THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

RECOLLECTIONS OF ADVENTURES.

RECOLLECTIONS OF
ADVENTURES

PIONEERING AND DEVELOPMENT
IN SOUTH AFRICA

1850- 1911

BY

H. W. STRUBEN

Revised and Edittd by his Daughter Edith

T. MASKEW MILLER,
CAPE TOWN

BASIL BLACKWELL,
OXFORD, ENGLAND.

1920

DT77J"

CHAPTERS.

PAGE

I. The family — Early days in Natal 1

II. Captain Struben and the Natal

Magistracy 8

III. Captain Struben requisitioned to

become first President of the

Orange Free State 15

IV. Boyhood days in Natal 18
V. Early Pretoria Days 27

VI. Pioneers' difficulties of Travel 32

VII. Trekking to Cape Colony, 1857-8 - 37

VIII. Big Game Shooting Trips 41

IX. Hunting Buffalo - 47

X. An Unlucky Trip 58

XI. Giraffes — Lions and other game - 62

XII. An Unpleasant and Adventurous

Ride 68

XIII. Bushveld and other treks - 74

XIV. Hyenas — In a cave and elsewhere 81
XV. Zoutpansberg, and Ivory Trading - 85

XVI. Alex Struben's trip to Zoutpans-
berg and Zambesi 88

M&L0588

iv. Chapters.

PAGE

XVII. Boer Voortrekkers and Commandoes 94

XIX. Commandoes and Civil Wars 102

XX. British & other European Pioneers

and Visitors to the Transvaal - 112

XXL Early Farming Ventures and

Struggles 115

XXII. Native Wars and Unrest - 121

XXIII. Discovery of Diamond Fields-

Early Kimberley Days 130

XXIV. Gold Discoveries at Lydenburg - 137
XXV. First Sekukuni War, and fall of

President Burgers 141

XXVI. Annexation of the Transvaal 148

XXVII. Zulu War of 1878-79 154

XXVIII. Travels in Europe, 1880 160

XXIX. Return to South Africa and First

Boer War 163

XXX. The Retrocession 174

XXXI. A General Survey and Summary

of Events 178

XXXII. Discovery of the Witwatersrand

Gold Fields 191

XXXIII. Afterword and Last Years - 203

INTRODUCTION.

At the request of my life's friend and dear
companion, my staunch, loving little wife, and our
dear children, I have given myself the task of writing
a resume of facts and incidents which have come to
my knowledge during a residence in South Africa
since August, 1850.

I will avoid personalities as much as possible
and will merely mention the part I have taken
personally in the works of development, especially
in the Transvaal, to give an idea of the position
from which I have viewed passing events. I have
avoided statistics which have been amply supplied
by blue-books, newspapers, and other writers. I
have tried to condense this synopsis, and find that it
has, nevertheless, grown in dimensions far beyond
what I intended, and yet a vast amount of pertinent
matter had to be left out, and I find that although
most distasteful to me, in writing from memory of
personal experience, the " Ego " is unduly prominent
if perhaps unavoidable.

As regards what I have written about the
Transvaal during a residence of thirty-five years
from 1855 to 1889, and since then in annual visits
till 1910, I would mention that I closely identified
myself with the civil and political life of the Dutch
farmers or Boers. (" Boeren " as they are usually
termed), with whom I was on the most friendly foot-
ing, and with whom I worked in various capacities,
as Member of Volksraad for the district of Pretoria,

vi. Introduction

as President of the Land Commission, as first
Director of the Delagoa Bay Railway, 1875-76, as
first Chairman of Mines, Witwatersrand, (Johannes-
burg) etc., etc. Although advances were made to me,
but being (as a member of the Legislature) pledged
to the country, I took no part in the annexation of
the Transvaal by Sir T. Shepstone in 1876-7, and
during the term of the British occupation I held no
office of emolument, and I refused the offer of the
first seat in the Executive Council made me by Sir
Bartle Frere. I had among the Dutch Afrikanders
many friends at the time, and I fully appreciate
the good qualities they possess. Although in my
absence in Europe and the East, during the war of
1880, I was treated as one to be distrusted, an
English alien, and half ruined, I can conscientiously
say that I am not prejudiced against the Dutch Boer,
and I trust that any statements I have made will be
accepted as dictated by an open mind, without
animus and being correct as far as my memory
serves, and in remembrance of many acts of kindness
received, and of mutual friendship during years of
strenous effort and of vicissitudes in a young country ;
playing the difficult role of a pioneer of civilisation
in remote regions on a savage borderland.

ROSEBANK,

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE,

February, 1911.

CHAPTER I.
A WORD ABOUT THE FAMILY.

EARLY DAYS IN ENGLAND AND NATAL.

My father, Johan Marinus Struben, born in
Oosterwijk Castle in Holland, 30th March, 1806, was
married on the 2nd of May, 1838, to my mother,
Frances Sarah Beattie, a daughter of Alexander
Beattie, Esq., who was born in Scotland, and was
later a landowner in Hampshire, and Consul for
several nations at Cowes and Portsmouth, and a
shipowner.

Our grandfather Beattie owned at one time
several ships trading with the West Indies, where
he had interests in sugar plantations. He lost
heavily during the Napoleonic Wars and owing to
loss of vessels, under convoy in a gale, and also to
the deterioration in value of West Indian property
when the slaves were emancipated and land went
out of cultivation.

The Poet Beattie was a cousin of my grand-
father's. Lord Byron was a friend of my grand-
father Beattie, and stayed with him before he left
for Greece. Letters of his written from Missa-
longhi were destroyed during the Transvaal War
of 1880, together with many other papers and things.

In 1840 my parents, who were travelling on
the Continent visiting Germany and Holland,

Captain J. H. M. Struben became a naturalized British
subject when he married Miss Beattie, and went to reside in
England. We have the Letters Patent signed by Queen
Victoria.— (Editor.)

2 Recollections of Adventures

were prevented from returning to England in the
Autumn as intended, owing to circumstances over
which 7 had no control, and I was born on the
lower Rhine (where my father's yacht Fanny was
lying) on October 9th, 1840, and christened in the
old Cathedral of Rotterdam, Hendrik Wilhelm
Struben. All my brothers and sisters were born in
England, (with the exception of Fred, who was born
in Natal,) and were christened in the Church of
England.

For some years we lived in Cowes, in the Isle of
Wight, my father was Consul for several nations,
he was a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club,
and owned a small yacht of 39 tons named Fanny
after our mother, (No. 40 of the Royal Thames Yacht
Club). As a boy I remember many pleasant sailings
round the Island, and on the South Coast and
occasionally trips were made to Holland to visit
relations.

My father had for years voyaged to the East,
at one time in command of a small squadron of
vessels, employed by the Dutch East India Company,
for correcting the charts of the Straits of Malacca,
Sunda, round Borneo, the Chinese Seas, etc. He had
voyaged all over the world and led a most eventful
life. I have still the Cross for Valour he got for
carrying dispatches to the Citadel at great risk
during the siege of Antwerp, when only a Lieu-
tenant.

He was twice shipwrecked, being once for
three days with eight others on a mast in the North
Sea, who all dropped off but one of his seamen and
himself, and both when picked up were nearly dead.
He never quite recovered from the effects of this
adventure. He was a friend of the first Rajah
Brooke of Sarawak, and subsequent to his marriage

A Word about the Family 3

he still made voyages, as captain of vessels to India
and China when my mother went to live near
London, and sent the elder children to school. My
mother's health was very delicate and the doctors
ordered her a change to the Cape, so in 1850 we
sailed in the Old Anne, a teak-built East Indiaman,
which has been captured from the Dutch in Saldanha
Bay in 1806 and re-christened. She was of the old
galliot " bowed " class, and took three and a half
months to reach Table Bay. She was chosen for our
migration because Captain Clinch was an old friend
of my father's in Hong Kong. He gave us the
whole suite of spacious and comfortable state cabins.
I remember (when becalmed in the tropics,) watch-
ing the great blue sharks from the cabin windows
lazily swimming under the stern, waiting for food.
A dear good friend of my parents, Captain
Castle (who so nobly distinguished himself when his
ship was burnt at sea,) exchanged into the Old Anne
as first officer, so as to be of assistance to us on the
voyage ; he went on to India, and I never saw him
again ; he died a few years ago in Devonshire.
After sighting the Cape we were terribly mauled in
a gale before we could get in. There was no Table
Bay breakwater then. I remember, that Port
Captain Wilson gave me a fine Newfoundland dog,
that used to swim after penguins, which were then
plentiful in the Bay. My mother's first trouble
on landing was, that the better looking of the two
servants immediately got married to a man who had
courted her on the ship, while she was pretending to
be too ill to do her work ! While we were at the
Cape the Van Reenens and other old Cape families
were very kind and made the short visit pleasant,
but we did not stay long, as Sir Benjamin Chili Pine
(whom my father had known in the East), who was
then Governor of Natal, persuaded him to accept an

4 Recollections of Adventures

appointment as Chief Magistrate over the Northern
portion of that Colony, embracing four sub-magis-
tracies. The bar of Durban harbour was then too
shallow to admit of large ships entering the bay, and
I remember my mother being shocked at the nude
Kaffirs in the cargo boat which landed us. After
the grand old East Indiaman we had a rough
experience in The Fliberty Brig from Cape Town to
Durban, (a pokey little ship.) The old Scotch Captain
told us that the fires we saw on the coast were
made by the farmers burning down their homesteads ;
which they did yearly to destroy the bed bugs
known as " Norfolk Howards " ! I have been in
many houses since then, in which the swarming
insect life would fully justify such drastic measures ;
but when I have complained I have been told that
they always attack strangers, the ordinary home
dwellers being immune !

Durban in August, 1850, was a straggling
village with neither streets nor sidewalks, only
stretches of white sand, dotted with grass-thatched
bungalows. The best house belonged to Mr. Harry
Milner, which he kindly placed at our disposal
during our stay. It was pleasantly situated under
shady indigenous trees on the Bay front, near Cato's
Creek. Harry and Tom Milner and many other
nice people were very kind ; my father and mother
being favourites. There was a good class of gentle-
folks in the Colony who understood real hospitality
and were glad to welcome new comers.

Dr. Stanger, the Surveyor-General, was going
to Pietermaritzburg in what struck me as a large
clumsy tented wagon, and we joined the caravan.
I was only a small chap and was proud when I was
given a horse to ride the whole way. At the halts
I got stiff and sore but would not give in, so I

A Word about the Family 5

arrived in Maritzburg minus some cuticle though
proud and happy ! The old Boer road over the
mountains, overlooking the Inanda location,
afforded lovely views, now the railway follows
closely the same route but one sees much less when
rushing along ! In those early days of the Colony
everyone was full of hope and energy and belief
in the future of the country. The whole tone
of the upper class whites was superior to what
it is now, and the natives were happier, less
impertinent, in a sense less civilised, but in every
way more agreeable and self-respecting ; while more
respectful to those in authority than they are now,
since their intimacy with low class whites, and
their having attained to a certain degree of educa-
tion, and a change from the simple native life and
customs.

Maritzburg was then a straggling village, mostly
built by the Dutch, before the Colony was taken
over by the British in 1842. We had a house close
to Government House, and next to Zeederberg's Mill,
which was worked by an overshot water wheel on
the main water furrow. Open water courses traver-
sed the streets and irrigated the gardens.

Sir Benjamin Pine, the Governor, and Mr.
Theophilus Shepstone (afterwards Sir Theophilus),
Secretary for Native A if airs ; Judge and Mrs. Cloete,
Dr. Stanger, Surveyor-General ; Mr. Donald Moodie,
Secretary to Government, Dean Green (then Military
Chaplain), the Rev. and Mrs. Campbell, Mr. and
Mrs. Bird, Colonel Boyd and the officers of the old
45th Regiment, and many others I recall with
affectionate and vivid remembrance. For a time,
my elder brother Alex and I went to a private
school kept by a Mr. Walker (near old Colonel
Boyd's), the other pupils were Henrique, Willie and

6 Recollections of Adventures

Offie Shepstone and Graham Cloete. What is now
the Prince Alfred Club was Judge Cloete's house,
and I used often 'to spend my Sundays there. Those
old days were happy ones, and I have a warm
corner in my heart for Natal, although so changed,
and I feel sad when I think of how few of the old
friends are left, how many hopes have been unful-
filled !

When our parents went to the up-country
Magistracy we two boys stayed with the Rev. and
Mrs. Campbell, and I shall ever remember them with
affection. My father's faithful Indian body -servant,
who had been with us for fourteen years, returned to
Calcutta, as he did not like the Kaffirs. He was a
great loss.

When we went to Ladysmith we had to live in
native grass huts, while the house was being built.
One night an ox pushed his horn through the grass
near my mother's bed and gave her a fright !
Another moonlight night I saw a large hyena
prowling in front of the hut door. When the big
house was built, we had constant visitors, the
Governor with his suite, horses and orderlies, officers
on leave, up for shooting, and I was told off to show
them game, and do a little on my own account. We
often had visitors from Europe and elsewhere.
Bishop Colenso was also sometimes our guest. Our
house was never empty, and had my father not been
in receipt of small sums from Europe, he could never
have entertained as he did, on the paltry salary then
allowed Colonial Magistrates.

A Captain Shelley and Dr. Harvey were staying
in Ladysmith on their return from a shooting trip to
Bamangwato and the Ngami Lake. They were
jovial fellows but reckless, and had their travelling
wagon and servants. One day for a bet Shelley

A Word about tht Family 7

said his duelling pistol could reach the wagon, he
fired, and the ball went through both sides of the
wagon, missing his white servant Webber by an
inch as he lay on the bed ! Another time he was
shooting gin flasks off Dr. Harvey's head. Without
intending to tell tales, I mentioned this as a great
feat ! My father thought otherwise and stopped the
game, and they were angry with me for telling.
Shelley afterwards commanded a Turkish contin-
gent in the Russo-Turkish war.

One hot day I was escorting a " la-di-dah "
swell sportsman, just out from home, shooting guinea
fowl, when, overcome by heat he suddenly sat
down on what he thought a soft spot, but was really
a species of euphorbia (which grows in the form of a
cushion on the ground) and is one mass of prickly
spines. He rose with a yell and all the way home
used profane language, condemning Africa for
providing such a fiery seat of honour !

CHAPTER II.

CAPTAIN STRUBEN AND THE NATAL
MAGISTRACY.

During the period 1851-54 the witch doctors in
Zululand were " smelling out " native kraals whole-
sale, and the slaughter of men, women and children
was dreadful. Thousands were drowned in the
Tugela, and stabbed on its banks, while trying to
cross into Natal, but yet many succeeded in reaching
safety there. My father did not think it advisable
to augment the existing Natal tribes living in
locations, so apportioned these refugees, (who had
nothing to live on,) in families among the Dutch
farmers for a term of years, on most favourable
conditions, food and land being found them and their
families, while the men did a certain amount of farm
work for the owner. The Governor approved of the
scheme, and the Natives and Boers were both
satisfied. These Zulus are now well-to-do and have
increased alarmingly. It was the best that could be
done at the time, the poor creatures could not be
driven back over the Tugela to be butchered, and
they were starving. Nevertheless, a missionary
wrote to the authorities in England, that Captain
Struben had handed over these people to the Boers
as slaves, and one of the Natal papers which has
always been a thorn in the side of the Colony, took
up the cry and heaped abuse on my father and
condemned everything he did. At another time a
tribe under Gado-gado living in the Drakensburg
used systematically to steal the Natal farmers' cattle,
exchanging them with the Basutos for cattle stolen

Captain Struben and the Natal Magistracy 9

in the Sovereignty (now the Free State). Gado-gado
was ordered to appear before the Magistrate to
answer to these charges. He answered that if the
Magistrate wanted him and felt strong enough he
could come to his location and fetch him ! If order
had to be maintained, such a challenge could not be
allowed to pass, so my father with one of his sub-
ordinate Magistrates, the late Dr. Elaine, the Field
Cornet, Martinus Koekemoor, a Boer by name Jan
Groen, with a body of native police approached the
head " kraal " from the mountain side at daybreak.
A woman gave the alarm, and the Zulus rushed out
armed with assegais. One aimed an assegai at my
father's chest, but the horse threw his head up and
received it on the bone of the neck behind his ear,
where it bent and hung, the horse turning round and
round in his fright. The Kaffir then rushed up with
a stabbing assegai, so my father shot him dead with
a pistol. Another rushed at Dr. Elaine who also
shot him, and then a general scrimmage took place,
thirty-two of the rebels were killed and wounded,
and the tribe taken prisoners to Lady smith. Again
there was an outcry by some missionaries supported
by the same paper, that " cold-blooded murder had
been committed, and that Captain Struben should
pay the penalty." The Governor and most of the
officials stood by him and I have letters approving of
his conduct, but the enmity against him was extreme
on the part of the one paper and the missionaries.

Up to this time cattle were a drug in the Natal
market, oxen being as low as £1 and even 10/- each,
but pleuro-pneumonia had been imported to the
Cape from Holland, and notwithstanding that my
father placed guards at the passes in the Drakens-
berg, the terrible disease entered Natal and
destroyed two-thirds of its cattle. The cattle

10 Recollections of Adventures

taken with Gado-gado caught the "lung sick-
ness," and died wholesale, and my father's enemies
again accused him of appropriating the cattle
taken with the rebel tribe. I believe that this
unwarrantable animosity was due to the idea
that my father sympathized too much with the
Boers, who greatly respected and liked him.

At another time, Nodada, a chief ruling in the
Umsinga location refused to deliver up a murderer
who had taken refuge with him. My father with
his interpreter, lomtye, went to Nodada's head kraal,
where a large number of the tribe were assembled,
and among them the murderer. Under tribal law
the chief is answerable for individuals of the tribe,
and it was his duty to send the murderer for trial to
the Magistracy when ordered. My father demanded
his immediate arrest, when Nodada refused, he held
his pistol to his head, took out his watch and gave
him five minutes to decide. Nodada immediately
called to his people to catch the man, which was
done, he then held his hand out and said to my
father, "You are not an old woman like some, you
are a man. I respect you and you will never have
trouble with me again," and he kept his word.
When the Basutos broke out some time afterwards
and my father was asked for a native contingent,
Nodada was the first to offer his assistance, and a
grand lot of fighting men they were in their war
dress, plumes and shields, each regiment carrying
differently marked oxhide shields. Four thousand
went to the front from the Klip River division, and
I was fascinated by their thundering war dance,
which they performed before my father, giving the
salute " Inkosi Bayete."

During the early Zululand troubles I was sent
to Commandant Karl Landman, in the Biggarsberg,

Captain Strtiben and the Natal Magistracy 11

with orders, post haste, as another inroad of Zulu
impis, ( following refugees into Natal ) was expected,
but the Tugela rose, and the unfortunates that did
not succeed in swimming across were assegaied or
drowned, and the impis did not cross. Landman
lived near the Zulu border, and in the long ride my
trousers split, and I felt much disconcerted when I
saw a lot of girls looking at me from behind a door
curtain, shrieking with laughter at my sorry
condition. The old lady of the house gave me a
needle and thread so I retired and repaired the most
conspicuous rents, but I hated those girls, and after
getting my dispatches and supper, rode back, as I
would not sleep there. On the road back, my horses
were tired, so I slept in a reed enclosure at a Kaffir
Kraal. While lying down, a large yellow snake
came close to me and I was preparing to kill it,
when the head man ran up and begged me not to
hurt it, said that it was harmless and was their good
genius, and if it were killed the "Umtagati" (witches)
would ruin them. I afterwards often saw these
orange coloured snakes in Kaffir Kraals where they
are protected and fed.

I used to enjoy going into the native locations
with my father and his staff, collecting hut tax (7/6
per dwelling hut was the tax), but the Kaffirs had
then little or no money and paid in cattle. This was
inconvenient and risky, as animals ran away, or
died, so that the Government would only allow 7/6
(or tax for one hut) for the largest ox or cow, and I
bought several fine animals for 10/- each. Two of
the oxen I trained to ride and used them as pack
animals for carrying game, and riding about the
farm and later took them to the Transvaal with me.
We saw at Matyana's ("Job's Kop ") location eight
hundred fine oxen all brindle greys ( " Blaauw-

12 Recollections ot Adventures

schimmels ") which the chief had paraded in front of
us as a mark of respect. One night in Dobenkulu's
location the Kaffirs were, within a short distance of
our camp, fighting among themselves, so I did not
sleep as well as usual — there is nothing so conduc-
ive to wakefulness as " blue funk."

The country along the middle Tugela is very
rugged, full of deep kloofs into which the Kaffirs
used to throw their broken huts before the Magis-
trate came tax collecting ; we found this out and
fined delinquents double. After the tax collecting
was over they rebuilt the grass huts ; all that waste
of energy for 7/6 ! This locality is wild and beautiful,
lower down Bambata made his stronghold in 1906.
These locations are fertile and the Kaffirs live a
careless easy life, working very little.

My father established a system whereby each
Kaffir chief supplied a percentage of his tribe for
making and keeping in order the public roads in his
district. The Kaffirs were well paid, well fed and
were as happy as " mudlarks," but again the trouble-
some newspaper and the missionaries raised a cry of
" slavery," wrote to England, and my father received
orders to dismiss them, as a Liberal or Whig Govern-
ment would not tolerate " forced labour." The roads
have never been so well kept since. These road
parties were under Mr. Duncan MacKenzie, the
father of the present Sir Duncan MacKenzie who
has done yeoman service for Natal during the
wars.

The Bushmen used to come down the Drakens-
berg passes and steal droves of cattle, stabbing with

Note by Editor. — This system of road-making is very success-
fully followed by the British in Uganda. The Native Chiefs
under the administration are responsible for the roads — which are
beautifully kept and remarkable in such out-of-the-way places —
where in thes« days of a no longer "Dark Continent" motor
traffic is frequent.

Captain Struben and the Natal Magistracy 13

poisoned arrows all that would not travel fast enough
when on the retreat. There was a military post at
Bushman's River (now Estcourt) and some pleasant
officers were there, commanding mostly Cape Corps
(Hottentots), they were splendid riders and rifle shots
and most interesting chases after these Bushmen
raiders took place. How long ago it all seems !

One night my father's horse came home alone,
saddled, so, knowing which road he had gone I took
Berry, our white man-servant, some brandy, and
some Kaffirs with a stretcher and lanterns to look
for him. I found him near Elandslaagte (the scene
of the fight in the last Boer War) about midnight.
He was lying on the hard road with his hip injured,
the horse, a wild brute named " Bushman " having
shied and thrown him in the dark. We carried him
home ; but he was laid up for some time, as the
same hip had been hurt once before when he was
shipwrecked in the North Sea.

The Boers had a great admiration for my
father's courage, energy and determination, and as he
could do more with them than anyone in Natal, Sir
Benjamin Pine trusted him implicitly. When in
1853 the Government wanted a census taken he had
great difficulty in overcoming the fears of the Boers,
who got an idea that they would be enrolled as
soldiers, and also that ill luck would come to them,
as it did to the Israelites when numbered in Canaan.
Shortly afterwards a " trek " was organized to go to
the "Land of Goschen,"and he dissuaded many
from joining by showing them maps and explaining
where Egypt and Goschen really were ; but some went
to the Transvaal, where they settled, as they found
the Limpopo district and Matabeleland impossible.
In those days the Boers thought that the " Mahala-
quena " River was the source of the Nile, as it flowed

14 Becollections of Adventures

north and from the vast numbers of Ibis, Flamingoes
and waterfowl in the marshes, they called it the
Nile (Nylstrom). I was astonished at the myraids
of waterfowl, spurwing geese, teal, widgeon, coot,
divers, herons, etc. when I first saw them. In 1856-7
it was full of water, but when I saw it again in 1909,
it was dry at the " Moord Drift " and below at
Mapela's old kraal it was sadly shrunken and most
of the waterfowl gone.

My father was chiefly responsible in negotiating
(through Sir Benjamin Pine), with Earl Grey and
Sir Harry Smith to get proper titles for the Boers
who occupied farms in Natal, for which they were
most grateful, as they had been told by mischief-
makers that the British Government would not give
them titles, and would eventually take the land
from them, they wanted to trek out of Natal but
he persuaded them not to.

