The weighty roof was supported, as
an additional precaution, on the inside by three stout wooden posts,
which, together with the rather dim light, most apparent when descending
from the brilliant sunshine outside, gave the bomb-proof the appearance
of a ship's cabin; in fact, one of my visitors remarked it much reminded
him of the well-known print of the _Victory's_ cockpit when Nelson lay
a-dying. The interior panelling was painted white. One wall was entirely
covered with an enormous Union Jack, and the other was decorated with
native weapons, crowned by a trophy of that very war--namely, the only
Mauser carbine then taken from the Boers. To complete the up-to-date
nature of this protected dwelling, a telephone was installed, through
the medium of which I could in a second communicate with the Staff
Headquarters, and have due notice given me of "Creechy's" movements. In
this shelter it was certainly no hardship to spend those hot days, and
it was known to be the coolest place in town at that hot season of the
year.
On Sundays we were able, thanks to the religious proclivities of the
Boers, to end our mole existence for twenty-four hours, and walk and
live like Christians. To almost the end of the siege this truce was
scrupulously observed on both sides, and from early dawn to late at
night the whole population thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
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