In hospital things are rather glum; Miss Snyman utterly weak and fearfully excited; hysterical girl still alive; so are all others; but I fear some of them won’t see light of morning.

Doctor actually in bed in hospital; bad too; rather a sell; tables cruelly turned on us.

* * * * *

Tuesday, September 10.—­Ladies’ Commission here again; can more or less predict what report will be.[37]

Rain all night; soaking showers; this morning everything very muddy; some streets in Camp awful; and then to see the “gesukel” (distress) this morning all round among the women trying to cook breakfast.

Yesterday met several women carrying heavy buckets of water; “Dit is daarom nie vrouwen’s werk nie” (This truly is not work for women).

The women here have a rough time; what with no servants, no kitchen, scanty wood, and poor rations; it is hard to make ends meet.  Were it not for the little extras[38] we have (golden syrup, jam, oatmeal, tea and until yesterday fat), I wonder what I would do.

Went to village to-day; nothing to be had there; was absolutely refused permit for rice and beans; got 4 lbs. peas; candles not to be had for love or money; dined Beckers.

Owing to presence of Ladies’ Commission, unable to do my daily visit to hospital; three have died—­Mrs. Kruger, Miss Ackerman, and a lad of seventeen.

Superintendent called me to-day, and said I could issue “briefies” (notes) for food to-morrow; very glad, for I know many tents where there is dire distress.

Very weary and sickish; eager for bed.

Funerals nine; “U te kennen is het eeuwige leven” (To know Thee is life everlasting.”

Yesterday Mr. Becker buried eleven.

* * * * *

To-day most were in blankets.

Wednesday, September 11.—­Waylaid doctor; throat bad; got two bottles medicine; seedy.

34 and 71 great distress; the girl in 71 actually still alive; some people die hard.

Hurried back to hospital; Miss Snyman now so hysterical removed; tent to herself; wonder if!

That Lotz girl too is still alive; but what a wonderful constitution she must have!

Saw some distressing and heartrending cases to-day.

626; mother in agony; strong daughter (18) in throes of death and fearfully “benauwd” (in agony), pneumonia.  Little sister; insensible; far gone; no doctor.

Hunted for doctor; gone to village; took him down this evening at nine.  O, the sorrow of it!  Can never imagine a more harrowing spectacle; we got medicine down; stayed three-quarters of an hour; left doctor there and returned.  Here go the bearers with their lifeless burden; the elder sister died little while ago.

The little one, too, is dead; poor suffering innocents!

That sweet little girl at 128, whom I visited late last night, and with whom I prayed—­she, too, died early this morning; and now she has the desire of her heart:  they were laying her out when I called this morning.