xen belonging to the field-hospital, saying that we could steal such
oxen from the kaffirs. In consequence of those acts, my wounded were
rendered without food, and robbed of means of transportation.

Now, again, a column of your troops, which was proceeding on the 9th
or 10th inst. from Machadodorp across Witpoort, attacked a Red Cross
hospital occupied by sick women and children, notwithstanding the
patients were in charge of a certificated nurse, named Mrs. W. Botha.
One of your officers, misled by a former burgher, who is now
treacherously fighting against his own people, declared that the Red
Cross was not genuine, and burned all the buildings and food found
therein, placed the patients on open trucks, and removed them.

The first night of their deportation the sick patients and nurses
slept in a camp at Steelpoortdrift, under the trolley waggons and in
the bitter cold, and although the women and children were lamenting
and weeping the entire night, their complaints were not listened to. I
have declarations testifying to the most inhuman, heartless, and cruel
maltreatment committed towards helpless women and children on this
occasion.

Probably, your Excellency knows nothing about these incidents, and as
regards the _bona-fides_ of our ambulances, I wish to point out to you
that British officers depend largely on the assertions of kaffirs, and
especially on the allegations of traitors, and on the slightest
provocation ignore the rights of the Red Cross.

The column referred to also burned, and plundered and destroyed many
houses at Steenkampsberg, Witpoort and many other places, without
there being one single shot fired in the neighbourhood by our
burghers. And all this was allowed to occur in spite of your
Excellency's promises at the meeting of the Commandant-General Botha
at Middelburg.

Latterly, it has often occurred that British ambulances have fallen
into my hands. At Bethel, three doctors and an ambulance attached to
General Plumer's force fell into my hands. Near Vaalkop, Major
Morris's ambulance, and near Belfast an ambulance, attached to your
brother's forces, were in my power, but I always regarded and treated
ambulances flying the Red Cross as neutral and humane institutions,
and I even liberated the soldiers employed to attend your wounded.

And not a single one of these doctors or attendants was provided with
a certificate, and I have invariably accepted their word that they
were legally attac