The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-20

~ ALL the stories OF the
siege and the relief of Luck
now that | ever read-and
have read many, for to me
this always has seemed one of the
greatest epics of heroism and suffer
ing automatically recorded think
the most vivid is found in diary
kept by the wife of a British officer.
This lady, whose name never has
been printed, was one of the group
who survived the dreadful experience.
Day by day, among the most distress
ing sights and under terrible living
conditions, she set down a brief tai
ly of events. Fortunately her journal
was preserved, but not until 1907, tif.
ty years after she wrote her story
were extracts from it published in
the London Graphic.
From that source the quotations
used here were lifted Under date of
July 1, 1857, she begins with short
pathetic reference to a personal be-
reavement:
'July l. My poor dear darling boy
died of cholera yesterday during the
dreadful confusion of our troops re-
turning pellmell from Chinhut Harry
was two years old (my first-born)
July 3. My nineteenth birthday.
What a gloomy day! Wonder whether
relations are thinking of me shut up
worse than imprisoned All the ex
element around cannot divert my
thoughts from my dear boy lying cold
in his INTENDED grave, wherever it is
for nothing marks the spot. My cook.
Portuguese, was wounded whilst
helping at the interment although un
der cover of the darkness 1t took
place. Poor Mr.. Polehampton came
so kindly and awoke me Il had fallen
asleep beside the corpse from sheer
exhaustion) to tell me ! must part
with all that remained of Harry.
Cholera Exacts Fearful Toll.
II groaned my sorrow away. Dial
and rice-our fare for the day. 1t was
all put into one dish for so many,
and a general scramble made by each
to become possessed of share. Not
being accustomed to such scenes had
not the courage to eat as others were
doing and so Jared badly.
"July 4. My butler, Portuguese
consequently Christian-who has
been in my service since my marriage,
succeeding in getting me something
to eat. The same scrambling for
eatables going on. Flies innumerable,
most worrying.
"July z. My servant, Kitan, mis-
took spirits of wine for some liquor,
drank a quantity, made himself very
i'll / lost his services in consequence.
Mrs. Barlow (Pratt) has an infant
which does nothing but cry, whether
from hunger or from the irritation of
flies, / don't know. The mother re-
mains in an oblivious sleep. 1t does
not disturb her. Poor mite. take it
on my arm and ward off flies; it qui-
cts it little.
"July 10. Major Francis leg shot.
Amputated, but he died the. same
night. Two of the enemy's guns
spiked.
"July IA. DR.. Wells child died. He
had to dig the grave himself. Pour
ing rain all the time.
"July q. Mr.. Polehampton died Of
cholera. Ladies who attended on the
sick in the hospital ordered away, the
air having become so foul.
"July %. Mrs. Dorm shot dead
whilst in the act of shutting a door.
Mrs. Graham died of cholera. This
makes the fifth grown-up person car.
ried off by that fearful disease.
July %. Mr.. Grant very i'll with
cholera. His hand blown off.
"July q. An attack during the
night. Terror seems wilder during the
darkness. Two Europeans made q
sortie and found forty natives hiding
in ditch. Killed two. The rest ran
away.
Children Pay Final Price.
august 5. So many days passed
without my having the energy neces-
sary for holding a pen even. All looks
so blank. Assistance seems as far off
as at the commencement of our trou.
bles. Our scanty food. hardly satisfy
ing hunger. does not invigorate us.
However. nothing can be done but to
hold out as long as we can. and hope.