The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-25
A BOER CAMP in CEYL0N
LIEUT.. w. NJ. crosse, u. =. NJ. WRITES
INTERESTINGLY ABOUT IT.
A Unique Publication I'm which the
Expatriated Beers Express Their
Hopes and Fears.

An interesting newspaper has bee. re-
ceived in this city from Lieut.. w. NJ. Crosse,
of the United States navy, of the battle
ship Kentucky. that recently touched at
Colombo on her way to Manila. He is a
Crosse. of this city. Lieutenant Crosse writes:
'The British transport Catalonia recently
brought about one thousand Boer prisoners
to Ceylon. andj they are now in an en-
campment up country, some distance in
land from Colombo. They have amused
themselves painting post cards and picture
frames-some Of them. / mean-carving
pipes and boxes, and some of them started
publication. The first copy had an ex
plosive bullet as head, and the authori-
ties made them change it. The publishers
were allowed TO print only five numbers.
We're printed of each Advantage was
taken of the permission to publish the pa
per to print some Objectionable articles.
SO the British suppressed it.
Colombo is one of the busiest seaports
L ever saw. All, or nearly all. vessels en-
route to China. Japan, Siberia. the East
Indies and Australia stop in here so that
the harbor Is always full of shipping 1t
Is a beautiful place, and at this time of
year Qatter part of january it is not very
hot, although Ii Is only about degrees
from the equator. The British have a way
of making themselves comfortable, no mat
ter where they may be, and the big, one
story bungaloes. with broad verandas and
settle down here for the rest of my natural
life: Living is cheap. servants are cheap
clothes We have been here nearly week,
and tomorrow We leave direct for Manila -
A UNIQUE PUBLICATION.
The publication referred to by Lieuten-
ant Crosse is small six-page paper, pub
lished on fine linen paper. 1t is profusey
illustrated with comic pictures, and the
work Is all done by writing and then MINI
eographed. The paper sent by Lieutenant
Crosse is No. of the publication, the one
issued before the British suppressed the
paper. 1t sells for 20 cents, and is dated
Camp Tyre, Diyatalawa. Is Oktober.'' The
head dress of the paper represents man
| playing Tyre beneath a cocoanut tree,
while two monkeys are juggling cocoanuts
| on the other sides of the tree. The publca-
| ton Is well filled with advertisements, most
of which are notices Of shooting galleries in
| the camp. Such advertisements say that
only saloon rifles are used. One advertise
ment reads; "P. d. OReilly, NJ. E. Ii
| censed Jeweler and goldsmith. Native gold
| and silver jewelry a speciality. A stock
OF rubies, sapphires, cat s-eyes and moon
| stones. rough or polished, on hand Trans
vaal and Free State coat-of-arms special
| ty- Engravings of jewelry made TO any
| design. Loans on approved security to any
amount. Address Hut 27."
Another advertisement reads: Free State
| and Transvaal beer hall. Cool drinks, hop.
| ginger always on hand. Professor Fraser.
the great palmist. always in attendance
Half Of the reading matter or the paper
| Is published In Dutch and the other half in
/ English. The paper contains long story
entitled "Perverters OF the Truth" 1t
reads. 1.-THE poet tells us that heaven lies
about I'm our infancy. In boyhood DAYS
/ fond parents do the lying for us; when we
are grown up We lie for ourselves and
| about ourselves. When the end of the nose
and the lips and the toes are turned up to
| the roots Of the daisies the tombstone takes
| UP the wondrous tale. Thus il would APP
/ pear that We are compassed about with ly-
/ ing from the cradle to the grave and even
/ beyond. What wonder, then, that having
| nothing else TO do at Diyatalawa, we pur-
sue tne ola familiar habits and pervert
| the truth for pastime? When the entire
| camp is anxiously straining its ears for
news, and cablegrams are scarce why
should MOI some of our comrades in whom
| others manufacture their own news? AT
all events there are those who reason thus.
| brought the news into existence and indus.
| triously disseminate IL amongst the many-
/ headed multitude.
| CAMP TALES.
| Sometimes the seed falls into sbailov
| eround-goes In at one ear and out at the
other. Sometimes 1t falls amongst thorns-
| the teller Is choked off by a listener wbo
| knows him too well, but sometimes n falls
| into good ground = good. productive soil.
/ The man who hears il will tell il and retell
| II until the original fiblet has been mag
| nihed thirty. forty or hundredfold into a
| colossal lie The whole camp has II nv
/ heart and there is general unrest Then
| the news monger is happy. During the last
| week the camp has been full OF rumors
| Matched in the above manner. The purport
| of most OF them was that the long and
sanguinary war that has occupied the stir
ring twelve months behind was over
/ forever-portion and parcel OF a dreadful
| past-and that gentle winds were already
/ waiting the ships that should carry tEe
| exies home again. This story has been
| repeated in a hundred different forms dur.
1 ing the week. Day unto day has uttered
/ speech, night unto night has shown knowl-
/ edge, and a knowledge that was akin 10
/ ignorance. And still we are in the dark
1 as TO the truth. There IS nothing for il
/ but patience. When the ships arrive and
| we are on board we shall apologize To the
last man who spread the rumor and be-
| lieve HIM"
This story shows that the Beers are anx.
| iously waiting for their deliverance from
the prison camp. The paper contains a
| column called Camp Sweepings," and the
| principal item concerns a revival of box
ing In the camp. There was one lively bon,
| ir which the winner challenged any man IN
the camp for five-thousand-p pound side
bet