TOPIC:

1899 - Kimberley siege day 77 (62%). Ladysmith siege day 59 (49%). Mafeking siege day 79 (36%). French occupies Rensburg.
1903 - Sir G. Farrar's motion to prepare Ordinance for importation of unskilled labourers carried in Legislative Council.

In Kimberley:

Artillery firing was heard the morning in the direction of Spyfontein.

At about 7 pm I saw too lots of cattle being driven apparently from Spitzkof to Spitfontein in an Easterly direction. I cannot account for this, I have never lately seen them being driven in the direction of the O F State.

There was also a considerable movement as darkness set in at and near the laager to north of the Intermediate Pumping Station. It was too dark to make out for certain what was taking place.

I sent the following messages by search light this evening

“From Kekewich, General White, Ladysmith. Oct 30th. Kimberley garrison congratulates Ladysmith garrison on brilliant success and wishes you and your commend best of luck coming New Year.”

This was in reply to one received from Ladysmith last night.

“From Kekewich, To CSO L of C. Dec 30th 7 pm No 60 inreply yours Dec 28th P K 14 on 19th Nov I received letter from de la Rey then in laager at Kimberley requesting me to send two daughters D S Maritz in Kimberley to him. He stated Maritz was with him. It is repoted that person at present inaccessible can positively state previous to war Maritz frequently in company with members Transvaal Govt. Maritz struck off strength Kimberley #Regt Sept 20th 1899 for failure to attend drills. Am obtaining further information. Re De Kock those statements made 7th November by Pt O’Connell, Cape Police, then riding dispatches that Walsh Port contractor informed him De Kock was conveying food supplies from Hope Town to enemy.”

“From Int K B To In M D Dec 30th 7 pm No 61. Unable to confirm rumour 2000 Boers have moved on Deaar. New Laagers reported on farms Koodoos Berg, Spitz Kof, Bakens Kof. LETTEBREDEN, Rovidam, Kabreelagte said to be occupied by Transvaalers who have come from North; they all travelled to destinations at nights.”

The following messages were received:

“From Int M D to Int K B 30th Dec No 53. Your 55 as to native to be sent to Boer lines to obtain information he can as to numbers and composition Boer forces.”

“From Chief Paymaster, To KEK. D O 112 Kimberley Light Horse are paid by me as they are irregular corps not volunteers-“

I reduced the ration of meat for all troops from yesterday from ¾ lb to ½ lb.

The forage ration is now as follows:

2 lbs of oats; 4 lbs of chaff or hay; 6 lbs of mealies; ½ oz of Salt; 2 lbs of Bran will be drawn on Saturdays.

The water is now only on for 2 hours a day. In order to attempt to save the fruit trees, and to enable the inhabitants to grow a few vegetables I am trying the experiment of keeping it on for 4 hours.

In Ladysmith:

Going up to Leicester Post in the early morning, I found the K.R. Rifles drying themselves in the African sun, which blazed in gleams between the clouds. Without the sun we should fare badly. As it is, the rain, exposure, and bad food are reducing our numbers fast. Passing the 11th Field Hospital on my way up, I saw stretcher after stretcher moving slowly along with the sick in their blankets. "Dysentery, enteric; enteric, dysentery," were the invariable answers. All the thousands of shells thrown at us in the last two months count for nothing beside the sickness.

On the top of the hill I found the two guns of Major Wing's battery trained on Surprise Hill as usual. In accordance with my customary good fortune all the enemy's guns opened fire at once. But only the howitzer, the automatic, and the Bluebank were actually aimed our way. The Bluebank was most effective.

It was amusing to see the men of the 60th when a shell pitched among them to-day. How they regarded it as a busy man regards the intrusion of the housemaid—just a harmless necessary nuisance, and no more. The cattle took the little automatic shells in much the same spirit, but with an addition of wonder—staring at them and snuffing with bovine astonishment. The Kaffir herdsmen first ran yelling in every direction, and then rushed back to dig the shell up, amid inextinguishable laughter. The Hindoo grass-cutter neither ran nor laughed, but awaited destiny with resignation. By the way, there is a Hindoo servant in the 19th Hussar lines, who at the approach of a "Long Tom" shell always falls reverently on his face and prays to it.

At sundown, in hopes of adding to our starvation rations, I went out among the thorns at the foot of Cæsar's Camp to shoot birds and hares. But the thorns are fast disappearing as firewood, and the appalling rain almost drowned me in the rush of the spruits. So we dined as usual on lumps of trek-ox thinly disguised. Talking of rain, I forgot to mention that the deluge on Friday night drowned six horses of the Leicester Mounted Infantry, carried away twenty-seven of their saddles, broke down the grand shelter-caves of the Imperial Light Horse, carried their bridge away to the blue, and flooded out half the poor homes of natives and civilians dug in the sand of the river banks.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, November 1899:

December 30th - Just a few shells this morning. — It rained steadily all night, and only ceased at 8 o’clock today. Fourteen hours rain. — Its generally understood, that Buller’s army will arrive here on the 15th of January. I put no faith in this.

1899 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

It poured with rain for thirteen hours without a break last night and this morning, and the place is flooded out. The river has risen about fifteen or twenty feet, and has washed away some horses and cattle. Thank goodness, the sun has been out most of the day, and has dried us up a good deal. Accounts last night of Price-Dent were that he was still alive, but about as bad as he could be. I am going to meet the hospital train which comes in at 5 p.m. to get the latest news. I was very thankful for my tin hovel last night. The rain roared on the roof, but it was perfectly dry and comfortable inside, and it was raining so hard this morning that it was no use turning out early, so I stayed in bed till 5.30; quite a “Europe morning.”

Not a word of Buller’s force, and tomorrow is the end of the year, by which time I hoped to be on my way back to you, with all this war over. I suppose relief will come sometime: but it is weary work waiting day after day, with never a sign. From what scraps of outside news we get, it doesn’t seem as if the other columns are getting on very fast; apparently a lot of Cape Dutch have risen, which will cause further delay. I hope we shall make it hot for those fellows when they are caught. They ought all to be shot. I weighed myself at the station this morning - 9st,121b.; not bad, after two months siege. We really have done very well in the food line, and have hardly felt the pinch at all, except for vegetables; and now liquors are finished except plain soda.

1899 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Roused at 5.20. Still raining making the Camp and town abominable. The river had risen nearly bank high clearing the Refugees from their holes. A native who tried to swim across for a wager of 5/- was drowned. Clearing up at 10 o’clock when we were sent out horse grazing. Shelling commenced 11.30 a.m. Roche taken to hospital.

1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

A downpour of rain, river full, four horses and a kaffir drowned. Shelling as usual. A very hard day and dead tired tonight. There is a dreadful lot of sickness. Oh! such a little nourishing food to give them. When is Buller coming?

When indeed, moreover, what would the cost be, dark days!

djb wrote: 1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

A downpour of rain, river full, four horses and a kaffir drowned. Shelling as usual. A very hard day and dead tired tonight. There is a dreadful lot of sickness. Oh! such a little nourishing food to give them. When is Buller coming?