It is pathetic when one thinks of the hardships
these poor uneducated pioneers have so bravely
endured, in their endeavour to make a home after
their ideal in South Africa, and although they have
been misled by adventurers and shown distrust of,
and intolerance to, "Uitlanders," one must sym-
pathize with them, their aspirations dashed to the
ground, many impoverished, many pauperized, and
the black races they conquered being placed in a
position to wedge them out of existence. When I
remember the old days, when I was trusted and
respected by them ; before the Annexation of 1877
(after which every Englishman was distrusted
whether he had taken part against them or not), I
feel deeply that much is to be said on their behalf.

In the fifties there were many fine old English
educated gentlemen in Natal as Government
officials, men you could respect and look up to.

CHAPTER 111.

CAPTAIN STRUBEN REQUISITIONED TO

BECOME FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE

FREE STATE.

On the 17th April, 1854, my father received a
requisition signed by members of the Volksraad of
the Orange Free State to allow himself to be
nominated first President, after the Sovereignty
was given back to the Boers at Sand River. The
signatures are :—

I. J. Janson van Rensburg.
A. J. Enssen.
P. L. Moolman.
G. Viljee.
C. J. C. du Toit.
Joseph M. Orpen.
H. J. Nalser.
E. Haines.

The Governor did not wish him to leave, so nothing
came of it.

On the 3rd May, 1854, a letter signed F. P.
Schnehage, Acting Landdrost, Winburg, by order
C. v. d. van Soelen, Government Secretary, again
urged him to become President and promised that
the Volksraad, which would sit on the 27th May,
would give him their full support and would write
him to that effect but it was too late, and Mr. Boshoff
was appointed in 1854. In the Natal Independent
arid General Advertiser of May 4th, 1854, the

16 Recollections of Advent wres

farmers of Upper Natal sent the following memorial
to the Government of which the literal translation
reads :—

"We, the undersigned inhabitants of the
Division of Klip River, having learnt to our
inmost grief and heartfelt sorrow that our
beloved and respected Magistrate, Captain
Struben is likely to leave us, having been
n minated a candidate for President of the
Orange River Free State, at the forthcoming
election, and letters from the Council and others
high in office in those parts having been for-
warded to Captain Struben, assuring him of
their influence on the people to obtain their
votes in his favour — most humbly yet most
urgently call upon His Honour the Lieut. -
Governor and the Council of Natal to adopt
such measures as will tend to avert the
threatening calamity, and to guard not nly our
division, but the whole district against an evil,
which according to our conviction will be keenly
and long felt, and if not averted in proper time
must lead to the ruin of this district ; we, there-
fore, do not for a moment hesitate to propose to
the Government not to accept Captain Struben 's
resignation in case it be tendered, but on the
contrary to double his salary."

" To His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor and
Council of Natal."

This was signed by nearly everyone in the
district. In the Natal Mercury of May 10th, 1854, I
find— "The Orange River Free State (late the
Sovereignty). We have good authority for stating
that Captain Struben has signified his willingness to
accept the office of President to which we doubt not
he is, before this time, formally appointed . Although

Captain Struben Requisitioned 17

it will be perhaps impossible to find a successor to
Captain Struben in the Magistracy of the Klip River
division, in all respects his equal, we consider this
appointment, on the whole, is a fortunate circum-
stance for Natal as well as the wisest step that the
Council of the New State could possibly have taken.
The prestige of Captain Struben's name and
character will keep the native tribes in wholesome
subjection, whilst it will have the effect equally and
simultaneously of inspiring the confidence, and
harmonizing the forces of the Boers and the British
settlers."

In the Natal Independent and General Advertiser
of May 4th, 1854, appears the following :—

" The Sovereignty and Captain Struben."

" It is now talked of everywhere and has
become a matter of such general report that we can
no longer doubt the acceptance of Captain Struben
of the Government of the Sovereignty. Indeed, we
do not deduce any reason to doubt the alleged fact,
while ten thousand reasons may be adduced in favour
of such an arrangement and to render it highly
desirable."

CHAPTER IV.
BOYHOOD DAYS IN NATAL.

One of the most enjoyable years of my life I
spent with Mr. Posselt, the head of the Berlin
Missions in South Africa, at Emmaus, near the
"Umlambonja River under the Kathlamba ( Drakens-
berg) near the Mont aux Sources. My dear brother
Alex, was with me and a lovable and charming
companion. Dr. Blaine's son Fred, now Sir Frederick
studied with us, German, Latin, English, Zulu, etc.,
etc. Mr. Posselt was an upright gentleman, kind
and considerate, and I shall always remember him
with affection. Mr. Posselt's brother-in-law with
wife and children were crossing the " Inja Suti "
( full dog ) " The Little Tugela " when a mountain
freshet came down, carried wagon and oxen
away, and the poor people were drowned. Mr.
Posselt was in Xosaland during the early Kaffir
wars and had to flee with his wife and child in the
night, being warned by some of his native pupils.
After he left Emmaus he was minister to the
German settlement at Pine Town.

The thunder storms along the Berg were
terrific sometimes, and there were often fatalities by
lightning. One Sunday an old Boer and his wife
were sitting in front of their house on the next farm to
Emmaus, when the lightning killed him in his chair.
Whilst we were at Emmaus the great snow storm of
1853 occurred ; the game came down the Berg in vast
droves from the high table lands of the Free State,
and tens of thousands died in the mountain ravines

Boyhocd Days in Natal 19

and snow drifts. The farmers and Kaffirs lost
heavily in stock, and the whole country was full of
dead birds and small game. The snow in the low
country melted after several days ; but the mountains
were covered for months. The locations of Hezikali,
Putini, and Langalebaleli along the foot hills
of the Drakensberg under Cathkin Peak, Giants
Castle and Mont aux Sources, are in grand country.
To watch the thunder storms gather in these moun-
tains, (12,000 feet high) and travel eastwards over
Natal is a treat indeed for those who love nature as
I do.

My grandfather sent some money to buy a farm
for Alex, and me, and my father bought one near the
Tugela, and named it " Ruitenburg " after an old
castle in Europe. The land joined Pieter's Hill on
the South East and Wagonhill on the North West,
where afterwards there was such hard fighting in
the 1899 - 1902 Boer War. I farmed the place after
a fashion but did not make much of it. We made a
winding path through a beautiful grove of trees
along the hill, with a summer house at the end for
our dear mother, but I feel sad when I remember
how little she was able to enjoy it, her health being
so bad. We built a large house of free stone cut by
German workmen. I hear that since the war the
place is in ruins. We sold it years ago.

Alex, and I used to have delightful rides among
the mountains on wiry little Kaffir ponies hired by
the day. There was splendid fishing in the clear
mountain rivers and we bathed so much that we all
became expert swimmers. I have caught golden
carp in the upper reaches of the Tugela, the
14 Umlambonja " and " Minnowenu " up to 10, 11 and
12}/£ Ibs. The Natal rivers are now stocked with
trout.

20 Recollections of Adventures

Below the Tugela Falls I caught large eels of 14
Ibs. weight where General Buller's column crossed to
attack " Pieters Hill."

My sister Rose was a splendid swimmer, and
could cross the river in high flood with ease, we were
all as at home in water as on land. The Zulus are
powerful swimmers and fond of water — they bathe
whenever they can — not like the Bechuanas and
Makkatees who generally dread water.

I was fond of animals, and among others had a
large tame " Hartebeest." He used to amuse him-
self by hooking any clothes or linen ( out to dry ) on
to his horns, and careering about the Ladysmith
village, to the amusement of those to whom the linen
did not belong. One day he stood with his back in
the door of the Dutch Church at "Nachtmaal " time
and knocked over a couple of churchwardens. I
was sent for, and with a policeman or two got him
away, but I was told that he must not be allowed at
large; so I sold him. I used to go to Tommy
Wright's the butcher, for meat for my dogs. There
was a town regulation that Kaffirs must be clad
while in town, so Tommy told his boy to take the
meat, but to dress himself, as he was going to the
"Inkosi's" house. The boy dived into his hut,
reappeared with one of Miss Wright's corsets on,
hind side before, shouldered the meat and came with
me; in the garden we met my father who asked
what I meant by bringing a naked Kaffir to
the house. I explained that the Zulu thought
himself in full dress, and how the dear old man
laughed !

One day when we were at the Camp on the hill
above the present bridge, a wind storm took the roof
off the chapel, seized a wagon, and a cart and blew

Boyhood Days in Natal 21

them into the river. Once on the way up to Lady-
smith while outspanned at Moord Spruit, ( where so
many Boers were killed by Dingaan's Zulus,) we were
caught in a terrific hailstorm. The oxen bolted, one
had his eye knocked out, the Hottentot driver,
Christian, made a Zulu boy go out to turn them,
he was knocked down and stunned before he got a
hundred yards, Christian had to drag him under the
wagon, and when we did go on, the Blaauwkrantz
River nearly washed us away.

In the winter Alex, and I used to hunt quagga,
wildebeest, hartebeest, blesbok (gnu), that came down
the Berg for the winter pasturage. The flats
towards Spion Kop were full of them, a few buffaloes
were still on the Tugela, and numbers of eland in
the Drakensberg. The game used to invade Natal
during cold weather in thousands, and two Scotch-
men started a factory on the Buffalo River near
where Newcastle is now, to boil down their fat for
lard; thousands were killed, especially quaggas to
supply the demand. Quaggas are n w extinct. This
district was subsequently given out under occupation
grants, and is now inhabited by Boers, English and
Kaffirs.

Some years later Mr. MacKenzie was repairing
the Tugela Drift with a party of Zulus. The river
was strong and a Makkatee boy of mine who was
driving oxen missed the crossing, and was nearly
drowned. I swam to save him, he clutched me round
the neck, we both would have been drowned had not
MacKenzie sent some Zulus to our rescue. These
Zulus were angry with the boy for clutching me, and
kept on ducking him when they got to a sand bank
so that the poor wretch was nearly dead. Old
MacKenzie gave me a scolding for risking my life
for a Makkatee when his Kaffirs could have done

22 Recollections of Adventures

better for half-a-crown. Ted and I used to go
about the hills overlooking the Tugela. There were
crowds of baboons, and one day while we were
bathing, they stole some green mealies we had left
on the hill above, so we lost part of our lunch. How
we enjoyed those rambles !

The Klip River being in high flood, Alex, and I
and our Zulu commandeered the ferry boat belonging
to old Adams the blacksmith, and gaily rowed down
stream. All went well until we got into the big
rapids above Cauvin's Mill, (in the Poort opposite
Umbulwana,) when we struck some rocks, got twisted
about, and half filled with water, but succeeded in
landing at Cauvin's, where we hired a cart to drive
home. Old Adams was unreasonably put out ; but we
paid for a wagon to fetch the boat back, and there
was a reconciliation. There is a large pool in the river
above our house with a rapid shooting into it. I
was bathing when I saw a man wash down into the
pool, I swam to help him out, but he was dazed
and tried to grapple me, so I hit him between
the eyes, caught his " back " hair and held him up
while we drifted with the stream. Fortunately, our
stable boy (who was watering the horses), a splendid
swimmer, jumped in, and helped to get the fellow
out. He turned out to be a half drunken Irish bush
sawyer, and he no sooner recovered, then he wanted
to fight me for hitting him in the eye. There's
gratitude for you ! There were no bridges in the
fifties ; so travelling was dangerous, as the rivers
filled so rapidly from the mountain rain storms.

One day while shooting on Ruitenburg, I heard
my dogs barking, on getting near saw a large,
black snake swinging from a branch spitting at
them. I shot him, but all the dogs went blind and
remained so for some time. These mountain snakes

Boyhood Days in Natal 23

killed 13 of our cattle; some died before they
reached the kraal. The Kaffirs declare that snakes
are fond of milk and suck the cows to get it. I
had two grand dogs, Gyp and Smut, crossbred Scotch
stag hounds, and many a wounded buck and ante-
lope they accounted for. I took them to the Trans-
vaal, where Gyp was killed, she was found with her
jugular vein torn open, with dead baboons which she
had killed before they mastered her around her. This
was on Louw Pretorius' farm, on the Pinaars River
below Bairaam's Poort. A fine pup of hers which
stood level with the dining table, I lent to Will
Skinner and Lewis Devereuxon their big game hunt.
A crocodile caught him in the Limpopo.

When the grass fires started I used to get the
Kaffirs with throwing "kerries" and have a fine
game drive at night. There were reitbuck, vaal and
rooi reebok, oribe, duikers, steenbok, red hares and a
very large kind of dark hare with a spot on its fore-
head which gave fine sport. The Kaffirs named him
"Woguacha," the red hare " Intenetceha." We
used to keep the house in fish and game.

Once my father and I called at Casper Labus-
cagne's on the Tugela near Spion Kop. We found
him in bed with bones broken and badly mauled by
a buffalo which had got among his herd of cattle and
charged him without warning. I afterwards bought
Spion Kop and put Ted on it with a herd of cattle,
but disposed of it again, as the Kaffirs on the
adjoining land -colonization farms make living there
impossible. This letting of farms by Natal companies
and large land owners to Kaffirs is ruining the
Colony, and the finishing touch is the coolie
invasion. Ladysmith is now a coolie town, the
white shopkeepers and tradesmen are gone, crowded
out by the Asiatic. Ladysmith once did a large trade

24 Recollections of Adventures

with Mauritius and the Cape in butter, Messrs. Knight
& King at first sent thousands of casks away, but the
Boers made it so badly, that there was soon no sale
for it, and the trade died. Splendid Zulu boys'
wages were 7/6 a month and mealies ; and they
were cheerful, healthy and willing workers. Now
they get five times the pay, wear dirty clothes,
are often sickly, and don't like work. Some of our
old Zulus followed me to Pretoria, but gradually
gave it up as they did not like Makkatees. (i.e.
Transvaal Natives).

In those days there was very little money in the
Colony; everything was bartered and cheap — mealies
from 1/6 to 3/- a muid of 200 Ibs. Traders or
" smouses " (as they were called) brought herds of
cattle from the Transvaal and Zululand to add to a
plethora in the Colony, and they were almost value-
less. The Zulus gave from 10 to 30 cows for a wife,
now they take them on the credit system for about
a fifth of that, and often fail to pay the poor father-
in-law. I know of a case lately (before the East
Coast fever came into Natal) of an old Kaffir buying
a young wife for 10 cows. The brother handed them
to his father-in-law to pay for a wife he had taken
on credit some time before. According to native
custom the eldest brother of this damsel took the
cattle to pay for his wife and this was repeated once
more. The cattle having thus passed four hands in
the meantime. The first old "sportsman's" wife
took exception to his looks and general decay and
" bolted ", so, according to native law the cattle had
to be returned. This caused much oratory in the
four families, but Kaffirs love complications anent
their marriage laws, and shout and talk for days.
These cases are the despair of magistrates. In the
early days gangs of " Intombies " (girls from 15 to

Boyhood Days in Natal 25

18,) used to parade the streets of Maritzburg, dressed
in a fringe of string about three inches deep round
the waist, and some brass anklets. Immediately
a cry of " Kelegeshla umtwau etu " would be raised
by dozens of Kaffir boys, grooms, house boys, shop
boys, etc., who would stop the girls in a row, each
boy selecting the one which he admired most,
the jokes that passed, and the language used from a
moral and social point of view left much to be
desired. These girls had a great advantage — char-
coal would make a white mark on their faces so they
could not blush, and unlike Eve, they were naked and
not ashamed. They were healthier in the South
African climate with " zair nodings on " than in the
bedraggled finery and garments many of them now
wear.

I love a good horse, and when we lived in Natal
we had some of the best ; they were cross bred
Arabs, grey, standing 14.2 to 15 hands and as hardy
in the limbs as they were good of heart and enduring.
They came from the Hantam, a district in Cape
Colony. One, Snowball, was stabbed in the neck
by a Kaffir in a brush with them under Gado-
Gado in 1853 and eventually killed by a lion on the
Crocodile River in 1858.

Another, " Flam," after being used as a hunter,
and having run down more big game than any horse
I ever heard of, was sold to Signor Piavo Raposo of
Delagoa Bay and lived in luxury until he died of old
age. This class of riding horse does not now exist
in South Africa, what with weedy thorough-
breds, ugly floppy Holstein and Flemish brutes,
Argentines, etc., it will take some time before Africa

Note. — " Kflcpyshla, urntwa etu." Lit.: "Go nicely child
of ours," which might be more freely translated "How do you
do my little dears." — (Editor.)

26 Recollections of Adventures

can supply herself with really useful mounts, much
less export them to India for remounts to the
military as in bygone days.

I remember an Englishman, Mr. Evans, a geolo-
gist, in 1854 wanted to examine the Drakensberg
formation, and I was told off to escort him round.
We had a very interesting time ; he showed me
pebbles and shells on the slopes of the "Berg" which
he considered as proof that the ocean coast line had,
in bygone ages been there. When we (my brother
Fred and I, so many years afterwards) discovered
the Witwatersrand water-worn pebble beds, or
conglomerates ("Banket"), I remembered this and
concluded that the high Transvaal water divide was
a still older coast line. There were troops of elands
then in the Berg — I believe there are still a very few
left near Champagne Castle and the slopes of the
Berg. How I did enjoy those delightful rides among
the grand, natural scenery.

In 1854 our dear mother died and was buried in
the cemetry at Ladysmith. I have made many a
quiet pilgrimage to her grave on my journeys from
Pretoria to Durban, and have always kept it in
repair. The family never recovered her loss. After
our mother's death, we had really no home. My
father married again and the home was not a happy
one for us children. My eldest brother Alexander
had always been delicate, he entered the Civil
Service and became Civil Commissioner for Durban.
Sir Theophilus Shepstone and other of my friends
tried to pursuade me to join the Civil Service too,
but I was more robust than Alex, and preferred a
more independent though rougher life, where I
would have more scope for my energies, so I went to
the Transvaal with my father and worked there.

CHAPTER V.
EARLY PRETORIA DAYS.

In 1855-56 I went to study farming with Presi-
dent Pretorius on " Kalkheuvel." He was kindly
disposed but was seldom on the farm and his wife
was impossible, a woman with a terrific temper. I
found that I was not learning anything, so left one
day, after one of her frequent tantrums. The
Crocodile River, which runs on the boundary of the
farm was in high flood, but she refused me any
natives to assist me in getting my cattle across, so I
had to do the best I could alone, as it was impossible
to remain in the house until President Pretorius*
return, nor did she wish it, as she knew he would
take my part ; as he did when he came to hear of her
behaviour, and asked me to try and forget all about
it. He was a kind hearted, good man. I could
swim very well, so drove the cattle into the crossing,
but they were taken down by the strong stream.
Some got entangled in the trees ; in extricating them
I got several bad knocks and bruises, and once or
twice nearly gave up, but got them all out after a
long struggle ; and then had to swim back for my
clothes, and, half dead with fatigue and cold, reached
old Badenhorst's, where they gave me a " kraal " for
my cattle and shelter for the night. Next day I
reached Pretoria.

When we first went to Pretoria there was only
oiK1 Hartebeest house built of poles, reeds and mud
where the Pretoria Club now stands. This belonged
to Hendrick Vermuelen, the Landdrost, Joachim

28 Recollections of Adventures

Prinsloo, nicknamed " Tweeduim," (because he had
two thumbs on one hand), lived on the banks of the
Apie's River, and the Field Cornet, Andries van der
Walt, had a cottage near the furrow below Eland's
Poort. Messrs. Lionel and Lewis Devereux and
William Skinner, who had built a large house for the
late General Andries Pretorius on Groot Plaats (a
beautiful farm in the Magaliesberg valley) were
engaged to build a Dutch Reformed Church in
Pretoria, and Mr. Pretorius came and camped in tents,
while superintending the making and burning the
bricks, and I used to go out with him to shoot
" quaggas " as food for the Makkatee brick makers.
One day, Mr. Pretorius, who had good horses, and
was a good shot, said that any of the party who did
not shoot anything was to get ten cuts with a
bullock " strop " ; in the evening old Franz Schutte,
a deacon and leading light of the church was court-
martialled and stretched, while Mr. Pretorius gave
him a few cuts, when he shouted so violently that
we had to let him go. He left in high dudgeon
and never went shooting with us again. At that
time the Pretoria town commonage swarmed with
Gnu, Blesbok, Springbok and Quagga in the winter,
which came from the high veld into the sheltered
valleys for warmth, and better grass. I used to
go out before daylight and shoot them, as they
returned to the high veld during the day time.
Poor beasts, they are all gone long ago. It was
difficult in those days to earn a living, so I obtained
a Government appointment as schoolmaster, but I
found it most irksome and only kept on until I

Editor's Note. — Now, on looking from the fine pile of the
Union Buildings over the great extent of the town, with its
houses situated among their gardens on the many hills — Pretoria,
the Administrative capital of the Union of South Africa, would
seem to have undergone incredible changes in the 60 years — since
this lonely little farmhouse was its sole habitation.

Early Pretoria Days 29

had earned enough by adding to what I had, to buy
a wagon and span of oxen.

Both money and skilled labour were unobtain-
able in the early days in Pretoria, and when I gave
up the Government school, as I had not enough
capital to start farming, I started a transport service
to Natal in a small way. To economise, I learnt to
make my own boots, " veldschoens," to paint my
wagon, make " reims " and " strops," to repair wagons
and gear. My clothes, except for a suit or two kept
for high occasions, made by a tailor in Natal, were
built in a most comical fashion by old Mrs. Vermeulen.
I soon had several wagons and about 250 oxen,
experienced white drivers, and plenty of native
servants. I went up and down to Natal several
times a year. I shot game for the servants and made
" biltong " to last them back into the game country.
I sometimes travelled with horse and cart, but during
rainy seasons I had to ride the whole distance, alone
on horseback, swimming swollen rivers, and riding
in the rain on a wet saddle, this brought on
rheumatism, which has troubled me more or less
ever since.

I had good horses, and enjoyed the sporting part
of the business immensely, but at times, with rivers
in flood, no bridges, the hard work " trekking " till
10 p.m. and again at 3 and 4 a.m., wagons sticking
in morasses, and the thousand and one other accidents
inevitable in South African travelling, " it was not
all beer and skittles." It was, however, a healthy
and free life. I was earning my own living and
helping others, and I saved enough to buy the
" Willows " and other farms, notwithstanding some
heavy losses I had at various times.

When I was staying at President Pretorius'
farm " Kalkheuvel," the two Devereux and Will

30 Itecollections of Adventures

Skinner lived on a small farm near by, called
" de Erf," and it was a relief to spend quiet Sundays
with them and hear one's mother tongue. They
were good cheery fellows. Old Mr. Hendrik Pre-
torius and his kindly tempered wife also made my
life bearable at " Kalkheuvel " by making me wel-
come at " Groot Plaats," whenever I chose to visit
them. They knew of Mrs. Pretorius' vile temper,
and told me to run over and stay with them when-
ever I felt inclined. I used to get fine shooting in
the Magaliesberg and good fishing in the Magalies
River. It is a beautiful district between the Magalies
and Witwatersberg Ranges. The river traverses
the whole valley, and the land is cultivated on both
sides with cereals, tobacco, fruit, etc. I had to go
three and four times a year to Natal; and in the
winter two or three times to Zoutpansberg, and
besides painted all my wagons once a year myself
as there were no painters in Pretoria, (and I also
saved their charges,) so I was never idle and was
quite contented to do all I attempted as well as I
could.

In those days (of the fifties and sixties), the
spring rains regularly came in September and the
winters were colder than they ever are now. The
water furrows in Pretoria, and all waterholes and
"spruits" were frozen hard, now they seldom are.
No one appears able to account for the change.

There was very little money in the Transvaal in
those days. The better class Boers used to go every
autumn to Natal to sell their produce and get
groceries and clothing in exchange. The load would
consist of say 10 bags of wheat value 15/- each,
tanned leather, ox reims, whips, " sjamboks," giraffe
bones, honey, dried fruit and biltong. The average
value of the whole load, including a couple of

Early Pretoria Days 31

oxen out of the span, would not amount to more
than £30 or £40, and this had to be taken 350 miles
by bullock wagon. Very little money passed hands
except for ivory or ostrich feathers — the former worth
from 3/6 to 6/- per Ib. — a good ostrich cock in full
plumage with skin complete would be worth from
£7/10/- to £10. There were few stores except
in Potchefstroom, and afterwards in Pretoria.
44 Smouses " (itinerant traders), took goods about the
country, and exchanged them on the farms for pro-
duce, cattle, etc., at about 100 per cent, on cost. The
farmer only got from £2 to £3 for cows, and £4
to £5 for big oxen. Native labour was cheap and
better than now, and on the whole, the farmers did
as well then as they do now, although there is more
money in circulation. I remember one day the
wagons had just outspanned at Van Reenen's Pass
on the top of the Drakensberg, when some
Basutos came along with ponies for sale, and I bought
seven at 30/- each and took them to Pretoria.

