he following pages escaped these perils, and
were published in the columns of the _Daily News_. The rest of the book
now appears for the first time.

The volume consists of pages from the letters and diaries of Mr. Henry
H.S. Pearse, the Special Correspondent of the _Daily News_. Mr. Pearse
was in Natal when the war broke out, and he was in Ladysmith during the
whole of the siege. He was fortunate enough to enjoy good health
throughout, and though he had some narrow escapes he was never hit. His
letters contain a complete story of the siege.

_April 1900._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE

INTRODUCTORY

The declaration of war--Sir George White and the defence of
Natal--The force at Glencoe--Battle of Talana Hill--General
Yule's retirement--Battle of Elandslaagte--Useless victories--
The enemy's continued advance 1

CHAPTER II

LOMBARD'S KOP AND NICHOLSON'S NEK

General White forced to fight--The order of battle--Leviathan--
The Boers reinforced--A retrograde movement--How Marsden met his
death--Naval guns in action--A night of disaster--Who showed the
white flag?--A truce declared--A humiliating position 5

CHAPTER III

LADYSMITH INVESTED

The exodus of the townsfolk--Communications threatened--Slim
Piet Joubert--Espionage in the town--Neglected precautions--A
truce that paid--British positions described--Big guns face to
face--Boers hold the railways--French's reconnaissance--The
General's flitting--A gauntlet of fire--An interrupted telegram--
Death of Lieutenant Egerton--"My cricketing days are over"--Under
the enemy's guns--"A shell in my room"--Colonials in action--The
sacrifice of valuable lives 15

CHAPTER IV

EARLY DAYS OF THE SIEGE

Moral effects of shell fire--General White appeals to Joubert--
The neutral camp--Attitude of civilians--Meeting at the Town
Hall--A veteran's protest--Faith in the Union Jack--An impressive
scene--Removal of sick and wounded--Through the Boer lines--How
the posts were manned--Enemy mounting big guns--More about the
spies--Boer war ethics--In an English garden--Throwing up
defences--A gentlemanly monster--The Troglodytes--Humorous and
pathetic--"Long Tom" and "Lady Anne"--Links in the chain of fire--
A round game of ordnance 30

CHAPTER V

THE FIRST BOER ASSAU