Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-18
a a
Prisoners Of Great Britain Enjoy
Themselves in Captivity.
Have Good Food md Pnrticipnte IN
PnstiInes of the English SOL
dicrs sccncs md Incl
dents of Interest.

Tf a criterion may be taken by the
condition of Boer life in the laagers
of Ceylon, it is comparatively good
thing to be a military pris OF the
British government.
Nursed in lap of modified luxury,
the 5000 trappers of the veldt on
the island are so well satisfied with
their surroundings as not to desire
a change until South Africa touches
normal once more, says the London
Express.
yhe captives are as healthy and fit
a crowd as ever stepped upon BRIT
ish possession, and a transport rides
at anchor in Colombo bay bereft OF
any justification for her existence
there as hospital ship.
The Beers are accommodated IN
iron huts in two camps, each of which
is inclosed by liberal radius or
barbed wire fencing, through which
the muzZles of Maxim or two pro-
trude as a sort of dumb sermon on
law and order. The area is large,
and the prisoners have abundant ex-
| ercise room. They are fond of chat'
| ting with their guards. and call them
| Tommy with easy familiarity, Just
as they used to do across the river
trenches at Fourteen Streams, for the
Boer has a quiet admiration for the
| British private, and in his days OF
much ease follows his example in
many things, including sport
The hot eastern days are beguiled
with noncXertive recreation, and IN
the cool tennis, cricket and football
form self-appointed curriculum Oh
athletic pastime.
1t is particularly interesting to no.
tice how much the prisoners have
taken to the purely British game OF
football. At the beginning they were
content to watch the Socker men OF
the garrison dribble, or to applaud
the deXterous handling of the oval
Then they joined in. and progressed
to a primitive game of their own
They have long since ceased to Dor
row the Gloucestershire regiment
ball: they have dozen of their own
and nit the Transvaalers against the
Free Staters, or the doppers of the
r. back veldt against the johannes
burgers"
4 The troops usually start the play
and leave off to be guard while th'
burghers attempt the intricacies o
combination.
The appetite of the captives is alb
normal. and the influx of so man.
big eaters has actually upset tn
local markets and brought about
? rise in the price of provender. Eve
the Gloucester sentry envies the Boe
his supplies, and is daily heard t
hold forth upon the iniquities of
M commissariat which provides CON
forting extras for the captivcs whic
find no place in the regulars dietary
But Tommy grumbles good-humoret
ly. and would share his ration an
day with hungry Boer, just becauS
he is the tame brave, tough, tende
lion-heartcd Atkins beloved of a
who know his sterling qualities
the field.
Commandants Krantz and OltviC
and nearly all the officers live on p;
role outside the camps. Many
them reside at the Queens hote
Kandi, including number of Frencl
men, who hold aloof from their TO
mer comradeS-at-arms.
Others, including a percentage
burghers who can afford it, live
the bungalows of Trincomali stree
and. save that they report daily
the chief of police, enjoy the priv
leges of a leisured resident or viSito
= Numbers of the men had carrie
cameras on commando, and the q
Iy. lombo apothecaries have been bus
developing plates and films in grc'
N. numbers.
no Vrouw Krantz, the wife of tt
commandant, is proud of having ca
ry ried rife on commando with III
n husband Guests at the Queens h
tel often hear the good lady recoul
w. her bag of rooineks. There is not
M suspicion of animus shown again
W. the British The captives are graf
at full for good quarters and liber
treatment.
Its Many Beers are voluntarily Ell
on ployed on the foreshore works
Colombo at a wage, and one at lea
iaS has been installed into the ease
ha comfortable government bile
oh This fellow means to stay, and h
rec sent for his vrouw.
lth Such is burgher life in the laage
Ill of Ceylon, where there is a phil
sophie calm and an absence of wor
ce, about war. The veldtborn look abo
o' them with we'll fed and leisured
re- difference, and some say that VIII
to they cross the Vaal again there W
en- be big trek north to alien ter
Us tory.