Old Adrian Standers offered to sell me seven
farms on the Upper Vaal River for £75 apiece in
paper money. These farms are now heavily stocked
and worth thousands. It is a splendid stock raising
country for horses, sheep and cattle, from the Drakens-
berg to the northern escarpment of the high veld,
and should be reserved for occupation of white
farmers only.

CHAPTER VI.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROAD.

RIVERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

In the late autumn it was bitterly cold crossing
the Berg and high veld, I think much colder than
it is of late years, and the poor Kaffirs and oxen
suffered badly in the hoar frost, with the morasses
and spruits frozen over. On some trips I had to sleep
in the open myself, and felt chilled to the marrow.
I soon gave up travelling in the high veld in
winter. One trip in the summer I came up with
Okker Oosthuizen on the hill north of Bushman's
River, now Estcourt. The lightning had just killed
his whole span of fine red oxen (14), they were lying
in the road in a row. Another time four oxen
belonging to my travelling companion were struck,
while grazing close to the wagons.

In those days there were no bridges, and the
rushing swollen rivers would detain wagons for days,
often the loads had to be raised and half taken over
at a time, the oxen almost swimming. I have been
sometimes for hours in the water getting the wagons
over ; it was terrible work for us all, but it had to be
done. Now "Johnny Newcomes" growl in comfort-
able railway carriages. People coming to South
Africa now, with bridges over the rivers, railways to
all important centres, roads made, and hotels at
intervals, cannot realize what the risks and hard-
ships of the early days of colonization were.

Difficulties of the Road 55

Jacobus van der Walt, the same man who drove
my wagon home from the commando against
Mahura and Gaisbone, was on the road to Natal
with a load of ivory for Evans and Churchill. He
attempted to cross the Vaal River at Sand Drift, the
water was too strong, and the oxen were swept down
below the ford, until only the half of the tent was
showing. On this poor Jacobus sat in great fear as
the oxen were drowning and he could not swim. I
got my men together, and by means of ropes, etc.,
got him and most of his oxen out, by cutting them
loose, but it was a nasty job, and made me ill with
rheumatism when finished. I had to attach long
chains and pull the wagon out with my oxen, as van
der Walt's were no use. One had to be amphibious
in those days if you had to travel much.

Some of the drawbacks to the high central
plateau are the frightful lightning and thunder
storms. During the Basuto war of 1866, a number of
Pretoria people were going in convoy to Natal. They
included R. Lys, Brodrick, P. Marais, John Murray,
etc., I was elected Commandant to order the travel-
ling, camping, etc. The Vaal River was in flood, and
the wagons were camped on the north bank when a
terrific storm broke over us. My valuable horse
"Trump" was knee-haltered, and I put my head out
of the wagon to see if the storm was driving him into
the river, when a flash of lightning nearly blinded
me. It struck Murray's wagon a few feet away and
sent a case of ostrich feathers, which was on top of a
load of wool, flying in all directions, then ran down a
chain, part of the charge burning marks all over a
thick Boer-made woollen hat worn by Dieterickse,
who was stunned, and was deaf ever after, until he
broke his neck some years afterwards hunting bles-
bok. Mr. Brodrick took the hat to England as a
curio.

D

34 'Recollections of Adventures

Aletta Vermuelen and her husband, living
near Heidelberg, went to Waterfall River shooting.
The wagon was fairly loaded with game. They
started for home, when the lightning killed the
husband, who was driving, and the two hind oxen.
The dead man slipped off on to the ground, the wife
had no help but a little boy of 10 ; she had to lift her
husband on to the wagon, to cut loose the two dead
oxen, to inspan the others, after pushing the wagon
back from the dead oxen, then drive the wagon
about 30 miles home. She kept up bravely until in
sight of the house, when she fainted. Her people
subsequently found her with her two small children
in the wagon at the side of her dead husband.
She is still alive, living near the Premier Mine. I
have had endless narrow escapes both in Natal and
the Transvaal, but have mercifully been spared.
The lightning struck a small gum tree on "The
Willows " one day, I was writing in my office when
I heard the crash, and the rattling of the roof, and
ran out to see what was the matter, and found your
mother, her old servant-woman Clara, my brother
Fred and my man Postill, all more or less dazed,
though not near each other. The charge had jumped
from the tree about 6 feet from the ground to the
iron roof, and the current had affected all of them in
passing.

My elder brother Alex, who was in the Civil
Service in Natal, used to make a trip up country
with me occasionally, as his health was not good ;
he had while riding in a steeple chase burst a blood
vessel and was never very strong afterwards.

One trip it rained incessantly and all the rivers
were in flood. While we were delayed at the Wilge
River, three English military officers, who were
going on a shooting trip, but had only short leave,

Difficulties of the Eoad 35

were much distressed at being obliged to turn back ;
so I made a raft of some casks and planks, and swam
a rope across, and in two or three journeys got them
over. They were grateful, but I never saw them
again.

Being weary of waiting, Alex, and I decided to
ride on and let the wagons follow ; we had to swim
every river to Pretoria and the wagons did not arrive
until three weeks later. Before leaving the wagons
I swam over the Wilge River to Mrs. van Reenen's,
and bought a fat cow for slaughter for the men, and
in getting her over I nearly got drowned, owing to
my horse being a bad swimmer and hurting me in
the rushing water. He got washed on to an island
and I could hardly get him off. The horses we took
on at Pretoria were good, and gave me no trouble,
but the trip was severe on Alex, who was not used
to such exposure and fatigue. I have some sketches
he made of places en route ; he was a natural artist
and a dear, brave, lovable fellow as ever lived. He
was great at private theatricals, and afforded much
amusement to the quiet, little English coterie in Pre-
toria, where we were then like one large family, but
nearly all are gone over to the " Majority." Once
on our way home at Sea Cow River on New Year's
night we came upon a big dancing party. The
friendly old Dutchman invited us to join and we made
a night of it, dancing with the Boer girls till daylight
with intervals for refreshments. That trip seems a
hundred years ago, but it is really only about fifty.
From 1857 to 1870 I was constantly on the road
between Pretoria and Durban during the summer
from September to April.

In the early days, when I had to go so much up
and down the road to Natal, there were certain inns
where one was sure to meet some good fellows, and

36 Recollections of Adventures

many a pleasant evening have I spent at Nixon's on
the Bushman's River, (now Estcourt,) where there
were many intelligent English gentlemen farming
in the district; a cherry, fine lot of men. Old
Dodd's at Sandspruit, under the Berg, was another
kindly halting place. I first met Harry Escombe,
who afterwards became a prominent politician and a
most useful and respected citizen, in a little wayside
place near Wilge River which he and Herman
Solomons had together.

There were then numbers of young Englishmen
farming all about Natal, but of late years they have
decreased instead of increasing in numbers. With
the increase of the native population, the invasion
of Asiatics, the want of unity between the two
white races, the expectations of the early, hopeful
days, of the Colony have not been fulfilled ; and
Natal bids fair to become a Native reserve, with all
the retail trade in the hands of the Indians, and
Durban a forwarding station for the interior
commerce. This should be an object lesson for the
rest of South Africa, and unless this insidious
invasion of Asiatics into the Transvaal is stopped, it
will soon be no country for the white man.

CHAPTER VII.
TREKKING TO CAPE COLONY

In 1857-8 I started with two wagons loaded
with tanned game hides, hippo sjamboks, kameel
(giraffe) whips, buffalo soles, etc., for the Free State
and Cape Colony, to sell for cash, and exchange for
sheep. My brother Edward accompanied me, and
Lewis Devereux also had one load, and Hendrick
Vermuelen one. Devereux's oxen developed " lung
sickness," before we reached Kroonstad, and he
decided to return to Pretoria, so I took over his load,
and rather overweighted my two wagons. Ver-
muelen and I continued together to Riet River
where he got among relations, and I continued on to
Murraysburg in the Cape Colony. Here I stayed for
10 days with Mr. Jacob Burgers of " Vlei Plaats,"
a splendid specimen of the best class of South
African farmer. He was shearing sheep and reaping
wheat and oats, and I gave him my men to assist
him in exchange for his giving me the run of his
grass vlei to feed up my oxen, who were dying of
hunger, as they would not eat the aromatic Karroo
bushes, and the average Colonial Boer gave nothing
but the worst veld he had for " outspanning." One
day Burgers, Albertus Meiring and I, went to shoot
springbok to feed such a lot of working hands, and
we shot over 70 in the two days we were out. The
bucks were migrating north, and were in hundreds
of thousands. In those days the districts of Murrays-
burg, Middelburg and Hanover were very wealthy,
but of late years the farmers are poorer, partly
owing to the deterioration of the veld due to over-

38 Eecollections of Adventures

stocking, no fencing, and driving stock every night
long distances into kraals, and so resulting in harden-
ing and cutting the surface of the ground ; diminish-
ed rainfall and vegetation. I sold much of my stuff
in these districts and got together a large troop
of sheep, which I sold to butchers. We continued,
after leaving Coetye Burger's hospitable home, to
the Buffalo River, where an old curmudgeon of an
uncle of his lived, also a Burgers, who would not
give us any grazing, and a few miles beyond his
place a severe hailstorm killed three of my hungry
oxen, so I turned homewards via Hanover. Near
here we were " outspanned " on a farm, and doing a
trade with the owner, when about a dozen Boers
returning from a wolf hunt turned up and got off to
inspect the leather. Just as they were beginning to
buy, their horses with one accord commenced kick-
ing, rolling and behaving madly, then scampered
away into the dim distance, and the riders after them.
I said to the old Boer who looked stolidly on "What is
it ? " And he answered " Dit is de bij nest neef "
" (it is the bees nest nephew.) " Bees get infuriated
with a sweating horse, and a swarm in the wagon
house had turned out en masse to sting the unfor-
tunate horses. The old Boer said he did not
think that his friends would catch their horses soon,
and they didn't. I waited a couple of hours and
then trekked. They may have collected them
sometime during the week.

I had to buy three oxen to replace the dead
ones ; one was so savage that he nearly killed one
of my boys, and chased me on to the wagon, and
poked his horn through the side of the front chest,
just missing my " hind " leg. The pious Boer had
given him an excellent character, but he had
suddenly changed, and became so dangerous, that I
shot him for the boys to eat.

Trekking to Cape Colony 39

At " Oorlogs Poort " a storm caught us, and as
soon as it was over a Hottentot galloped up and
drove my oxen off. I saddled up and overtook him
and " sjambokk^d " him properly ; he then galloped
off to tell his master, but I got there first and
explained matters, when I was reprimanded for
hammering the Hottentot, but allowed to proceed
free. This farm is now " The Willows," owned by a
Mr. Hall, Mr. C. Southey's brother-in-law.

After leaving here we were snowed up for a
couple of days close to Compassberg, the highest
point in the district, and lost a couple of oxen from
cold.

It was a long five month's trek and sometimes
rather tiresome, but there was good shooting and
plenty of fresh air, and Ted and I enjoyed the
novelty of it all. The chief drawback was the
drought, and my oxen giving up, as they could not
eat the dried up Karroo bushes, being used to grass
country.

Near Philippolis the Griquas were most insolent,
they had taken the oxen of one Gert Emmenes, and
while he was getting them back, one party of them
took the wheels off the wagon. I found his poor
wife and children sitting disconsolate, not knowing
what would happen. The Griquas came bluffing us,
but I had my horse saddled, and plied them with
rhinoceros hide, and the drunken scoundrels cleared
off to fetch more men, but they did not come back.
We helped Emmenes, (who soon returned with the
oxen,) to lift his wagon on its wheels, and escorted
him on the way a bit.

Richard Harvey, who had a large store at
Paljasfontein, was buying farms from Adam Kok's
people, who were to migrate to Griqualand East,

40 Recollections of Adventures

now Kokstad near Natal. These Griquas did not
deserve to have farms ; they were never sober and
would sell their coats, as well as their farms, for
drink. They will die out as the Bosjesmans and
Hottentots have done. They are a drunken, filthy,
immoral lot, and will never become really a civilised
and useful community. It is well that they
squandered their farms.

I did fairly well out of this trip to the Colony,
notwithstanding the losses of oxen from drought,
but my two companions were less fortunate.
Devereux turned back and some of his oxen died,
and old Hendrick Vermuelen used to fight with his
two Kaffir boys every day until at last, when I
parted from him, they could not stand it and ran
away. He then hired a Hottentot, who one day,
when he was at a Boer house, broke open the wagon
chest and stole £370. The " Totty " was eventually
caught, but with law expenses and what the
Hottentot had given away, he recovered very little.

CHAPTER VIII.

BIG GAME SHOOTING TRIPS, ADVENTURES
WITH LIONS, ETC.

In those days the High Veld between the
Drakensberg and Heidelberg was swarming with
game, and in September and October, dense masses
of them would trek out of Natal to the Free State ;
the whole country was full of deep water pools con-
taining fine yellow fish, carp, tench and barbel.
These pools were surrounded with tall reeds and
rank grass, and lions in great numbers lurked in
these covers, for their prey. A Pole named Drodsky,
made a business of lion shooting, and always went
alone with one Hottentot, following him at a safe
distance with a spare gun and ammunition ; he was
greatly admired by the Boers for his cool courage
and is reported to have killed during the years he
lived on the Vaal River, some hundreds of lions, and
sold the skins and the cubs he sometimes caught.

I have had wagons stampede at night, when
oxen saw or smelled lions, and one night when near
Cornelius River, I went to see what the dogs were
barking at, one brute nearly caught me, but I
never suffered real damage through them on the
High Veld, partly owing to my knowing the worst
places to avoid at night time ; besides they had so
much game that they were not hungry. These fine
water holes and morasses are now nearly all dried
up, and one-time rich grass and clover valleys are
dry ditches, due to sheep and goats tramping foot-
paths from one water hole to another, which in
flood time they soon cut into deep " dongas." The

42 Recollections of Adventures

game, although in countless thousands, never cut up
the pasturage like sheep do, and many parts of South
Africa are becoming barren, as the water instead of
being stored as of yore, is run off in these dongas
without benefitting the soil.

When not occupied during the winter in going
trips to Zoutpansberg and Spelonken, I used to go
hunting in the Bush Veld where in those early
days, there were large numbers of game, rhinoceros,
giraffe, buffalo, kudu, waterbuck, eland, palla, wilde-
beest, hartebeest, rietbok, quagga, ostrich, besides
smaller antelopes such as duiker and steinbok, and
birds of all kinds, francolin, partridge, grouse, guinea-
fowl, koorhaan, pauw, wild duck, pigeon, geese, teal,
lions, hyenas, leopards, lynxes, wild dogs, jackals,
etc. There was grand shooting and plenty of excite-
ment, sometimes with natives, sometimes with lions,
etc., and I have enjoyed having yarns with the old
Boer hunters who lived in tents and wagons all
along the Apies, Pienaars, Plaatte, and Eland
rivers, grazing their stock during winter on
the succulent buffalo grass. They lived a primitive,
but perfectly happy life, shooting what game they
required and having plenty of food, bread, dried
fruits, pumpkins, potatoes, mealies, besides fresh
milk, eggs and butter, and the better sort made their
camps very snug.

I never pretended to be a lion hunter and had a
wholesome respect for their majesties, but occasion-
ally had their acquaintance forced upon me, and
much as I dislike lion and snake stories, I will
relate one or two adventures as they occur to
me.

While returning from a winter trip in the Bush
Veld with two wagons and a troop of loose cattle ;

Big Game- Shoot ing Trips 45

after trekking for miles through burnt grass, we
arrived late at Sluetelfontein, drew the wagons a dis-
tance apart, and made a rough bush " kraal " to keep
the loose cattle between the spans of oxen. My horse
was tied to the hind wheel of my wagon, my brother
and a friend slept in the other wagon, the native
drivers and leaders on the ground under their wagon.
We had heard no lions and it was very dark. About
midnight I woke hearing a gurgling noise, got off,
with my shot gun loaded with slugs, (as I had been
shooting small buck), and saw an animal close to me
which I took for a hyena sitting up in the road, gave
him the charge of slugs right in his face, he, a large
male lion, gave a tremendous roar, fell, and got up
again, and got into a patch of dry grass in a gulley,
where after some commotion, he was quiet. The
cattle were now all on the alert and I ordered the
men to stand round them. When quiet was restored,
I looked for my horse, he was gone from the wheel,
the buffalo " reim " broken, and the gurgling noise
was heard again about 30 paces away. I called my
driver, Klaas, to make a flambeau of grass on a long
stick, and come with my spare gun. We went
towards the sound, and two green eyes were looking
at us over the side of my dead horse, behind which
the lioness was crouching. Klaas lifted the torch, I
fired at the eyes, and in a flash the lioness charged
me. Klaas bolted with the light, and the other gun,
and in diving under the wagon, cut his head open
against a bolt. The lioness stopped a few yards
from me, so near that I felt the gravel she disturbed
rattle against my legs ; she then went back again and
lay behind the horse. I got Klaas back with a fresh
torch, and promised to shoot him if he bolted again.
I fired several shots at her, the brute rushing at me
and growling, but turning back each time about half
way, as fortunately I had not wounded her in the

44 Eecollections of Adventures

darkness ; but hit the dead horse close to her nose
more than once. Our white companion was in a
" mortal funk " and quite demoralised, so I told him
to get inside the wagon and draw the blinds ! My
brother Edward asked permission to come with me,
but I did not like to risk it, so would not let him.
Finding it impossible to make a good shot in the
dark, I decided to wait for daylight, so built a fire
about 30 yards from her, and sent the boys to stand
round the cattle while Ted and I watched her. As
the dawn was breaking, she gained confidence from
being so long unmolested and stood up, intending I
think, to lift the horse and take him further off. I
fired, and broke her shoulders, and she made a terrible
commotion ; I had just before firing told the boys to
inspan, and get to grass and water on the Elands
River. They were just about finished inspanning
when the loose cattle stampeded, the two spans with
the wagons followed, rushing through the trees,
smashing both tents of my handsome new wagons,
breaking gear and half killing some oxen, one of my
hind oxen being rendered useless — a regular smash
up all round. I could run in those days, and I did
run, to try and stop the stampede, but only succeeded
as far as the wagons were concerned, when the oxen
got so entangled in the trees, they could go no
further. By this time we were far from the dead
horse and lions, and were so employed in repairing
damages, that we could not go back to skin them, so
went to Elands River, where we found the loose
cattle. Philip Minnaar's Hottentot going to the
stock farm during the day, found the male lion dead
in the patch of grass in the hollow, and the lioness
with both shoulders broken, lying near the horse.
He shot her and so he got two skins. It was an
expensive amusement for me ! Once coming back
from the Spelonken, I was outspanned east of Stryd-

Big Game-Shooting Trips 46

poort, when hundreds of armed Kaffirs passed my
wagons, as I thought, on the war path, I hailed
some, and they said that Sebedilla, their Chief, had
ordered them to encircle game and drive them down
to the narrow " poort." I inspanned at once and got
into the " poort " just in front of the driving game,
and shot seven quaggas for the old chief, for which he
was grateful ; his whole " Impi " had only killed
some small buck, as a black rhinoceros had broken
the ring of beaters, and let all the game out.
I kept one quagga for my boys, as they preferred
that meat to any other game. This old Chief
was always friendly to me, and was loyal to the
Boers, who had once befriended him ; his tribe is
Matabele. Years afterwards, in the Volksraad, I
used my influence to prevent old Sebedilla's Location
being cut into farms, and parcelled out to specula-
tive applicants.

One day while riding a smart little roan pony
that was not well trained, I had ridden down a fine
giraffe and had just put up my gun to shoot him,
when the pony looked up, and, terrified at the tall
beast towering over him, swerved under the bough
of a tree, which caught me full in the "lower chest,"
it took me part of the way, and with the recoil, shot
me back some yards, the pony going on from under
me. I fully understood the meaning of a real
stomach ache. The boys caught the pony, and I
kept him in hard work after that, until he was
sensible.

The Elephant's River, after it is joined by the
Eland, Moos and the other rivers, is a fine stream.
The banks are lined with grand trees, and rich grass,
and there are long stretches of water, ideal for boat-
ing. It abounds in fish and crocodiles, and when at
all in flood is most dangerous to cross at the fords,

46 Recollections of Adventures

which the crocodiles appear to watch, and although
natives, when crossing, go in line, the ucroc" will rush
and take one occasionally. I have shot many of these
loathsome reptiles on the sand banks of this beautiful
river, but no matter where you hit them, they
generally manage to get into the water to die.

Along the banks of the Zambesi the natives
make stockades into the water to protect the women
while filling their water jars, but the wily " croc "
sometimes waylays them in the reeds, and attacks
them from the land side. When watering oxen,
care must be taken not to let them go near steep
banks and deep water, as a crocodile can pull the
largest ox in, by seizing him by the nose, and then
drowning him. Many dogs get taken by them in
the bush veld rivers.

CHAPTER IX.
HUNTING BUFFALO.

False economy is bad at all times ; it is especially
so when purchasing a doubtful horse for hunting in
the bush veld. On one trip I had only two horses,
the one very good, and the other a worthless brute, I
had taken it on the word of one of my friends in
exchange for one much better. I had sent notice to
the chief Mapela to open all the game pits while I was
in the veld, but one row near the Mahalaquena
River had been left covered, and my best horse and
a fine " salted " mare of Philip Minnaar's (who was
hunting with me) fell in, were staked and killed.
The chief pretended to be very sorry and promised
to pay 10 oxen for each horse, but he never did. He
was not friendly at the time, and some Boers who
were hunting there left the ground, as they feared
that the Kaffirs might kill them. Shortly after this
a Boer commando attacked Mapela on his mountain,
and General Nicolas Smit, (who was afterwards
conspicuous at Ingogo and Majuba,) was wounded.
This stronghold of Mapela's is a succession of high
bluffs facing the Mahalaquena River. It is formed of
conglomerates, in places carrying a certain amount of
gold. The escarpment is most picturesque. The loss
of this horse spoilt my trip, as I always shot from
the horse's back when hunting large game ; the
horse I had left proved a sluggish, clumsy brute, and
brought me to grief more than once. A clumsy
horse is useless in the bush veld as he only frightens
the game, and then cannot catch up to it when
started. One day, whilst riding this slug, a wounded
buffalo cow got into some thick gwarrie bushes.

48 Eecollections of Adventures

Philip Minnaar shouted to me from the other side
that his gun would not go off, so I entered the bush,
when the cow came at me full tilt, and I had hardly
time to turn my horse. A man, Casper Badenhorst,
who was following close behind me, took fright,
threw his gun away which struck my horse on his
foreleg. The cow then gained on me and scored the
horse's haunches, trying to get her horn into his flank
to throw him, but I never used spurs to such effective
purpose in my life, and at last lifted the slug over a
fallen tree stump, against which the wounded cow
brought up with a crash. I jumped off and shot her
before she could recover herself, but I had a nasty
fright. I then had to ride back, for the gun of
the coward who nearly stopped my horse at
a critical moment, and which nearly cost me my life.
He was too frightened to go into the scrub himself, as
he thought there were more buffaloes in it. I would
not allow him to hunt with me again, and ordered
him and his friends, (who had only joined me as they
were afraid of Mapela's Kaffirs,) to leave our camp,
and they returned home next day. I had more
than one narrow escape. We had about 90 buffalo
in front of us in heavy sand veld below Matala's
and had shot several ; I turned back to kill any
wounded ones, among others, a very large bull I
had, as I thought, hit hard. I found him standing
under a tree in the shade ; so tying my exhausted
horse to a tree, stalked him on foot. I fired and hit
him too far forward in the neck, so he charged. I
could not reach the horse, so scrambled up the near-
est tree, a young one with two stems, and I was
hardly out of reach of his tongue, when he began to
bellow and butt at the tree, and as the tree was
small tried to knock me out. Fortunately, the
bleeding from the cut jugular vein partially blinded
him, and he pumped away at the wrong stem, going

Hunting Buffalo 49

back, and charging with his heavy plate, knocking
this stem against me several times. He was snorting
blood and glaring at me in a terrible rage.

