deserve. Let us not forget that the Boers have rights also, and that their rights should not be trampled under foot, simply because Johannesburg is overrun with an alien population gathered from the four corners of the earth, a population, too, which, after indulging in bluster and braggadocio and uttering threats and menaces to the head of the State under whose protection it was living, showed clearly enough when the time came for it to act, that it had no stomach for the fight.

CHAPTER IX

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

I Do not envy the historian of the future who has to deal with the Transvaal question in all its ramifications, and endeavours to do so impartially and truthfully. There have probably been more barefaced and malignant falsehoods told, either by word of mouth or in the Press, in regard to the momentous occurrences of the last three months in South Africa than in respect of any similar events in the world's history. The attempt to sift the wheat from the chaff in the mass of material at one's disposal, is a delicate and difficult, I might almost say an insuperable, one, but I have made the attempt carefully and conscientiously, and I believe that this book is the first unbiassed endeavour to deal with men and matters in the South African Republic wholly and solely in the interest of truth and justice. I can at least honestly say that I have no axes to grind, no ulterior objects in view in inditing and publishing this work. My sole object is the quest for truth, and with that

end in view, I care nothing for the feelings of individuals.

With these few preliminary remarks, I shall now return to the various and varied circumstances connected with Dr Jameson's raid. In the last chapter I traced events down to the defeat and surrender of the Chartered Company's forces to the Boers at Krugersdorp. Let us now see what was happening at Johannesburg all this time. Let us discover what the pot-valiant warriors of the Rand, who had talked so loftily and threatened so constantly and continuously, were doing when the invasion that they had invited actually came about. These men of blood and thunder had set fire to the powder magazine, and so frightened were they at the smoke and noise that they, metaphorically of course, scampered off in sheer confusion. So far as I can ascertain, the news of Jameson's raid reached Johannesburg on Monday, December the 30th. The naughty children of the Rand, who had only after all been playing with fire, were terribly alarmed. That same day President Kruger issued a proclamation calling on all burghers to defend the country. The following day brought a proclamation from the High Commissioner directing all British subjects to disarm. In reply to this proclamation, the Johannesburg warriors telegraphed to Sir Hercules Robinson that they had absolute information that a large force of Boers had been commandeered to Johannesburg, with directions to shoot down all concerned in the agitation, and the High Commis

sioner was, accordingly, called upon to use his intervention to protect the lives of these financial firebrands. It seems now that the source of the "news’ wired to the High Commissioner was the prolific imagination of the Johannesburgers, who were in that state of abject funk when a man gets frightened at his own shadow and alarmed at the sound of his own footsteps. While Jameson was waiting for the Johannesburgers, the Johannesburgers were, to use a vulgar expression, trying to save their own bacon. They, accordingly, decided to do nothing in regard to Jameson, and an armistice was concluded, the Johannesburgers making abundant safeguards for their own preservation, but insisting on no stipulations whatever in regard to the safety of Jameson and his party. On the 5th January an ultimatum was presented by the Boer Government to the Johannesburgers, demanding the surrender of their arms as a condition precedent to the discussion and consideration of grievances. In order to effect this, the British agent, Sir Jacobus De Wet, was sent with despatches by the High Commissioner from Pretoria with a message which he conveyed in the following words:—

"Men of Johannesburg, friends, and fellow-subjects of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen" (which was cheered to the echo), "I regret I am before you under such painful circumstances.” He then went on to say that he sympathised with the grievances Johannesburg complained of, but circumstances had

so changed that he had to ask them to do a thing which would perhaps pain many a heart, but he begged them as men to use their judgment, and not to allow their English blood, English courage and English valour to override their judgment. Every human being unbiassed in mind believed in pluck, perseverance and determination in Englishmen. (Loud cheers.) He had to announce that Jameson and his brave fellows misguided, but brave (tremendous cheering)—were prisoners. A terrible mistake was undoubtedly made by someone, which had placed them in a most awkward and painful position, and he rejoiced to announce that Jameson and his men were to be honourably handed over to Her Majesty's Government-(loud cheers)—and to be dealt with according to the laws of Great Britain, but one condition was that the men of Johannesburg should lay down their arms. ("We will not," and prolonged groans.) As their friend and loyal subject and servant of the Queen, from the time of his manhood to the present moment, he appealed to them as Britons not to act idiotically, not to refuse to give up their arms. (Cries of "Who to?") To-day was not the time to let feelings of enthusiasm carry them away. It was the time to be guided by judgment and counsel, and to let these prevail over national sentiment. He was expressing the wishes of the High Commissioner, who at his request allowed him to come, and, if possible, avert bloodshed. He appealed to the men of Johannesburg to set aside the national feelings by which they