ch
your Excellency will perceive that Lieutenant Gray, an officer of His
Majesty's Army, did personally supply kaffirs with arms and
ammunition.

I have the honour to be,
Your Excellency's obedient servant,
B. J. VILJOEN.
_Assistant Commandant-General._

District of Lydenburg,
_7th November, 1901._

THE OFFICER COMMANDING LYDENBURG,

DEAR SIR,--

I shall be obliged by your bringing the following to the attention of
Lord Kitchener, namely, that on 29th October last the residence of a
certain D. Coetzee, on the Vrischgewaard Farm, in this district, was
surrounded during the night of that day, or approximately at that
time, by His Majesty's troops, assisted by a number of kaffirs and
traitors, and that only the youth Abraham Coetzee, occupied the house,
and that this youth, while attempting to escape, was shot through the
stomach. Coetzee was, furthermore, left in a shed, and robbed of all
his personal goods, and even his clothes.

The following day I found him still alive, but he died shortly after.
He declared that in the presence of white British troops he had been
robbed, knocked about, and kicked by armed kaffirs. I know beforehand
that the officer responsible for this noble and civilised act will
attempt to pervert the truth, because I am assured that His Excellency
cannot sanction this method of warfare. But this case is personally
known to me, and in my opinion, the declaration of a dying man is
worthy of credit.

I have the honour to be,

Your very obedient servant,

B. J. VILJOEN.

On the Veldt,
_11th November, 1901._

TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY,
_Prime Minister of His British Majesty's Government_.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Whereas His Honour the Commandant-General, and other commanding
officers, have already more than once, without any result, protested
to the Commanding Officer of your Forces in South Africa against the
employment of savage aborigines in this War, and notwithstanding that
we have repeatedly assured your military authorities here that on our
side every effort is being made to keep kaffirs entirely outside this
War, this Government is of opinion that it is its duty