brilliant successes had
perished in the final effort. Magersfontein hit us hard, though we knew
nothing of the "blazing indiscretions" connected with that fatal assault
on positions of peculiar strength and impregnability. Its consequences
meant another delay, perhaps a long one. Meanwhile our resolution grew
stronger to hold Kimberley though the heavens should fall. Eating, after
all, was a habit--a bad habit with some of us--which we could not give
up in a day. But the story of Magersfontein diverted our thoughts from
provisions. Let the Boers but come within range of our rifles, and then,
ah, then there would be squalls! But would they do so; would they screw
their courage to the sticking point? It was feared not, more
particularly in view of the supposed existence of dynamite mines around
Kimberley. The train was laid; the fuse was there to ignite the powder
that would blow up a hostile army. The mere suggestion of such a
_contretemps_ was enough to make the Boers think twice before drawing
near enough to be shot at. Belief in the existence of these mines was
widespread. How far it was warranted, it is hard to say. The enemy had
heard something of them, and burning though was his desire to blow up
the diamonds he did not quite court a flight towards heaven in their
company. He had seen what dynamite applied to culverts and bridges could
do, and doubtless fully measured the indignity of so disentegrating, not
to say violent, a manner of quitting this world for a good one.

On Friday a party of the Lancashire Regiment went out to cut off a Boer
water supply at Curtis Farm. A body of the Light Horse with guns
accompanied them--as a hint to the enemy that intervention would be
resented. The Boer ignored the hint and lost no time in lodging his
protest against our infringement of "the game's" rules. The "Lanks.,"
however, were not to be deterred; they stuck stoically to their work
until their object was accomplished. Our guns had meanwhile kept hurling
defiance at the enemy; but there were no casualties on either side.
These aquatic operations seriously inconvenienced the Boers; they
compelled them to make wide _detours_, to travel a long distance for
water around the great ring which encircled Kimberley; the short cuts
were dangerous. A sad thing happened when night came. A corporal in
charge of a piquet went out to inspect his men. Unfortunately the sentry
on duty was unaware of the fact, and on the corporal's return h