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I think this particular entry is very telling indeed, it gives a real insight into the privations and the way life was lived during the siege itself, by so many, a bad business.

djb wrote: From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, February 1900:

The Boers have actually retreated in the direction of their own country, where no doubt Lord Roberts will give a good account of them. They have not fled. It is an orderly retreat. They have left nothing behind them in te shape of trophies for our men. They have even got clear of with their big guns from Bulwan. — The French used to call Wolseley, our only general. We have two beside him. Lords Roberts and Kitchener are generals, and so are French and Clery, but the less we brag about the others, the better.

We have been besieged for 119 days, that is from November 2nd 1899 to February 28th, both days included. We have been subjected to starvation nearly all this time, for the general seized our provision shops early in the siege. We have seen our friends slaughtered in our streets. Others dying because they were deprived of their accustomed food, and we have been treated with every sort of tyranny, and have endured very great annoyance and vexatious treatment from the army both officers and men. Our volunteers are very much better conducted than the regulars.

Our government is sending us a lot of food which will be very acceptable. We expect the waggons tomorrow. — Guns booming in the distance, probably our folk in pursuit. — Brockbank tells me Buller is in the town. He has taken his time to get here, that’s all I have to say to him.

1900 - From the diary of Major George Tatham, Natal Carbineers
 
About 200 of our men with a few from other volunteer regiments mustered at Road Bridge about 6 a.m. all hoping that we were to be sent in pursuit of the enemy which would have given us great pleasure, as we knew in consequence of the heavy roads and fall of rain, they could not get away as quickly as we could go after them, but, much to our annoyance, we were ordered down the river to meet Buller and guide him into town. I was told off with Sangmeister of Maritzburg and 20 men to reconnoitre the Bulwan and then to find crossings for men by Cawvin's Drift.
 

1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Thursday, 1 March

Big Ben again chucking big things at us, one of its shells today going plump into the new Commissariat store in Musson’s buildings, doing considerable damage, and pieces of others knocking lumps out of houses, etc., but no casualties.

Another marvellous escape today, that of Mrs. Whales. This lady was in the house with her children when the firing bell rang, and she had just time to drop two children out of the window into the dugout, when a large piece of the shell came through a glass outside door, through an open door behind which Mrs. Whales was standing and passed out through the window in the room opposite, and eventually went through three brick walls of a coolie house next door. The ladies I must say are very plucky, in fact too plucky, and should be kept down more. One would imagine this sort of thing would collapse the nerves of women entirely, but they all kept up wonderfully well, and trot out on Sundays as smiling as ever.

This morning the fugitive natives who failed to get through the enemy’s lines the other evening were again sent out, this time in broad daylight and, as I understand, under cover of Snyman’s permission, but as soon as ever they got within close range of Game Tree, the Boers opened a fearfully telling fire on them, killing and wounding a very considerable number. Nothing else but cold-blooded murder on the part of those swines outside. Of course the poor unarmed devils had to retire on us again, and all our doctors went out and rendered what assistance they could. The natives of course carried a white flag, which the Boers absolutely took not the slightest notice of. For brutality and dastardly barbarism, this takes the cake. Another item in B.P.’s report that will have to be settled with the enemy.

Our new big gun, the "Wolf”, is being sent out to the brickfields this evening. "Oh what a surprise” for the Boers. Hope to goodness it does some good tomorrow before the enemy can make preparations for cover, and will give them a taste of what we have been receiving.

They will also get a little surprise presently by receiving a few dynamite hand-grenades, which are being made by Lieutenant Feltham of the P.R.

Formed out of jam tins, and handy for throwing, they will be destructive and useful if our men have to storm their trenches at all. Under these circumstances, I am told, their use is permissible.

Weil's stock of food-stuff has now been taken over by Captain Ryan, D.A.A.G. (the "daag”) and all rations are issued from the Commissariat yard.

Raining again best part of the day.

Thank goodness no more Big Ben since lunch-time, not even a good-night shot. I expect their emplacements have got too soft with the rain.

Just when the good clean wholesome water is wanted again, down comes the rain. Who can say that providence is not still with us?

Feltham is going to throw his grenades by means of a loop at the end of a long whip stick.