a
difficult way, leading through a bushy country scarred with dongas and
commanded by successive ridges, of which the Boers, with their great
mobility and rapidity of concentration, know how to make the most. They
still hold Monger's Hill, and their big gun has opened again from the
notched ridge by Doom Kloof. Buller's guns are hammering at these
positions, but apparently with little effect, for to every salvo from
them the big Creusot makes reply. Nor is there any sign now of a Boer
movement towards the rear. On the contrary, they have a new camp,
possibly of hospital tents, where Long Valley merges into Doom Kloof,
and almost within range of our naval guns if we had them mounted on
Waggon Hill.

While the fight rages near Tugela heights we are left in comparative
peace here. "Puffing Billy" has not opened to-day, and his twin brother
of Telegraph Hill has been silent many days. Probably he was taken away
to reinforce the artillery now opposing General Buller's advance. If
relief does not come soon we shall have something worse than privation
to dread, for scurvy has broken out at Intombi camp, where medical
comforts are scarce, having been frittered away by the negligence or
dishonesty of hospital attendants, over whom nobody seems to exercise
proper control. The mismanagement of affairs there and the whole system
of hospital administration at Ladysmith will have to be investigated
after the siege. At noon to-day we had hopes that the Boer right flank
was being hard pressed. That is the only practicable way in, but the
effort has apparently not been pushed far. The heliograph has begun to
blink out a long message, and that is always a bad sign.

_February 8._--Small things assume an importance altogether out of
proportion just now, and one worries about a last pipe of tobacco when
issues of vital moment to us are being fought out ten miles off. I have
come to the end of mine, and there is no more to be got for love or
money. A ton of Kaffir leaf has just been requisitioned from coolies,
who were selling it at twelve shillings the pound to soldiers, and who
have now to accept a twelfth of that price. There are thus thirty-six
thousand ounces for distribution, but even that quantity will not last
long. Nobody would have the heart to take any of it from soldiers who
have been reduced for weeks past to smoking dried sun-flower leaves and
even tea-leaves. Six shots were fired from Bulwaan battery this
afternoon after a