The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10

nearly all cases the conversations were
begun by u.s., so there was total alb
sence OF anything like exultation over
what they must consider military sue
cess. Not word, not look, not a ges-
ture or sign that could by the most sensi-
tive of persons be construed as a display
of their superiority.
The Horrors of wnr.
Far from il; there was sadness al
most anguish. in the way in which they
referred to our fallen soldiers 1 can best
convey the truth OF this statement and
show that there is no attempt at exagger-
alton in using the word anguish by re-
peating expressions used. not once. but
again and again by great numbers of them
as they inspected the CHASTITY piles of our
dead. My God, What a sight I wish
politicians could see their handiwork,
What can God in heaven think of this
sight? What a cursed war that brings
these poor fellows to such an end,' We
hate this war. This war is aceursei.
Every day on our knees we all pray that
God will bring this war to an end
1T is not our war: it is a war of
the millionaires. What enmity have we
with these poor fellows Would that
Chamberlain Rhodes, and the millionaires
When will this unjust war end?' We
hate all war. We are men of peace. We
want to go back to our homes and farms
to SOW our seed and reap our fields, and
not to make war. Good God when will 1t
end?'
There were many like expressions OF
grief used, but these were the most fire.
quent. and are those that remain indeIi-
bly, imprinted on my memory. together
with the inexpressible sorrow stamped on
every face. At the burial service all stood
reverently bareheaded and all who could
speak English Joined in the words of the
Our Father
Like Respectable Farmers.
1T is important for me to state that
what | have written does not refer to one
small party of the Beers. The Spion
plateau WAS not in the occupation, as
might have been supposed, OF enc contin-
gent or commando. Large parties, with
now and then field cornet in their midst
came streaming over the ground all day
long; none remained for more than an
hour, so that | do not remember seeing
single individual a second time after an
hours interval, with the exception OF four
or Ave doctors who came up from the Boer
hospital below Spion Kop on Thursday and
Friday.
Il do not hesitate to say that in the
three days | spoke with some hundreds
standing around US in groups of from ten
to twenty. Apart from several foreigners.
chiefly Swiss and Italians. the Beers
seemed to me to belong to the farmer
class, some dressed like English gentle
man farmers, and others, who formed the
majority less well-dressed, but with no
signs of raggedness about them. and with
scarcely any evidences of the wear and
tear OF the campaign. | think | have writ
ten enough to convey to the military au-
thorities an idea of the friendly and cour-
teous bearing of the Beers toward the
chaplains and OF their sympathetic and
respectful attitude toward our fallen COM
rades during our visit to Spion Kop in
discharge of our duties.
again | will add, they EXPRESSED their
admiration for the bravery of our men.
Several used the expression Ausser ordent-
Itch tapfere extraordinarily bravel. One
matter more in the interest of mutual
courtesy. / will end with. During the
burial of our dead the Beers informed NE
they had orders not to fire a shot. 1t was
by some inadvertenee. 1 am convinced.
that both on Friday and Saturday our guns
opened fire. Several of the field comets
referred to this action ON our part with
regret, one with considerable warm indig
nation