weak, frail mother--of the father far, far away in Ceylon! "O ye of
little faith"; and yet I firmly believe God can still spare her life.

Yesterday, row about the miserable meat[20]. Some women rather
violent and loose with tongue; to-day committed to imprisonment.
Yesterday my letters were returned by the Censor. I boiled over for
some time; such a little snob, who is too big for his boots!
Pinpricks; will fight it out to-morrow.

* * * * *

Thursday, August 29.--Went back to hospital after writing above, and
then I did indeed pray as the sick girl desired. God took her home at
about two this morning. Poor child! she did suffer so very much, and
yet withal so patiently; "Die doctor het mij gif ingespuyt en gif
ingege daarom lei ik zoo zwaar" ("The doctor injected poison into me,
and gave me to take poison; that is why I suffer so bitterly"); very
likely morphia had to be injected. Whenever I repeated a verse to her
she would say the lines in advance.

After breakfast I went to village for first time; saw Magistrate;
obtained residential pass; hunted high and low for boards for coffin
for Annie Bothma. At last, after despairing search, succeeded in
getting six boards and two boxes; hope they will be enough wherewith
to fashion some sort of a coffin.

Dined with the Beckers.

Deaths last night--8, 129, 401, 52, 427, 213, 239, and one in
hospital.