August 4th.—The enemy fired a great number of rounds from their guns at intervals during the night. Musketry fire was slack this morning. No news of any kind. Could get no messengers to go out with a letter, though it was made so small that it went into half a quill; but it had been spread abroad that the enemy would kill any one leaving the garrison, and this deterred any one from endeavouringto carry a letter to our friends, no matter how great the reward might be that was held out.
Many officers and men are laid up with fever and dysentery. Our stored attah was nearly expended, and in a few days' time we should have to commence that which we had ground, which now amounted to about 500 maunds. At 2P.M.the firing of all kinds was very slack; indeed, for long intervals, not a shot was to be heard. The officers, also, who relieve one another as look-outs on the top of the Residency, reported that a smaller number of men than usual were to be seen on the move. An Eurasian attached to the party working Dr. Fayrer's guns, was shot dead while working the 18-pounder guns this day, by a man said to be not sixty yards off. Several convalescents have been moved from the hospital to other quarters, and with happy results both as regards themselves and those left in the hospital, which greatly wanted a free circulation of air. Towards dusk many shells came in, and one exploded in the second brigade square; fortunately, it was seen coming, and no harm ensued. The powder magazine was made assecure as possible, by putting heavy beams across the roof, and covering them with two feet of earth. A fine night, but very much firing till midnight.