There was an element of romance, more startling than the fire itself, in all this.  It was thought that the building (Abraham’s Store) adjacent to the one in flames was in grave danger, and the united exertions of the firemen were ultimately directed to the task of saving it.  Within its hallowed walls was collected the bulk of our confiscated food!  It had been stored away by order of the Czar, and was guarded day and night by a strong detachment of well-armed Cossacks.  This circumstance lent, it need hardly be said, a piquant and absorbing interest to the progress of the blaze.  It was of supreme importance—­to the “Military” as well as minor “Situations”—­that the supplies should be preserved.  What a glowing page it would be in the war’s history that the enemy three miles away had compelled surrender by burning our provisions!  For ourselves, we got so little of the provisions to eat that we should not have been particularly broken-hearted by the contretemps.  Familiarity breeds contempt, and we Were familiar with the “Military Situation”; its exactions were so absurdly impalpable.  It was natural, therefore, that the activity of the Military should have provoked a certain amount of chaff from the multitude of hungry civilians.  The chaff went round, anyhow, whether it was natural or not.  Officers tripped over officers in the wildest confusion, ordering, shouting, swearing, and directing the shop-boys, the soldiers, and the Kafirs who toiled like demons to throw the threatened foodstuffs into the street in an impossible space of time.  The men tumbled and staggered in clusters, while the advantages of being a native unencumbered by the collars of our celestial civilisation were conspicuously apparent.  We had our eyes wide open for all possible pickings; but so also had the rascally Cossacks.  Only one gentleman (a most respected citizen) got off with a case of—­candles!  Barrels of oil were rolled into the streets (between files of soldiers, lest anyone should roll a barrel home), to the indignant surprise of the people thus afforded ocular demonstration of the extent to which the commandeering mania had been carried; it was worse even than they had thought—­which is saving a great deal!  When everything had been finally heaped outside, steps were taken forthwith—­to carry them in again.  All danger of their ignition had long since vanished; and the mob dispersed in a wild rush as the clock chimed nine.

What a day Friday was!  Beginning at six in the morning the firing was kept up unceasingly until night-fall.  All day long the death-dealing projectiles swept like a hurricane through the city, terrorising, killing, lacerating, surpassing previous visitations by odds that were long indeed.  We had had sufficient evidence to judge of what the great gun at Kamfers Dam alone could do.  But on Friday we were pelted from all directions with a fury unknown hitherto.  The first bulletin to send a thrill of horror through