At last he came to the stem I was on, and as it
had no branches for foot hold, I could cling on no
longer, so, as he was boring at it, I hung on with one
hand, and my knees, and held the heavy gun with the
other hand, and when the muzzle was behind his crown
I pulled the trigger. The charge was not well homer
and the re-coil sent me flying out of the tree with
two bones in my hand broken, and a scar which I
bear to this day. The gun in one direction, I in
another ; but the bull, fortunately, dead. I did not
feel much afraid at the time, but for several nights
I would dream that he had me and wake up in a
perspiration of dread. I can see the savage beast
now, trying to lick me with his tongue, to get me
out of the little tree. Had he not been wounded
twice he would have got me out and killed me. He
had the finest pair of horns I had ever seen.

I returned to the camp in an awful pickle
covered with blood and gave the people a shock. I
think a wounded buffalo the most dangerous of all
African animals.

To give an idea of the power of a buffalo's
tongue, Philip Minnaar had an old Kaffir named
Lefuri, whom a buffalo bull had chased into a tree.
The tree was too low to allow him to get out of
reach and the only perch he had was one branch.
The buffalo actually licked away the entire calf
from one leg, on which the poor wretch stood, before
the bull was shot by his master. I have seen the
man with his shrivelled leg. He went a trip with
us, large game shooting about 1862, down the
Mahalaquena River. The buffalo's tongue is like a
coarse file and of great power, evidently for the

50 Eecollections of Adventures

purpose of grasping the rough herbage on which tha
animal feeds.

Philip Minnaar, sometimes my hunting com-
panion, was one of the coolest, pluckiest men I ever
met — a splendid fellow. One day he saved my life.
I had hit a buffalo cow and he could not see where
she hid until we saw her standing on an open place,
behind a burnt tree stump. We left our horses and
went towards her, when she charged me. Minnaar
called out " don't fire until I have loaded," but she
came on so fast that I aimed stupidly at her fore-
head, the ball glanced off her horn and never made
her halt. Minnaar rammed his charge home, ran
sideways towards her and shot her behind the
shoulder, and she rolled over at my feet. There was
no tree near, and nothing could have saved me had
he failed to kill her. Now that I am over seventy
and stiff, I can hardly believe that I could jump into
the saddle with my gun in my hand, without stirrups,
and load and shoot at full gallop ; and ride from
Durban to Pretoria and back two or three or more
times a year.

I was returning from Waterberg Warm Baths
and rested the horses over Sunday at Willein
Boshof 's on the lower Apies River. After prayers
(it was Sunday), two young Boers and I went
for a swim in a deep pool near the house. They
assured me that there was no danger of crocodiles,
as the pool was a distance from the river. I
undressed several yards distance from where they
got in, and just as I was diving I saw an animal
plunge into the water not far from me. I scrambled
out at once, convinced it was a " croc," but the two
youths, although they got out when I shouted to
them, said I had only seen a large iguana, of which
there were plenty. During that week a Kaffir

Hunting Buffalo 51

woman, stooping to get water, was killed by my
friend the crocodile at the spot where I escaped. Of
all dangerous creatures I dread sharks and crocodiles
most ; one is so helpless when in their native element ;
on terra firma one can always make some kind of
defence. In the early Pretoria days I had built a
brick walled house and rode to Magaliesburg to hire
Gabriel Ezel, a noted thatcher, to thatch it for
me. I was riding a grand grey horse in fresh
condition. In the valley west of Daspoort (where the
cement factory now stands) I saw a small herd
of quagga grazing on the short green veld, and I
determined to drive them into Pretoria on my return.
In the afternoon, on my way home, I found them
still in the valley and gave chase. They were very
fat, so I soon came up to them, but they would not
cross the " nek " in the range towards the village, so
I killed two with my hunting knife, riding alongside
them stabbing them in the lumbar (above the
kidneys), which brought them down. The second
one, a big stallion, kicked my horse on the mouth
and made him swerve, just as I was leaning over to
stab him. I drove the knife clean through my foot
and into the sole of my boot, but I did not feel it
much at the time in the excitement, and killed the
quagga. I then covered them to prevent the "Aas-
vogels " (vultures) eating them, and rode to town,
and sent Hendrick Vermeulen with his wagon to
fetch them, as I wanted the meat for my boys. My
toot swelled, so that my riding boot had to be cut
open to get it off, and it was very painful and bled a
good deal, but I was healthy and it soon healed.

I was told of a strange adventure that befel a
friend at the Moord Drift (where the Potgieter family
where all murdered by the Macapan tribe). My
friend, Robert Lys, was travelling to Zoutpansberg

52 Recollections of Adventures

and had a Mr. Bell with him, a tall young fellow,
just out from England. Bell went down the reedy
banks with a shot gun after snipe and had a little
spaniel with him. Suddenly a white rhinoceros rushed
out of the reeds after the dog. Bell fired, but the
shot would not even tickle him. The dog made for
the wagon, ran under it, the half blind rhinoceros
followed, ran against the wagon, and got his horn
into the " aftertrap " full of pots and kettles, with
which he made off, taking it some distance, scatter-
ing these utensils about the veld to the astonishment
and delight of the native boys. Had it been a black,
instead of a silly old white rhinoceros, it would have
been a different joke, as the blacks are savage and
active.

While hunting on the flats below Matala's
Mountain, I hired some of his men to carry skins
and meat, horns, etc., to the camp for me, the price
to be paid was eight head of either quagga, wilde-
beest (brindled gnu), or hartebeest, for a fortnight's
work. I found a troop of wildebeest, killed five, and
wounded one badly while running him down in the
dust made by the herd ; my horse went into a hole
and rolled over on to me. The stock of the gun
broke, it went off, the bullet passing through the
rim of my hat ; I was stunned and my shoulder and
hand hurt, and when the Kaffirs came up to me I
was still dazed and did not know where I was. This
was the only time I remember losing my way in the
bush veld. The horse's jaw was out of joint and I
did not know what to do, but a Boer at the camp
knocked it back into the socket with his leather
bandolier full of bullets, certainly a primitive, but
effectual treatment which would have astonished a
" vet."

There is some grand and wild scenery in Matala's
and Mapela's countries, and a splendid hunting

Hunting Buffalo 63

ground then. Now, nearly half a century later,
there is little or no game, and the Kaffirs have cut
down and burnt square miles of trees. We kept our
horses in good fettle on cut buffalo grass and " sorg-
hum " (Kaffir corn), although riding daily after
game. One never goes faster than at a walk, or
amble, except when actually chasing game, as you
would frighten all game away, besides losing touch
with your carriers.

I had one grand little cream coloured horse,
only 14.2, but I could shoot any game from his back
at full gallop. I have ridden him from Pretoria to
Durban and back many a time, eight days each way,
sometimes swimming several swollen rivers. One
afternoon I shot two giraffes off his back and the next
day rode from below the "Slagtboom" on Elands
River to Pretoria, seventy miles, as a messenger had
been sent to tell me that my father was seriously ill.
When sometime afterwards I was leaving the Trans-
vaal my neighbour, Nicolas Prinsloo, living on what
is now my farm, " Lynwood," gave me fourteen large
black trek oxen for him. I knew that he would be
well treated, as the better class Boers value a good
horse highly and treat them well.

In the dry frosty air of the Bush Veld in
winter, I used for weeks at a time ; to sleep mostly
under the wagon on the ground, and never was in
better health or spirits. I preferred it also when in
lion veld, as I was better able to protect the horses
and oxen. What I did not like was snakes, but
they seldom troubled me. One got under my
mattress one night for warmth, and the boy killed
him in the morning when he took up my bed.

One night, after I had been running about the
bush in the dark to turn the horses (which a stray
lion had stampeded,) I got to bed at midnight. After

64 Recollections of Adventures

a time I woke with a start, feeling something biting
my toe, and jumping up, banged my head violently
on the bottom of the wagon, then saw instead of a
snake, a wretched little mouse run out from under
my blankets. " Oh, ridiculus mus ! "

Once after hunting Buffalo all day on the Klein
Mahalaquena River on foot, having left our horses at
the camp near " Roodekrantz" for fear of tsetse fly
("Glossina Morsitans"),we were following up wounded
buffalo, our bearers having remained behind skinning
and cutting up those killed, and not turning up, w©
went back to look for them, and found them roosting
in trees all round, two " Magali " (black rhinoceros)
having charged them. They came off their perches
when they saw us. The " rhinos " had left and we
could not find them. That night a party of Boers
from Bronkhorst Spruit asked our permission to join
our bivouac. The fear of the black " rhino " was in
both them, and the Kaffirs, and we had an amusing
night. After a supper of buffalo grill, ivithout salt,
and dry biscuit, we selected trees to get into, in case
the rhinos came and charged the camp. I selected a
liquorice tree, "Witgatboom " with a comfortable seat
in a fork, six feet from the ground ; and placed my
two guns against it and lay alongside. At midnight
a great commotion was started, the Makalaka Kaffirs
we had hired to carry hides to the distant wagons,
had much overeaten themselves and lay about,
when an old male lion jumped in among them,
they shouting "Magali," (black rhinoceros), came
belter skelter over our camp, mixed up with their
overgorged dogs, and blundered over the Boers
Bleeping by the fires twenty yards away. I jumped
into my special tree, but one Badenhorst was just
getting on to my seat in the tree, when my hunting
cap of strong leather, with my head inside it, struck

Hunting Buffalo 66

him with full force below the belt and knocked
him out ; he fell some fifteen feet into a dry ditch
full of grass, giving vent to piteous howls in his
funk. The other Boers came tearing over our fire,
one putting his foot into an antbear hole, shot after
Badenhorst into the donga. Then our old Hottentot
hunter cried out that it was " only a lion " so I got
down from my tree and being then quite awake,
went with the Hottentot to where we heard the
lion purring in the bush, having helped himself to
meat. I shot him, but he was a poor old brute with
broken teeth, so we all turned in again in the cold.
On the way back to camp next morning, my Scotch
staghound, who had been unwell for some days,
started barking at a buffalo cow I had wounded and
lost the day before. She charged out of some gwarrie
bushes where she had been hiding and came after
the dog straight before me. I jumped behind a tree
and she now " spotted " one of the Bronkhorst lot
bolting up an open glade, and gave chase. She had
to pass close to me and I gave her an eight to the
pound bullet behind the shoulder and dropped her,
but poor Bronkhorst kept on sprinting in his un-
bleached calico breeches, a sight for sportsmen ; and
the harder I shouted to him to stop, the harder he
ran, as he thought the cow was still after him. He
got such a fright that he decided that it was no place
for a simple minded agriculturist in linen trousers,
and as they were short of ammunition, and had no
horses, they returned home with what meat we gave
them.

I am now ashamed to confess that in two days
we shot twenty-two buffalo to three guns, but I was
young and thoughtless then and was carried away
with excitement. For my own eating I had mostly
birds, preferring them to venison, and one had such
a varied choice.

66 Recollections of Adventures

I had ridden hard from Pretoria to Rustenberg on
important business, and having finished it returned
the same night, when a few miles from Pretoria, the
sun being up and getting warm, I fell asleep on the
horse, when all at once I found myself sitting on the
road, and President Pretorius and two others sitting
on their horses laughing at me, my horse having
shied when they came up. I have always felt kindly
towards the old ex-President (who died in poverty),
and for good old Hendrick and his kindly wife.

Cornelius Botha, who was afterwards Paul
Kruger's private secretary, and old Piet Venter, had
a terrible experience. They were travelling in a
cart from Pretoria to the Warm Baths, it was getting
late near " Vaalboschfontein," so they could not get
over the Springbuck Flats in daylight. Suddenly a
lion sprang on to their horses and killed them both,
and then more lions joined in, eating them while in
the harness. The two men crouched in the bottom of
the cart, which was open and at an angle, with the
pole on the ground, and every time they moved in
the least the lions would get up and growl. This
kept on through the night. At daylight, when
the lions had finished the horses, they went off.
Why they did not kill the two men, (which they
could easily have done,) is not to be explained.
Botha said that the night seemed to interminable,
and they had to walk twenty-five miles after their
awful night 's vigil. "Vaalbosch" has now some
cottages I put up for a winter shooting box, Kaffir
kraals, and the railway to Pietersburg passing
through it, and there are houses and stores along
the road. Then there was a stretch of forty odd
miles without a habitation as I have reason to
remember.

On the return from Zoutpansberg one trip I was
sitting with P. Minnaar on his wagon, two of mine

Hunting Buffalo 67

following, when we saw a lion stalking my one span
of oxen. I jumped off, my boy hastily handing me
my rifle, I bowled him over, but he was not dead
and the noise he made started the oxen on the
stampede again, and gave us trouble, so I did not get
him. This was in broad daylight, so he must have
been very hungry.

Another time I was walking up a bushy hollow
looking for reitbok. I was stalking one when Ben
Holder, my Welsh wagon driver, cracked his whip
towards me which annoyed me, as I lost my buck.
He kept on shouting and came running towards me
with a rifle and pointing behind me. I looked, and
there was a huge, black-maned lion standing behind
the stem of a tree and looking round the side at me.
He did not expose more than half his ugly face, so,
fearing he would bolt when he saw Holder coming, I
aimed at his eye but struck the tree in front of him,
sending the bark into his face, and the way he bolted,
all confused, was too funny. Holder said that the
brute had been stalking me for a mile, and that was
why he shouted, and at last came up to me as I would
not take heed of him. The Blood River from the
u Lun's Klip " to old Venter's was always a bad
gtretch for lions.

CHAPTER X.
AN UNLUCKY TRIP.

One evening, when outspanned at "Rust de
Winter," on Eland's River, my Kaffir boy cam©
running to tell me that a big snake had caught a
pallah (rooibok). I took my gun and found a
python with the horns of big ram sticking out
of his mouth. I shot him, and the boys staked the
python's tail to the ground and pulled the buck out.
He had not been long killed, but they would not eat
the buck as they said it was unlucky, that I should
not have shot the snake, but have let them peg him
to the ground while dormant, and they foretold
trouble on our trip.

Two nights after that, I was dining with old
Mr. Kort Joachim Prinsloo, who was encamped close
to the " Gift Spruit " bolow " Kameel Poort." After
dinner the old man said I had better go over the
spruit to my wagon before it got too late, as the
lions had been killing several cattle lately. I went,
while my oxen were still grazing, and when I got
up the bank I saw an animal walking up the spruit
in the sand. I whistled, and my two splendid doga
came and started barking as soon as they saw, what
I then recognised as a lioness, as she ran into some
reeds. I cleared the spruit and reached the wagon
in less than no time, and started tying up the oxem
before they should smell the lions and stampede,
when finished, I wanted to go to help the dogs, who
were still barking near the reeds, but the boys begged
me not to go from the wagon as there would be
more lions than one. We made fires and at last

An Unlucky Trip 69

when the moon rose, went to bed, the two boys
sleeping close to the wagon with a big fire beyond
them. I slept in the wagon but with the front flap
open and my loaded gun on the bed. About one
o'clock, (the moon shining brightly) I was awakened
by a yell. I jumped out half asleep, nearly on
to a lion who was standing over a kaffir boy.
The lion got as big a fright as I did, and
dropped the boy, bounding into the bush, but not
before my old Jonas had struck him over the head
with a fire stick. I saw the sparks and hot coals on
his mane, took aim at him as he bounded away, but
found he was just in line with Mr. Prinsloo's camp,
BO I jumped to get a side shot, but he was too quick
for me and I never got a shot at all. The boy,
September, had been seized with his kaross round
him which probably saved his life, but his arm was
broken in two places while three of his ribs were
also broken. The wonderful part of the performance
was, that the lion had torn to pieces, a new, white
blanket I had given the boy and only seized him
when he came to the familiar skin kaross. I had to
sit up the rest of the night with the wounded boy
who was badly lacerated and in agony. Next
morning old Mrs. Prinsloo gave me remedies, and we
bandaged him as well as we could. He said that he
wanted to get to his kraal in Rhenosterpoort. At
great inconvenience I had to make him up a bed in
the back of the wagon by day, and let him sleep
under the wagon at night. I got him to his people
and they said that they would cure him, although
the bites were festering badly. I paid him some-
thing extra besides his wages and got a friend of his
in his place. I never heard of him again. Old
Jonas declared it was all because of my shooting the
big snake. We certainly had a harassing trip
anyhow.

60 Becollectwns of Adventures

We were outspanned for the night at " Crokodil
Heuvel" on the Olifant River, when about 30 of
Sekukuni's Kaffirs, who were then not on friendly
terms with the Boers, came to the wagon and asked
what I had on it. I told them to mind their own
business, but the wounded Kaffir (who was jumpy),
told them that I had a load of powder and lead for
the year's elephant hunt. They immediately de-
manded some, and got so impudent that I took my
rifle and told them that I would shoot anyone
coming within a hundred yards. One fellow, I
think their head man, would not go, but threatened
to kill me, so I lashed him with the long wagon whip
and when he saw that I meant business, he followed
the others to a stony kopje a few hundred yards off,
where they built large fires, blew on their war horns,
and shouted threats till nearly morning; but as it
was moonlight, did not venture near the wagon. At
daylight they crossed the river and I did not see
them again, although I expected that they would
waylay me in ambush ahead, so kept a keen look
out. We got to the Ingumpi River, near Sebidella's
location that night, where we were safe, as these
Matabele were friendly. Old Jonas, who had
relations in the kraals, told his tales to them, and
they all agreed that our troubles were the result of
my shooting the python with the rooibok in his
mouth. I wanted to leave the wounded man here
but he would not hear of it, as he was of another
tribe, so I had to cart him on in my only wagon. I
determined never to travel in the bush veld again
with only one wagon.

While passing through some thick bush, when just
leaving Olifant River, some wild pigs frightened
the oxen, and they ran the wagon against a tree
stem, and cracked the axle which was of assegai

An Unlucky Trip 61

wood. There were no iron axles in use then, so I
had to pile the whole load in front and could only
travel slowly until I got to Venter's, near Rhenoster-
poort, where I had a new one made. Some nights
after this accident we could only get as far as the
heights above " Deelkraal," near what is now
** Eersteling," when it got late, so I had to outspan
without water, to allow the oxen a little time for
grazing before being tied up, as it was notoriously
bad lion veld. Before it was dark, the brutes began
to roar on all sides, and the wounded Kaffir was
jibbering from fear. Before the moon rose, I fancied
the oxen were restless and as I was sitting on the
chest in front of the w^igon putting my "veld-
schoens " on, when right in front of me, a lion made
a spring at one of the after oxen, which was tied to
the " dissel-boom." It was dark and he missed the
ox, so before he could recover, I put a shot into him.
The blood next morning showed that he was badly
hurt. He drew off into some old stone kraals and lay
growling, but did not come again,though two lionesses
kept me going all night. I lit a strong lantern, and
put it on top of the wagon, when they kept chasing
my dogs to within the radius of the light. I fired at
their dim forms several times ; I think I hit one once,
by her growling in rage, and next morning found
the blood spoor but could not find either of the
wounded ones, though I prevented them from taking
any of the oxen, which were tied up to the wheels
with two buffalo " reims " each. Next morning the
oxen overtired as they were, wanted to stampede,
whenever a bird flew out of the grass. When oxen
get panicky for lions, they are dangerous. I was
much relieved when I got rid of the wounded boy at
Rhenosterpoort, and got a less frightened one to help
me on to Zoutpansberg and Albasini's in the
Speloken, which was my destination.

CHAPTER XI.
GIRAFFES AND MORE LIONS.

One trip, on my way to the Spelonken, the
wagons had just crossed the Doom River to outspan.
when I spied three giraffes walking away from the
river. I ran after them on foot and wounded one,
when I happened to turn round and saw a large
black maned lion bounding out of the river towards
me. I had no time to reload my 8 to the Ib. muzzle-
loader, so jumped behind a large antheap with bushes
growing out of it. He came on, but kept looking
over his shoulder — the echo of my shot must have
wakened him out of his evening nap — I turned
round so as to keep the bushy antheap between us ;
when he bounded past only a few yards off. When
some distance past, he looked back and saw me, and
I thought he was going to stop, so in my fright I
jumped on to the antheap, waved my hat and shouted
loudly, when to my intense relief he continued his
course. When a lion starts bolting he seems like a
human being and becomes demoralized. With thost
old muzzle-loaders I wonder we were not all killed
by one animal or another. If I had had a breech
loader I could have killed him as he passed close to
me. When you did hit, it was, however, a different
thing to the 303 used now, you generally got him,
but your shoulder was often blue and green from the
kick. We used to pad the stock of the Cto the Ib.
and 8 to the Ib. rifles (spherical bullets). Afterwards,
conical bullets came into use, and the smaller bore
was much handier for using on horseback. It is won-
derful what splendid shooting the old " voortrekkers "
made with their smooth bore old fashioned flintlocks.

Girafftt and mart Lion* 6$

When I first went to the Transvaal many Boers had
nothing else. Once I was watching a lot of Massala-
rooms kaffirs fording the Olifant River near
Commando Drift, when the river was rather strong
and the water up to their waists. They were follow-
ing Indian file, holding each other's hands for fear
of crocodiles, when a big one came lashing down
stream, seized a kaffir in the middle of the string ;
carried him down stream before the poor creature
fully realised what had happened. The others
hurried out to the bank but could do nothing — Kaffir
and " croc " had both disappeared. I never bathed in
those bush veld rivers, which also contain poisonous
fish. I caught one about nine inches long and in
taking him off the hook, a spike he had in his front
fin ran through my hand, which festered so badly
that I feared I would lose it.

Kaffirs have a queer idea of justice. At the
lower drift of Elands River near " Israel's Nek " I
bad just shot a waterbuck when some of Sebidella's
kaffirs came up with a boy of about 18 tied up with
bark cords. They asked me for some meat, and I
made them skin the buck and then gave them some.
While grilling it, some of them got a large stone,
and were going to tie it to the boy's neck to throw
him into the river to drown. I told them I would
not allow it, but they said they must drown him so
that Sekukuni's people, to whom he belonged, should
not find him, that the Sekukunis had killed one of
their friends while hunting, so this boy was the first
instalment of their revenge. I gave them most of
the buck's meat but took the boy from them and
when they tried to get him, I threatened to shoot
the first who touched him. They were of a friendly
tribe and did not care to go to extremes with a
white man, so I mounted guard until the wagon

64 Recollections of Adventures

came near, then I took the trembling wretch with
me. Two days later I met some of his tribe and
handed him over to them. He told us that he had
wandered from a hunting party shortly before I met
him. The gang who were going to drown him had
just caught him and brought him to the river. My
kaffirs said that he was only a " Bapedi " and very
thin and not worth troubling about, and I might
have let the Matabeli drown him. The fellow him-
self seemed rather indifferent about it ; he had been
well fed at the wagons and preferred to go on with
us but I did not want him, so he returned to the
bosom of his family.

