ht.

Wonder what I would have done were the Van As's not here; so happy
with them; everyone always so cheerful[25].

At tea called to pray with dying little girl; went immediately, and
found tent full of weeping and wailing women; the little girl was in
death's throes; short prayer, and when I finished her spirit had
fled; mother frantic; hard, very hard to know how best to comfort. A
woman is a wonderful network of cross-wires, and when these wires
get unstrung or entangled, the result is most distressing. In
presence of such, one feels hopelessly lost, and all one can do is
to--walk away. And yet, for downright, dogged perseverance--for
silent, struggling endurance--for quiet, patient suffering--commend
me to a woman. What would become of Man without the Woman!

* * * * *

Saturday, August 31.--Glum; just returned from dying boy, Herklaas;
young, strong; father Ceylon; visited him yesterday; said he did not
want to die because his father was away, and he had to care for the
mother. Touched late last night, and found him very bad; went down
again with doctor[26]; this morning he was better, but this afternoon
worse, and now (10 p.m.) I find him dying. I am very, very
down-hearted to-night, and am tempted to think that, after all,
God--No! I won't write it, because I believe this is a temptation of
Satan! But oh! we did pray so fervently that God should spare his
life; he is still so young and so strong. Found some more inquisitive
onlookers. Some folks will put themselves to endless inconvenience to
be able to witness a deathbed. They revel in it. I am vexed in my
soul, and feel as though I could knock down everyone of them.

Funerals twice to-day.

This morning I buried seven; "Het wordt snellijk afgesneden" (For it
is soon cut off).

This afternoon Mr. Becker buried six.

There were twenty corpses in morgue tents this morning.

This afternoon a column struck camp half a mile north of our Camp.

To-morrow is Sunday; I am quite unprepared, and must hold two
services.

Walked through Camp this evening (10 p.m.); found several women busy
round fire; all to warm "pap" (poultice) for sick children. Pneumonia
is playing havoc.

Better stop; feeling tootoo to-night; and besides, my two letters
have again been returned by the Censor, and I am too cross for
anything.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Mr. Van As and Mr. Fourie laid out the floor for my
tent, and encircled it with a 9-i