ST. HELENA 123 



Having received the address, His Excellency replied : — 



Colonel von Braun, Captain Weiss, and Gentlemen, — 



It is a most agreeable surprise, for which I thank you very- 

 much, to receive from you this beautifully illuminated address in 

 such an elegantly carved casket, both of which will always be 

 carefully preserved by me and my family as a valued memento 

 of the past two years. 



I thank you heartily, on behalf of myself and the inhabitants 

 of St. Helena, for the kindly sentiments conveyed in the address, 

 and I trust that those friendly feelings which have grown up by the 

 intercourse of the past two years will continue to our lives' end, 

 and bear good fruit in helping to bind our two nations in closer 

 bonds of friendship. 



As the time of your departure approaches, I feel I lose some 

 personal friends, who will not, I trust, forget me in the time to come ; 

 and to you all I wish good fortune in the future, and a bright, happy 

 meeting at home with those who are so anxiously looking out for a 

 re-union after the weary time, which has now, I am glad to say, 

 passed. 



On June 30 General Cronje came into the town, ac- 

 companied by his secretary, to the Castle, and there took the 

 oath of allegiance. At his own request, his guard, which 

 had never been withdrawn, was allowed to remain, as many 

 of the prisoners, still obdurate, were very bitter against 

 him. On August 22 he left the island for the Cape in the 

 transport Tagus, with 994 other prisoners. 



Many incidents tend to show the good feeling which 

 sprung up between the prisoners and the military staff in 

 St. Helena. 



To Dr. Casey, who was in charge of the medical ward at 

 Deadwood Camp, was presented a very handsome album 

 by some of his Boer patients, J. Noorthout, F. J. Fick, 

 Max Treunissen, C. E. Schutte, and J. Frus. In accepting 

 this, he spoke very highly of his patients. His speech 

 shows how manliness and nobility of character were pre- 

 dominant throughout their time of suffering : " I never 

 had any patients who were more appreciative and grateful 

 for even the slightest attention, and far from any grumbling 

 or complaining spirit amongst them, they were more disposed 

 to hide their troubles and suffer on in silence. 



" Who could help admiring the fortitude of such men? 

 Who could refuse to extend a helping hand in the hour of 

 their need ? " 



