There was other work to be done. Two naval guns, a mountain
battery, and some large cannon were with great labour got up on the top
of Swartz Kop.
The lads had given up the two tents allotted to them to let the rest of
the men have more room, and they now felt the full benefit of their
little shelter tents. The allowance throughout the rest of the camp was
sixteen men to a tent. On coming in and out, as the men were muddy up to
the knees, it was impossible to keep these even tolerably clean, and the
discomfort of so many men crowded together and obliged to live, eat, and
sleep in such confined quarters was very great indeed.
The lads on the other hand, suffered from none of these inconveniences,
and except that they could not stand up, and could only sit upright in
the middle of the tent, they were perfectly comfortable. The tents were
about seven feet wide on the ground, and as much long. Their natives had
cut and brought in bundles of grass, which made them soft beds, one on
each side of the tent. A blanket was stretched on each bed, another
doubled lay over it. It was a strict rule that everyone should take off
his boots on entering his tent, and leave them just inside the entrance.
They had purchased at the sale of the effects of some of the officers
killed in action some more blankets and rugs, and these were thrown over
the entrance to the front of the tents at night, and made them perfectly
warm and comfortable.
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