All my spare working oxen and cattle I sent to
fatten in the bush-veld in winter. One year Philip
Bronkhorst had them at Rooibokfontein under the
Swart Rand near the junction of the Eland and
Olifant rivers. On my way to Zoutpansberg I
called to get some fresh spans and found my cheery
old friend, Willem Hans Prinsloo and his son Adrian,
and one or two others there. I asked if there
was much game as it looked an ideal bit of country.
Old Willem, nick-named "Boschbok " said that there
was game, but as an " Englishman could'nt shoot,
what did it help." He, however, sent Adrian with
me to see that I did not get lost in the hills. We
soon saw a blaauw wildebeest (Brindled Gnu),
which stood gazing at us about four hundred yards
away. I aimed at him, but Adrian said " Don't shoot,
he is too far ;" as he stood still, I dropped him with a
bullet between the eyes. I had then a Pryse and
Redman rifle, conical ball, and Adrian was astonished
at its accuracy. A little further we came on a herd
of pallah and I shot two, with only one shot each.
We then left the boys to skin the game and bring
the meat into camp. When we arrived, old " Bosch-

and more Lion* 65

bok " said, " Well Adrian, how often did the
Englishman miss ? " Then old Willem and his friends
had a good laugh at my expense, but when sometime
later the boys brought in the game and he heard the
truth, he seemed quite disappointed, but quite good
natured over it. He was a fine old sportsman him-
self. While we were having supper in Bronkhorst's
tent about 9 a.m., we heard a bellowing of cattle
and a crashing of the bushes which formed the
kraal. Then a general stampede of all the cattle in
the big kraal (about 500 of Bronkhorst's and mine
together), and the silly creatures bolted in a mass.
There was a lull, then we heard another cow
bellow, then another stampede, then another bellow,
further and further away. At daylight next
morning we found one cow dead in the kraal,
and eleven of poor Bronkhorst's cows and heifers
lying dead at short distances apart, also a
large front ox of mine. The lion had eaten
the breast of the ox and the udder of the
cow and then walked off. Next evening old
Willem put up a gun trap with an old smooth-
bore loaded with slugs, tying a tempting heifer
(one of those the lion had killed), in front of it.
About the same time, while at supper, we heard a
loud report, a sort of roar and gurgle and then quiet.
One fellow, who was a notorious coward, proposed
we should go in the dark and see if the lion was
dead. We asked him to lead the way but he had
several reasons for not doing so. Next morning, we
found a big maned lion dead, with one slug hole just
over the eye. I gave the head to John Robert Lys,
who had it over the door of his office in Pretoria for
years. This little episode made our cattle skittish,
and Bronkhorst told me on my return that they had
stampeded once or twice since. On my return,
Philip Minnaar and his wife accompanied me from

66 Recollections of Adventures

Rhenosterpoort, and we stayed a couple of days at
Bronkhorst's (who was his brother-in-law). I took
a couple of spans of fresh oxen, leaving my tired
oxen, and he asked me to lend him a span for a
couple of treks to rest his. I lent him a fat red span
I bought from Jacobus Rademeyer and these had
been in the lion kraal. We had not gone more than
two miles, when some guinea fowl startled them;
they stampeded with the wagon and frightened poor
Mrs. Minnaar dreadfully. The brutes rushed the
wagon against stumps of trees until both hind
wheels were shaken to pieces and the tent broken.
When we got them they were entangled in trees, so
we had " to outspan," send the oxen back, get tools
and assistance to mend the wagon ; poor Philip
regretted not having stuck to his tired oxen.
Tinkering up his wagon, and with the help of the
inevitable raw hide reims, we reached Pretoria
safely with our loads of ivory. There was never
any monotony on these winter trips through the
veld ; something was always happening ; it was
charming, notwithstanding some hardships now and
then. I never stayed longer in Pretoria than just to
arrange business matters, and prepare again to go
either to Natal or Zoutpansberg ; the village life
soon tired me.

Where the road leaves Elands River to go
over the bush ridges to the Olifant, on the top of
" Israel's Nek " is a huge mound of small stones
which the Kaffirs say has taken ages to build ; each
traveller as he passes adds one stone to make his
journey safe and prosperous. You see these mounds
on many hill passes all over the country. When I
first knew this part there were troops of Koodoo,
Giraffe, Eland, Rhinoceros, Brindled Gnu, Quagga,
Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Rietbuck and vast herds of

Giraffes and more Lions 67

Pallah, Rooibok, quantities of Ostriches, Pauw,
Knorrhahn, Bustards, Guinea Fowl, Francolin, Red
Wing Partridges, Grouse, Spurwing Geese, Widgeon,
Teal and Ducks ; a game paradise. Now nearly all
are gone, and the whole beautiful country destroyed
by Kaffir kraals, the trees chopped down, " the place
thereof shall know it no more." The Olifant
River is a beautiful stream, the banks lined by large
trees and long stretches of water fit for boating. I
have spent many a happy day hunting on both
banks, mostly quite alone, sometimes with a com-
panion, once with my dear brother Alex, keen
sportsman and delightful companion.

CHAPTER XII.
AN UNPLEASANT RIDE.

Messrs. Evans & Churchill of Natal had branch
stores in Pretoria and Zoutpansberg, and I accom-
panied Mr. Evans on a trip to the latter place. At
Krantz Kop, beyond Waterberg, we came on a farm
where the people were all on the " spree/' and when
I introduced Mr. Evans, who was a particularly
natty, well-dressed man, one awful looking " tak-
haar " with fiery red beard tried to kiss him, and I
nearly got into a row rescuing him. I shall never
forget his look of despair and horror when he said
" Struben you can never allow this ;" poor man, it
gave him a fright and he didn't forget it ! He was
an amateur geologist, and when we were outspanned
at Lun's Klip, he showed me what he said was gold
bearing strata. Years afterwards the Eersteling
goldfields were discovered near here. I did a lot of
work for Messrs. Evans & Churchill. They were the
best class of British merchants ; both educated,
intelligent gentlemen, I showed Mr. Evans the wild
cotton in Zoutpansberg, out of which the natives in
the early days made coarse rugs, bags, etc., and I
often tried to get someone to experiment in the
Spelonken in growing cotton, coffee, tea, tobacco,
etc.. but I had neither time nor money to do it
myself — " a miss is as good as a mile."

One trip I did for Evans & Churchill nearly
prevented me writing this journal for you children.
They had a business connection at Rhenosterpoort
run by an old Scotchman named Watt, who had
married a Boer girl, and been settled in the country

An Unpleasant Ride 69

for years. I think he was a deserter from the troops
in Cape Colony. He had almost forgotten what
English he ever knew, and never properly learned
Dutch; the mixed jargon was awful. This genius
came to Pretoria to get £850 in cash to pay for a lot
of ivory he had bought ; but he got on his usual
" drunk " in Pretoria, so that he could not be trusted
with the money. I was asked if I would take
him and the money back to Rhenosterpoort, as they
(Evans & Churchill) did not wish to lose the ivory.
I little knew what I was undertaking, and after
much trouble in getting Watt away from the drink,
started with him, each of us with two riding horses.
A few miles beyond Wonderboom he fell off, and
insisted on lying on the ground, and I fairly kicked
him on to his horse ; we slept at Daniel Kruger's on
Apies River. Next morning he said he was ill and
told the Boers that I would kill him on the road
and take all the money. It was late before I got
him under way. I had the money sewn in a strong
canvas belt, slung across my shoulders, and no one
can imagine what agony it became to ride 50 or
60 miles a day with £800 in gold and £50 in silver
strapped as dead weight on you. If I had tied it on
to the saddle, the belt would soon have burst. Watt
was unarmed, or when drunk, might have shot me.
I had a heavy rifle (there were no revolvers then),
and this, much against the advice of old Kruger, I
left with him, as I could not manage the money,
two horses and a heavy gun ; old Kruger said good-
bye, but never expected to see me back alive, riding
unarmed to Zoutpansberg in those days. After
Kruger's, there were no houses on the road, until
we reached Waterberg, 60 miles from Pretoria.
We reached Pienaar's River in the afternoon, and
while I was watering the horses, I saw the old
scoundrel Watt, slyly take a bottle of brandy out of

70 Hecollections of Adventures

his great-coat pocket and have a drink. I watched
my opportunity, seized the bottle, and threw it into
the river, when he got into an ungovernable rage,
rushed at me, and in self defence I had to give him
a thorough pounding. It was getting late, so I
saddled my horse and told him to saddle his, but
he would not, so I told him I would thrash him
again if he did not. He said he would die, now that
he had no brandy to keep him up ; I started however,
and he followed. He had had this brandy hidden
all the time ; which accounted for his keeping his
" drunk " up so long.

As we neared " Vaalboschfontein," I saw no
less than thirteen lions standing on the road; so I
made a wide detour to avoid them. They watched
us all the time, but they did not follow us. This
sobered Watt a little, and he came closer to me, as
it was getting dusk, and we had still about 25 miles
to ride to get to Groot Christiaan de Beer's, at
Waterberg. We kept on steadily. I had two
splendid horses and Watt's were fairly good, but it
got dark long before we reached Sandfontein (where
Johaan Rissik's farm is now). From there we went
through heavy sand, and thick trees, and it was as
dark as pitch. When about two miles from De
Beers, my horses suddenly bolted, and nearly threw
me, old Watt's horses followed; but we could see
nothing, though the horses had seen or smelt lions.
When we reached the farm, Bernardus Enslin (who
was afterwards shot on Selikat's Nek by Philip
Minnaar in the Boer Civil War) on my knocking at
his door came out, and when I told him where we
had come from, he said we were lucky to have
escaped as some lions had caught his bull that
evening on the sand ridge, just where our horses
had shied in the dark. I fed the horses well on

An Unpleasant Ride 71

good forage, and old Watt fell asleep (quite done up)
under a tree at the back of the house. I left him,
as he was useless anyway, and I told Enslin not
to let him get liquor. Next morning we started
early and reached " Naboomfontein " at sundown.
We could not go nearer the Macapan's Poort ;
the kaffirs were troublesome, as some had been
shot shortly before. I made a rough screen of such
thorn bushes as I could collect (having no axe), and
collected a lot of fire wood, as it was a bad place
for lions. I tied up the horses and had a scratch
supper. Watt said he was ill and would do nothing
but sleep off the effects of his long " drunk." As
soon as it was dark the lions commenced roaring
along the river banks, and towards midnight came
so near that I could hear them moving about and
breathing in their peculiar way. The horses were
tired, securely tied with strong reims, behind the
thorn fence. I stood behind it and talked to them ;
but the lions did their best to make them break
away. I kept the fire going, but had not much
wood and I was so dead tired that I dared not sit
down, or I should have fallen asleep. Before daylight
the brutes went off after other game. The moon
was then up, I knew that I could not keep awake
much longer, so I wakened up Watt and made him
saddle up ; we started along the road at a good pace,
for two reasons ; first to get a distance from the
lions, and secondly to try to get through Macapan's
Poort before any kaffirs were about. I was going
gaily, when I found myself in the middle of a group
of buffaloes, which had been lying on a bare place
near Kotjes Zijn Loop. In a minute they were
galloping all round me, but soon gave my horses a
wide berth, my only fear then was that in the dust
they made, they would not see me, and run me
down ; my horses behaved well, and stood still, till

72 Recollections of Adventures

all were past. Old Watt who was some distance
behind, escaped this extra little excitement.

We rode on fast and got through the Moord
Drift but we met no kaffirs, though they must have
seen us from a distance, as they commenced blowing
their war horns in the hills. We came to a deep
rivulet with green grass on the banks ; I off saddled
our poor horses in the bottom of the gully where
they had a good feed and water ; and we a bad
breakfast ; then on again to a small stream on Blood
River highveld, where we again off saddled, and I
lay down to rest, Watt being already asleep, as
usual, the log ! Fancying that I heard my horses
snort, I jumped up, saw both my horses with their
heads up, watching something, and I noticed some
vultures on a small tree. I went to turn the horses,
when I saw two lion cubs lying under the tree
in a small hollow, and following the horses gaze,
saw to my horror a lioness, a few hundred yards
up the gulley, watching her cubs, and also the
horses. I had no choice but to walk away from the
cubs and get between the lioness and the horses, as,
if she killed them, I was a " gone coon " anyway.
I got in front of the horses, turning them slowly
towards the saddles, and I think the cubs saved me,
as the lioness looked less savage when I went away
from them, but the fright stopped a year's growth.
No wonder I am white haired after all the scares I
have had I I " up saddled " at once, old Watt's two
horses were showing signs of fatigue, and we had to
ride all down the Blood River in the dark, through a
country full of lions, all the way to old Piet Venter's,
where we arrived about midnight. I was about
done up and slept till late next morning. Old
Venter was astonished that we got through alive ;
the next day I deposited the old wretch Watt at

An Unpleasant Hide 73

Rhenosterpoort and handed over the confounded
money that had made sores on my shoulders and
ribs ; filthy lucre with a vengeance ! I had told
Bernardus Enslin and the De Beers about the thirteen
lions at Vaalbosch, they and the Swanepools traced
them to a vlei on the Platte River, and shot nearly
all of them. If I had been alone with my two
splendid horses, I should have been much safer, as I
could time myself, but hampered by a useless, sodden
fool, it was the most dreadful ride I ever experienced.
After doing the business entrusted to me, and resting
my horses two days, I started back home. To my
intense relief I heard that armed Boers and a small
convoy of about fifteen wagons were ahead of me,
going to Magaliesberg, so I rode on and caught
them up a few miles beyond (where the lioness
nearly took my horses on the way up). The good
natured old pioneers were most kind ; I stayed
with them until through Macapan's Poort, and past
Waterberg, when I rode on to old Daniel Kruger's,
who, when he gave me back my clumsy gun
said that he and his old wife (who was a great
medicine woman in the district), had said that they
would never see me alive again. Looking back, I
think it was more luck than good management;
going those hundreds of miles through bush country,
swarming with wild animals and savages, without
firearms. I never, till then, realised how nearly a
man can break down, if the strain is kept up too
long, All the ivory in Africa was dear at the price.

CHAPTER XI11.

BUSH-VELD AND OTHER TREKS AND
ADVENTURES.

My first shooting trip to the bush-veld was with
Hendrick Vermeulen. He laughed at me for shooting
the guinea fowl and francolin on the wing, and said
he would show me how to shoot ! Near a spring at
" Varkfontein," where birds came to drink in the
evening, he laid a long line of mealies in the open,
then hid with his old long flint-lock gun behind a
bush, and when the poor guinea fowl were in a dense
row he fired and shot, to my horror but to his great
satisfaction, no less than fourteen in one discharge.
His old flint-lock caused me much amusement, as it
frequently missed fire after he had stalked game
with infinite trouble, then he would fairly dance
with rage, and rub the flint and pan on the rim pf
his hat to brighten them up.

On one of the early September trips in Natal
we were outspanned in green grass across the Vaal
river on a Sunday and game came temptingly near
to the wagons, but I made a rule not to shoot on
Sunday, the day of rest. Dolf Jansen, my Boer
wagon driver and conductor, could not withstand
the temptation, so he crawled up a donga to stalk
wildebeest. I watched him through my glasses and
every time he aimed at one, I heliographed with a
looking-glass on to the wildebeest, which jumped
away. At last Jansen came back and said now he
believed that it was wicked to shoot on Sunday,
because although he was certain that the wildebeest
could not see him, every time he was about to

Bush — Veld and other Treks and Adventures 76

shoot it suddenly swung round and galloped off. I
instructed the boys not to tell him about the looking-
glass, and next day when I shot more game than he
did, he was convinced it was because he tried to
shoot on Sunday. Poor old Dolf, he and his plump
old wife Tanta Jacoba are dead and gone long ago
with so many more.

In the winter of 1863-4, Alex, and I went for a
short shooting trip to the near "bush -veld." One
afternoon, near Dronkfontein, we espied two giraffe
bulls. As he was keen to get one, I told him to get
alongside and shoot one, and kept close behind him on
my old Buckley. His horse Punch, was game enough,
but he could not make him go near the giraffe, so
he called to me to try and get up. I at once did
so and shot one from the horse's back. He was
eighteen feet to the top of his head. Then after-
wards I shot another, as Punch still would not let
Alex, get near. This giraffe lay apparently dead,
and I was packing bushes on to him to keep
"aasvogels" off, when Alex, shouted to me, and
turning round I saw the giraffe standing right over
me. He had sufficiently recovered from the shot to
get up, so I shot him under the chin, bringing him
down like a felled tree (poor brute), nearly on top
of me. He was 18 feet 9 inches in height. We
skinned one, and went on later to " Dronkfontein,"
where we found the Oppermans and Cornelius
Erasmus, to whom I gave the two giraffes, as they
had not shot any, and Erasmus afterwards gave me
some whips made of the hide. They started at dawn
to fetch the animals ; I gave them a boy to show
where they lay. Alex, used to enjoy sitting round
the fire listening to these old Boer hunters' yarns,
which they have a very graphic way of telling.
Some of these old Boers were most friendly to me
always.

76 Recollections of Adventures

At Pienaars River some wagons of mine left
us, and went on to Zoutpansberg and my dogs
followed them, which we did not notice for some
time. We could not be in the bush without a dog
to warn us of the lions at night; so after much
persuasion I got old George Scheepers, (nicknamed
44 Proppe " from having a plug in his nose), to lend
us one for the trip. Old George was full of praise
of the great ugly grey brute, said he would never
forgive me if I lost him. We had some fun out of
him; he had a good appetite, but was the most
arrant coward possible. When the hyenas came
about the wagon at night, he crouched among the
kaffirs, whining with fear. One afternoon I shot a
giraffe and the boys were skinning it, the dog was
smelling around, when a kaffir stuck a knife into
the immense paunch (distended with gas) ; the
explosion was out of all proportion to the event, the
dog gave one howl, bolted for the veld. Looking
round to see if the terror was following, he knocked
against a stump and rolled over — when he recovered,
he went off as hard as ever, until out of sight, that
was the last seen of old George Scheeper's " beef
hound." We were in a fright as the old fellow was
notoriously passionate, and we did not know how
we could explain it away. When we got there I
told old Scheepers the whole story of the dog's
doings, in a ludicrous way. The old fellow laughed
immoderately, when he suddenly asked "where is
he now " and I said to the best of my belief he was
still going strong in an easterly direction ! so after
laughing so much he could not well get angry, a
44 sopje " and a few pounds of coffee, tea and sugar
to the old " tanta " cemented our friendly relations.

Old Jacobus Erasmus who lived at "Onderste-
poort," adjoining the Pyramids, near Pretoria had a

Bush — Veld and other Treks and Adventures 77

terrible accident one day. His herd boy came to tell
him that a tiger (leopard) had killed some goats on
the hill, at the back of the house. Old " Cous " took
his dogs and went to see what damage had been
done. On approaching the spot, the dogs found the
brute and old Erasmus encouraged them to attack ;
when the leopard suddenly sprang clean over all the
dogs, on to the old man, tore the scalp off his head
right over his eyes and gave him some terrible bites
on his head, neck and shoulders. The kaffir herd
boy stabbed it with his assegai, and the dogs pulled
it off, leaving poor old Jacobus nearly dead. It
took him many months to recover. Many years,
(about 30) after this his eldest son, Cornelius
Erasmus, was bitten in the same way by a leopard
on his winter farm in the Rooiberg, a strange coin-
cidence !

It is wonderful what severe injuries men of
robust constitution can recover from. Hans Delange,
a notable old " voortrekker," whom I knew well,
was attacked by a lion near Bronkhorstspruit. He
had no weapon but one of the old-fashioned hunting
knives called " Harnuter " (* Huguenot ') as usually
worn by the old Doppers. With difficulty he got
hold of this knife with one hand, while the lion was
biting his other hand and shoulder to pieces, and
succeeded in stabbing the brute in the heart. He
described most graphically to me how he forced the
knife into the lion's chest, and then wriggled it
about inside until he got to the heart. The old man
was found nearly dead — the lion quite dead. His
case was considered hopeless, but he was taken to
the Warm Baths at Waterberg, where he recovered,
and lived for several years, with his one hand and
arm maimed and useless. The courage and vitality
of some of these old, hard pioneers, was simply
wonderful. I could tell many tales of their dealings

78 Recollections of Adventure*

with savages and wild animals, some of which
might not be credited.

Commandant Frederick Giester, who had been a
great chum of Alex, in the war with Semondo and
the Zoutpansberg tribes, was now living on an out-
of-the-way farm near Deelkraal, south east of
Marabastadt. I had exchanged a new wagon with
him for oxen, which I had to go and select on
another farm, some miles distant. He gave me a
game little shooting pony to ride, but warned me to
be back early, as lions had been very troublesome
lately, and the pony would throw me off if he could
smell any, as they had nearly caught him once or
twice. I was detained rather late at the cattle farm.
While on the road back it got dark and the old pony
became very nervous. When about two miles from
Geister's, while going through some thick bush, the
pony bounded suddenly forward, fortunately keeping
the road to the house, and on the instant a lion sprang
at us. I could feel the wind of him on my back, as
he missed his spring, owing to the alertness of the
pony. Had I not been riding " tight " since the pony
became nervous, I must have come off and then the
lion would have lain down with the lamb, but with
the lamb inside. If I had jerked the pony and
checked him in his bound, his lordship would have had
us both and overeaten himself. I was sorry for his
disappointment, but charity begins at home ! When
I arrived at Geister's, he met me at the door and
said at once " You have had an escape, the pony
is wet with sweat and trembling all over," and I
told him how splendidly the brave little horse had
eaved my life. He said, " Yes, he is alright if you
can only sit him when he takes fright." In my
case my fear of the lion was greater than of a pony
bolting in the dark, so I sat him. A few days after

Bush— Veld and other Treks and Adventure* 79

this, a young Boer, who was riding from Duvenage's
farm to Schoemansdal to have his banns called, was
caught in daylight, not far from where I had my
experience. When he did not return, they went to
look for him, and found only his skull and portions of
his horse and the broken saddle. It seems incredible
that in the fifty years since then, the country has
been cleared of all game, lions included.

A comical accident happened to one of my kaffirs
on " The Willows." I had shot some fat quaggas
out of a herd which came below the hill (to feed
the working kaffirs), and one quagga I sent to old
Rooibok, who was herding a lot of cattle on the
adjoining farm " Hazeldean." My brother Ted, a
couple of others, and myself, were playing whist in
the old Boer house, before the new homestead was
built, when we heard a loud report and yells of
anguish near the orchard " Rooibok Weh !" "Rooibok
Weh ! yoh, yoh, malajoh !" Piet du Preez, my farming
man, explained the situation. He had a patch of
eweet potatoes near the orchard, and had set a spring
gun to shoot porcupines which were eating them.
Rooibok could not resist the craving for sweet
potatoes to eat with his quagga meat, and had
come three miles from Hazeldean in the night,
and had commenced to dig some out when the
gun went off behind him, peppering him sorely and
sending him on his face, and he thought it was
"Molimo" (God) punishing him for not being
content with the quagga, so he shouted for mercy.
Next morning the other boys spread him, back up-
wards on a large round stone and extracted as much
of the shot as they could get at with a penknife, but
he could not sit down or get about, so I paid him off
and he went to his kraal. Some years afterwards
he turned up with twenty followers, introduced

80 Recollections of Adventures

himself as a chief, and undertook to build a stone
wall about a mile long, which stands to this day. I
paid him with heifers, so that he could increase his
stock of wives !

CHAPTER XIV.
HYENAS IN A CAVE.

