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Military History – South Africa – Europe – England 19th Century
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how, and I am trying to get this arranged in Aliwal North. Clothing for children is much needed,
especially now the school is likely to open, and I chose some women to receive and distribute the
goods. The great lack has been soap. Neither in this camp, nor in Norval’s Pont, has any been
supplied, and those without money have been unable to wash clothes or person properly. Men don’t
think of these things unless it is suggested to them ; they simply say, “ How dirty these people are! ”
I bought some soap in the town, and sent it in for immediate needs ; also material for the women
to make up themselves. Many have brought their sewing machines when they saved nothing else.
BACK IN BLOEMFONTEIN.
February 17.—I want very much to take the best class of young girls out of camp and place them
in boarding schools. The mothers cannot bear to see their girls, month after month, idle in these
camps. The life seems to be very demoralizing owing to its purposelessness, and this camp in
particular is quite bad for young girls. We all feel that. I can rig them cut with clothes from my store.
Now I am beginning to find out the best ways of spending the money.
First, the one I have just proposed, because to get away from the Camp is best.
Next, providing (if procurable) materials for both men and women to work at for their own use,
for sale, and also for occupation. A man said if he only had some leather he could keep his family in
shoes, and cobble for others for a few pence. To-morrow I shall try and purchase the materials, but
you must recollect everything here is scarce, and I may have to go to Capetown. To-day I found a man
making jolly little baskets most cleverly, just out of bushes from the kopje. The Dutch are so very full
of resource, and so clever. Then, too, they can make their own soap with fat and soda, and, though the
Government permit has at last come to supply soap in the rations, yet it might be cheaper to supply the
materials and employ a few women to make the necessary supply for the Camp.
At last, too, the tanks have come, and now we shall be able to begin boiling all the water before
giving it out, and I hope this may lessen the fever. The throat complaints are, the Doctor says, owing
entirely to the bad smells resulting from the bad sanitary arrangements. One side of the Camp the
odour is unbearable.
I have been interested in a little baby, born this week in a wee tent so poverty-stricken. The
mother asked me to name it with a name suitable to the times. I suggested “ Dolores,” or, what I
thought would be better still, “ Hope.” But the sad, sick mother can see no hope, and chose “ Dolores
” for her little child. As she could not do her washing, we got another woman to do it for her, and the
father cobbled that woman’s shoes by way of payment. In Irene Camp I hear there have been 200
cases of midwifery alone, so the baby outfits come handy everywhere.
I am very worried about the lack of mattresses, but if the military will give me hay or straw I
will set the people to work to make them themselves. No other kind of stuffing in any quantity seems
obtainable, and so, failing this, the majority must lie upon the hard ground, as they do now.
I feel very chirpy to-day, for I have got leave that one very nice woman, with three little
children, shall be allowed to go south to her friends in the Colony.*Many could be drafted off that
way, and so relieve the pressure.
I just want to send a line to assure you that the clothing is excellent, and much appreciated. I
want to send home all the blessing and thanks and hand-kisses I receive, feeling these rightly belong
to those who stitch.
Long pinafores are much worn by girls and women of all ages up to about 40, and kappies,
which I should describe as a kind of glorified sunbonnet. It makes the women look like magnified
children, but is rather picturesque.
February 18.—We want a larger supply of tents, so that there may be less overcrowding. At
present it averages six to a small bell-tent, which, of course, means nine and ten in many cases. The
capacity is under 500 cubic feet ; so even for six persons, imagine the atmosphere at night !
It is such a curious position, hollow and rotten to the heart’s core, to have made all over the
State large, uncomfortable communities of people whom you call refugees, and say you are
protecting, but who call themselves prisoners of war, compulsorily detained, and detesting your
protection.
Those who are suffering most keenly, and who have lost most, either of their children by death
or their possessions by fire and sword, such as these reconcentrated women in the camps, have the
most conspicuous patience, and never express a wish that their men should be the ones to give way. It
must be fought out now, they think, to the bitter end.
Feb. 22 .—In the morning word came that the four girls I selected had been let out of camp, and
allowed to come to the Boarding School, and I had to go and see they were clothed and shod.*Poor
girls, they said it had been such a treat to sleep in a bed once more after seven months in the Camp on
the ground. One of them,
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