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1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Wednesday, 17 January

In the same old style, about seven or eight 94-pounders, few 5-pounders, one-pound Maxims and Mausers tumbling about our ears today. Seemingly, with more effect from their new position. One wrecking Gate's house, one through M. Mail building, parts of which went through Webster's and Dixon’s Hotel. Mr. Winter, of the latter place, was hit on the head by a piece of falling brick. Nothing serious. Another shell passed through Bradley’s (Surrey Hotel) kitchen and dining-room, doing considerable damage.

Our shell factory is going on doing good work, in spite of the Boers’ endeavours to shell the place. They are now, instead of breaking up the empty shells found the other day, putting on enlarged driving bands, making them fit our own old seven-pounders, the bands being made of a composition of zinc and lead. Moffat, the head moulder, is an excellent and clever artisan, and was until lately employed by the Transvaal in making and moulding shells in their factory, and it says a lot for his loyalty when it is noted that he refused the offer of a very large salary by the Transvaal Government to remain with them, and came over here - luckily for us. The irony of circumstances! This man actually moulded, and finished, some of the shells the enemy are now firing at us. He knows them by some peculiar mark of his own, and wishes no doubt now that he had filled them with sand instead of that deadly explosive.

A white flag bringing a message relating to the capture of some native women by the Boers came in from the enemy this afternoon, and a reply had been sent out by B.P. under cover of a white flag, when by some unfortunate misunderstanding, our outposts at Currie’s, who are Cape Boys, fired on a party of Boers. The latter retaliated by not only firing on the boys, but also at the trooper carrying the white flag. He narrowly escaped with his life.

A native woman was killed today with a piece of shell from a 5-pounder.

Notice issued today to commandants of redoubts requesting them all to send in to the C.S.O. a plan of each fortification, giving measurements, distances to next fort, materials composed of, etc., etc., with any remarks they might like to make. Presume we shall see all these details in B.P.’s book. The notices are all marked "confidential”. Another notice has also been sent round, saying that it is now unnecessary to retain the emergency rations for two days, as previously instructed, to be kept at each redoubt. Same has to be returned to stores. This looks a somewhat healthy sign.

The Mafeking Baralongs are doing more very useful work. With only the slimness and crawling propensities peculiar to the native, they creep out at night, make a big detour round to the back of the Boer camp or laager, get amongst the enemy’s cattle, and then gradually drive a small clump away from the big herds, slowly at first as if the cattle were just feeding, and then, when close to the town, rush them as hard as their legs can carry them. In this manner they have brought in first one lot of 18 head, then another of 22 and now I hear this morning they have managed to get another nice little lot of 16 head. This makes 56 head of fine big fat oxen in four days. It will take us a long time to starve at this rate. The Boers have such an immense number of looted cattle at the Rooi ground that they do not miss these small herds, or they would keep a more vigilant watch over them.

The native caught in Early’s corner was again before the court, having previously been taken through the stadt where he said he lived; [he] now made a full confession that he was a spy and was Snyman’s cook, and had been sent in by the Boers from Jackal Tree, with their instructions to find out where the men of the town congregated mostly, and what effect their shells had. He was to be paid 5/if he brought plenty7 of news. When asked by the court if he knew that the penalty of his crime meant death, he said, "Yes, I am satisfied.” Judgement of the court to be delivered in three days.