April 18, 1902
In camp near Klerksdorp, Trans.
My dear Mother,

I was so glad when we arrived in camp a couple of days ago to receive your letter of the 21 Feb. We have been away from the railroad for 3 weeks on trek & so there was lots of mail for us when we arrived in camp on Wed. night.

I also had a letter from Netta Blake, in which she said you had the grip but were almost better. All three of us are in fine health, although it is a wonder we all aren't laid up with rheumatism, as a lot of the men are, because we slept two nights on the veldt in about six inches of water, & pouring with rain for 36 hours, & we had nothing with us but our cloaks, but I felt more sorry for the officers than I did for myself, as they were in the same fix as we were.

According to reports, you must have had an early spring, as I saw a Free Press of Mar. 5 & it said the farmers were beginning to seed around Portage. Winter is beginning to set in here & the nights are pretty cold, but in the daytime it still remains frightfully hot. One blessing, when winter sets in for good, we won't see any more rain until spring.

A lot of Boer leaders are up at Pretoria, on a peace conference, but not many of our officers believe it will come to anything. We have not been in any more scrapes since I wrote from Dreknel Camp a couple of weeks ago, but we have had quite a few stray shots at the enemy on our big drives, & we have captured a lot of them. Bert is still on Cookson's staff & has a snap, as they have nothing to do on the march but follow the General & search & burn all suspicious houses.

Well Mother I do not think you need be anxious about us, as they are not expecting any more fights like Boschbult for a while. Remember me to everyone, & hoping you are all well. With heaps of love to all, I remain,

Your affec. son

Geo. C. Rooke
Reg # 554, 3c