that he must not expect any assistance from him when he made his effort.
Sir Redvers Buller had replied that he was sparing no effort to push
forward, and that he hoped to be ready soon.

The number of patients in the Intombi Hospital Camp had increased by
January 10th to--

Over 400 cases of dysentery;
" 600 cases of enteric fever;
" 200 cases not yet diagnosed, but probably enteric fever;
" 800 cases wounded and various.

The daily rations of the garrison now consisted of 1/2 lb. of tinned
meat and 1 lb. of bread per man.

Had it not been for the Indian Contingent there would have been no flour
at all in Ladysmith. All the flour, all the rum, in fact almost
everything that the garrison lived upon with the exception of meat, was
brought from India with the Indian Contingent, which carried with it six
months' supply of every description.

From January 12th, another duty assigned to the Regiment was the sending
of two companies every morning at two o'clock to the examining guard on
the Newcastle road, which was situated just under the 4.7 naval gun
"Lady Anne." They had orders to stop there till 4.30 a.m. to check any
rush of Boers into Ladysmith down the Newcastle road. Later on, the
ground in front of this post was covered with barbed wire entanglement,
but up to this time there was nothing at this point to prevent the Boers
galloping right into the town.