that there would be more D.S.O's or V.C's handed out, for
the first "Tommies" to arrive at the prisoners' camp would be hailed
as deliverers, and half of them would be certain of distinctions.

I was also extremely dissatisfied with the way the prisoners had been
lodged, and so would any officer in our fighting line have been had he
seen their condition and accommodation. But those who have never been
in a fight and who had only performed the "heroic" duty of _guarding_
prisoners-of-war, did not know what humanity meant to an enemy who had
fallen into their hands.

So what was I to do?

To disobey the Government's orders was impossible. I accordingly
resolved to notify the prisoners that, "for military reasons," it
would be impossible to keep them in confinement any longer.

The next morning I mustered them outside the camp, and they were told
that they had ceased to be prisoners-of-war, at which they seemed to
be very much amazed. I was obliged to go and speak formally to some of
them; they could scarcely credit that they were free men and could go
back to their own people. It was really pleasant to hear them cheer,
and to see how pleased they were. A great crowd of them positively
mobbed me to shake hands with them, crying, "Thank you, sir; God bless
you, sir." One of their senior officers was ordered to take charge of
them, while a white-flag message was sent to General Pole-Carew to
send for these fine fellows restored to freedom, and to despatch an
ambulance for the sick and wounded. My messenger, however, did not
succeed in delivering the letter, as the scouts of the British
advance-guard were exceedingly drunk, and shot at him; so that the
prisoners-of-war had to go out and introduce themselves. I believe
they were compelled to overpower their own scouts.

Ten days afterwards an English doctor and a lieutenant of the 17th
Lancers came to us, bringing a mule laden with medical appliances and
food. The English medico, Dr. Ailward, succeeded, moreover, in getting
through our lines without my express permission.

Next morning I accompanied an ambulance train to transport the wounded
British to the charge of the British agent at Delagoa Bay. Outside
Nooitgedacht I found four military doctors with a field ambulance.

"Does this officer belong to the Red Cross?" I asked.

"No," was the answer, "he is only with us quite unofficially as a
sympathetic friend."

"I regret," said I, "that I cannot allow this thing