g
at the end of three months campaigning but were robust and tanned
ragged and caked with mud. As they came in they cheered and the
garrison tried to cheer back but it was like a whisper.

Winston Churchill and I stood in front of Gen. White and cried for an
hour. For the time you forgot Boers and the cause, or the lack of
cause of it all, and saw only the side of it that was before you, the
starving garrison relieved by men who had lost almost one out of every
three in trying to help them. I was rather too previous in getting in
and like every-one else who came from outside gave away everything I
had so that now I'm as badly off as the rest of them. Yesterday my
rations for the day were four biscuits and an ounce of coffee and of
tea, with corn which they call mealies which I could not eat but which
saved my horse's life. He is a Boer pony I bought from a Tommy for two
pounds ten and he's worth both of the other two for which I paid $125 a
piece. Tomorrow the wagon carrying my supplies will be in and I can
get millions of things. It almost apalls me to think how many.
Especially clean clothes. I've slept in these for four days. I got
off some stories which I hope will read well. I can't complain now
that I saw the raising of this siege. But I hope we don't stay still.
I want to see a lot quickly and get out. This is very safe warfare.
You sit on a hill and the army does the rest. My sciatica is not
troubling me at all. Love to you all and God bless you.

DICK.

LADYSMITH, March 4th, 1900.

DEAR, DEAR MOTHER:

Today I got the first letter I have had from you since we left home.
It was such happiness to see your dear sweet handwriting again. It was
just like seeing you for a glimpse, or hearing you speak. I am so
hungry for news of Nora and Chas and you all. I know you've written,
but the letters have missed somehow. I sent yours right back to Cecil
who is very lonely at present. Somerset has gone to the front and
Jim--home--Blessed word! A little middy rode up to me today and began
by saying "I'm going home. I'm ORDERED there. Home-- To England!" He
seemed to think I would not understand. He prattled on like a child
saying what luck he had had, that he had been besieged in Ladysmith and
seen lots of fighting and would get a medal and all the while he was
"just a middy." "But isn't it awful to think of our chaps that were
left on the ship" he said quite miserably. It is a beastly dull