when the pinch came, he knew exactly where to put his hand on provisions for the healthy and medical comforts for the sick and wounded.  He had only to requisition a certain number of shops and hotels that were scheduled as having ample supplies of the things wanted, and the trick was done.  Some tradesmen were glad enough to have their old stock taken over wholesale by the military authorities at a profitable price, but others, who foresaw chances of a richer harvest, were inclined to grumble at the arbitrary exercise of power of officials whose acts they regarded as little better than confiscation, and, unfortunately, some of these managed to evade the first call, so that they were allowed to go on selling privately, and running up the prices to a fabulous extent.

This was a mistake.  All should have been treated alike, so that none might complain that kissing goes by favour, even in the most immaculate and best regulated armies.  As it was, the military commissariat secured much that would add to the comfort of soldiers, but for what was left civilians had to pay dearly.  Some idea of the way in which this worked may be given by a quotation from the prices bid at our Christmas market on Saturday.  We have no Covent Garden or Leadenhall here, but it was felt that some sort of show ought to be made at this festive season, and accordingly everything in the form of Christmas fare that could be got together was brought out for sale by auction.  It did not amount to much.  The whole barely sufficed to fill one long table, which was placed in a nook between the main street and a side alley, where fifty people or so might crowd together without attracting the notice of Bulwaan’s gunners, who would delight in nothing so much as the chance of throwing a surprise shell into the midst of such a gathering.

The time for holding this auction had been fixed with a view to the enemy’s ordinary practice of closing hostilities about sunset each evening, but he does not allow this to become a hard and fast rule, nor does he recognise “close time” that may not be broken in upon at will, if sufficient temptation to shoot presents itself.  So the sale was held, not only in a secluded corner, but in the brief half-light between sunset and night.  Some civilians came as a matter of curiosity to look on, but the majority were soldiers, regular or irregular, on business intent, and they soon ran up with a rapidity that gave the good traders of Ladysmith a lesson in commercial possibilities when it was too late for them to profit by it to the full.  Eggs sold readily at nine shillings a dozen, their freshness being taken on trust and no questions asked.  Ducks that had certainly not been crammed with good food were considered cheap at half a guinea each, and nobody grumbled at having to give nine shillings and sixpence for a fowl of large bone but scanty flesh.  Imported butter in tins fetched eight and sixpence a pound, jam three and sixpence a tin, peaches boiled