hears the words, “Mother come back from the Echoless Shore,” sung amid such surroundings in the still nights of days that are hoarse with the booming of guns.  Few of us, however, despise comic songs here when time and scene fit.  We have them at frequent smoking-concerts that help to enliven a routine of duty that would be dull without these entertainments.  There are no regimental bands to cheer us, but the Natal Volunteers have improvised one in which tin whistles and tambourines make a fair substitute for fifes and drums.  The pipes of the Gordon Highlanders we have always with us, too.

CHAPTER IX

A CHRISTMAS UNDER SIEGE

Husbanding supplies—­Colonel Ward’s fine work—­Our Christmas market—­A scanty show—­Some startling prices—­A word to cynics—­The compounding of plum-puddings—­The strict rules of temperance—­Boer greetings “per shell”—­A lady’s narrow escape—­Correspondents provide sport—­“Ginger” and the mules—­The sick and wounded—­Some kindly gifts—­Christmas tree for the children—­Sir George White and the little ones—­“When the war is over”—­Some empty rumours—­A fickle climate—­Eight officers killed and wounded—­More messages from Buller—­Booming the old year out.

It needed perhaps all the music that could be mustered in the town to remind the beleaguered garrison and inhabitants that the festive season was upon them.  It was inevitable that at such a time the thoughts of all should turn a little regretfully to other scenes.  But it takes a great deal to depress the British soldier to the point at which he is willing to forego his Christmas; and on all hands, in spite of adverse fortune, preparations were made to keep the day in as fitting a manner as the restricted means allowed—­with what success is described by Mr. Pearse in the following letter:—­

Thanks to the perfect organisation which Colonel Ward, C.B., brings into all branches of the department over which he is chief here, and the attention paid to innumerable details by his second in command, Colonel Stoneman, there has never been any danger of necessary supplies being exhausted, even if this place were invested for a much longer time than seems likely now, but these two officers seem to have more than absolute necessaries in reserve.  When Colonel Ward was appointed Military Governor of Ladysmith his measures for preserving health in the town and camps surrounding it took a very comprehensive form.  He not only made provision for ample water-supply, in place of that which the Boers had cut off, but his ideas of sanitary precaution embraced inquiry into sources of food-supply and kindred subjects.  To the end that he might know whether wholesome meat and drink were being sold, it was obviously necessary that he should have reports as to the articles in which various proprietors of stores traded.  Information on these points was collected with so much care that,