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CHAPTER IX.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES BEFORE AND DURING THE SIEGE OF PRETORIA.

Reasons for making a second trip to the Transvaal-Journey to Pretoria - Increase in size of the town-Complaints of the behaviour of the soldiers-Effect of the change of ministry at home-A sitting of the Legislative Assembly-Journey to Betshuana-land The attitude of the natives-Feeling of the Betshuana-Outbreak of the rebellion-Not deemed serious at first-Proclamation of the Republic-Public meeting in Pretoria-Fortification of the town-The Bronker's Spruit disaster-Martial law proclaimed -The town evacuated-The convent laager-Description of the camp and laagers-Life in camp.

I RETURNED to the Transvaal for the second time in the month of March, 1880. My health had broken down again during an attempt to winter at home, after my return from my first journey to South Africa, and I was recommended to try the effects of another trip to that country. On this occasion I determined not to go to the Free State, as I had done previously, but to proceed to Pretoria, which had taken my fancy as a place of residence. I went by way of Natal, where I had to tarry some time in consequence of an accident to a travelling-companion. On my journey through Natal I passed several regiments on their way down. from the Transvaal. Sir Garnet Wolseley was then at Maritzburg, preparing for his return to England, and

Colonel Lanyon was in supreme charge at Pretoria. I travelled as far as Newcastle in the post-cart; from Newcastle I proceeded by ox-waggon, taking thirteen days for the journey to Pretoria. My road led me over the ill-omened pass of Laing's Nek, where I remember being particularly struck with the towering appearance of the Majuba mountain. The view from the Nek is very extensive, and my companion and I halted some time at the top to enjoy it. After leaving the Nek we travelled by way of Standerton and Heidelberg. The latter is a small town in a healthy situation at the foot of a steep ridge of hills. We kept to the main transport road, and lived on provisions bought at the towns. We were told the Boers were getting "kwaad" (angry), and that we might run some risk of being insulted if we called at any of their houses.

When I arrived at Pretoria, I was struck with the improvement which had taken place since my previous visit. Building was going on in every direction, and the town had increased considerably in size and in population. There had been a large influx of artisans and working men, and the place looked not only larger but more civilized. The military camp had been removed to a situation rather more distant from the town; but there were numerous complaints about the drunkenness and bad behaviour of the troops. I heard the same complaints of them at Heidelberg. Mr. Russell, the special correspondent of the Times, called attention to this conduct in that newspaper. Official denials were made, but I saw several people who had been eye-witnesses of the riots, and one or two who had been sufferers, and I have no reason to doubt the correctness of Mr. Russell's statements.

Shortly after iny arrival in Pretoria, telegrams were received there announcing the defeat of the Conservatives, and the accession of a Liberal Government to power. The news occasioned great excitement in the town. The speeches of Mr. Gladstone during the Midlothian campaign were quoted, and a dismal fear fell on the Pretoria people that, notwithstanding the repeated declarations of the British Government and its officials to the contrary, the country would be given back to the Boers. I was appealed to by several, as a new-comer from England, to give them some idea of the intentions of the mother country. In my simple faith, I assured them that England would never break her pledged word; that Mr. Gladstone could not, even if he would, falsify the repeated promises of the Government, and that in a matter of this sort, which touched the honour of England, party feelings would not be allowed to interfere. The stoep of the hotel where I was staying was crowded with excited citizens; and many times I was compelled to listen to the story of investments made or farms bought on the strength of British promises. For some days business was almost suspended, and speculation ceased. When the declaration of Lord Kimberley was telegraphed, that the Queen's sovereignty would not be relinquished, the Pretorians became almost frantic with delight, and confidence was immediately restored.

During my stay a meeting of the new Legislative Assembly was held. I attended some of the sittings, which were very dull and decorous. There was no opportunity for oratory, as the speeches had to be translated sentence by sentence into Dutch. Among the English settlers the Assembly was treated with derision. Some found refuge for their contempt in

pasquinades; others complained openly that, the country was being governed like Russia. On the occasion of my previous visit I heard numerous complaints of the inactivity of the then Government; now there was much more complaining at the despotic vigour of Sir Garnet Wolseley and Sir Owen Lanyon. Like all new communities, the Pretoria people were of an excitable temperament, and they gave utterance to their views in expressive language. The Administrator and his staff of officials shared the dislike to the constitution administered by them; and there were many people in the town who refused to attend any the receptions of the Administrator, or to countenance the Government in any way, lest they should be thought to acquiesce in the mode of administration. I do not think Sir Owen was personally unpopular, but the Europeans identified him as the representative of an unpopular Government, and the want of cordiality and dislike manifested towards him and his officials were apparent even to a casual observer.

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I remained in Pretoria on this occasion only about a month. An opportunity occurred of visiting Betshuana-land in company with Mr. Melville, the SurveyorGeneral of the Transvaal, and Captain Ferreira, who had been appointed as commissioners to arrange the boundary-line on the western frontier, and to settle a dispute between two Betshuana chiefs. I was invited to accompany the expedition in a non-official capacity, and as my waggon journey to Pretoria had proved beneficial to my health, I gladly embraced the opportunity of taking another. taking another. We travelled by way of Rustenburg and Zeerust, passing on our way to the latter place through one of the most disaffected districts in the Transvaal.

I do not purpose detaining the reader with an account of my journey, and of my subsequent stay in Betshuana-land, but I should like to mention one or two things in connection with it, which illustrate the condition of the Boers, and of the Betshuana natives. The road from Pretoria to Rustenburg crosses the range of the Magaliesberg Mountains, which run athwart the Transvaal from right to left. On the southern side of the range a temperate climate prevails; but to the north of the mountains the climate is subtropical in character. I found the warm country at the base of the southern side of the range occupied by the kraals of a large native population, with a few mission-stations belonging to German societies interspersed among them. The natives appeared contented and happy, and Mr. Shepstone, the Minister for Native Affairs, whom we met near Rustenburg on a taxgathering expedition, said he found no difficulty in collecting the hut-tax. Between Rustenburg and

Zeerust we were warned to avoid the farmhouses of certain Boers, who were reputed to be hostile to the English. At those where we did call we experienced the usual hospitable reception. The farmhouses of the Boers in this part were of a primitive type. I do not remember seeing a house with a window in it between Rustenburg and Zeerust. Very often the house consisted of one room only, and as an instance of the standard of education to which the inhabitants had attained, I may mention that many of them could not write. In this respect they were beaten by the natives, several of whom, thanks to their missionary teachers, could read and write well. At one Boer farmhouse where we were asked to dine, the meal consisted simply of boiled meat and coffee served in

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