From time to
time sergeants came in, roused the sleepers, formed them into
detachments, and marched them off.
The Stobarts met us wringing their hands. There was no bread, nor could
they procure any. Jan took their order, and we promised to see what
could be done. As we passed the station we saw surging crowds of men,
from the midst came cries of pain, and sticks were falling in blows.
"Good Lord, what's that?" we cried.
We plunged into the crowd. Some of the men and boys were gnawing
angrily at pieces of biscuit which they held in their hands. The crowd
surged more violently, the sticks were plied with greater vigour;
presently the crowd fell back snarling. The ground which they left was
covered with the crumbs of trampled biscuit, and the soldiers drove the
crowd yet further back, beating with sticks and cursing. A bread sack
being unloaded from a waggon had burst, the hungry crowd had pounced ...
that was all. As we withdrew we saw the fortunate ones still gnawing
ferociously at the hard morsels which they had captured.
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