saying, "Is Childers here?" It turned out to be Bagenal,
one of the released Irish Yeomanry, and a friend of Henry's, who had
come from him to look for me. Henry is wounded in the foot, but now
"right as rain." He is in the Convalescent Camp, which is plainly
visible from here, about a mile off. It seems that by another lucky
coincidence he received letters meant for me, and so knew I was in
Pretoria. The whole affair abounds in coincidences, for had I answered
the cable home I should have said "foot slight," or something like it,
and he would have said the same. It would have done for either. We are
lucky to have found one another, for the Secretary's inquiries led to
nothing.

I have been reading in the _Bloemfontein Post_ a report of the
Hospital Commission. I have no experience of General Hospitals, but
some of the evidence brings out a point which is heightened by
contrast with a hospital like this, and that is the importance of
close supervision of orderlies, on whom most of the comfort of a
patient depends. To take one instance only; if a man here is ordered
port wine, it is given him personally by the Sister. To give orderlies
control of wine and spirits is tempting them most unfairly. On the
whole, I should say this hospital was pretty well perfect. The Sisters
are kindness itself. The orderlies are well-trained, obliging, and
strictly supervised. The Civil Surgeon, Dr. Williams, is both skilful
and warm-hearted. There is plenty of everything, and absolute
cleanliness and order.

_The Strange Story of the Occupation and Surrender of Klerksdorp, as
told by a Trooper of the Kimberley Light Horse, taken Prisoner about
July 10, by De Wet, released at Warm Baths on August 28, and now in
this ward._

Early in June, twenty-one men and four officers of the Kimberley Light
Horse rode out thirty miles from Potchefstroom, and summoned the town
of Klerksdorp to surrender. It is a town of fair size, predominantly
Dutch, of course, but with a minority of English residents. The
audacious demand of the Liliputian force was acceded to. They rode in,
and the British flag was hoisted. With charming effrontery it was
represented that the twenty-one were only the forerunners of an
overwhelming force, and that resistance was useless. The Dutch were
cowed or acquiescent, and a splendid reception was given to the army
of occupation; cheering, flag-waving, and refreshments galore. Their
commanding officer mounts the Town Hall steps