1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross
Monday. 2 April
Got up early this morning thinking there would be some fun.
The armoured train had moved out in the night, but everything was exceedingly quiet, and has remained so all day. Once only the warning bell rang, but the "big ’un” did not fire.
During the afternoon a large body of mounted Boers with three guns were seen to leave their laager at a hard gallop. We strained our ears to catch the sounds of any firing, thinking that Piumer’s main column may possibly be advancing, but could hear nothing.
During the afternoon Snyman sent in the dead bodies of Mr. Crewe, and another, who were wounded in the fight with Plumer and had since died. They are to be buried in our cemetery this evening.
A native who had twice been found guilty of theft and who had been sentenced to be shot was executed at sundown this evening. Six Cape Boys being told off as the firing party. They did their duty.
I heard the staff today talking about fixing up a telephone wire from the staff office in Dixon’s to the Colonel’s quarters. This, and other little noticeable incidents, does not lead one to think the relief column is very handy. Personally it looks to me as if the siege will last at least another month, and it is now beginning to be generally believed that Lord Roberts’s date, viz., about the middle of May, will be about correct. We shall very soon begin to badly feel the shortness of food.
