rning whilst the business at the orderly-room
was being conducted, and a culprit being told off, the whistle gave
warning that the gun on Bulwana had fired, and in the direction of
Tunnel Hill. As all could not get inside the orderly-room shelter, which
was merely a hole dug into the side of the hill, there was a general
scuttle and _sauve qui peut_. One officer, trying to get into the
orderly-room from outside, ran into another who was escaping from it to
get into the first traverse, and each tumbled over the other. The
Quartermaster, trying to crawl on his hands and knees under the tenting
of the second traverse, got blocked out, and at the same time shut out
another officer flying for safety. At the same moment a man jumped from
above on the Quartermaster's back, and he, fancying that it was the
shell and that his end had come, gave himself up for lost. All, however,
ended happily for the immediate neighbourhood, for the look-out man had
made a mistake, and the shell, instead of arriving at Tunnel Hill,
crashed into the town.

All these incidents and accidents, individually very serious at the
time, were always amusing in the telling as soon as the tyranny was
overpast, and, resulting in a hearty laugh, helped to relieve the
strain.

The London _Gazette_ of October 9th was signalled into Ladysmith by the
2nd Battalion. This stated: "Major Park to be Lieutenant-Colonel;
Davies, 2nd-in-Command; Ellicombe, Major; Radcliffe, Captain."

A list of prices at this time in Ladysmith at the public auction is of
interest:--

Eggs per dozen, 11s. 6d.
Small vegetable marrow, 1s. 6d.
Twelve small carrots, 2s. 6d.
Small water melon (worth 1d.), 6s. 6d.
Condensed milk per tin, 5s. 6d.
Fifty-two small potatoes, L1 10s.
Chickens, each, 8s.
Ducks, 13s. 6d.
Dutch butter in tins, 6s. 6d. per lb.
1/2d. Manilla cigars, 1s.

There was no English smoking tobacco obtainable, and one bottle of
whisky changed hands at L5 10s.

December 25th, Christmas Day.

"Hark, the herald angels sing!" was forcibly brought to notice by the
whistling of shells passing overhead at daylight. No Divine Service was
therefore held. The garrison received the following message from Her
Majesty the Queen: "I wish you and all my brave soldiers and sailors a
happy Christmas. God protect and bless you all.--V.R.I." In the evening
there was a soldiers' sing-song in the lines, which was finished off by
three most hearty cheers for Her Majesty. Christmas Day