Today in Kimberley's History
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92 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1900
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Owing to Mr Rhodes's suggestions, which were at first opposed by Colonel Kekewich, 60 or more natives from the Compounds have been paid off and provisioned, and allowed to try and get through the Boer lines to their own countries. It takes several hours to talk to them before all their questions, fears, and arguments are answered, and they are satisfied to leave. This tiresome task is accomplished by Mr Fynn, an agent of Mr Rhodes, who can speak several of the Native dialects.
A body of Coloured people left under the White Flag the other day and returned frightened a few hours after. They were eventually persuaded to try again, and we did not see anything more of them, so gathered they had got through. About 7 000 have left Kimberley within the last few weeks, which helps considerably the state of our Commissariat.
Jack is having a good deal of trouble with the men at the Camp who won't eat horse-flesh. Some have not touched meat since it was first served out, and as they only have bread and coffee besides, with occasionally mealie meal porridge, their condition when they arrive on 'Sick Parade' is very low and weak, and unless they are sent to the already congested Hospital, there is nothing much to be done for them at the Camp where the stock of medical comforts, except cocoa, is finished. However, Jack is doing his best to requisition for bacon and ham and cheese, having been told by a 'Little Bird' that they have been carefully saved up somewhere.
Major Fraser reported that from Beaconsfield shells could be seen dropping in the vicinity of Scholtz's Nek last night, and a considerable amount of heavy firing could be heard. About 80 waggons have been seen during the last 48 hours trekking away from the Boer laagers round us to Cronje's Commandos around Spytfontein. We hear the Boers have christened Barkly West 'New Boshof'.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Owing to Mr Rhodes's suggestions, which were at first opposed by Colonel Kekewich, 60 or more natives from the Compounds have been paid off and provisioned, and allowed to try and get through the Boer lines to their own countries. It takes several hours to talk to them before all their questions, fears, and arguments are answered, and they are satisfied to leave. This tiresome task is accomplished by Mr Fynn, an agent of Mr Rhodes, who can speak several of the Native dialects.
A body of Coloured people left under the White Flag the other day and returned frightened a few hours after. They were eventually persuaded to try again, and we did not see anything more of them, so gathered they had got through. About 7 000 have left Kimberley within the last few weeks, which helps considerably the state of our Commissariat.
Jack is having a good deal of trouble with the men at the Camp who won't eat horse-flesh. Some have not touched meat since it was first served out, and as they only have bread and coffee besides, with occasionally mealie meal porridge, their condition when they arrive on 'Sick Parade' is very low and weak, and unless they are sent to the already congested Hospital, there is nothing much to be done for them at the Camp where the stock of medical comforts, except cocoa, is finished. However, Jack is doing his best to requisition for bacon and ham and cheese, having been told by a 'Little Bird' that they have been carefully saved up somewhere.
Major Fraser reported that from Beaconsfield shells could be seen dropping in the vicinity of Scholtz's Nek last night, and a considerable amount of heavy firing could be heard. About 80 waggons have been seen during the last 48 hours trekking away from the Boer laagers round us to Cronje's Commandos around Spytfontein. We hear the Boers have christened Barkly West 'New Boshof'.