). Mother fainted at grave; great consternation.

Large laager troops close by.

* * * * *

Sunday, October 6.--No diary yesterday; spent morning at river[62];
hour's walk; small party, seven; persuaded Mr. Fourie to join; wife
betterish.

Forgot for the while there was such a thing as a camp, and in the
beauties, rugged and rude, of Nature able to enjoy life once more and
banish thoughts of sickness, hospitals, deaths, funerals, etc. The
grand old river!

Returned early with Mr. F. and did few hours' visiting.

To-day most busy and tiring day, as all Sundays are.

Service at ten and again at three.

Funerals at 5 p.m., four; after, prayer meeting.

Luckily (!) weather threatening, so announced there would be no
meeting to-night; thankful in my soul.

And now the gentle drops making music on my roof; really it is too
grand; one feels like living again to be in room where you can stand
upright all over.

Miss Ferreira died last night; buried this afternoon; "Zalig zijn de
dooden die in den Heere sterven" (Blessed are the dead which die in
the Lord); large crowd at cemetery.

But to think that so young and so strong a person should so suddenly
be called away; "Levende gaan zij de eeuwigheid binnen" (literally,
Living they enter eternity).

Miss Van Tonder very, very low in hospital; cannot bear thought of
her perhaps dying; it will be too, too sad; so young, so good, so
patient. God only knows!

Yesterday eight buried; mostly children.

Let me rather fill pipe; get into bed, and listen to soothing rain
without.

* * * * *

Tuesday, October 8.--Getting lazy with diary; effects of comforts of
house, no doubt. Just copied Dr. M.'s list of patients; total 150;
mostly in new camp; wonder how on earth am to find time to visit
these tents; and this is but one of the three doctors' lists! So
one's time is just made up with visits to sick, and for other work
there is no opportunity. One gets "daarom" (literally, therefore) a
bit hopeless with the amount of work. O for a few more to help!

Hospital runs away with whole morning; and positively cannot neglect
that work, and then come the funerals every other day.

Buried four children this afternoon; one girlie I often visited; "En
zij brachten kinderkens tot Jezus" (And they brought children to
Jesus).

One cannot help smiling sometimes in midst of death; the comic
element will crop up everywhe