very plucky, and would give the enemy a very hot time if they ever endeavoured to rush them; the bmnt of the work is at present falling on their shoulders.
