The enemy got possession of the water supply, but the garrison had already dug wells.

Before October 20th five thousand Boers, under the formidable Cronje, had gathered round the town.

'Surrender to avoid bloodshed' was his message.

'When is the bloodshed going to begin ?' asked Powell.

When the Boers had been shelling the town for some weeks the lighthearted Colonel sent out to say that if they went on any longer he should be compelled to regard it as equivalent to a declaration of war.