There are some caves in the Dolomites, west of
Pretoria, where a lot of hyenas had their lairs. They
had killed some foals belonging to Hans and Rasmus
Erasmus on Swartkop. The latter went into the cave
with his gun (his Hottentots holding tallow candles),
to shoot them, but the concussion of the first shot put
the candles out, a hyena caught his hand and bit
off two fingers. When he told me this, I determined
to have a go at them, so Alex and I with six of my
kaffirs, armed with ropes, lanterns, pistols, etc., went
there. The kaffirs were afraid to enter, as we had
to go down a steep, narrow passage before getting
into the big cave, so Alex, and I went alone. He
held the one lantern and I had a large pistol, a sword
and another lantern. As soon as the hyenas saw
the bright reflector lantern, they crept into crevices,
lay and blinked their ugly big eyes at the light,
which I held right in front of their faces, I shot
them easily right between their eyes. I never gave
any of them more than one bullet. They made horrid
noises and snuffled about, but did not show fight.
The concentrated light was too much for them in the
dark cave, and the echo of the reports of the pistols
frightened them still more. If they had had any
pluck, they could have torn us to pieces, but they
had not ; I shot nine enormous brutes. We could not
find more that day, and could not properly explore
the inner cave, as we had no string to mark the way
back, and if our lanterns gave out, we would be
eaten if any hyenas remained unshot. We had
trouble to get the kaffirs to enter the cave, although

82 ttecotteettons of Adventures

we assured them that the " Wolven Pirie " were all
dead. It was quite hard work hauling the brutes
out with ropes, up the steep entrance passage, as
they were very large and fat, and it took us all
the afternoon to get them out and skin them.
The Kaffirs were much impressed when they was
them lying dead, in the corners of the caves, and
bragged immensely (when they got home with the
skins) about their bravery in going into the cave for
them ! The skull and jaw of the African hyena is
much more powerful in proportion to his body than
that of the lion, and his teeth are immensely strong.
When I had told Hans and Rasmus that I had shot
nine they would not believe me until I showed them
the skins. After a few days, having seen fresh
spoor in the entrance, I went again; this time
taking Louis Devereux with me to hold the extra
lantern, but I only found and killed three, and again
I went the last time and only killed one, after which
we were not troubled any more by hyenas in the
village of Pretoria, and the neighbouring farmers
were pleased. The skins make excellent tanned
leather, and neck " strops " for oxen. These same
hyenas ate up all my buffalo "trek tows" one
rainy night at Erasmus River (six mile spruit), while
I was on my way to Natal and I had to delay some
days while I got others from Pretoria, but I had my
revenge. I have often shot hyenas in the bush-veld
in the moonlight, while sitting under the wagon
or sometimes under my shooting pony to hide
myself, but if you hit one badly the rest rush on to
the killed or wounded one, and eat him up on the
spot. Next morning there is nothing but hair and
blood on the ground. Alex and I amused ourselves
one moonlight night near the Olifant River for a
couple of hours, shooting them and watching the
rest devour them. The howl of these ceatures in the

Hyenas in a Cave 83

still night, is weird and mournful to a degree. On
my way to Natal one trip, I was travelling at
night near Tafelkop beyond the Vaal River, the
boy was in front leading my two fat, stable-fed
horses ; as I intended to leave the wagons next day,
having shot enough game for rations and wished to
drive on to Maritzburg in my cart. All at once I
heard the boys shouting and ran forward in time to
see the horses tearing off, dragging the boy (who
had tied the end of the rein round his wrist), and
following them a pack of about thirty " wolves "
(hyenas). Fortunately, the rein came loose, the boy
was released, but badly bruised and shaken, and my
two beautiful horses disappeared in the dim moon-
light, tied together, the pack in full cry after them.
We could do nothing, so outspanned. My wagon
driver, Ben Holder, and I, followed the spoor as
close as we could till midnight, but could not over-
take them ; we met some of the " wolves " returning,
having failed to catch the horses, so we shot one of
them, the others bolted. The horses being tied
together, had fallen over ant heaps once or twice,
but had evidently escaped. Hyenas as a rule, do not
hunt in pack except at certain times. On my return
from Durban I found the horses in splendid condition
at the farm of Jan Britz, he having found them
while out hunting, and kept them for me when he
learned to whom they belonged. The one cream
coloured, " Buckley," was my favourite shooting
horse, and I rode him for years afterwards. I saw
that same Britz perform a wonderful feat of horse-
manship. We went out to shoot blesbok, of which
there were great numbers near his farm ; he was
riding an ugly little rat of a Basuto pony, and when
racing full tilt, it put its foot into a hole and rolled
over, Britz (who like all Boer hunters, rode with very
long stirrups), standing almost upright in the saddle,

84 Eecollections of Adventures

without any knee grip, instead of rolling under the
pony as he would have done, if he were riding tight,
simply ran away on his feet again ! When I
expressed surprise at this he said, " Oh you soon get
used to a horse falling in the veld, the only thing to
do is not to stick to him." Whether he could manage
quite so easily on a big horse going a greater pace I
doubt. On this trip, my trap horses being lost as
mentioned, I went on to my father's old Field Cornet
Martinus Koekemoor, near Cornelius River, and
bought his old shooting horse to ride on to Durban,
as I had to see my sister Fanny Proes and her little
boy off to Europe.

It had been raining for some time, and all the
rivers were full ; when I got to Cornelius River I
found it had overflowed its banks. I put the horse
in, but as he was not a good swimmer, he went
far down stream and got into a hole filled with
floating reeds and grass ; I nearly got drowned
in trying to get him out, which I did at last. After
a rest, I had to swim back for my clothes, and, half
perished with cold, had to ride to Mill River, which
I also had to swim, as Koekemoor's house was on
the south side. Beyond Harrismith, I had the same
performance at the Wilge River, but from there to
Maritzburg there were boats behind which the horse
could swim. I got to Durban two days before the
ship sailed and saw Fan comfortably settled for the
voyage.

CHAPTER XV.
THE ZOUTPANSBERG.

When I first went to Zoutpansberg in 1857-8, I
was mueh impressed with the possibilities of cotton
growing. A kind of wild cotton grew profusely all
about that country, and of this the natives made
coarse rugs and blankets, bags, rope, baskets, etc.,
There were also valuable wild fruits, the "Manilla "
a large tree bearing a fruit like a greengage which
the natives eat and from which they make quan-
tities of a very intoxicating kind of beer ; another
very handsome large evergreen tree bears
immense quantities of berries, shaped like big
acorns. This they name the " Mafura " or fat tree
and crush the fruit to procure a vegetable butter,
which they use to anoint their bodies; they also
grease reims, skins, etc. with it. Wild pisang
(bananas) grow on the hillsides. The pea-nut
flourishes everywhere, and when once planted it is
impossible to get all the seed out of the ground
when reaping, and it makes a u volunteer crop " for
some years. Coffee grows fairly well in the
Spelonken ; tea would do excellently on the eastern
mountain slopes towards Delagoa Bay ; rice is grown
by natives nearer the coast, and tropical and
temperate-zone fruits flourish. Maize and "Sorghum"
(kaffir corn) and tobacco are the main summer crops.
Wheat, barley, rye, oats, (the winter crops) grow
under irrigation. The Zoutpansberg is a beautiful
mountainous grassy country.

Unfortunately, the district has gone back instead
of advancing in prosperity, in population, and in

86 KecMections of Adventures

development, and it is sad to see the old one-time
flourishing homesteads deserted and ruined, and
the natives in possession, as they swarm into the
district from the north and east.

It is a country which can and should carry a
large flourishing population. "Goedewensch,"
Albasini's old Estate was bought by President
Kruger in 1890 to settle poor Boers on, but I have
not heard if they have been successful. These
settlements are not as a rule, as the class of people
put on them will not work intelligently.

In the early days of Schoemensdal (a trading
village under the Zoutpansberg), there was a recog-
nised system, under Government permits, of supply-
ing native hunters with guns, ammunition, blue
salempore, brass wire and Venetian glass beads.
Each hunter, according to his recognised value, was
given a certain number of carriers to take his truck
in, and the ivory out, and the hunters got a percen-
tage on the ivory delivered. Some of these men
were good elephant shots and made lots of money.
Many Boer hunters went themselves, taking bearers
with them. It was a hard life, fraught with danger.
The hunters did not go in before the 15th of April
or May, and were supposed to be back by October,
before it got too hot. The guns in use were dreadful
things to handle, firing eight, six and even four
bullets to the Ib. The recoil made one's arm black
and blue and green.

When Paul Kruger having made such a mess of
his attempt to attack the Makatees in the mountains,
fled with his commando, and left Schoemansdal and
the district deserted, the Kaffirs kept all our guns,
goods and ammunition etc., and there was an end of
our trade and hunting. One year we sent out
32,000 Ibs. of ivory, and on one occasion I traded in

The Zoutpansberg 87

the Spelonk 3,000 Ibs. of ivory in three days. The
ivory trade never recovered from Kruger's unsuccess-
ful attack on the hill tribes, and his ignominious
retreat out of the district. When war was declared,
these men kept everything, and the loss to the
whites was very great. Zoutpansberg never re-
covered from that disastrous war.

During the annual petty wars in Zoutpansberg
district in the fifties and sixties, native children were
brought out and disposed of, the average value being
about two hundred rix dollars (£15). A man owed
me some money for a long time, and one day a
wagon turned up in Pretoria with some ivory, some
oxen, and one kaffir boy of about 12 years, in settle-
ment of the debt. The boy was invoiced at £15 ; I
did not want him, as I had always refused to have
any of these captured children, but if I sent him
back he would suffer, so I told him that he had been
sent to me for as long as he wished to stay, but that
at any time he wanted to go he was to tell me and
I would give him a free pass. I had him well clothed
and he was " tiger " in the cart, when I drove and
he was very happy. That was the only instance of
my dealing in " black ivory " as it was termed.

Two years ago, while on a visit to the Water-
berg Warm Baths, an old man sold me a basket of
fine oranges ; he turned out to be Jasper Aitchison,
whom I had known living in prosperity with Lands-
berg in Schoemansdal in Zoutpansberg forty years
before.

CHAPTER XVI.

ALEX. STRUBEN'S TRIP TO ZOUTPANSBERG
AND THE ZAMBESI.

In a copy of the newspaper South Africa, of
August 31st, 1895, 1 find a short notice of my brother
Alex's trip to the Zambesi. It says "Mr. Struben
was the first white man to visit Umzila, the Gaza
Chief, in his kraal (at the head waters of the Busi),
from the Transvaal, if not actually the first white
man there." It was in 1865 that he left Zoutpans-
berg. He crossed the Limpopo at the Pafuri Junction,
and then the Nuanotsi, descended the berg, crossed
the Lundi and Sabi rivers through country never
before visited. He was badly received by Umzila,
and cruelly treated. Some of his donkeys died
(probably of tsetse fly bite), and he himself was
stricken with fever. He regained Zoutpansberg
after great hardships but was unabl^ to recover from
the effects and soon died.

"It is unfortunate that no particulars of this
very interesting journey can be obtained." This
was written by George Lacy in his " Explorers of
South Africa," who also mentions Captain Shelley,
who explored all about Lake N'gami in 1852. Shelley
stayed with us in Ladysmith for some months, and
Alex, used to listen with avidity to his tales of travel
and hunting.

My brother, Alexander Betts Struben, who was
in the Natal Civil Service, obtained leave of absence
on account of ill-health, and in February 1863, left
with me for the Transvaal. After spending some
time with me shooting in the bush veld, he got a

Alex. Struben's Trip 89

longing to explore the interior. He returned to
Natal, and in 1864 sent in his resignation. The
Secretary of State for the Colonies allowed him a
retiring pension. After again spending some time
in Pretoria (where our father then lived), he started
on the 27th June 1864, from Zoutpansberg with
natives and animals I had supplied, but he only got
as far as the Limpopo, when his carriers refused to
go further, as the " Knobnoses " or Shangaans were
raiding the country and so he had to return.

I tried to dissuade him from attempting to
traverse the unhealthy country north of Zoutpans-
berg ; but he had listened to the stories of the old
elephant hunters, and go he would, so the next best
thing for me to do was to fit him out as well as I
could. On the 10th April, 1865, he made a second
start from Pretoria. When he reached Zoutpansberg,
another local war between Boers and natives was on,
so he left his ammunition at Rhenosterpoort, and
went on with one wagon to Albasini's in the Spelonk.
I had a number of natives living on a farm of mine
near the Livubu river ; and these natives I gave him
for carriers, and here he had a hut built and stayed
while the war continued, until he could proceed into
the interior.

In June 1864 he received the goods sent to him
in Zoutpansberg, guns, ammunition, medicines, tools
for gun repairs, drawing materials, presents for the
native chiefs, thermometer, field glasses, air mat-
tress, tent, etc., but this trip never came to anything
on account of the war with the kaffirs. The hunters
could not go in for two years and the elephants came
near to Zoutpansberg. The kaffirs had driven the
Boers out wholesale, and hunting and trading were
impossible.

90 Itecollections of Adventures

In 1865 the Transvaal Government tried to
patch up peace but failed. The native hunters had,
as usual, got all the guns and ammunition from the
Boers for the year's hunt, and when they found that
there were no more to be had, they declared war and
joined the hill tribes.

Alex's diary for 1865 is interesting as showing
the barbarous life and mode of warfare on the fron-
tiers of civilisation. Albasini, the Portuguese Consul,
trader and kaffir chief, was ruined by this war ; and
many accounts owed by people in Zoutpansberg
could never be paid to my father. Alex, was detained
five months in the Boer laager, and his substance
frittered away. They were six weeks without bread
and lived on musty kaffir corn (" Sorghum:") He
had eventually to walk to Pretoria. In April 1866,
he was still at his hut near the Livubu, unable to go
in, as the kaffirs wou d not give up the guns, while
the Government sent a commando from Pretoria.
This was under Commandant Paul Kruger. They
made a futile attempt to take the mountain strong-
holds, but retreated routed. Kruger gave the inhabi-
tants three days to take away (from the village of
Schoemansdal and the farms) as much as they could,
and then retreated " en masse " to Rhenosterpoort.
As soon as they left, the kaffirs burnt the village
and all the farms near the foot of the mountain.
Alex, sent out what cash and ivory he could muster
to pay me what he owed but always refused to take
payment in so-called " black ivory " (little captured
Kaffirs), as neither he nor I would have anything to
do with such traffic, although it paid well and was
everyday dealing at that time. After wasting about
three years in vain attempts to get into the interior,
he eventually started with an induna of Mazila's
for guide. He took part with the Boers in attacking

Alex. Strubcn's Trip 91

some strongholds and was given command of their
solitary 24 pounder carronade. Before the Pretoria
commando arrived, the Boers were only about 150
strong, but the Makatees were cowardly or they
could easily have wiped them out. Some of his
descriptions of these times, 1863 to 1866 are not
pleasant reading. The cruelties of the savages on
both sides, countenanced by the whites as far as
their allies were concerned, were dreadful, — flaying,
mutilating, burning, etc., especially in the fights at
" Katlakta's," " Simondo' ," " Magor's," " Lobola's
Kop," etc.

A comical event happened as related to me by
Alex, with Commandant Geister. There was one of
the annual little wars on, with the tribes in the forest
clad Zoutpansberg, this time with Simondo. The
Boers and Albasini's Knobnoses had dragged an old
32 pounder ship's carronade up the mountain to
bombard the kaffir " schanses " or stone walls. A few
shots proving ineffectual, the kaffirs made a sortie,
and the commando fled round the mountain, leaving
Geister, Alex., one Venter, and some Knobnoses to
get the cannon down as best they could. Alex, was
gunner for the nonce, and while he was firing some
shots to keep the kaffirs off, Venter jumped on Alex's
horse and fled after the commando, knocking several
people over in the narrow bush path on his way to
camp. Geister, Alex and the Knobnoses then pushed
the cannon into a bush kloof and retreated, keeping
the kaffirs off with their rifles. On arriving at camp
in the evening, Alex, asked Venter, (who was a tall,
ungainly " takhaar " with a head like a bassoon),
what he meant by taking his horse and leaving
Geister and himself in the lurch ? Venter solemnly
answered " Mr. Struben, don't be angry with me. I
am a man of peace and don't want to quarrel. I

92 liecollections of Adventures

am a very brave man as a rule, but when I get
really frightened, nothing stops me, when once I
start to run." (" Ik skrik niet makkelik maar als
ik skrik dan skrik ik leelik.")

Dear Alex, wrote some comical anecdotes of his
Zoutpansberg experiences and made several water
colour sketches, but unfortunately, nearly all of these
were lost in Natal.

One day, while on his first trip to the Limpopo,
his horse got among a troop of elands that were
rushing past the wagon and was never seen again.
I notice in his diary June 16th, 1863, "Philip
Bronkhorst badly torn by a lion " and further
"Minnaar found in the bush with both his arms
bitten to pieces," showing how frequent these
accidents were, in fact in the fifties and sixties they
were still of constant occurrence.

The village of Schoemansdal was prettily situated
under the beautiful wooded mountains, with running
water in the streets and there were some fine farms
in the neighbourhood, but I have never been there
since 1865, when the elephant hunting was ruined.

When Alex, finally did start for the Zambesi he
had two horses, eight donkeys, sixty Kaffirs, guns, tent
ammunition, and goods to trade for ivory and food
His companions turned back at the Limpopo. On
reaching Mazila's, Quhugenyana's father, the rascal,
levied blackmail for permission to shoot elephants
in his country, and then sent a commando to drive
them all over a certain river, which Alex, was for-
bidden to cross. When Alex, found this out, he did
after a time cross, and shot 32 elephants. Then
Mazila sent a commando to catch him, but they
failed to come up with him, and eventually he
reached the Zambesi somewhere between Zumbo and

Alex. Struben's Trip 93

Tete. As I say, many of his memoirs were lost and I
am not certain as to the details of this trip, but he
was certainly the first white man to reach the
Zambesi from the Transvaal.

On his return journey, he tried to avoid Mazila,
but the Kaffirs had instructions to take him to the
head kraal, where Mazila took most of his things
from him, and kept him so long that he got malarial
fever, of which he died after reaching Pretoria. I
had heard nothing of him for so long, that I sent
my trusty old natives " Klaas " and " Jonas " with a
wagon and comforts to go as far as they could (for
tsetse fly) and try to find him, which they did near
a Mr. Heanert's farm in the Spelonken, where he
had just arrived, very ill. These good people were
very kind to him until he was able to be put into my
wagon and come on to Pretoria. Alex, told me that
he got on fairly well until the " tsetse " fly killed
first the two " salted " horses I had given him, then
one after another the donkeys, until the old donkey
stallion (skin and bone from fly poison), carried him
to Seguarragwarra's on the Limpopo, whence he was
carried partly by bearers and partly in the wagon to
the Spelonken. It was pitiful to see him shivering
with ague and fever in the hottest weather and
covered with blankets.

CHAPTER XVII.
BOER "VOORTREKKERS" AND COMMANDOS.

The Dutch farmers (" Boers ") who trekked from
the Cape Colony in 1836-7, were probably the most
resourceful, confident, and brave pioneers the
world has produced. They had vast tracts of fertile
country at their disposal, to graze their stock or to
cultivate at will and they led a more or less nomadic
life. With enormous herds of antelopes to fill their
larders, they could command native labour, which
cost little or nothing, and notwithstanding the
dangers and hardships incidental to occupation of
unexplored wilds, the healthy open air life in a
glorious climate, with its daily exciting experiences,
appealed to them. The children were born and grew
up on the veld and inherited the restless trekking
spirit. When the game was destroyed, and the land
became occupied, many of the pioneers and their
descendants found it difficult to conform to the more
settled conditions. Native labour became less plenti-
ful and more expensive ; there were not adequate
markets for any stock or produce they had for sale ;
the farms they obtained (without direct payment)
had but little value in their eyes and were frequently
sold for a few pounds and the former owners became
landless and poor. Again, under the Roman -Dutch
law of inheritance, similar to the " Code Napoleon "
the larger farms, which supported a numerous family,
were sub-divided on the death of the parents among
the children. They could not all make a living on
these small portions of the original farm, and piece
by piece the ground was sold to strangers, A typical

Boer " Voortrekkers " and Commandos 95

case of how the Roman-Dutch law affects the pros-
perity of the country came to my notice. A fine old
farmer, Izaak Bretenbach of Leydenburg, lost his
first wife and as he wished to marry again he pro-
posed to divide half his estate among his children.
He had quarrelled with a worthless son-in-law who
would accept no land, stock or anything, but
demanded that the estate be put up for auction. Bills
were accepted in payment and these were eventually
paid in Transvaal notes (at par £1,) while worth
only 2/6 and the old man was ruined.

In the old days of the " Trek " from Cape Colony
in 1836-1837, the trekkers were like one big family
and wiled away the time when not fighting savages,
shooting game, or holding religious services, by
playing games and practical jokes on each other. At
one laager in the Transvaal, there was a notorious
old gossip named Venter, who would bore his friends
with interminable prosy stories and keep them up
till late at night. He rode a little white mare which
had a habit of starting off with a rush for a few
yards as soon as mounted. One evening, while old
man Venter was holding forth, a couple of young
fellows loosened the girths of his saddle and tied a
long bullock " reim " to the crupper, the reim being
kept on the off side, the rascals obsequiously holding
the mare in position, for old Venter to mount. The
long-winded yarn ended and " Slaapgerust " (Sleep
well !) followed, Venter mounted, thanking his two
young friends for so politely helping him to mount.
Off went " Saartye " at a bound, the reim tied to the
wagon became taut, old man Venter came flying off
behind, and sat sprawling on the ground, much
astonished and discomfited, to the immense amuse-
ment of his late weary audience. " Ya," said one
old sport, " dit zal hem leer om niet so langdradig te

96 Recollections oj Adventures

praat." (" Yes, that will teach him not to be so long-
winded/') old Venter saw the joke in time, and
sought a more appreciative lot of cronies to spin his
yarns to.

To-day it is to me a sad sight to see the descen-
dants of families whom I knew some years ago in
comfortable circumstances, now living in degrading
poverty, and deteriorating physically and morally,
without energy for the work of the day or hope for
the future. The only chance of bettering these poor
people is to educate the children, and teach them
self-respect and the dignity of honest labour, not to
despise work or service as only fit for Kaffirs. If
the landless people of white descent do not become
industrious, the natives will take their place and
they will die out. It is to be regretted that the
Dutch Ministers of religion, who in some ways so
strongly influence the Dutch constituents politically,
have not been able to do more for the so termed
" poor white " section of the race, industrially.

In 1856 I was commandeered to go on commando
against Mahura and Gasibone in the Batlapin
country. I took my own wagon and oxen, and
Matabele servant, so as to be comfortable, but to my
disgust they quartered two fellows by name Piet
Viljoen and P. Du Preez, on me. They " sponged "
on me until I could stand it no longer. One night,
while there was a prayer meeting going on, they
stole all my biscuits and filled a large chest they
had. When I found them out I shamboked Du
Preez, and was court-martialled for cutting him
about rather worse than I knew. He was a powerful
man, and tried to grapple me, but I managed to keep
him off until he was tired of being punished. He
then complained to the Commandant who imposed a
fine of £60 on me, instead of restoring my stolen

Boer " Voortrekkers " anef Commandos 97

provisions ! I next day left the commando and laid
the case before President Pretorius in Potchefstroom,
who at once gave me a fat slaughter cow and a bag
of wheat meal which Mrs. Botha the mother of
Cornelius Botha (afterwards secretary to Mr. Paul
Kruger), made into bread and cakes for me. I waited
in Potchefstroom until the contingent arrived, when
the case was tried and the £60 fine imposed was
remitted, and the Commandants and other officials
reprimanded for their behaviour at the front, so I
got off with flying colours ! There were some good
fellows on the commando and as it was a new
experience for me I enjoyed it, but it was pretty
rough and the horseplay sometimes dangerous. One
joke was tossing a man in a freshly slaughtered ox
hide and it was a sickening experience for the victim.
I was never subjected to it.

While waiting at the Mooi River for the Mahura
commando to come up from lower Vaal river, a
contingent from the Elands river Ward arrived and
joined my camp, they were mostly Bezuidenhouts
and hunters, a jolly lot of fellows and they had
music and dancing on the grass in the moonlight
every evening. You never meet that light-hearted,
rollicking class of Boer now. When the Pretoria
section of the commando turned up, the leaders were
sulky because I had worsted them with the president,
but by a judicious application of gin to some, coffee
and biscuits and fat biltong to others, and a cheerful
face, we were soon friends again. In the evening,
all kinds of rough outdoor games were played among
them. One " Stok-Trek " -when two men sit
opposite to each other, on the ground, their feet
against each other, a stout stick held by both, the
one who is pulled upright or forward loses the game,
and a small prize is awarded. Willem Horn had

98 Recollections of Adventures

lately married a sister of Joseph Fourie, a spinster
of uncertain age with a " wall eye," she was known
as the "oude nooi," ("old maid/') I generously
offered to " trek stok " with Willem for his " oude
nooi," he was irate, but being chaffed by his friends,
he risked it. I pulled him up and claimed the " oude
nooi " most seriously, this got on his nerves, and he
slunk away from the laager in the evening to walk
home at Horn's Nek in the Magaliesberg. When
he reached Sarel Du Toit's farm (near where the
" Jameson raid " party were first attacked many
years later) the dogs drove poor Willem into a dry
ditch, keeping him there in the bitter cold till day-
light, when the commando came along and we got
him out. In consideration for his sufferings I
promised to waive my claim to " de oude nooi," and
he no doubt wrangled with her happily ever after.

On this commando the oxen contracted foot-and-
mouth disease, when the poor animals could hardly
travel, and many died of starvation, as they could
not eat the dry grass. The commando was a failure.
The time and energy wasted over these frequent
commandos prevented the country progressing.
During the Boer Civil War of 1864, Rensberg's com-
mando was expected. They made my father Com-
mandant and our verandah was full of warriors,
sleeping. I relieved Lys, Broderick, and others from
guarding the powder magazine, but told them not to
be disturbed if they heard shots during the night.
About midnight, our guard (some armed with
elephant guns) let off a couple of volleys, and the
panic in the town was immense — it was lovely!—
most of them stampeded into the yard behind the
house ! it was not until order was restored that I
could get to bed. My dear old father was annoyed
with me when I could not give an account of my

Boer " Voortrekkers " and Commandos 99

guards firing, and I had to confess that it was an
experiment in alarm drill. I was sorry it was not
appreciated, but it had its moral for the " park of
artillery," (two 32 pounder ships guns), could easily
have been spiked when they were deserted outside
the old Court House (where the Law Courts now
stand on Church Square).

