route. The coal has been reported by experts to contain 78 per cent. of carbon and 7 per cent. of ash.

Gold is found in the eastern districts, and miningcamps have been established at Pilgrim's Rest, Macmac, and other places along the mountains. Want of water and natural difficulties consequent upon the structure of the country have hitherto prevented the proper working of the gold. The newly-appointed Boer Government have granted concessions to a number of speculators, and several companies have been formed to work the mines.

Lead is found almost pure in the Marico district. For a long time it was worked for the sake of the silver in it, the cost of carriage to the sea-shore not leaving a sufficient margin of profit. Copper has also been discovered. Mr. Kitto, a mineral engineer, appointed by the British Government to report on the copper in the Rustenburg district, stated that he had found two veins of that mineral richer in the metal than any of the Australian mines. Cobalt is got near Middleburg, and iron abounds everywhere.

Under the old laws of the South African Republic no person was allowed to work minerals, and prospecting was forbidden under severe penalties. As may be imagined, the laws were evaded, and they fell into disuse. During the English occupation prospecting was encouraged.

Minerals are not found to the same extent in the Bush Veld. The veld is used to some extent by the Boers for grazing their stock during the winter. It is a common custom with the Boers, as soon as the cold weather sets in, to migrate bodily, with their families and stock, to warmer parts of the country, returning

on a change of season. This is done partly because the Boers dislike the cold, and partly to secure a better supply of grass for the stock. The system of periodical "treks" or migrations has been productive of many disputes with the natives. The native races are peculiarly susceptible to cold, and nearly all the native towns in the Transvaal are in the warm Bush Veld. Boers are never particular about native rights, and the aboriginal inhabitants do not take kindly to the Boer invasions, even for a season. Hence ensue disputes, cattle-liftings, murders, and ultimately war.

Sugar and coffee are cultivated spasmodically. Tobacco is grown with success. Attempts have been made at cotton plantations, but hitherto they have been failures. In the hands of enterprising and vigorous men the Bush Veld might be made to yield a rich return. The soil is fertile, and the mild, subtropical climate favours the growth of various kinds of vegetation.

The towns in the Transvaal are few and far between. Pretoria, the capital, had, previous to the war, a population of about 5000 white people. It increased largely under British occupation, but it has now gone back to its primitive condition. The town occupies a favourable position on the slopes of the Witwater's Rand, intermediate between the High Veld and the Bush Veld. The Magaliesberg range runs across the country to the north of the town, and forms a boundary between the two climates which characterize the locality. South of the range it is cold and sharp for some months; while on the northern or warmer side a climate of a sub-tropical character prevails. Pretoria lies well in the centre of

the country, and its central position at one time secured for it a considerable Boer trade. There was also a large native custom, due to its being the most northerly town of any importance in South Africa. Previous to the war Pretoria was occupied almost entirely by Englishmen and Germans, with a small sprinkling of Hollanders (as the Dutch are called in South Africa). Immediately after the peace there was a large exodus of the European population. Thanks also to the restrictive trade enactments of the Boer Volksraad (or Parliament), and the insecure protection afforded by the Boer Government, its trade has fallen off, and the place is now comparatively deserted.

Potchefstroom, the next town of importance, lies further south. It is situated on the Mooi River, a clear, pellucid stream, running into the Vaal. It is one of the most charming places in the "up-country" of South Africa. The streets are wide, and the erven, or blocks, into which the town is divided, are unusually large. Trees grow all over the place, and the houses and stores are dotted down at intervals among them. The chief drawback is a large swamp, the haunt of aquatic birds, which lies on one side of the town. Potchefstroom was the original capital of the South African Republic. It is more Dutch than Pretoria, which, previous to the war, was essentially an English

town.

The other places are really villages. Lydenburg and Wakkerstroom are near the eastern frontier. They are both at a high level above the sea. Heidelberg, the place where the Boer flag was hoisted, is on the High Veld, south-east of Pretoria. Rustenberg, a quiet, rustic village, is situate in a line with

Pretoria, but on the other side of the Magaliesberg. It is consequently warmer than the capital. It is a great place for fruit. Standerton, which was defended pluckily during the war by Major Montague, is an ugly little village between Heidelberg and Lang's Nek. Zeerust lies on the western border, near Betshuanaland. Two small towns, respectively called Bloernhoff and Christiana, are situated on the Keate award, a disputed tract of territory towards the south-east, now finally allotted to the Transvaal.

There are other small settlements in various parts of the country, but they hardly attain to the dignity even of villages. There is also an elevated but fertile region bordering on Swasi-land, inhabited by Scotch. farmers, known as New Scotland. A township was in process of formation at the time of the outbreak, but I am informed the project has fallen through.

The natives of the Transvaal belong mainly to the Betshuana family. In the north and north-east they are intermingled with Zulus and Swazies. There are very few natives on the High Veld, but they abound in the Bush Veld. The Loutspansberg and Waterberg districts are densely populated with natives, who have been in a chronic state of warfare with the Boers ever since their advent into the country. The Betshuana are a peaceable race, and if let alone would not interfere with white people; but they were so despoiled, that they took to arms, and at the time of the annexation they had recovered a good portion of their country from the Boers. The native population at the time of the Boer revolt was roughly estimated at about 800,000, as against 40,000 Boers, and 7000 Europeans.

When the Boers first arrived in the country the

greater part of it had been subjugated by Selekatse, the paramount chief of the Matabele. Selekatse was a sub-chief of the Zulus who revolted from Chaka, the great Zulu king, and fled to the Transvaal with a large troop of his follo. ers. The Boers drove him out to the north, where his son, Lo Benguela, now rules over the scattered remnants of the tribe.