Tuesday, August 18th. We were awoke by an explosion of one of the enemy's mines in the Sikh Square; no one knew they were mining there: it buried six half-caste drummers and a Sepoy, and blew two officers into the Square, who escaped with slight bruises. This made a great breach in our defences, and the enemy might have come in easily if they had only had a little pluck. Three of the leaders tried to induce a party to make a rush, but failed; and, two of them being shot, the affair ended. There was a great firing of round shot and shell, but only one of our men was killed and none wounded. Bobby had been very ill all night, and Miss S—— sitting up with him; so, at 5, I got up and relieved her, and after breakfast I had to complete my wash of clothes. No news of our reinforcements! During the day a sortie was made, and young J——'s house was blown up: they found eleven men in it, whom they bayonetted; they also blew up a lot of houses in the neighbourhood. A shell had gone through the roof of one of them, and underneath there was a large pool of blood. Two of the enemy's mines were destroyed with their own powder, and one by pouring a quantity of water down it; so they are paid off for the morning. At sunset Mrs. F—— was brought out on her bed into the verandah for air. At night, as we were all sitting under the portico, we heard a peculiar cry, three times repeated, and thought it might be a signal; sure enough it was. Then there was a cry at once, "Stand to your arms!" followed immediately by a great discharge of musketry and great guns. All the posts had been warned to be on the alert, but the attack did not last long. About 3 in the morning, Mrs. D——'s youngest child died.
Wednesday, August 19th. No news! After breakfast Mrs. D—'s poor baby was sewed up by Mrs.—— in a clean table cloth, she having first dressed it in a clean night-dress and lace cap, and crossed its little arms on its breast; the little thing was carried to the hospital to await its burial, at night. The day passed as usual.
Thursday, August 20th. No news again! The night had been very quiet. As I was sitting at the front door at work, a European was shot, at the gun in our garden, right through the head. Mr. C—— was wounded. I had a very bad boil on my hand, for which I made an ottah poultice; our dinner this day was stewed beef, dal and rice, and chupattees. We were told, before going to bed, that J——s' large house was to be blown up at daybreak.
Friday, August 21st. We had a most disturbed night. There was an attack about 12, and I heard, "Turn out! turn out!" called from the gentlemen's room; and, being half asleep and half awake, out I and Mrs. A—— rushed from our bed over two other ladies in our haste; and, much to our amusement, several of them scolded us famously for making such a rush. We thought, however, we had a right to leave our bed when we chose, especially as we had about the most dangerous corner of the room; this amused us so much, that we lay down again in a fit of laughter. I heard almost every hour strike during the night. At daybreak, J——s' house was blown up, but it did not shake us so much as we expected.
Saturday, August 22nd. I rose very early, as I had so much to do. I was engaged till noon. While Mr. C—— was in the gentlemen's bath-room, a round shot came in and covered him with bricks and mortar, but did him no injury. This morning, a sortie with about 100 men was made; they blew up some houses, spiked three guns, and killed many Natives, with the loss of one killed and several wounded; two, they fear, mortally. The rest of the day passed quietly. Our dinner to-day was roast mutton, but very little of it, so we opened a tin of salmon, and Mrs. N——, a woman who has charge of Mrs. B——'s children, made us a roly-pudding of ottah and suet—to us a perfect luxury.
Sunday, August 23rd. I always try to have some clean garments ready to put on on Sunday, as one way of recognizing the day. There was service at the Brigade Mess at noon, and in our house at 3 P.M.; Mrs. F—— and Mrs. B—— came over to it, and lay on couches. Col. P—— brought over Mrs. P——, Mrs. B——, and Mrs. L——, three young newly-made widows; Mr. C. D—— and Charlie also came. Mr. H—— administered the Sacrament; it was placed on a small round table, covered with a white cloth: it was an affecting meeting—so many had lost friends! Poor Mrs. P—— was sobbing all the time. Mrs. L—— had lost both husband and child!
Monday, August 24th. I rose with a distracting headache, from the constant firing of the heavy guns during the night; the enemy sent three round shots into our house, and the guns in our Compound returned the fire. Mrs. C—— was ill with erysipelas. A Kitmagar came into the entrenchment to-day, but was put in confinement on suspicion of his being a spy. Mr. G—— came about 4 P.M. for Dr. F—— and Dr. P—— to go to the post office with their amputating instruments and chloroform, as Mr. M'C——, C.E., had been shot in the arm; however, they did not consider amputation necessary: a sergeant and private were shot at Sago's. I could hardly recognise Mr. G——, he looked so much older with a beard and the effects of his late fever.
Tuesday, August 25th. A sharp attack on the Bailey Guard Gate kept us awake the first part of the night. I got up and dressed as I usually do, though it is perfectly useless; we have no safe place to go to. Mrs. B——'s child kept us awake the latter part. No news of our reinforcements: very little firing to-day, Mr. and Mrs. H—— came in the afternoon, both so nicely dressed; one could hardly fancy the siege was going on.
Wednesday, August 26th. Dearest mother's birthday. We had a wretched night with Mrs. B——'s children and the firing; I actually lay till 7. I then went down for my cup of tea without milk or sugar, or rather mug, for I use Charlie's silver mug now; cups have become so scarce. Dear Charlie sent me a beautiful bouquet of roses, myrtle, and tuberoses; it is such a treat to have a sight of lovely flowers again! Oh! the longing one has to be out in the fresh air again! wandering in fields or gardens. But the useless dreams only do one harm. We have the stern realities of life before us; so to return to them. I went and acted as my own laundress; to-day our rations are reduced: gentlemen get twelve instead of fifteen ounces of meat, and we six instead of twelve; with rather less dal. A sentry was shot through the leg in our verandah during the night, and Dr. F—— was hit by a spent ball. After breakfast I mended a pair of Charlie's unmentionables with a piece of Mrs. H——'s habit, presented for the purpose: he came for a little chat, but a note from the Brigadier called him away. A little milk-punch is "doled" out to us every day about 1 o'clock, and I drank dear mamma's health in mine. I sat at the door till dinner time, 4 o'clock, making flannel garments for myself, having luckily taken a new piece of flannel into the entrenchments with me. After dinner the invalids came out and took the air on their couches at the door; at 7, I made tea for all, then sat at the door till half-past 8, when we had prayers and went to bed; and I had a good night's rest, though the children were rather squally. Lieut. W—— 32nd Queen's, killed by a round shot to-day at Mr. G——'s.
Thursday, August 27th. No news. The enemy fired an immense number of shot and shells; one soldier wounded in our drawing-room verandah, but it was his own fault; they are forbidden to go there, as it is dangerous. Sir H. Lawrence's stores were sold to-day, and fetched enormous prices: a bottle of honey, forty-two rupees and upwards; a dozen of brandy, 107 rupees; a ham, seventy rupees; two tins of soup, fifty-five rupees; a small bottle of pearl barley, sixteen rupees; twenty bottles of sherry, 110 rupees. People seemed to bid recklessly, Charlie said; they were to be paid for on the first issue of pay, which many, I believe, think they will never live to receive. Charlie bought, instead, a pair of soldier's high-lows, for eight rupees, from a Sergeant—quite a catch; and far more useful than truffled larks, &c.