Friday, August 28th. No news again! This is very trying—the siege has lasted now more than two months. Every one agrees that the only plan is to blow ourselves up, if the reinforcements do not come in time. I rose very early, as Mrs. A—— was ill; and having a great deal of work to do, I did not sit down till 12 o'clock. I have a chance of having some things washed by a dhobee, but at the exorbitant charge of twenty-five rupees per 100! more than eight times the usual charge. We expected an attack to-night, as the Mohurrum and Mussulman fast is just over; it did not, however, take place.
Saturday, August 29th. Rose and I did all Mrs. A——'s work again. A Pensioner came in during the night, with a letter, direct from Gen. H——, dated August 24th, saying he was waiting for more troops, and could not come to our relief under twenty-four days; he added, that Sir C—— C—— had arrived in Calcutta, as Commander-in-Chief, and was sending up troops as quickly as possible; that Lucknow would be his first care, and also begging us, on no account, to treat with the enemy, but rather to die at our posts. The man who brought the letter said, when he was in General H——'s camp, a man had come from Delhi, who told him we had an immense force before Delhi; partly composed of Bombay troops. The day passed quietly; only the usual firing; no attack.
Sunday, August 30th. When we got up, we discovered our two remaining Kitmagars had fled. Many Half-castes and Natives left the entrenchments last night, having heard our relief was not to take place for some time. Mrs. H—— and I had to boil the kettles, in addition to our morning duties; Manuel, a Madras servant Dr. F—— has just picked up, lighting the fires for us. We all had to help in preparing breakfast and dinner, and washing up. We had no service till late in the evening, as Mr. H—— had one at the Brigade Mess, another at Mr. G——s', and a third at the Hospital. I got perfectly worn out, with running up and down stairs; but I am thankful to say I am in excellent health, and thoroughly enjoy my meals.
Monday, August 31st. We were awoke at daybreak, by Mrs. D—— being taken ill. I ran down sharp to light the fire and boil the kettles—the former by far the most difficult operation—I am very stupid at it, and before it was completed, down came Mrs. C——, saying the baby was born. It was a most expeditious affair; they had hardly time to get her into her own room. Mrs. C—— finished boiling the kettle, while I prepared the early tea-things. I worked really very hard this morning in the kitchen store-rooms, and it is anything but a joke this hot weather to have to stand before the fire fanning it to make the kettle boil. I was quite tired out before all was completed; but I am a perfect wonder to myself. I never thought I was capable of such fatigue, or was half so accomplished as I find I am. Mrs. B—— and her baby were turned out of the invalid room for Mrs. D—— and her's. Great scrimmage with another Mrs. B—— about her European servant being allowed to cook for us; we carried our point. The cooking establishment, now, consists of Mrs. N——, slightly assisted by Manuel and two little boys from the Martinière school; the latter are useful in the washing-up department. The enemy tolerably quiet to-day, no shells till 9 P.M., when there was rather a sharp attack, but not of long duration.
Tuesday, September 1st. Went to my regular work, and discovered the two Martinière boys were to be taken from us; so there was another grand scrimmage about washing up plates and dishes. The enemy brought a gun to bear on the Bailey Guard Gate again. (I forgot to say that on the 30th ultimo, our miners discovered a mine of the enemy's close to them; so Mr. F—— sat nearly the whole day in the mine, pistol in hand, waiting for them to pick into it; they, however, stopped, so we broke into theirs and blew up the gallery. Lieut. B——, Artillery, was also shot in the chest, while sitting in the portico of the dawk office talking to Charlie). This day, Tuesday, two Artillerymen were shot in the dawk office compound, while standing by the 18-pounder; the ball, a round shot, ricocheted from the hospital. One had some property in his box, and though the officer sent for it immediately, the box was missing; however, it was recovered before the thief, a brother gunner, had had time to open it. The looting now is something dreadful; many of the Crown Jewels have been stolen, and a bottle of brandy will now purchase a handful of precious stones. Charlie told me he had seen a handful of pearls, one of them very large, and many of them the size of peas, which had been purchased for twenty rupees.
Wednesday, September 2nd. The sexton's wife came to help. Mrs. N——. The enemy were discovered mining, close to the Financial garrison; so we countermined, and blew them up. Several of the enemy were seen rushing to the spot, to try and recover their blown-up comrades. A sad occurrence took place to-day! Lieut. B——, Assistant Engineer, was shot by one of our own sentries while searching some ground just outside our works, in the dusk of the evening, to see if there were any mining going on; he was taken to the hospital in great agony, having been shot through the stomach. Mr. H—— took his poor wife to him; he died during the night.
Thursday, September 3rd. Nothing particular occurred.
Friday, September 4th. A day without news, and tolerably quiet. Poor Major B——, who, while trying to get a shot at the enemy, on top of the Brigade Mess, exposed himself unnecessarily, was shot through the lungs, and survived it only about ten minutes; those who went up to fetch his body, had to crawl on their hands and knees. At night his own Sepoys carried him to his grave.
Saturday, September 5th. Much firing in the early morning. The 13th Sepoys made a battery for an 18-pounder, at the Treasury, with which Lieut. A—— made some good shots at the clock tower. The firing ceased a little, when all at once we felt a mine spring, and immediately an attack was made by the enemy; the firing then on both sides was incessant. In the midst of it we felt another explode, which we thought was our own; but it was not: we did however, spring one during the day, and Mr. F——, and a 32nd man, not having had sufficient warning, were blown up, but not hurt. In this day's attack 10,000 men were said to be around us; still they did not get in, and we had only two Natives killed, and two Europeans wounded; one losing an arm, and the other a leg. It was only Providence who could have saved us with so little loss: we have great cause for thankfulness! Our Sepoys are delighted at having a gun at their guard. They say "We load it, and Aikeen Sahib fires it!" They are behaving splendidly. At night there was another attack, and the firing lasted about an hour. A row between the Padre and a lady,—clerical victorious, and the lady going off into hysterics. The rest of the gentlemen were out digging, to repair the defences at the Baillie Guard Gate.