[Footnote 27: Condensed milk.]
[Footnote 28: I had in my innocence written to Mr. Robertson to
enlist his sympathy on behalf of some people who wished to be removed
to other Camps where their families were. In this letter I casually
mentioned the meat affair. In the second letter, to my mother (who
was collecting to send me a fresh small supply of invalid food), I
stated that she was on no account to send such things unless it could
be guaranteed that I should have the sole right to distribute. I
adopted this precaution because I found that the authorities reserved
for themselves the right of distributing all goods (foodstuffs) sent
by private Relief Committees, doing with such as they chose. Needless
to say, both letters were destroyed.]
[Footnote 29: This can be altogether misconstrued. The "reasonable"
was only in comparison with the stormy interview of the day before,
when the Superintendent attacked me most fiercely. When I began the
second interview by saying I wished to resign, he changed front
altogether. It had been purely a game of bluff on his part.
It would perhaps be well to state here my attitude towards the
authorities in Camp.
It did not take me very many days to see exactly how things stood,
and I determined to have absolutely nothing to do with these men: to
ask no favours, and to be under no obligation to them for anything.
Of course, there came days when I was forced, under stress of
circumstances, to eat these resolutions.]
[Footnote 30: Martie Snyman.]
[Footnote 31: My great zeal in this matter led me to be rather severe
and inconsistent; just the same as a teacher who will stand no
excuses from his pupils.]
[Footnote 32: Betty Lotz.]
[Footnote 33: This child of four years gnashed all her teeth to
pieces before she died. She obstinately refused all nourishment, and
told her mother she did not want to live longer. She was indeed a
marvel. I gave the mother beef tea, which was all this child lived on
for two weeks. The mother used deceitfully (!) to give it beef tea
when it called for water.]
[Footnote 34: On the ground.]
[Footnote 35: Aunt; she was really the grandmother, though. Reference
is made later to this same case.]
[Footnote 36: For cocoa.]
[Footnote 37: These ladies never approached me, and yet they might
have known that I would naturally know more about the state of the
Camp than anyone else. The Superintendent led them about--where he
chose, I suppose. They were regarded with universal contempt by the
people. Their report I have not yet seen, but I know this: that the
Superintendent was not immediately dismissed as he should have been.
(This was only done in December.) Perhaps the subsequent extension of
the hospital and removal to a better site were due to these ladies'
suggestions. I remember, though, that we had quite decent meat (beef)
during the few days that they visited the camp.]
[Footnote 38: I had brought with me six tins syrup, a few tins jam, 1
lb. of tea, and a little oatmeal.]
[Footnote 39: The Rev. J. Steytler, who had also gone to labour in a
camp. He was sent away for political reasons.]
[Footnote 40: This was my daily dilemma: Speak out and protest, and
be removed or imprisoned--hold silence and [Transcriber's note: illegible word] the
coward, and remain in the work. And I chose the latter.]
[Footnote 41: The rule was that a card, with the number of any tent
where medical attendance was desired, should be pinned to the
Chemist's Tent before a certain hour in the morning. Many chose to
have no attendance, so great was their fear and dread for two of the
doctors. Many, too, in spite of their cards, were never visited.]
[Footnote 42: Dutch idiom, literally translated, "pull through."]
[Footnote 43: This calamity, fortunately, only cast its shadow--it
never fell. The Rev. Mr. Becker used to come over every afternoon,
and continued this labour of love until the end of November, when he
was prohibited from visiting the camp any more. How faithful he was!
How well I remember the little figure in black flitting hither and
thither among the tents. We seldom met in camp, but many a time I
smuggled into a tent where I had seen him enter, just to learn from
him to pray.]
[Footnote 44: Mr. Otto, the Schoolmaster of Dewetsdorp, a God-fearing
man, with a large heart and a great soul--a blessing to many.]
[Footnote 45: The last day for the Boers to lay down arms, according
to Kitchener's great proclamation.]
[Footnote 46: Whereon I used to hang out my bedding.]
[Footnote 47: Never was there crueller irony of fate than in this
doctor's case. He was altogether unpopular with the authorities, and
was at last dismissed for incompetence. When the news of his
dismissal became known, a petition was drawn up in his lines, praying
that he might remain. This was granted. The day I left hospital he
was carried in, stricken with enteric--and he died.]
[Footnote 48: Biltong is dried beef. These people were new arrivals.
Mr. Van As and I often remarked to each other that one could readily
distinguish the new arrivals from the rest--the former always
appearing ruddy and in good health.]
[Footnote 49: Baby Van As.]
[Footnote 50: Which I practically stole.]
[Footnote 51: Members of the Afgescheidene Kerk (Doppers) sing only
Psalms, never Hymns.]
[Footnote 52: This was Mrs. Van der Berg--Lenie's mother.]
[Footnote 53: Lenie van der Berg.]
[Footnote 54: My brother packed a box of groceries for me, and my
mother bought a fresh supply of invalid food.]
[Footnote 55: Merchant at Bloemfontein, to whom I had written for
groceries.]
[Footnote 56: The two shops in Camp contained precious little, and no
foodstuffs.]
[Footnote 57: Mr. Van As and Mr. Fourie were the contractors.]
[Footnote 58: How well I remember this incident; how we hopefully
approached the Superintendent's tent; how he gave two little boxes;
and how he said, "That's the way you spoil them," as I myself
unpacked the bottle straw for the old man. (The bottle straw had to
be saved for his horse's bedding.)]
[Footnote 59: I got permission first.]
[Footnote 60: Literally from Dutch "spit afbijten"--bear the brunt.]