August 29th.—Cooler weather. Our miners busily employed endeavouring to break into theenemy's gallery, which, though quite close to our own, had not yet been found. The magazine sergeants at work, making an expence magazine in the Begum Kotee. The upper story of Mr. Gubbins's house was no longer safe, owing to the numbers of round shot through it, and the ladies were removed. Much difficulty was experienced in finding quarters for them, every place being so crowded, and the ladies were already four and five together in very small badly ventilated native buildings; dreadful smells pervading the whole place, from the half-buried bodies of men, horses, and bullocks, and also from the drains—some of which were fearfully offensive, as we had no means of attending to them. Several more servants deserted last night; which caused the very greatest inconvenience, as already very few officers had any. About 10A.M.our miners broke into the enemy's gallery, which they immediately abandoned, and began to fill in the shaft; we as instantly applied a barrel of powder at the farther end of their sap, and blew up their work altogether. Our men brought away their lantern, tools, and a bottle of oil, which in their haste they had left. Very heavy rain all the forenoon.
Sickness became daily more prevalent, and a number of officers and "the uncovenanted" were daily placed on the sick list. To-day it was decided to issue one month's pay after the 1st proximo, for the month of July. The heavy rain caused one of the enemy's mines, running towards the outpost called Mrs. Sago's house, to fall in. This mine was never known to us, or even suspected. Many and grave doubts and suspicions were entertained that the enemy were running a mine towards the Redan battery. Captain Fulton, Garrison Engineer, did not, however, share in this opinion. A native artilleryman, who belonged to a number entertained by Mr. Gubbins, deserted from his post while on sentry over one of the guns in Mr. G.'s compound. A European sentry fired at him, but did not succeed in hitting him.
Now that it appeared evident that the siege must last in all probability another month, increased care and vigilance in the issuing of all stores was observed. The rain cleared off towards evening. A considerable cannonade all through the night.