I had several queer experiences during this war.
I never could make out what they were quarrelling
about. Rensberg's Government adherents would
occupy Pretoria and commandeer sugar, coffee, etc.,
and then Schoeman's lot would come in, and the others
would clear out ; and the commandeering was done
all over again. I had no interest in the matter, so paid
both sides and was allowed to continue my journeys
to Natal as usual. On my return from one trip I
heard that Schoeman's commando was at Block Drift
on Vaal river. My wagons were outspanned at 'Turf
Sluit " on the Pretoria side of the river, when who
should ride up but Field Cornet Jan Kock (who was
afterwards as General Kock killed at Elandslaagte.)
He had come from Schoeman's laager and said that
he wanted gunpowder. I had a large quantity in
one wagon, but pretended that I thought he wanted
a little for game shooting, so I ostentatiously emptied
my powder flask giving him more than half, saying
that I must keep a few charges for springbok near
Heidelberg. He said he thought I had a quantity,
but I asked him if he thought I would risk taking
ammunition about in war time. I gave what I had
to him so cheerfully, that he was misled and rode
back to the laager. As soon as he was over the rise,
I " inspanned " at once, gave all the boys a stiff glass
of gin, told them to keep up to my leading wagon,
and anyone causing a stoppage would be punished,
we did go all that long night, the boys being primed

100 Recollections of Adventures

now and then with gin and biscuits. One wagon
stuck in a mud hole near Zuikerboschrand at mid-
night, but I put double spans on, and as the sun rose
we passed Gabriel Jacob's, safe in sight of Heidel-
berg, where friendly forces were lying. I heard
afterwards that Kock was laughed at in the laager
for being hoodwinked, and that a strong horse patrol
sent to catch me, turned back on the Nek above
Gabriel Jacob's, when they saw my wagons near
Heidelberg. They might have overtaken me, but
turned back at once, as they thought I could not
have travelled so far, and that they had missed me
somewhere in the dark. If they had taken all my
ammunition I should have been half ruined, as they
would never have paid for it. The old Boers say
that when you can't fight you must run hard, but
begin in time. I thought of that then, Ha! Ha!
and I did run and no mistake. All this happened
later when the Transvaal was getting " civilised "
and troublesome. I preferred the old simple times.

During the quarrel between the Free State and
the Transvaal, I was outspanned at Mill River with
some wagons on the road from Natal. One of the
wagons had 2000 Ibs. of gunpowder on it, intended
for Pretoria and Zoutpansberg. This was reported
to the Free State authorities in Harrismith (which
place I had avoided), and suddenly a Field Cornet
and some men rode up and ordered me to inspan and
take the wagons to Harrismith as they wanted the
gunpowder and lead. I ordered the boys to bring
up the oxen and inspan, in the meantime giving the
gentlemen coffee and conversation. When ready, I
ordered the men to drive along the road to Pretoria
and loosened my rifle and told the Field Cornet that
if he hindered me I should be compelled to shoot
him and some of his friends, so after some bluster

Boer " Voortrekkers" and Commandos 101

and threatening to stop me further on, with more
men, they asked me to give them an undertaking
not to sell any south of the Vaal River. I did this,
and they rode back to Harrismith, much crestfallen.
I travelled hard expecting them to collect men and
follow me, but I never saw them again, and got all
my wagons safe into Pretoria.

CHAPTER XIX.
COMMANDOES AND CIVIL WAR OF 1864.

While I was living with President Martinus
Wessels Pretorius, to learn farming, I got to know
and to like an old Dutchman, named Jan Visagie,
who was better educated than most of the Boers in
the Transvaal and was a medical man of sorts
(dispensing simples and Dutch patent medicines). He
had a keen sense of humour and I had many a good
laugh with him. He became secretary to Govern-
ment and moved to Pretoria. When during the
Civil War of 1864 Schoeman's party entered
Pretoria, they seized Visagie, said his books were
not in order, and that he must find security for his
appearance when called on, or be put in prison. I
stood security for the good-natured old fellow, and
produced him in Court on the appointed day. Hans
Steyn was appointed judge by his party ; and one
Swart Martinus Pretorius declared Visagie 's books
to be out of order and money missing and demanded
that, as I was security for Visagie, all my estates
should be confiscated ! I pointed out that I only
undertook to produce Visagie in Court, which I had
done, and there my liability ended, but it took all
the oratory at my command to get me out of their
clutches. I forget what they did to old Visagie, but
I think they bolted soon afterwards, as the opposing
commando was coming to town. I had built a
burnt-brick house some time before (I think the first
of its kind in Pretoria) which I afterwards leased to
Government Secretary Van der Linden. This house
was taken by the Government "dejure" and used
as a guard house in which they kept their political

Commandos and Civil War of 1864 103

opponents. Pretoria used to be taken and evacuated
by the opposing commandos without a shot being
fired, but there were " excursions and alarms " in
plenty, and each incoming commando camped on
the Church Square, made requisitions for slaughter
cattle, meal, coffee, sugar, etc., and made a most
horrid mess of the place. One time, Rensberg's
(really Kruger's party), had given me a pass to go
with wagons to Natal. I sent the wagons on with
John Lumsden in charge, and my youngest brother
Fred (on his way to school in Maritzburg), accom-
panied him. I followed on horseback, and came
on a laager of Wakkerstroom Boers under James
Henderson, — a wild, unruly lot. While I was talk-
ing to them and telling them that their side had
lost the fight on Moselikat's Nek, Magaliesberg, one
Boer tried to seize my horse's bridle, but I galloped
off and was soon too far for them to catch me, as
their horses were knee-haltered and grazing. Some-
one shouted out " shoot him if he does not stop," but
I was soon over the rise, too soon for them. On
overtaking the wagons near Heidelberg I found
Lumsden ill. A big Boer had knocked all his front
teeth out because he told him that the other side had
beaten theirs, and that several of their lot were shot.
Had not an old Boer dragged him away, the wheel
would have gone over him where he was knocked
down. As I never could find out what these two
Boer factions were fighting about, and they did not
quite know themselves, I did not take much interest
in the game beyond getting what fun I could out
of it.

In the early sixties a small syndicate in Pretoria
smelted galena at Broederstroom, and sold the
argentiferous lead to the hunters for bullets at l/-
per Ib. ; but it did not pay, and soon shut down. I,

104 JRerote£i0»w of Adventures

at that time, sent samples of very rich iron ore to
England but no one would take any interest in it.

This Civil War wasted much of my time, and
cost me a lot of money — when I could ill-afford it.
The Boers liked being on commando, the incon-
veniences were what they were accustomed to in daily
life, they had not to do any hard work, got plenty
of leave, etc., and had congenial company, but to
the men who had business to attend to, and did not
affect the rough commando life, it caused incon-
venience and loss. In the early days of the Trans-
vaal these commandos, against some native tribe or
other, were almost of annual occurrence, besides
the more serious wars among themselves, with the
-b ree State, or with the British Government. It goes
without saying that subject to such a state of chronic
unrest, the country could not progress.

We had some comical scares in Pretoria at night,
but no serious danger, and after a few men were
shot in the fight on Mosilikat's Nek, peace was
declared. At one time I was commandeered with
wagon and oxen and servants, to go with a contin-
gent to Paul Kruger's farm near Rustenberg. I was
placed in command of the artillery (one old ship's
32 pounder " carronade " on wagon wheels), a most
dangerous weapon for the artilleryman — the enemy
were fairly safe ! I was much disappointed that it
never came into action, as it might have made history !
A truce was proclaimed after much parleying, and
we returned to Pretoria. The Crocodile River was
full and the commando outspanned. I got a plug
made for the muzzle and one for the touch hole (which
was nearly as big), and with my own natives and
oxen went gaily into the stream, and nearly had the
whole concern swept down into a deep pool below
the "drift ; " but both my boys and I could swim

Commandos and Civil War of 1864 106

well, and we got across. I was ordered to wait for
the commando (which crossed later), and was cen-
sured for risking the artillery so recklessly. On the
south side of Horn's Nek we " laagered." I was told
the gun would not go off after being submerged.
To prove that it would, I aimed at a bush on the side
of Magaliesberg, over the heads of the many spans
of oxen grazing below, forgetting that with the best
intentions towards the enemy it was loaded with
home made grape and cannister! Ma conscience!
I got a fright when all the ox herds fell flat and the
missiles rained dust among the oxen and started
them off. A court-martial was held, and I was
informed that while the country was deeply grateful
to me for my patriotism, and self-sacrifice, my reck-
less behaviour in the Crocodile River, and again in
so wastefully firing off Government ammunition, as
I had just done, (endangering the lives of Kaffirs
and oxen) they were regretfully obliged to relieve
me of my command. Did I feel downhearted ? No !
The gun was handed over to Moritz Preller on
arrival in Pretoria, and he, rash man, fired it off to
see how it would shoot. The charge came out at
the wrong end, a piece struck him below the belt, he
studied Transvaal artillery in bed for several weeks,
and never quite recovered his health. One piece
nearly killed my servant Ben Holder. So not
hankering after too much honour and glory, I did
not volunteer to run another "park of artillery."
It was rather a different story when (about forty
years later) Mr. Kruger, with three millions of
revenue derived from the Rand Gold Mines, im-
ported the best Krupp and Creuzot guns to fight the
British, when he invaded Natal 1899-1900.

Acting President Rensburg's commandos and
those of Stephanus Schoeman alternately occupied

106 Eecollections of Adventures

Pretoria. I knew nothing of the supposed cause of
the war but I was on the Government side. When
they commandeered my house, and put several of
the other side in the stocks, among others P. J.
Marais, Barend Pretorius, a little Hollander " Last-
drager " etc. I used to visit and cheer them up with
jokes, but they said that jokes were of no use to
them, while they were in the stocks. Barend
Pretorius, who, when at liberty, was much given to
talking big, was specially low-spirited and wept
bitterly. Little " Lastdrager " jeered at him for
being such a coward, and incensed the jailers by
chaffing them. Everything was topsy-turvy, busi-
ness at a standstill and Boer patrols riding about the
country, instead of attending to their farms.

During these unsettled times we in Pretoria had
some amusing experiences. One night Piet Marais,
some others and myself were told off to guard the
powder magazine, as Schoeman's commandos were
expected to seize it. We got some fiddles and gin
and warmed up the guard with dancing, melody
and " squareface." In the night we let off a volley,
the Commandant, Nikolaas Smit, and the whole
town turned out in alarm. While the military
council were investigating the cause of the stampede
I slipped round and took all the gin out of their
quarters as we had run short. I never drank spirits
myself but my guard were thirsty, so I had to keep
them up to the mark. Later, after the commotion
subsided, we explained that we thought we saw
horsemen approaching the magazine and pre-
pared to sell our lives dearly. It was a touching
oration and brought tears into their eyes, especially
when they discovered, that, in the stampede some-
one had annexed all their gin and on such a trying
occasion. While old Hans Steyn was presiding on

Commandos and Civil War of 1864 107

the Bench (before the other commando approached
when they all cleared out), one, Swart, was haled to
justice all the way from Swartruggens for improper
arid immoral conduct, Commandant Andries Van
Der Walt commandeered some of us to keep guard
over Swart for the night and hand him over to the
authorities in the morning, and as guard house, we
were given the cottage of a widow who was an in-
timate friend of old v. d. Walt, who was a great
sport. P. J. Marais, myself and several others,
collected all kinds of musical instruments and the
inevitable gin, and made night hideous with discord.
We impressed upon the prisoner the importance of
his taking some gin and this was repeated, notwith-
standing his protests, until he was unable to escape,
and he was then sat up against the wall on the floor.
I am ashamed to say that one perverted spirit
discovered a bucket of eggs, and a brilliant idea
struck him that a target made with charcoal on the
whitewashed wall would give excellent practice if
drawn immediately above the head of Swart (which
was all hair and teeth). Strict instructions were
given not to hit Swart, but, unfortunately, some
were out of practice and missed the target, and some
perfectly '• good eggs " caught him in the eye and
elsewhere, and marred the beauty of his black beard !
It was disgraceful, but after target-practice he fell
peacefully asleep, and the guard danced " Sir Roger
de Coverly " in the moonlight, with much music and
noise. About midnight I spied the Commandant
coming along so I blew out the lights, told the
fellows to keep quiet, and I waited until he was
inside the cottage ; when I threw him down, and sat
on him, holding him by the throat and shouting at
him " You would try to escape would you " ! pre-
tending I thought he was Swart. He gurgled that
he was not Swart but our Commandant. I ordered

108 Recollections of Adventures

candles to be lit, when I saw who it was and said
" boys it is our Commandant, our prisoner is safe."
I helped him up, apologising for the rough time I
had given him in the cause, and knowing his weak-
ness for a sopje," plied him with gin until he was
merry . He then requested us to play " Home Sweet
Home " and after an encore we sent him back to his
house with an escort. Next morning when he pro-
duced the prisoner in court, old Hans Steyn wanted
to know what was wrong with him, as the target
shooting had given him a " snuff and butter look "
but as no satisfactory explanation was forthcoming,
he was ordered to the water furrow to wash, before
judgment could be passed upon him with proper
dignity. The judge, who like necessity, knew no law,
and besides spoke through his nose, dilated on the
gravity of his offence, and confiscated his entire estate.
He would no doubt have given the proceeds to the
State had time permitted. These were days when it
was wise to "agree with your adversary quickly while
you were in the way with him," as self-made sport-
ing judges were, at best, somewhat risky. A case in
point is as follows : Scheepers of Sterkfontein was on
a trading trip to the Free State and his second wife
quarrelled with his son-in-law, living on Grobbelar's
Farm " Honing Kloof/' On the return of Scheepers,
who was a violent man and powerful, she told such
a tale about her son-in-law, that Scheepers rode over
early in the morning, and thrashed the poor son-in-
law unmercifully with a bullock sjambok, while he
was in bed. Wife No. 2 (who was still not satisfied)
worked Scheepers into a rage again, so he let his
son-in-law know that he might expect him early
next morning to repeat the dose. He burst open the
bedroom door, and the son-in-law, a small weak
man, unable to cope with the enraged Scheepers,
jumped on to some bags with an old pistol, and in

Commandos and Civil War of 1864 109

self-defence fired, hitting Scheepers in the shoulder,
from which wound he afterwards died. The son-in-
law was put in jail, tried and convicted of the murder
of his father-in-law and was hanged in Pretoria. It
appeared to be a heinous offence to shoot a father-
in-law under any circumstances. Had it been a
mother-in-law there might have been extenuating
circumstances.

The patriarchal Government of the Transvaal
during the fifties and sixties was often amusingly
primitive. The first Landdrost Joachim Prinsloo, a
real good type of an honest old " voortrekker " and
a kind-hearted hospitable man whom everyone
respected and liked, when discussing one day the
collection of taxes and disbursements, admitted that
he found difficulty in keeping books, but after
paying his own and other salaries, the balance went
to the Government. He said this in perfect good
faith and in his case no harm was done, as he had
not much to administrator, and he was scrupulously
honest, but the system would not work well under
conditions obtaining now. A burgher was con-
demned to be hanged at Potchefstroom, he was
placed on a wagon which was drawn under a
gallows, like a slaughter pole. He was blind- folded
and the rope placed round his neck, when the
wagon was pulled from under him, but the rope
broke, and he fell to the ground. He had all along
declined to believe that they would really hang him
and when he recovered from the jerk he received, he
said, " It's all very fine to pretend to hang me, and a
joke is a joke, but you hurt me." They apologised
for the accident, but put him again on the wagon
with a stronger rope attached to him and he was
legally executed, no joke this time. A notorious
horse -thief Breytenbach, spent much of his time in

110 Recollections of Adventures

jail, when not actively employed in stealing horses,—
in the hope of getting in again. He used to visit my
place at times, when I invariably gave him a small
present in cash, tobacco, etc., as I kept good horses in
the stable to which he might take a fancy. He never
stole from me, partly on account of our friendly
relations and partly because he thought I would
shoot him. He camped for some time on the hill at
the back of my house, and we could see his fires at
night. He stole sheep etc., from my neighbours,
but nothing from me.

One Christmas eve he obtained leave from the
jailor to visit his family in the town, promising to
return at sundown. He was late in getting back,
finding himself locked out, next morning he laid a
complaint, at being wrongfully kept out of his right-
ful quarters, in the jail.

During the time of the annexation 1876 to 1880,
a proper system of administration was established ;
and since then the country never quite reverted to
the crude methods of the previous period.

Many stories could be told of Mr. Paul Kruger's
early exploits, and others of later years. When a
young Field Cornet he gained fame by standing on
his head on the gable of the Dutch Church in Rusten-
berg, he also had visions and went for a time to the
Magaliesberg to commune with himself, seeing
visions, etc. After the Kaffirs in the caves of
Makapan were all dead, he was the first to enter the
cave, the stench from the corpses being dreadful.
When after Majuba, he was returning to Europe to
obtain a modification of the convention of 1880, a
large dinner was prepared for him at Edgson's and
about 60 of the leading men of the district were
invited to meet him. Mrs. Kruger had come from

Commandos and Civil War of 1864 111

Pretoria to meet him, and they went into an inner
chamber. He did not turn up at the dinner, and
said they could send some food in to the room for
him. He cared nothing for conventional usage. I
had occasion (as President of the Land Commission)
to settle a dispute as to beacons, between a fine old
44 Dopper " Voortrekker, Dolf Holsthuisen, and one
Boshoff, and although I felt that the latter had taken
advantage of the farmer's simple-mindedness, the
evidence of the land inspection and witnesses com-
pelled me to give judgment against Holsthuisen.
With tears in his eyes, the poor old man thanked me
for having done my best to obtain justice for him,
but that he saw under the Government of the day,
the laws of the land were no good, and he and his
family and relations would leave the Transvaal. He
organised a trek, his wife and many of his family
died en route and the remnant settled at Humpata
in Portuguese Angola. The courage and patient
endurance of these old Dutch pioneers, in committing
themselves with their families to the wilderness and
conquering nature, wild beasts and savages to attain
a goal has never been surpassed, and it is pathetic
to reflect upon their struggles and sacrifices for an
ideal.

CHAPTER XX.

BRITISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN
PIONEERS AND VISITORS.

After we had been in Pretoria for some time,
other Europeans came to reside there, among them
John Robert Lys with his cheery anecdotes, his
unbounded and genuine hospitality, his ingrained
loyalty to the British Empire, and his downright hon-
esty in public affairs. Mauch the explorer used to be
much in Robert Lys' house where he came with the dear
old hunter and pioneer William Hartley, who was
afterwards killed by a rhinoceros, in what is now
Rhodesia. He took the traveller Mauch to the
Zimbabye ruins. Thos. Baines (the first to paint
the Victoria Falls,) a quaint, unassuming, but ster-
ling man, was one of the first to obtain a concession
from Lobengula. He was given more to geographi-
cal and scientific research, than mere money making.
We enjoyed his visits to Pretoria and "The Willows."
Alexander McKorkindale, another real pioneer, who
endeavoured to introduce British settlers into the
Transvaal, and connect it with the nearest sea port.
He obtained from President Pretorius large tracts of
land in "New Scotland" district, near Lake Chrissie,
eastern Transvaal. The higher portion of this land,
named New Scotland, was dotted over with lakes,
some so deep that hippopotami lived in them and the
district was considered by the Boers too swampy to
farm on. Of late years, the lakes have shrunk, some
almost dry, and heavy wagons now go over on dry
ground — what were formerly swamps and "vleis." The

Boer " Voortrekkers " and Commandos 113

other part of the concession was on the lower
terraces towards Swaziland called Roburnia. Mc-
Korkindale undertook to import white settlers to
occupy this land, and was to open up a trade route
to the Southern portion of Delagoa Bay. He often
used to stay at "The Willows," when travelling
between New Scotland and Pretoria, and gave me a
very unfavourable idea of the thankless task of
trying to settle emigrants on the land in South
Africa. These Scotch peasants, judging from Mc-
Korkindale's statements, who were used to privation
and hard work in their own country, were not satis-
fied with anything while they could claim what they
wanted from the Glasgow Company and would do
nothing to improve their own position. Eventually,
when he died, and the settlement was disbanded,
many of these men (when thrown on their own
resources) did quite well for themselves. The land
has been sold in farms ; and thus the company may
have repaid their outlay, while the district is filling
up ; partly occupied by settlers under Lord Milner's
scheme after the war, partly by Dutch and English
fanners. McKorkindale died of malarial fever
contracted on the island of Injak, Delagoa Bay,
while waiting for a vessel bringing him freight
from England. He was an enthusiastic, courage-
ous pioneer of the best sort, but troubles and
anxieties proved too much for him. I remember
Anthony Trollope, the novelist, in 1877, being angry
with me for saying, I did not think he should write
a book on South Africa, until he had studied the life
and conditions of the country outside Government
House, and apart from blue books. Sir George
Colley stayed in Pretoria and passed on to Delagoa
Bay on foot. Some years afterwards he was com-
mander-in-chief in Natal and was in command at
Ingogo, Lang's Nek and Majuba, where he was killed.

114 Recollections of Adventures

Although Pretoria was the seat of Government,
President Pretorius lived in Potchefstroom ; where
he had a wagon-maker's shop, his house and gardens ;
as he said that he had no property in Pretoria. As
an inducement to him to reside in Pretoria the
towns-people and officials appointed a special com-
mittee in which (John Robert Lys and myself were
included) to select a piece of ground suitable for the
President's residence. The President went with us,
and the ground now known as "Skinners Court" was
chosen, It was understood that it was for the
President in perpetuity ; not as a gift to an
individual. I am not aware that any money was
granted for building, and Mr. Pretorius made it over
to Mrs. Skinner, in settlement of an account for
board and lodging. The good natured old fellow was
always hard-up, and when I saw him shortly before
his death, at Maquassie, after his resignation on
November 21st, 1871, he was in great poverty; so
different to the simple prosperous days on Kalk-
heuvel where I stayed with him.

CHAPTER XXI.
EARLY FARMING STRUGGLES.

In 1862 I purchased "The Willows" a farm
near Pretoria and started farming, but it was slow
work, as there were no markets for produce, and no
money in the country ; while the Transvaal paper
issue represented 4/- in the £1 ; and I found difficul-
ty in paying the working hands. The losses from
lung-sickness among the cattle, from horse-sickness
and from hail, locusts, and other causes made it a
hard struggle ; but by dint of work and perseverance,
I managed to pay my way and to acquire some
property from time to time. Shortly after this, I was
practically ruined by the wrong-doing of a business
firm ; and had to make a fresh start. It was uphill
work, and a cruel blow just as I was getting on.
After a time, I recovered and began to make my
way again.

In January 1868, 1 married Mary Cole, daughter
of the Reverend William G. Cole of Trinity
College Dublin, a pretty little English girl with
auburn hair and honest, trustful eyes. All our child-
ren, except Frank, were born at "The Willows."
We had to work very hard to economise to keep out
of debt with a large family to bring up ; and the
dear little mother, besides all her other duties, found
time to educate her children, and keep up her own
music, until they were old enough to go away to
school.

In the winter to have a rest and outing, we
used to make a little trek to the bush-veld farms on

116 Recollections of Adventures

Sand River; and to see how the livestock were
getting on, and we and the children enjoyed the
camping out in a quiet way. My brother Ted and
his wife were on another of my bush farms, Klipgat,
close to us, camped under an immense wild olive
tree ; near a spring. One winter the Schoemans,
who have their grazing farm adjoining mine on the
Sand River; had lung-sickness among their cattle
and allowed them, (the sick ones) to run all through
my farm, where I had a large herd of splendid half
bred Devon cattle. I went to them and complained of
this, and they said that they had no Kaffirs to herd
them. Seeing that I could not rely on them keeping
their sick animals out of my veld, I undertook to
pay the two native herds if they would promise to
" kraal " their stock at night. This they promised
to do, but they used the two herds to skin dead
cattle, to work about their camp ; and allowed their
cattle to roam at will as before. One morning
several of their sick oxen were standing at the gate
of my "kraal "and evidently had been during the
night, in contact with my cattle. I at once gave
notice to the Field Cornet, that I held them liable
for any loss I might suffer. The Field Cornet, a
Boer friend of theirs, took no notice of my complaint,
and the Schoeman's knew that nothing could be
done to them. Nine days after this, three of my
cattle developed Pleura-Pneumonia (Lung -sickness)
and I lost three hundred and seventeen large oxen
and cows and seventy calves, and got not a penny of
compensation. It was almost impossible to farm stock
next to Transvaal Boers, they intentionally allowed
their animals to graze their neighbours* veld to spare
their own ; and persistently refused to pay half-costs
of erecting fences to keep their stock out. There
was a fair amount of game on my block of bush-
veld farms, Koodoo, Pallah, Haartebeest, Blue Wilde-

Early Farming Struggles 117

beest, besides small buck and I took pains to preserve
them, but these Boers along Sand River never ceased
to poach my farms during our absence and now only
a few Koodoo and Ostriches are left. I had enclosed
about eight thousand acres of the best game veld
but they cut the fences, rode in and shot whatever
they could. On more than one occasion my farms
were set fire to, and burnt completely out, because I
refused to give free grazing and I had to take
all my own stock away in consequence.

