The Regiment was now told off as part of a flying column.  This was hopeful, as it was supposed that arrangements were being made to co-operate with the relieving army.

At 5.15 a.m. on the 5th Buller’s guns began firing again and continued the whole day.

For the next few days there was no news from the outside world.  Buller’s guns were heard incessantly, and one Boer big gun was seen firing on Dornkloof, south of Manger’s Hill.  A few of Buller’s lyddite shells were bursting near him, and one shell was seen to strike his magazine and explode it.

On the seventh night 100 men of the Regiment were again engaged in shifting the 4.7 gun “Lady Anne.”

On the 9th nothing was heard of Buller’s guns—­perfect silence!

This gave rise to all sorts of reports, one actually given out being that Buller had taken his position and could come in at any time he liked, but he had been stopped by a telegram from the Cape in order to allow of Lord Roberts pushing up through the Free State; and then both Buller and Roberts would relieve Ladysmith and take Bloemfontein respectively on the same day.  And this on the very day on which Buller was retiring south of Tugela again from Vaal Krantz.

It was now considered advisable to strengthen the defences held by the Regiment by an additional work, and the men were kept hard at it from 7.15 p.m. till 10 p.m.  A dish of chevril was served out to each man of the working party before turning in.

On February 13th information was received that Buller had taken two positions on the north side of the Tugela with small loss—­one Krantz Kloof, and the other Vaal Krantz Spruit.  This information seemed somewhat belated.  A message was also received from Lord Roberts in which he stated that he had entered the Free State with a very large force, chiefly of artillery and cavalry, and hoped that the pressure on Ladysmith would shortly be reduced.  Heavy gun fire commenced in the Colenso direction on the night of February 14th, and continued with slight interruption till the 18th; and on the 15th the Boer pompom was heard in action, which went to show that the opposing forces were not very far from each other.

At the last public auction ever held in the town, i.e. on the 14th evening, the prices were:—­

Eggs, 48s. per dozen. 
Vegetable marrows, 28s. each. 
Mealies, 3s. 8d. each. 
Pot of jam, 32s. 6d. 
Crosse & Blackwell’s piccalilli, 19s. 6d. 
Tin of ox tongue, 20s. 6d.
2 oz. stick of cake tobacco, 22s. 
Fifty cigars, 10 guineas.

As much as 25s. per stick was paid about this time for two ounces of cake tobacco.  No Kaffir leaf tobacco was to be bought in the town, although as much as L5 per leaf was offered.

On the 15th the Railway Cutting Camp again received the attention of the Long Tom gunners on Bulwana, who pitched some shells into the lines, but without doing damage.