f in England. A strong breeze is blowing, so it
is quite cool. An officer from the _Forte_ tells us that Estcourt is
relieved and that the Boers are massing south of Colenso ready for a
big fight. Our army have apparently to bridge some ravines before
advancing. The guns of the _Forte_ and _Philomel_ are at Estcourt
with landing parties. Commander Dundas and Lieutenants Buckle and
Dooner join the _Forte_ and I join the _Philomel_. Tugs came out at 1
p.m. and took us in over the bar; we passed close to the _Philomel_
and were heartily cheered; then we went alongside the jetty, where
staff officers came on board with orders. Commander Holland (Indian
Marine) is here in charge of Naval transport and is an old
acquaintance, as we met last year at Bombay. I got on board the
_Philomel_ without delay and found myself Captain of her, as her
Captain (Bearcroft) had gone to take the Flag-Captain's place with
Lord Methuen's force, and Halsey, the First Lieutenant, was at
Estcourt with some 12-pounder guns. About thirty men of the _Philomel_
are on shore under two officers, and one of her 4.7 guns is up at
Ladysmith. I hear that all guns north of Pietermaritzburg are under
command of Captain Jones, R.N., of the _Forte_; and, in fact, all the
ships here at present, viz., the _Terrible_, _Forte_, _Philomel_, and
_Tartar_, have landing parties at the front.

I reported myself to Commander F. Morgan, senior officer of the
_Tartar_, who was pleased to see me as he is an old friend, I having
served with him in 1894 in the Royal yacht (_Victoria and Albert_),
from which we were both promoted on the same day (28th August, 1894).
I also called on the Commandant of Durban, Captain Percy Scott of the
_Terrible_, at his headquarter office in the town. I found him busily
engaged in making-up plans and photos of Durban, as well as his
designs for field and siege mountings for the 4.7 and 12-pounder guns,
to forward to Admiral Douglas, my late Commander-in-Chief; he showed
them to me, and ordered me to take over command of the _Philomel_ for
the present. I have met a lot of old friends, and find the ship itself
clean, smart, and comfortable. The weather is changeable and very
hot. Captain Scott has ordered martial law in the town, and everyone
found in the streets after 11 p.m. is locked up. The story goes that
Captain Scott himself was locked up one night by mistake!

_Tuesday, 5th December._--Captain Scott sent on board a kind letter
from the