The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-13
PRETORIA PRISON LIFE.
An English officers Account Of How
I'hcy Live aud are Treated.

An English officers Account Of How
I'hey Live aud are Treated.
! NEW YORK. Jan. ia dispatch
10 the Herald from Paris. says:
-'rhc Figaro publishes n long letter
which an English Officer a prisoner oI
war in Pretoria has written 20 a
member Of his family.
The writer says:
we ar. completely cut on from ali
Iews OF the outside world. and are
not allowed to see the newspapers.
We know. however, Of Ladysmlth
being bomblrded
Here we are prisoners of war and
I assure you Il Is pltiful condition.
Sometimes feel as II were going
mad and wish had been shot. We
had hoped we should BE- exchanged
or released on parole. but the Boer
authorities do not appear 10 under-
stand what parole means and seem
20 think we should not keep our word.
"As far as health gocs, We are well
and very well treated. We some
times receive visits from those In
command at Pretoria. the SECRETARY
Of war. :ield cornsts. chief magistrate
aud others. They are all very polite,
but are under the firm impression
THAI their prisoners are not well
treated by us and they are convinced
that our troops use dun dunn bul-
lets.
"At frs, we were nine officers
prisoners and aboat lsO men, bur the
other day our number was increased
by 40 officers. almost all ofiic Is Of
the Gloucester regiment and Royal
Irish Fusiliers, with Colonel Carleton.
so that now we are about "a officers
and iic0 men.
In front # the building there is a
yeranda on which We sat and watch
the people go by The government
gives us canned beef. bread. aud
water to drink and from time TO
time lime juice.
"oncc a week We get potatoes.
Happily we are now allowed TO buy
whatever We please. 50 we have been
able 10 organize mess and our
menu Is reiaforeed by bacon, por-
ridge preserved vegetables. ported
meats. pickles and tobacco.
Each day We send out our orders
and the things come later OF course,
when taken prisoners We had only
what was on our person. SO We had
u pure use many ~ cssstles such as
spongcs. soap, tooth brushes. hair
brushes and combs. The Transvaal
government. however, has given to
each Of us an iron bedstead with mat
tress and pillow, paJama suit. slip
pers flannel shirt, pocket handker-
chief, towel, socks, ect We also re-
oeived ready made suits, as cur khaki
uniforms were too much worn.
We officials live in large building
that was formerly usel as school
house The men are stu kent Oh the
race course We are certainly far
more comfortable than we were on
the :oce course for this is some
building. while On .he race course are
nothing but zinc sheds, II is. how
ever, not so warm as the race course
prison. We are no. 50 much annoyed
by hies, but at night there are a
good many mosquitoes.
I'VE are guarded night and day by
a strong police force, although none
of us has any intsnuon Of trying to
escape, We are surrounded by iron
palisades Behind the house there Is
small grass plot on which a little
zinc hut has been erected to serve as
a kitchen.
Here tents have been nut up for
servants, We were allowed to bring
ten men from the race course to act
for us, There are also tents for the
guard and zinc hut wheich does
duty as a bath room. We rise at
half past six o'clock and indulge in
cold bath.
when l am dressed walk around
the building eight times which makes
a mile. At half past eight we break
fast on porridge, bacon, sardines, but
ter, jams and tea and coffee. They
give us the tea and coffee and bread
and the rest we buy, After breakfast
we generally read and smoke until
lunch time, at l o'clock, when we get
beer, bread. butter, jam and water.
The afternoon seems very long, At
half past four we have tea and at
seven dinner.
after dinner some of us play
whist or chess. while others read. /
generally so to bed at half past seven
generally go to bed ct half past nine
O'clock Our checks are provided.
They are counterSigned by the senior
officers and cashed."