The National tribune., 1902-01-30
THE BOERS IN CEYLON.
The Prison Camps and Life Among the Ex
lied Burghers.
Golfers Wcekly.)

There are at present more than 5000
Bocr prisoners interned on the Island of
Ceylcn, and the British War Office could
hardly have found better place for the
location of prison camps. The island is
generally healthrUl in climate. and Ma
ture has bestowed every natural comfort
upon its people For the largest of the
samps the authorities chose site at
Diyatalawa, a place many miles up-coun-
try from Colombo. but easily reached by
the railway. Here are kept more than
| four-hfths of the entire number of pris-
oncrs. and Sir West Ridgway, the Gov
ernor of Ceylon. is courteous and liberal
in granting permission to visitors
Comparatively few soldiers are required
to guard 1000 Beers. and in view of the
elaborate arrangement of fences one is
not surprised to learn that no prisoners
have escaped. The entire area of the
amp is surrounded by wire fence 10
feet in hight, and several feet distant
from this first barrier is erected another
exactly similar. Between the two is
perfect network of barhed wire, stretched
back and forth until it would be quite
| impossible for any person TO get through.
| One would suppose that this entangle-
mcnt would be quite sufficient to prevent
any escapes, but the British evidently do
not regard it so. The ground within the
| first fence is covered with insulated wire,
and every time Il prisoner approaches the
| ENHANCEMENT the alarm is rung in the
nearest guard-hut and the soldiers are at
his heels. These hutS are stationed at
| frequent intervals around the boundary
Of the camp, and the soldiers are always
on the lookout for wOuld-be evaders.
There is practically no gate in the sur
rounding ENHANCEMENT, and the supplies
for the prisoners are sent in by means of
an aerial rOpeway which runs from the
ailway station TO the camp.
The Beers are housed in large huts con-
'tructed of wood, and having roofs of gal
vanlzed iron to keep out the tropical
rains and the rays of sun. The roof is
covered with cOcOanut leaves so that the
iron does not become hot during the day.
| In each hut are beds for about 40 prison
ers. The beds are ranged along the wall
on either side, and over each is q shelf
on which the prisoner keeps his books and
,ther belongings. Under the bed are his
'lOthes chest and the tin plate and knife
and fork with which he eats at table.
Each lot of prisoners eat in the hut where
they sleep, except that some Of them pre-
Ter to have their tables in the open air.
They are Obliged to prepare their own
food and as Il rule they take turn about
is cooks and walters. Some of the pris-
pners arrived in CeylOn with large sums
Ipf money in their possession, and others
earn money by doing odd jobs of work
about the camp. Nearly all of them are
Ible to buy extra food when they want
t, though one of the rules of the camp
$ that no prisoner can have larger sum
than 30 week in his possession for
spending purposes.
No man is Obliged by the British an,
'horities to work, but if any of the pris-
Dners wish to help about the camp they
are paid for the labor they perform.
Those who don't work occupy themselves
in various ways. There is an extensive
library OF Dutch books. and they are
sept well supplied with the English Illus
Grated papers. There are numerous sports
n which they engage with much interest
They have a cricket team which is first
class, and, as a special favor, they were
allowed to play against the crack English
team of the island in Colombo. The
English won, but the Beers gave them
The closest run they had seen for many
months. Some of the prisoners rigged
up Il bOwling-alley, and the sound of the
balls and pins is to be heard at all hours
II the day Quoits is another favOrite
game, and on occasions no less than 30
games may be in progress at one time
Boxing is also in great favor, and every
night there are informal bouts in the
Recreation Hut, n large building which is
used for Il variety OF purposes. On rainy
days the religious services are held there,
and at other times it is used as general
readingrOOm and indoor gymnasium.
There are punching bags and horizontal
bars and other paraphernalia to assist the
athletic prisoners in their training. At
one end Of the hut is stage, where the
prisoners frequently gave amateur theat-
rical performances and concerts. On the
curtain is painted scene of the battle of
MagcrsfOntein, and the British are evil
IDENTIFY in full retreat and getting the worst
If the fight in the picture
The Diyatalawa camp resembles busy
town. Some of the streets have been
named by the prisoners after famous
places in the Transyaal. There is lady
smith Street, Majuba Hill, and Spiun
kop, and every thuroughfare between the
huts bears some historic name There
is no lack of shops in this strange town,
though the supplies for the camp are all
sent out from Colombo. Some of the pris-
oners have started in business on a small
scale, and are saving money against the
time when they may be permitted to re-
turn TO their homes in South Africa One
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