a desperate effort to keep warm. Indeed it
was necessary for many of them to persist in unwilling exercise since
this was the only way to keep alive: to stop was to sink down from sheer
fatigue. In the darkness I had discovered and kept company with a South
African, Moresby White.[5] But it was almost impossible to converse,
since we had to shout with all the force of our lungs to make our voices
heard above the roar and rattle of the wind and rain. We were compelled
to tread warily, because in the Cimmerian darkness it was impossible to
distinguish the groaning forms crouching upon the ground.

[Footnote 5: This gentleman has since been released and at the
time of writing is recuperating in Great Britain.]

[Illustration: "THE BLOODY NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 11, 1914."

_From a rough sketch made on "the field," by the author during the
night._]

We linked our arms tightly together to form mutual support and
persistently plodded hither and thither. The spectacle was terrifying
and tested the nerves of the strongest among us. If ever humanity were
cast adrift and left to its own devices, it was that night upon "the
field." Some of the prisoners were rushing to and fro frantic with fear.
Others huddled together as if to keep one another warm. Some were on
their knees praying fervently, while other parties were singing hymns in
voices which made the strongest-hearted among us blench. Here and there
were men stamping furiously up and down cursing at the top of their
voices, hurling fierce imprecations to the wind and consigning the
Commandant, his superiors, and all their works to everlasting torment.
Some of the most exhausted prisoners had congregated together and
crouched with their heads bowed to the storm, shivering with cold,
afraid to speak, hungry and terror-stricken, yet completely resigned to
the fate which they felt convinced must be theirs and absolutely
inevitable. A few, whose nerves were highly strung, were striding up and
down laughing demoniacally, waving their arms madly, and gesticulating
as if their senses had indeed given way. A few of the rougher spirits
were blaspheming, and to such a tune that even the most hardened among
us were forced to turn our backs to escape their blood-curdling oaths.

As midnight approached the wind and rain increased in fury. Even the
guard failed to stand against it. The sentries were drenched from head
to foot. The conditions became so bad that an order was suddenly