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Military History – South Africa – Europe – England 19th Century
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.Page 331
work, are dead, too. One of them, Poppy Naude, was a universal favourite. She did not know
where her mother was. Her father was in Norvals Pont, and there had been some talk of my taking her
to join him ; but in the end she thought she was doing useful work where she was, earning 2s. a day,
and she had better stay and nurse the people in Bloemfontein. I come back to find her dead. The
doctor, the nurse, and all had said, “ We can’t spare Poppy.”
But, in spite of the death-roll, I think your fund has saved and strengthened many children. It has
provided brandy, maizena, Mellin’s, and, where possible, fresh milk. The Government clothing has
hitherto come to almost nothing. I formed, as agreed, the committees. The camps were divided into
sections, the minimum required was noted down, and the total requisitioned for. Now it has come to a
full stop. The superintendent must certify that not one of the applicants has anybody in the camp who
could rightly maintain her. Amongst so many, to find that out is well-nigh impossible. The
superintendent hesitates, and the whole thing hangs fire.
Thus, had it not been for our clothing, things would have been bad indeed. I hope to get up to
Kroonstadt, where no help has been given.”
June 1.
These letters end with an expressed hope of going on to Kronstadt, where I had been earnestly
invited by the Superintendent, owing to the need of clothes in Camp and amongst the Boer nurses. But
permission to do this or to go further north at all was refused. This fact, combined with other reasons,
and the belief that a more detailed knowledge of the circumstances was evidently needed in England
to facilitate the collection of funds, etc., determined me to return home at once, a few weeks earlier
than I should otherwise have done.
Moreover, it became clear that one person is unable to cope with the work owing to the fresh
influx of people.
The months when the foregoing extracts from my letters were written are past and gone, but still
the Camps continue and increase. Below are the returns up to the end of April for those under O.R.C.
control. By this time those numbers are already left behind. More and more families are to be brought
in.
REFUGEE CAMPS. O.R.C.
(Return for week ending April 27, 1901.)
Whites. Natives. Total.
Brandfort ………
1022 …… 2147 …… 3169
Vredefort Road…
1373 …… 1859 …… 3232
Norval’s Pont ……
1596 ……–
……1596
Bloemfontein …
3689 ……1459 ……5148
Winburg ………
1145 …… –
……1145
Springfontein …
Heilbron ………
Aliwal North ……
Kroonstadt ……
Edenburg ………
Harrismith ………
Kimberley………
Bethulie …………
Ladybrand ……
Krommelleboog ..
3011
1304
1786
2502
–
275
1200
1125
361
23
20412
…… –
……1219
……1859
……–
……3048
……252
……200
……–
……–
……–
12043
……3011
……2523
……3645
……2502
……3048
……527
……1400
……1125
……361
……23
32455
Increase for week : 2897.
A letter from the Governor of Pretoria tells me of 25,000 in Transvaal Camps.
The Committee should notice the existence also of large Camps of natives, and in some at least
of these sickness and death abound.
During the past three months effort has undoubtedly been made to improve the Camps, but
difficulties of transport, scarcity of supplies and tents, limited means for outlay, tie the hands of those
in authority. Added to this the incompetence of some Superintendents, and an over-centralised system
which impedes good work that could and would be done by capable and resourceful local heads of
camps. Another bar to advance is the interlacing of civil and military authority, and the unfitness of
most military men (however good their intentions) for positions which involve the ordering of the
lives of women and children.
Thus the improvements have in many cases been swamped, partly by these things, and partly by
the rapid influx of people. For instance, a great blunder was made by bringing an extra 2,000 people
into Bloemfontein Camp, already known to be unhealthy and full of fever.
Among the things pressing hardest, and which tend to undermine the health and constitutions of
the women, are the following :—
Lack of Fuel.—Imagine three small sticks of wood 18 inches long, or small stony coal enough to
fill the well of a soup-plate, for daily cooking. The weekly baking becomes almost impossible, and
often the meat cannot be cooked, and the bread is sodden because underbaked.
In Kimberley charity has supplied the bulk of the fuel. In Springfontein mist (dried manure) ekes
out the scanty ration, and the women root up a small weed to try and heat their clay-built ovens. Oil
stoves would help if oil in any quantity could be procured.
Lack of Beds and Mattresses.—Only a few have beds or mattresses—the great majority lie on
the ground. Even if each tent had a bed, it would not accommodate more than one or two inhabitants
of the tent. Meanwhile the damp of the ground, the occasional streams of rain that run through, the
draughty night air coming beneath the flap of the tent, combine to lower the health of the children and
to kill them off in convalescent and delicate stages.
Lack of Soap.—This necessary was not given in any Camp. After much urging and
requisitioning, a very occasional and quite insufficient quantity is now doled out.
Diet.—The food is monotonous, and does not suit children. Some vegetable diet is greatly
needed. It presses hard when the meat (as often) is maggotty and the coffee coppery and undrinkable.
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