t of the Chairman the meeting was opened with prayer by
Chief Commandant de Wet at 9.30 o'clock.

A private report from Mr. Schmorderer, who had brought the despatch
from Europe from the deputation, was read, after which Landdrost
BOSMAN (Wakkerstroom) said: We do not know what the future will bring
us, but we can gauge the future by the past. The commando, of the
district which I represent, namely, Wakkerstroom, had 600 men a year
ago. Now that number has been reduced by more than 300. Then, we had
more than sufficient horses. Everyone could simply catch a horse, and
Vryheid got more than 400 horses from us. Now there are burghers of
Wakkerstroom who have no horses, and it is impossible for them to
obtain one. With regard to food, there were then 3,000 to 4,000 bags
of mealies; now we have barely 300 to 400, and these are scarcely
within our reach. If matters have proceeded thus in the course of a
year, what will be our position twelve months hence? What will then
become of the burghers who have no horses? We must also consider the
condition of our families. They have no clothing. That, however, is
not of great consequence. The principal matter is the want of food.
More than one woman has been obliged to live for weeks on fruit alone.
I myself have lived for days simply on mealie-pap (porridge). We must
obtain mealies from the Kaffirs by using nice words. When the enemy
operates in the district we must leave the families to the mercy of
the British and the armed Kaffirs. If we supply them with provisions,
the enemy simply removes those provisions, and they are left without a
morsel of food. If we decide to continue the war some provision must
be made for these families. Their husbands declare that if peace is
not made now there is no other course open to them than to go over to
the enemy, for they cannot any longer look on to see their families
dying of hunger or being murdered.

Then we must also keep in view the condition of the families in the
hands of the enemy. They have submitted to much anguish and suffering,
but always in the belief that we had good hopes of deliverance. If
they knew how matters were situated with us they would adopt other
views. More than 2,000 women and children die per month in the camps,
and if we prosecute the struggle without hope, we become accessory to
their death.

The Kaffir question is also a serious matter.

Of intervention there is no hope. Some time ago I thought that we
woul