promotion of daytime all night.

The Diamond City was in certain respects well adapted to withstand a
siege. The old residents delighted to call it a city. Newcomers, who had
Continental ideas on the subject, inclined to think the term a misnomer,
and a reflection upon Europe and America. But although its buildings
were not high, nor its houses very majestic, Kimberley was a rich place,
and a large place, with a good white population and a better coloured
one. It had its theatre, and it had its Mayor. Arrogant greenhorns were
soon made to cease winking when we talked of the "city"; for Kimberley
_was_ a city (after a fashion), and the most important centre in the
Cape Colony. The young Uitlander (just out) who described it as "a funny
place, dear mother; all the houses are made of tin, and all the dogs are
called '_voet sak_,'" was more cynical than truthful.

The numerous debris heaps surrounding the city made excellent
fortifications, and it was not surprising that the Boers put, and kept,
on view the _better_ part of their valour only, when from their own
well-chosen positions they looked across at our clay Kopjes. To have
attacked or taken Kimberley, they would have been obliged to traverse a
flat, open country; and they have an intelligent antipathy to rash
tactics of that sort, when fighting a foe numerically stronger than
themselves. They were reputed to believe that Providence was on their
side; it was even stated that their ardour to "rush" Kimberley knew no
bounds, until it was cooled by the restraining influence of General
Cronje. That astute leader, though fully cognisant of the virtues of his
people, had a respect for "big battalions," and thought that the virtue
designated patience would best meet the necessities of the situation.
Accordingly, he and his army, well primed with coffee, lay entrenched
around Kimberley, in the fond hope of starving us into submission.