gotten. One of
them had his house and furniture damaged; another missile struck Mr.
Bennie's dwelling; while, at Beaconsfield, the beauty of Councillor
Blackbeard's verandah was marred, as also nearly were the persons of
half a dozen workmen close by. A few shells shot appallingly close to
the bugler perched on the summit of the headgear. The "sniping" still
went on, but the Boers at Kamfers Dam appeared to be little affected
thereby, or by the signs of alarm betrayed by their fellow-besiegers at
other camps. There was, alas! to be yet one more fatality ere
emancipation was to burst upon us like a thunderbolt. In the afternoon,
while making his ablutions at a tap outside his bakehouse door, an
unfortunate baker was struck down and killed.

Meanwhile proceedings pregnant with meaning were taking place at
Alexandersfontein. The evacuation of the position was going on apace,
and was being watched with bated breath by the Beaconsfield Town Guard.
The numbers of the enemy ensconced at Alexandersfontein had diminished
so materially that Major Rodger with a picked force of one hundred men
ventured to try conclusions with the residue. A sharp, decisive fight
ensued; the few Boers left to defend the place were so startled that
they soon fled, leaving bag and baggage behind them. A few on the Boer
side were killed (or wounded) and half a dozen were taken prisoners. Of
the Major's men, two were injured. Despatches found in the pocket of a
prisoner went to show that Alexandersfontein had been used partially as
a women's laager; and I regret to have to record that a woman and a
young child were severely wounded in the battle.

But it was the sequel to this remarkable fight that roused the people
from their torpor. Large quantities of provisions were found not only in
the camp but in the hotel and houses of the neighbourhood. The news
spread like wildfire, and a great paean of triumph went up from a
thousand throats. From the various redoubts the citizen soldiers,
regardless of risk, hastened in carts to the scene of confiscation. The
early birds got butter! there was no doubting it, for however impaired
may have been our sense of taste, our dilated eyes were right. Some folk
carried away large sacks of meal and flour--satisfied to enjoy _carte
blanche_ in bread without butter. Others, again, bore off bags of
potatoes in contented triumph; while not a few went home with onions in
their pockets and a tear and a smile in their eyes. A