A rather pathetic letter written to Captain Smith by nine well-known Port Natal settlers imprisoned at Pietermaritzburg by the Boers. Although they assure Smith that they are being treated with great kindness, it emerges a few lines later that they are in the stocks. They are prepared to hand over all their property as ransom if Captain Smith will intervene for thier release. He was, of course, unable to help. (From documents in possession of the Durban Light Infantry)