war we were several times struck by the gentle nature of the
Boers. They are indeed not that blood-thirsty, war-loving race which
some have imagined them to be. We make bold to say that there is nothing
which they so much dislike and abhor as shedding blood and inflicting
torture and misery on humanity. They are essentially a peace-loving
race, and will never indulge in war unless compelled by circumstances
over which they have no control.

The British officers and soldiers who fell into their hands during the
war can bear evidence from personal experience that the average Boer is
dominated by kind and gentle sentiments. He treated the wounded soldier
and the prisoner-of-war with kindness. He would share his last drop of
water with the wounded, bandage his wounds to the best of his ability,
and would extend to him all the medical attendance at his command.

Major J.B. Seely, Conservative M.P. for the Isle of Wight, who served
with the Hampshire Yeomanry for many months in the Transvaal, confirmed
the above statements in a letter to the _Times_ in the following way:--

"During the seventeen months that I have served in South Africa I
had, perhaps, rather exceptional opportunities of learning how our
wounded were treated by the Boers. On two different occasions men
under my command who were dangerously wounded were attended with
the greatest kindness and care by the Boers; and the wounded men
themselves begged me to thank those who had been so good to them.
On both occasions the general in command of the column conveyed his
thanks either personally or by letter. I have spoken to many
officers and men who have been left sick or wounded in the hands of
the Boers, and in no single instance have I heard anything but
gratitude expressed for the treatment they had received. In the
intense excitement of hand-to-hand fighting it may be difficult to
differentiate between the wounded and unwounded, but the relatives
and friends of those now fighting may rest assured that English
left wounded on the field will receive from the Boers no less care
and kindness than wounded Boers have invariably received from the
English."

Such is the testimony of men who came in contact with the Boers at a
time when one would expect that the demoralizing and hardening
influences of war had removed every vestige of gentleness.

We never heard the Boers use strong