There must be at least twenty thousand men collected
here to do it, and I think it is more likely to be the end of January
than the end of December before the Boers are driven off. We have in the
one case seven weeks and in the other twelve before the place is
relieved, and we begin to turn the tables on the Boers; and according to
the way we carry my idea out it depends whether we are back here by the
end of the year or by the end of January--that is, I acknowledge, if we
get back at all.
"I have been thinking it over. There are two ways of doing it. We can go
on board a ship touching at Durban and going on to Lorenzo Marques. I
don't say that we could not all do it, but it would be better to choose
only four; a larger number would excite more observation. Those who go
will of course take dynamite with them. We can buy that at Durban. At
Lorenzo Marques we should assume the character of four young Irish
fellows. We know there are lots of them already up there, and Germans
too, fighting in the Boer ranks and I am glad to know that they got
peppered at Elandslaagte, although that is not to the point. We should
go as four Irish lads who have come across from America to fight for the
Boers. We have heard plenty of Irish in the mines and at Johannesburg,
so shall be able to put enough brogue in our talk to pass.
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