ote 22: There were three such tents about 100 yards beyond the
hospital; they were the most dilapidated tents in the whole Camp,
always open; they were occasionally blown down.]

[Footnote 23: A ration of coal was sometimes served out.]

[Footnote 24: Another old College chum.]

[Footnote 25: The Van As's received my ration (which was same as
theirs), and I took all my meals with them.]

[Footnote 26: This doctor, a most capable man, was always most
friendly to me. I had learnt to humour him, and he was ever willing
to accompany me, even at night, to desperate cases. He was, however,
almost as universally detested as he was feared, and ultimately was
knocked down by an irate husband.]

CHAP. II.

Sunday, September 1.--Recklessness; preached twice to-day without any
preparation; "sommer uit die vuis uit" (literally, straight from the
fist); simply compelled to; very unpleasant day; wind and dust; made
services very short; fifty-five minutes.

In afternoon a large crowd of young people.

Mr. Otto took funerals for me this morning (eleven buried).

This afternoon Mr. Becker buried six.

About fourteen have died since last night.

It is pitiable to see the innocent little children and babies
suffering and struggling against the accursed pneumonia; and there
seems no hope when once they get it. Poor little mites!

A census taken lately gives 683 as the number of sick. Milk ration[27]
has been stopped since yesterday; new sorrow. Our Camp a veritable
valley of desolation. For the very essence of sorrow and misery, come
here! For weeping, wailing mothers, come here! For broken hearts,
come here! For desperate misery and hopelessness, come here! What
would become of us if we had not our Religion to fall back upon!
What, if we had not the assurance that a Good and Merciful God reigns
above! What if there was no Love! What, if there was no hope of the
Resurrection and Life Everlasting! What, if there is nothing beyond
the Grave!

The nights here are so awful, and one yearns for day; and then the
fearfulness of being awakened repeatedly in the night by the tramp of
those who carry away the dead to the morgue tents. I woke last night
in such a way, and knew that they were bearing young Herklaas away.
One grows a bit pessimistic under the circumstances. Despite my
services, I had to visit several sick--mostly dying children, with
weeping mothers. It is so hard to pray, and so very wearying. And
then, to comf