Indians were not removed from the location as soon as the
Municipality secured its ownership. It was necessary to find the
residents suitable new quarters before dislodging them, but as the
Municipality could not easily do this, the Indians were suffered to
stay in the same 'dirty' location, with this difference, that their
condition became worse than before. Having ceased to be proprietors
they became tenants of the Municipality, with the result that their
surroundings became more insanitary than ever. When they were
proprietors, they had to maintain some sort of cleanliness, if only
for fear of the law. The Municipality had no such fear! The number
of tenants increased, and with them the squalor and the disorder.
While the Indians were fretting over this state of things, there was
a sudden outbreak of the black plague, also called the pneumonic
plague, more terrible and fatal than the bubonic.
Fortunately it was not the location but one of the gold mines in the
vicinity of Johannesburg that was responsible for the outbreak. The
workers in this mine were for the most part negroes, for whose
cleanliness their white employers were solely responsible. There
were a few Indians also working in connection with the mine,
twenty-three of whom suddenly caught the infection, and returned one
evening to their quarters in the location with an acute attack of
the plague. Sjt. Madanjit, who was then canvassing subscribers for
Indian Opinion and realizing subscriptions, happened to be in the location at this
moment. He was a remarkably fearless man. His heart wept to see
these victims of the scourge, and he sent a pencil-note to me to
the following effect: 'There has been a sudden outbreak of the black
plague. You must come immediately and take prompt measures,
otherwise we must be prepared for dire consequences. Please come
immediately.'
Sjt. Madanjit bravely broke open the lock of a vacant
house, and put all the patients there. I cycled to the location, and
wrote to the Town Clerk to inform him of the circumstances in which
we had taken possession of the house. Dr. William Godfrey, who was practising in Johannesburg, ran to the
rescue as soon as he got the news, and became both nurse and doctor
to the patients. But twenty-three patients were more than three of
us could cope with. It is my faith, based on experience, that if one's heart is pure,
calamity brings in its train men and measures to fight it. I had at
that time four Indians in my office – Sjts. Kalyandas, Maneklal,
Gunvantrai Desai and another whose name I cannot recollect.
Kalyandas had been entrusted to me by his father. In South Africa I
have rarely come across anyone more obliging and willing to render
implicit obedience than Kalyandas. Fortunately he was unmarried
then, and I did not hesitate to impose on him duties involving
risks, however great. Maneklal I had secured in Johannesburg. He too,
so far as I can remember, was unmarried. So I decided to sacrifice
all four – call them clerks, co-workers or sons. There was no need
at all to consult Kalyandas. The others expressed their readiness as
soon as they were asked. 'Where you are, we will also be,' was their
short and sweet reply. Mr. Ritch had a large family. He was ready to take the plunge, but I
prevented him. I had not the heart to expose him to the risk. So he
attended to the work outside the danger zone. It was a terrible night
– that night of vigil and nursing. I had
nursed a number of patients before, but never any attacked by the
black plague. Dr. Godfrey's pluck proved infectious. There was not
much nursing required. To give them their doses of medicine, to
attend to their wants, to keep them and their beds clean and tidy,
and to cheer them up was all that we had to do. The indefatigable zeal and fearlessness with which the youths worked
rejoiced me beyond measure. One could understand the bravery of Dr.
Godfrey and of an experienced man like Sjt. Madanjit. But the spirit
of these callow youths! So far as I can recollect, we pulled all the patients through that
night. But the whole incident, apart from its pathos, is of such absorbing
interest and, for me, of such religious value, that I must devote to
it at least two more chapters.