During the war we were several times struck by the gentle nature of the Boers.  They are indeed not that blood-thirsty, war-loving race which some have imagined them to be.  We make bold to say that there is nothing which they so much dislike and abhor as shedding blood and inflicting torture and misery on humanity.  They are essentially a peace-loving race, and will never indulge in war unless compelled by circumstances over which they have no control.

The British officers and soldiers who fell into their hands during the war can bear evidence from personal experience that the average Boer is dominated by kind and gentle sentiments.  He treated the wounded soldier and the prisoner-of-war with kindness.  He would share his last drop of water with the wounded, bandage his wounds to the best of his ability, and would extend to him all the medical attendance at his command.

Major J.B.  Seely, Conservative M.P. for the Isle of Wight, who served with the Hampshire Yeomanry for many months in the Transvaal, confirmed the above statements in a letter to the Times in the following way:—­

“During the seventeen months that I have served in South Africa I had, perhaps, rather exceptional opportunities of learning how our wounded were treated by the Boers.  On two different occasions men under my command who were dangerously wounded were attended with the greatest kindness and care by the Boers; and the wounded men themselves begged me to thank those who had been so good to them.  On both occasions the general in command of the column conveyed his thanks either personally or by letter.  I have spoken to many officers and men who have been left sick or wounded in the hands of the Boers, and in no single instance have I heard anything but gratitude expressed for the treatment they had received.  In the intense excitement of hand-to-hand fighting it may be difficult to differentiate between the wounded and unwounded, but the relatives and friends of those now fighting may rest assured that English left wounded on the field will receive from the Boers no less care and kindness than wounded Boers have invariably received from the English.”

Such is the testimony of men who came in contact with the Boers at a time when one would expect that the demoralizing and hardening influences of war had removed every vestige of gentleness.

We never heard the Boers use strong and abusive language towards prisoners-of-war.  On the contrary they would converse with them in a most genial and friendly spirit; so much so, that the onlooker could scarcely distinguish between Boer and Briton, friend or foe.  Now when the Boers behaved thus towards their prisoners-of-war they only did what they ought to have done.  When a man is captured or wounded he is no more an enemy in the literal sense of the word, and should not be treated as such.  Military precautions must necessarily be taken to prevent the escape of prisoners, but,