Conan-Doyic, La Guerre dans V Afrique

2. Chacun des mots qui vont suivre est emprunté à quelque rapport officiel anglais. Ces rapports ont été présentés aux membres du Parlement en trois volumes on the Working of the Refugee Camps, Cd. 819, 853 et 902. Je désignerai, pour la commodité du renvoi, Cd. 819 par premier rapport, Gd. 853 par second rapport, Gd. 902 par troisième rapport,

3. Cf. Premier Rapport, p. 7, 66, 78, 79, 231, etc. En mai 1901, à Klerksdorp, 972 persons, comprising : 147 men, 369 wornent

sans provisions, sans combustible, ces misérables*, qui venaient des plaines chaudes, ne purent s'habituer aux nuits orageuses de ces hauteurs, où le soldat anglais trouvait au contraire salubrité et confort ^. Ils se plaignirent : on les taxa d'ingratitude et de mauvais vouloir envers leurs sauveurs ^. Ils tombèrent malades : on continua d'entasser les nouveaux arrivants dans ces parcs de fièvre typhoïde, de rougeole et de bronchites infectieuses, en cherchant d'abord l'économie de place et d'argent *. Ils moururent par

and 436 children, were bvought in hy columns operating to the west and north-west of Klerksdorp. A Middelburg, the number of the inmates on the 31 st May was 6 637, showing an increase of 3 512 since the beginning of the monlh. This large increase was occasionned by the opérations of vaHous columns operating in varions directions, which brought in hundreds of familles at fréquent intervais.

i. Cf. Premier Rapport, p. 231, 2i, 58, 59 94, etc. Those arriving recently are for the most part brought in froin the laagers which were surprised by the mililary opérations around us. As it was impossible for the convoys to bring in ail their belongings, ihey were brought in with very few goods, some without any but a little bedding.... The rush of new arrivais soon exhausted the stock of provisions and great anxiety was occasionned on this head. The supply of coal was insufficient for the increased number.... A number came hère with very scanty clothing. Some of the women had sacks tied round them for want of better covering and the children were in a worse state, a good many of them being covered with vermin... The fuel supply is very bad, etc.

2. Eotha écrit à Kitchener : « The camps are situated in the coldest winter and most stormy places in our land, at Belfast, Middelburg, Standerton and Volksrut » {Troisième Rapport, p. 121), et des médecins anglais avouent : the climate is very bracing and suits healthy people, but it is rather too severe for those people who hâve corne from the low counlry, weakened by malaria and privations (Premier Rapport, p. 69).

3. Premier Rapport, p. 58 : the better they are fed and the more they are cared for, the more ungrateful they are.