FOOTNOTES:[61]Size of this house (!), 10 feet by 7 feet; height, 7-1/2 feet.[62]The Orange River is an hour's walk from Camp.[63]This is no reflection upon the two nurses, Miss Rouvier and Miss Roos, who had the management of the hospital. The arrival of a new matron simply meant more help.[64]These boards were sold at 7s. 6d. a piece to the people.[65]This room was built at my own expense, but I was obliged to ask the Superintendent for six old sheets of galvanized iron for the roof. When the building was finished, I was told, to my dismay, that my tent would now have to be given up, as I had been given a roof.[66]Exclamation of amusement—a literal translation from the Dutch.[67]Literally again, Can you want more?[68]Two very sympathetic doctors came about ten days later. One was Dr. Stuart, the other's name I do not remember.[69]This emphatic surprise because of the great dislike that was usually shown to accept dying patients.
[61]Size of this house (!), 10 feet by 7 feet; height, 7-1/2 feet.
[61]Size of this house (!), 10 feet by 7 feet; height, 7-1/2 feet.
[62]The Orange River is an hour's walk from Camp.
[62]The Orange River is an hour's walk from Camp.
[63]This is no reflection upon the two nurses, Miss Rouvier and Miss Roos, who had the management of the hospital. The arrival of a new matron simply meant more help.
[63]This is no reflection upon the two nurses, Miss Rouvier and Miss Roos, who had the management of the hospital. The arrival of a new matron simply meant more help.
[64]These boards were sold at 7s. 6d. a piece to the people.
[64]These boards were sold at 7s. 6d. a piece to the people.
[65]This room was built at my own expense, but I was obliged to ask the Superintendent for six old sheets of galvanized iron for the roof. When the building was finished, I was told, to my dismay, that my tent would now have to be given up, as I had been given a roof.
[65]This room was built at my own expense, but I was obliged to ask the Superintendent for six old sheets of galvanized iron for the roof. When the building was finished, I was told, to my dismay, that my tent would now have to be given up, as I had been given a roof.
[66]Exclamation of amusement—a literal translation from the Dutch.
[66]Exclamation of amusement—a literal translation from the Dutch.
[67]Literally again, Can you want more?
[67]Literally again, Can you want more?
[68]Two very sympathetic doctors came about ten days later. One was Dr. Stuart, the other's name I do not remember.
[68]Two very sympathetic doctors came about ten days later. One was Dr. Stuart, the other's name I do not remember.
[69]This emphatic surprise because of the great dislike that was usually shown to accept dying patients.
[69]This emphatic surprise because of the great dislike that was usually shown to accept dying patients.
Here the Diary ends abruptly.
The last entry is Thursday, the 24th October.
I continued work until the Sunday following; but after the services of the day I felt a little more than simply tired. On Monday, however, the funerals had to be taken in the afternoon. That was the last duty done in camp. Then I knew enteric was upon me, and on Friday, the 1st November, they carried me into hospital.
After more than a month in hospital, during convalescence (but while mentally affected) I ran away to the Van As's. It was a case of mental delusion. The whole issue of the war depended upon me—could I be kept in hospital, then the English would win; was I allowed to escape, the Boers would win.
After ten days in camp again (for I was wisely left alone), it slowly dawned upon me (while waiting for a permit to return home) that every one had been bought over to conspire against me. So I left the camp one evening after dark. Mr. Becker was the only man to be trusted, and to the Beckers forthwith I fled.
In another ten days my brother arrived to take me home.
During these days of blank, my chief pastime was to recite the Burial Service.
When once home, complete recovery came speedily.
A.—Three subjects there were which, while writing the Diary, I decided to treat fully later—"The Daily Funerals," "The Sanitation," and "The Officials." This could be done from memory, and could well stand aside while devoting my time to the daily experiences.
There is, however, too much of the morbid in the Diary already without wilfully adding more, so "The Daily Funerals" is let alone.
The second will be too disgusting, so it must stand over too; and as for "The Officials," two have since died (December, 1901—enteric), and so that chapter as well may not be written.
B.—One word more on the mortality of the Camp. Here is the official record of the deaths:—
The Rev. Mr. Becker, however (who made a point of noting down the exact number of deaths each day) gives 206, 246, 157 as the totals for August, September, October respectively. The amended grand total would then come to 1,351.
Variant spellings have been retained. In a few instances, punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected. These are listed below.
1) In Footnote 20, the original reads: "The flour given was good for the bread was usually excellent." A comma has been added.
2) In Chapter II, page 16; the original reads "A cenus taken lately".
3) In Chapter II, page 39; the original reads "same one I had long tallks with before".
4) In Chapter II, page 49: the original reads "so had hrriedly to go".
5) In Chapter II, page 52: the original reads "What one longs for is possibility to have on day or afternoon off".
6) In Footnote 51, the original reads: "... sing only Psalms. never Hymns." A period has been replaced with a comma.
7) In Chapter III, page 58: the original reads: "you won't find child alive though;;".
END OF TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES