The protracted excitement has caused several deaths from heart failure, and I heard of two cases of acute mania.  There would doubtless have been a far greater mortality but for the fact that Johannesburg is populated by young and, for the most part, vigorous men and women.

I hear that Dr. Jameson answered, when asked after his first night in the Pretoria jail if there was anything he would like to have, ‘Nothing, thank you, but flea powder.’

I sat on the verandah with Sir Sydney Shippard and Betty this evening and watched the ’Zarps’[4] take control of the town.  There was no remonstrance on the part of the populace.

Later.—­It is rumoured that a Commando of Boers will attack the town to-night.  The place is practically defenceless; most of the men having returned to their work and the companies being disbanded.[5]

January 9.—­There is a fearful impression abroad this morning that the Reform Committee, or at least the leaders, will be arrested.  My husband comforts me by saying the Government could not pursue such a course after having recognised the Reform Committee and offered not only to consider, but reform the grievances which have brought all this trouble about.  He declares that Great Britain would not allow this after commanding her subjects to disarm and promising them her protection, and to see that their wrongs were righted.

‘It would be the worst sort of faith,’ he insists.

Noon.—­The situation is very strained.  I can see that my husband is trying to prepare me for his possible arrest.  ’It will merely be a matter of form.’  Ah me!  I can read in his grave face another truth.  May God in His mercy grant us a happy issue out of all our afflictions.

At a quarter to ten on the night of January 9, my husband, with two dozen others of the Reform Committee, was arrested and thrown into jail on the charge of rebellion and high treason.  They had heard that this was probable several hours earlier in the day.

The four leaders were secretly offered a safe conduct over the border, but refused to forsake their comrades and the Cause.  Leaving word where he was to be found, and with the further stipulation that no handcuffs were to be used in his arrest, or ’he would blow the brains out of the first man who approached him,’ my husband hastened to break the news gently to us.  I packed a tiny handbag with necessaries and filled his pockets with cakes of chocolate; chocolate was nourishing, and would sustain a hungry man hours, even days.  We sat down hand in hand to wait for the officer, Betty in delicacy having left us alone together.

The Australians were giving a banquet below stairs, and as we clung to each other we could hear their shouts of boisterous mirth and hand-clapping.  We started up at a tap on the door.  A friend to tell us the officer was waiting at the street entrance.  I helped my husband into his coat and we kissed each other good-bye.  He was filled with solicitude for me.  My thoughts were of the two thousand excited Boers laagered between Johannesburg and Pretoria, but recollection of my unborn child steadied me and gave me self-command.