The sun., 1901-07-05
THE BOERS In CEYLON
Prisoners of Great Britain Enjoy
Themselves in Captivity.
Have Good Food and Participate in
Pastimes of the English Sol
uiers Scenes and Inci-
dents OF Interest.

of Ceylon, it is comparatively goot
thing to be military prisoner of th'
British government.
Nursed in lap of modified luxury
the 5000 trappers of the veldt oil
the island are so well satisfied will
their surroundings as not to desir,
n change until South Africa touche.
normal once more, says the Londor
Express.
The captives are as healthy and III
a crowd as ever stepped upon u Brit
ish possession, and transport rides
at anchor in Colombo bay bereft OF
any justification for her existence
there as hospital ship.
The Beers are accommodated in
is inclosed by liberal radius OF
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 hps 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 noneXertive recreation, and in
the cool tennis, cricket and football
form self-appointed curriculum of
athletic pastise.
1t is particularly interesting to mo-
tice how much the prisoners have
taken to the purely British game OF
football. At the beginning they were
content to watch the S0ckcr 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 bor-
row the Gloucestershire regiments
ball; they have dozen of their own,
and pit the Transvaalers against the
Free Staters, or the doppers Of the
back veldt against the ",Johanncs.
burgers"
The troops usually start the play,
and leave Off to he u guard while the
burghers attempt the intricacics OF
combination.
Thg.appetite of the captiycs is ah.
normn, and the influx Of so many |
big eaters has actually upset the
local markets and brought about o |
rise in the price of proyender. l.vcn
the Gloucester sentry envies The ItorI
his supplies, and is daily heard TO
hold forth upon the iniquities of
which provides com.
forting extras for the captiyes which
find no place in the regulars dietary
But Tommy grnmbles good-humorcd.
ly, and would share his ration any
day with hungry Boer. Just because
he is the same brave, tough, tender
Atkins beloved Of all
who know his sterling qualities in
the field.
Commandants Krantz and Olivier
and nearly all the officers live on pa.
role outside the camps. Many oi
them reside at the Queens hotel
kandi, including a number of French.
men, who hold aloof from their for.
mer comrades-at-arms.
Others, including percentage OF
bnrghers who can afford IT, live in
the bungalows of Trincomnli street
and, save that they report daily tc
the chief of police. enjoy the priv
Ieges of a ieisured resident or visitor
Numbers of the men had carried
cameras on commando, and the Co.
Iombo apothecares have been busy
developing plates and films in great
Nrouw Krantz, the wife Of the
is proud Of having car
ried rife on commando with hcI
husband. Guests at the Queens no
tel often hear the good lady recount
her bag Of rooineks. There is not
suspicion Of animus shown against
the British. The captivcs are CRATE
fnl for good quarters and liberia
treatment.
Many Beers are voluntarily EN-
ployed on the foreshore works nj
Colombo at wage, and one az lcasiI
has been installed into the ease on
comfortable government billet
Ihis fellow means to stay, and Has
sent for his vrouw.
Such is burgher life in the laapers
u Ceylon, where there Is Il philo
sophie calm and an absence of worry
lbout war, The veldtborn look about
hem with well fed and leisnred In.
Inference, and some say that wher
hey cross the Naal again there vii
ne big trek north to alien terri