Feature Letter of May 15th, 2025
Rooke, (Robert, Charles, and George)
At present we are catching a lot of mules in the corrals here, for pack mules, which we are to take in place of our transport horses, so it looks as if we would go over rough country when we do start. There is a rumour just now that we are to go by Beira & into the Transvaal from the east. Yesterday 40 or us, Bert & I among the number, acted as escort to take about 300 Boer prisoners from the camp near here down to the station, on their way to Simon's Town, about 20 minutes from here. Half of us rode ahead of them, and the other half behind, with loaded revolvers, while a line of infantry with fixed bayonets walked on either side, so there wasn't much chance of escaping, if the poor beggars had wanted to do so. They are a tough looking lot on the whole, excepting a few who are evidently merchants, office-holders etc & they certainly don't present a soldierly appearance, being dressed very much like the poorer Germans in your district in their working clothes. Among them are boys of fifteen and old men of sixty and sixty-five.
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