The fencing of farms with posts and wire is of
recent date, I had to fence with stone walls, of which
some miles remain on "The Willows" to this day.
My neighbour, Matthias de Beer, came to me in a rage
one day and said that the building of a wall along
my boundary was an unfriendly act, as it would
keep his cattle out of the best grazing along the
river in Koodoo camp (my farm), and in consequence
he would not speak to me for some time. Even now,
(in 1911), I have erected on various properties alto-
gether over two hundred miles of boundary fences,
and subdivision fences, and have hardly ever been
able to get my Boer neighbours to share the cost ;
although these fences are of iron and permanent and
they have beneficial use of them. Payment of joint
boundary fencing should be made compulsory in
most districts; (such legislation has now been provided
vide Act 17/1912), as the enterprising landowner has
to work for the indolent one. About 1866, I asked
Izaak Holtshuizen to catch some young ostriches for
me, promising him £5 cash for six months chicks.
He brought forty -four birds, and I had to pay him
what was a large sum in those days (£220). It was the
first venture of its kind in the country, no one knew
anything about feeding or plucking, nesting or rear-
ing ; and although the birds grew to be a very large

118 Becollections of Adventures

size, much bigger than the present domesticated bird
in the Cape Colony, the want of knowledge on my
part made the attempt at farming wild ostriches at
that early date unsuccessful. Some of them became
very savage. One day a large cock ran at mother and
her sister, and would have killed them, had I not
happened to look out of my office window and seen
the danger they were in. I had no time to look for
any weapon, so took off my coat as I ran, threw it
over the bird's head, pushed the two ladies through
a pole gate, and just had time to vault over it myself,
when he rushed at me, and drove his toe into the
pole an inch or two behind me, this caused a strained
feeling, so I fetched a gun and shot him. He had
previously ripped open some working oxen, and
chased Kaffirs all over the place. The birds wandered
to some distance, and neighbours shot them for their
feathers, pretending to think they were ivild birds.
So ended my first ostrich farming venture.

I used to send my cattle for winter grazing to
the bush-veld farm I owned near the Salt Pan, this
pan was Government property, and the Boers and
their families came long distances to collect and
clean the large salt crystals for preserving meat,
butter, etc. It is a most picturesque crater of an
extinct volcano, the cone rises from the bush -covered
plain to some height, and is noticeable for many
miles. The Salt Pan itself lies at the bottom of the
old crater, about 700 feet down and is covered by a
crust of block salt, some feet thick in parts, on this,
after rain, fresh crystals form and are collected. Of
late years the pan has been neglected and less and
inferior salts and soda obtained. I. W. Henshall,
representing Alexander McKorkindale (of New
Scotland fame), erected evaporating pans ; but owing
to wars, etc., they were abandoned. Some Johannes-

Early Farming Struggles 119

burg company erected expensive works again, but
during the war of 1900 these were also abandoned.
Some machinery is there still. It is curious that
several rather severe earthquake shocks have passed
over the pan during the time I have known it. We
had some pleasant picnic parties there from Pretoria
in the early days, when the little European com-
munity were like one family. Since then, the pan
has been much destroyed by lessees cutting down
most of the big trees, and generally injuring the
property. There were many beautiful birds, green
parroquets, green sprews, blue jays, honey birds and
much game, but the Kaffirs from the kraals near by
have destroyed all animal life. These farms are 35
miles from " The Willows," and I used to start after
midnight, ride down and count up the cattle at sun-
rise. This kept the herdsmen on the alert, my chief
trouble was that of the Boer neighbours setting fire
to the dry winter grass, when a strong wind was
blowing on to my farm. One old fellow, Wolmarans,
was the worst culprit, and was caught in the act
more than once. Old Jan Hennings and Rasmus
Erasmus, both told me that my only chance was to
burn old Wolmarans out once or twice, and then it
would stop, but this I would not do. The country
all about this Salt Pan I believe to be tin-bearing,
the formation being similar to that in Kameel Port
and Enkeldoorn, and gold has been found in the
vicinity. It lies also in the line of diamond pipes of
the Premier and Kaalfontein Mines ; which are
visible from the top of the Salt Pan kopje, to the east.

On August 4th, 1869, I sowed gum tree seeds
which are to-day the big trees in the large planta-
tions. On August 2nd, I built the wagon house on
14 The Willows " myself, my first and last attempt at
brick laying and carpentry. In those days we had

120 Recollections of Adventures

to be versatile, one day framing laws, another farm-
ing, one day on a Government commission, the next
planting trees, one day sitting in the Volkstraad, the
next inoculating cattle, one day prospecting for
minerals, then painting, carpentry, shoemaking,
building, travelling all over the conntry on various
quests. Truly, a varied, curious life.

During these years our home "The Willows"
was a rendezvous for the European people in Pretoria,
we were seldom without guests.

On June 7th, 1869, my dear old father died in
Pretoria, he had suffered much loss and had had
many worries in his later years.

CHAPTER XXII.
NATIVE WARS AND UNREST.

Ever since the days of Lord Glenelg, when
(after the exhausting frontier wars) he reversed the
policy of the military commander, and the Colonial
authorities, and re-instated the hostile tribes on land
within the Cape Colony, South Africa has been
subjected to a policy of expediency, to satisfy
the so-called negrophile sentiment, represented in
England by the Exeter Hall party, and also on the
part of the Whigs or so-called Liberals, to capture
seats in the British Parliament, rather than to estab-
lish a continuous, consistent, practical basis of policy,
in dealing with the native tribes, in the several
colonies and states. The Exeter Hall would-be
philanthropists — influenced largely by reports of
some missionaries who take an unpractical and one-
sided view of the problem — and of cranks, who make
it their hobby to write harrowing tales of the
" dreadful treatment that the innocent native receives
under the rule of the barbarous and uncivilised white
colonists," are really the natives' worse enemies.
They teach them equality before they are in a
sufficiently advanced stage to fully appreciate their
real position, and the result is trouble and punish-
ment ; which could have been avoided, if they had
been left to settle their differences without outside
influence.

The Basutos during the sixties were causing
unrest on the Free State border, thieving stock from
farmers, and spoiling for trouble with the Free State
Boers, which culminated in war in 1866. The mount-

122 Recollections of Adventures

ed Basu tos at the commencement made long distance
raids, killing and burning. One raiding party went
as far as where Standerton now is ; and killed Adrian
Stander's sons in the door of their house; another
party raided as far as Brandfort, looting and burning
en route. The Free State President, John Brand,
afterwards Sir Christoffel Brand, had to face a bar-
barous enemy with a force of burghers, requisitioned
from a sparsely populated farming area, indifferently
armed and ill-found in ammunition. Under these
adverse conditions, the "foreign enlistment act" was
enforced in the Cape Colony, forbidding British
subjects to take part in the war ; and the supply of
ammunition for the Free State forces was made as
difficult as possible.

The family of Piet Pretorious was murdered at
Elands Kop (on top of the Drakensberg) on the
Natal border, by a Basuto "Impi," when on their
way to raid the upper districts of Natal. The
Basutos found the Pretorius' outspanned, and told
them that they had no quarrel with the Transvaal
Boers ; so put them off their guard, and when they
put down their arms, rushed at them and murdered
them, all except Mrs. Jan Pretorious and her two
children, whom they stripped naked, and she had to
walk into Harrismith (about 15 miles) leaving her
husband, father and brothers dead on the veld. How
she survived such an ordeal is a wonder, poor
woman. This Pretorius family were near relations
of President Pretorius. A Transvaal Commando
was sent to assist John Brand, but after a severe
attack on the laager by Slangaal, and friction
between their leaders and the Free State authorities,
(about the apportioning of farms when the war
should be concluded) this commando returned to the
Transvaal, and left the Free Staters at a great

Native Wars and Unrest 123

disadvantage to fight it out alone ; they were short
of money, of ammunition, and of men to relieve
those at the front. The country had been raided in
all directions and the farmers impoverished, but Mr.
John Brand's patience and courage prevailed, and
the Basutos were conquered for the first time in
their history.

After the murder of the Pretorius family, the
looting of the wagons, and the raid into Natal, the
Natal authorities claimed indemnity from the
Basutos for these outrages, committed in British
Territory, but I am not aware that anything was
done or people compensated for their loss. After
great hardships endured by the Free State forces,
during a prolonged struggle, the Basutos were con-
quered and Basutoland invaded, when the Basutos
at once appeale for .protection to Sir Philip Wode-
house, Governor of the Cape Colony. He proclaimed
the Basutos as British subjects, forbade the Free
State Forces to take any further action in the field,
or to shoot one more Basuto, and claimed the right
to settle the boundry between the Free State and
Basutoland ; allotting the Free State a strip known as
the "Conquered Territory". Had he not taken this
course, the Basuto tribe would have been broken upt
and they would have been removed from their
mountain fastnesses and distributed elsewhere.

The Basutos, after their first murderous raids,
(while the Boers were unprepared) soon got tired of
fighting in the open and took to their vast mountain
strongholds; but were prevented from cultivating
their lands, and having lost most of their cattle,
(which they had not sent to East Griqualand) ; they
were reduced to semi -starvation. Boers from the
Transvaal took in loads of kaffir corn, and got as
many as thirty horses for thirty bags. I also sent

124 Recollections of Adventures

in two loads as soon as peace was proclaimed. The
result of Sir Philip Wodehouse's interference was
shown a few years later, when, owing to Sir Gordon
Sprigg's disarmament proclamation, these same
Basutos, nominally British subjects, waged a war
with the Cape Colony, which cost millions. It largely
increased the Colony's debt ; but nothing was done
to disarm or conquer the tribe. This war called the
Morosi War was brought about as follows :—

In the early days of the diamond fields the
Griqualand West government (under Sir Richard
Southey,) allowed natives working on the mines to
be paid for their work, in guns, as an inducement to
labour. Their chiefs ordered them to accept guns in
preference to money. The consequence was that
Langalibalele in Natal, Sekukuni in Eastern Trans-
vaal and other tribes, and the Basutos acquired
arms wholesale, mostly cheap Birmingham "gas
pipes" (of little value it is true), but also some
efficient guns and ammunition. This was done
in a newly-annexed British colony, while in all
other adjoining colonies the law prohibited natives
from possessing fire arms. The first consequence
of this inconsistent and nefarious policy was
that, when Langalibaleli was called upon to give
an account of his arms it led to friction; then to
rebellion, and the deportation of the chief and the
ruin of his tribe. Colonel Durnford, the same man
who was to blame later on for the disaster at
Isandhlwana (having disregarded warnings), was
caught in a pass in the Drakensberg, and several
young Natalians were killed by Langalibaleli's men.
Then there was the trouble with Sekukuni when the
Boer commando under President Burgers was de-
feated, and after the annexation the expedition under
Colonel Rowlands was such a fiasco. Sekukuni

Native Wars and Unrest 125

was at last reduced by volunteers, Swazies and
Imperial Troops under Sir Garnet Wolseley. Then
when the Cape Government, (Sir Gordon Sprigg as
premier) demanded the disarmament of the frontier
natives and Basutos, the Colonial forces failed in the
field and retired, and the Colony had to face a heavy
debt, besides loss of prestige. All these disasters were
the outcome of a want of a rational and continuous
policy in dealing with the native races, and the
interference of statesmen, who could not understand
the conditions obtaining six thousand miles away ;
and whose sympathies were frequently more with
the black races than with the struggling Colonists in
South Africa. During the Basuto war of 1866, I had
one or two disagreeable experiences. I was on my
way from to Pretoria on horseback, and on reaching
Dodd's Hotel on the Sand Spruit (under the Drakens-
berg), I found the place burnt down and quite
deserted — the Basutos having raided the district. I
got a Zulu who was loafing round, to cut me some
grass for my tired horse, waited there to rest him for
some time, and then rode on towards Harrismith.
After passing the Drakensberg I kept well on the
alert but felt anxious, as my horse was tired, and
any Basutos I came in sight of could catch me.
When near Wilge River a Basuto commando passed
to the west of Rensburg's Kop, while I kept on the
road to the right. If I had been half an hour later
they would have had me, where they came into the
main road at Elands Kop. I heard of their move-
ments when I got into Harrismith from Command-
ant Piet Dreyer, who had just returned from a
patrol. I was unarmed, the country was full of
Basuto raiders, and I had to ride alone to Pretoria ;
so after much pleading, Dreyer sold me the only
revolver obtainable. He (poor fellow), while on
patrol, was ambushed soon after this and killed.

26 Recollections of Adventures

I kept the revolver as a memento for many years. I
think it was taken when " The Willows " was looted
in the Boer War of 1880. I then bought the best
riding horse I could get in Harrismith, and went to
bed, instructing the hotel keeper to wake me at sun-
down. I started for the open country rather too soon,
for when I reached Marais' farm, half way to Mill
River, it was still light, so I put my horse into a
ruined house and lay down by him to rest. While
dozing, I was awakened by my horse fretting and the
trampling of hoofs outside. I jumped up, expecting
to see Basutos, and, looking cautiously through a
broken window, saw to my relief that it was a troop
of blesbok galloping past. I waited in those ruins
until it was quite dark and then started on. The
moon was rising as I got near Mill River, and, as I
topped the rise, I saw the fires of a considerable
commando in Solomon Maritz's stock kraal and
homestead, and when nearer could hear kaffirs
shouting and talking. Fortunately, I knew the
country well, and leaving the road, made for the
deep grassy banks of the river some distance above
the drift. I led my horse along the bank, as a long
deep pool prevented my crossing, until I came to a
ledge of slippery rocks a couple of hundred yards
above the drift, I then mounted and rode cautiously
over the slippery stones. When half way across,
the moon came out and two kaffirs who were getting
water in the wagon drift, saw me and shouted
"there is a white man," and raised the camp. There
was a commotion at once ; but I knew that their
tired horses were 'grazing and knee-haltered, and
unless my horse fell, I would have a good start ; so
was careful not to hurry him over the slippery rocks.
When once on dry ground I rode hard, leaving the
road, which I knew the Basutos would take, keeping
to the small table-topped hill, and soon got into the

Native Wars and Unrest 127

broken ground towards Cornelius River. The
Basutos evidently soon gave up the chase, as after a
time, I could not hear them ; but for fear of a trap,
I kept on through the veld away from the road in
the dim moonlight. It was a cloudy night, and I
had to return to the road to cross Cornelius River.
After reconnoitreing I saw or heard nothing, so ven-
tured to cross and rode on to Field Cornet Lodewyk
Oortendaal's farm, found the place recently burned
and deserted; so I kept off the road to the back
of the hill, tied my splendid horse "Tromp" to
my wrist (as I was too sleepy to risk holding him),
and each time I woke I shifted in the damp green
grass, to allow him to graze a little. Before day-
light I again pushed on, reaching Drosky's place
over the Vaal River, at midnight, about eighty miles
ride. In this war, Moshesh's sons, (who had been
educated at a Cape Town Native College), were said
to be the most active enemies of the white man.

My father and one Van Saarveld, while
travelling to Bloemfontein, were nearly caught at
Kromellenboog ; fortunately, Van Saarveld, an old
campaigner, had hid the cart and horses in a deep
gulley, when soon after, about sunset, a Basuto com-
mando, camped about a mile from them. They had
to remain in hiding till after sunrise next morning,
when the Kaffirs rode off towards Basutoland.

I always considered that the behaviour of Gover-
nor Wodehouse was disgraceful, after all the Boers
had suffered both before and during the long and
tiring war which had ruined their country.

Since the Basutos were again taken over by the
Imperial Government (after the fiasco of the Sprigg-
Merriman Government), they have been at peace,
living their own life under their chiefs, subject only

128 Recollections of Adventures

to the supervision of a British Resident, but no laws
can be carried out if repugnant to them ; and with
the natural increase of the population, an agrarian
trouble may at any time develop, as the habitable
portion of their mountainous country is being tramped
out, becoming crowded and too small for them and
their stock. Before the last Boer war General Piet
Joubert said to me " the Basutos will prove the factor
which will bring the Englishman and Boer together
in self defence." I have had enough of war in South
Africa, and devoutly hope that the day is far distant
when a serious native uprising will be required to
cement the union of the white races in South
Africa, which, since Joubert's has been accomplished
politically.

I have lived in South Africa, since 1850 with
interludes of travel in Europe, Asia, America and
Australasia, but I shall always have a soft corner in
my heart for the trustful, patient, docile native,
both Zulu and Bechuana, or Bantu of the Transvaal.
I have gone through anxious times with them, many
have been with me for about forty years, many have
grown up on my properties, and on the whole I have
found them infinitely pleasanter to get on with than
the lower class of white people. It is only when
they get spoiled and ruined by contact with the
lower stratum of civilisation ; or have been taught
indiscreetly by ill-advised, but probably well-
meaning missionaries, that they become unreliable,
impudent and often hateful. I have an affection for
my old natives. I know their weaknesses and their
good qualities. My difficulty is to get anyone who
will take the trouble to understand them and treat
them sympathetically but with firmness, justice and
judgment.

Native Wars and V*rcst 129

Since the war, when they lost most of their
property, and had their villages burnt, they appear to
have lost heart and self-respect, and they have taken
to beer drinking to excess. They complain that their
women spend all that they make in the Indian shops
on dress and trumpery, that many become immoral,
and will not work as of yore. One cannot but feel
sorry for the poor people in this unfortunate transi-
tion state, which they cannot avoid, in their contact
with European civilisation. The trouble at present
is that the old men, women and children remain
on the farms, whilst most of the young, able-bodied
men go to the Premier Mines, the Rand Gold Mines,
and the shops in Pretoria, where they get high wages
and learn bad ways. They can grow thousands of
bushels of maize, millet, kaffir-corn, etc., and could be
infinitely happier than the poorer classes in England,
or any part of Europe. Sometimes the locusts destroy
crops either wholly or partially. The natives catch
and bag them before sunrise, and boil them in large
pots (when they turn red like shrimps), dry them,
and pound them into meal, which is valued at from
15/- to 20/- a three bushel bag, and they consider it
twice as nourishing as maize or kaffir corn meal.
Animals are also fed on this.

CHAPTER XXIII.

DISCOVERY OF DIAMOND FIELDS AND
EARLY KIMBERLEY DAYS.

In 1870, Mary, Fred and I went to Aliwal
North, with a load of ivory and a large drove of fat
oxen which I sold to Richard Harvey and Graham,
partly for cash and partly in exchange for sheep, as
I intended to start sheep farming. Money was very
scarce, and I took sheep in part payment at 3/6
to 4/- for good merino ewes, and I bought sheep on
the way home as low as 2/6. At this time I heard
of the discovery of diamonds on the lower Vaal
River, so I hurried back to "The Willows," sold the
sheep, packed some wagons with provisions, and
went to the Diamond Fields to try my luck. It was
an exceptionally wet season, and all the rivers were
full. Near Loskop the oxen got lost. After much
riding about in the rain I found them on an island,
surrounded by the swollen spruit ; but I could not
find the native herd anywhere and concluded that
he had run away. The poor fellow must have been
drowned as he never returned to his kraal.

We could not cross the Vaal River at Lindeque's
Drift, but found that a Boer had a pontoon boat
a little lower down, he said that he could
ferry our two wagons across. He had a Kaffir
caulking the boat with "pot clay"; when I said
that it did not look very safe, he said that he had
taken numbers of wagons over with the boat in that
condition. I put some ivory in for the first trip, and
took off my clothes and went into the boat. We had

Discovery of Diamond Fields and Early Kimberley Days 131

not gone more than twenty yards when the pot clay
dropped out, and the boat filled ; we just managed to
reach the bank when she sank. The rascal of a
fellow wanted me to pay in advance, knowing that
the rotten boat could not get over. We had to trek
all down the Vaal River until we got to the Pont,
(on the Potchefstroom-Kroonstad Road), when I
swam the oxen across, and put the wagons, etc., on
the pont.

P. J. Marais joined me in some of our ventures ;
Ted and Fred and young Preller, and others worked
claims with us. We did not make money on these
river diggings, some of our little companies made a
little, others lost. The first day at Hebron while I
was showing one of my Kaffirs how to mark out a
claim, I picked out a nice white river stone, this I
had afterwards set in a brooch, a St. George's Cross
made of Pilgrim's Rest gold for mother, which she
still has. At this time, the De Beers and New Rush
dry diggings were discovered and we pegged out
claims there. There were no houses, only tents, so I
got a boat on the Vaal River, cut poles on an island,
rowed them to the Free State side, transported them
to De Beers, where I had a small wattle and daub
house put up, with one glass window, which was the
admiration and envy of my friends, and we had
pleasant little gatherings in it.

The work on the diamond fields in the early
seventies was very hard. I was up at dawn every
morning, had an early scratch breakfast and was at
the claims at sunrise. The claims were cut down on
each side of the narrow roadways ; carts, mules and
oxen fell down them frequently, and people were
often killed or injured. Before I left, the roads
between the claims were narrow and the claims
getting deeper. One day, when in the claim, in-

132 Kecottectians of Adventures

specting the work, some ground fell on me, I looked
up and saw two oxen coming over the edge. I had
just time to warn the men and get flat against an
overhanging wall, when the pole of the cart broke,
the two big oxen came crashing down, and were
killed a yard from me. Another time, a bucket of
soil got loose at the top and killed one of my boys.
Yet another time a cart and a pair of mules fell into
a claim. Accidents were of daily occurrence.

While I was experimenting with a bucket of
diamond soil, running it from the gear head to the
sorting table, a big Boer was scrambling up the
debris heap, when the bucket caught him on the
head and knocked him flat, when he recovered he
came at me with a knife, in a towering rage, and
would have done me some damage, had not Ward,
the Mine Inspector, come to my aid. Ward had his
thigh broken shortly afterwards by some Boers, while
carrying out his duties on the mines. Marais and I
were negotiating with old De Beer for the purchase
of the entire farm on which De Beer's mine is situated,
we had as good as settled the business, when De
Beer's son-in-law, a Hollander, came to our camp in
the evening and wanted to know what he was to
get from us if he allowed the purchase to go through ?
We thought it a case of blackmailing as he had no
rights, and we did not think he could influence old
De Beer. The next morning De Beer refused to sign
the deed of sale, and a little later Dunell, Ebden &
Co., bought the property for much more than we
were to give for it. As it was, we owned a large area
of the De Beers mine, but it was not until later con-
sidered very valuable as many of the larger stones
were yellow. We found in the early days a yellow
stone for which the local buyers offered one thousand
five hundred pounds cash ; but we decided to send it

of Diamond Field* and Early Kimberley Days 155

to Europe to have it cut, after many expenses and
loss of time, eventually we got only eight hundred
pounds for it. I also held some claims in the new
rush or Colesberg Kopje (Kimberley mine).

Marais and I had to make several trips to and
fro between Pretoria and the fields, we much enjoyed
the free life on the road. One trip we slept out in the
patch of Vaal-bosch trees, where years afterwards
Delarey's commando ambushed Lord Methuen's con-
voy under Major Anderson. It was in the winter
and bitterly cold, we started next morning at dawn,
it being Marais' turn to drive. After a short time
he asked me to take the reins while he lit his pipe,
but when I offered him the reins back he refused to
take them. I threatened to upset the cart, but being
a man of far-reaching knowledge, he said, " No you
won't, it is your own buggy." True it was a nice
new trap and I didn't, but I thought over the matter.
Late at night we arrived near Potchefstroom, and
when we came to the first big water furrow, I got
out to find a crossing ; I found a small foot bridge,
and called out to him to go down the furrow till he
came to a crossing, in the meantime I walked to the
hotel and as he did not turn up, had supper and
went to bed, telling the landlord to send a man to
look for Marais, but when he came, not to tell him
which was my room. They found him wandering
among the Potchefstroom water furrows, in a most
unreasonable temper and wanting to know where I
was ! Next morning I had to explain, with much
sorrow, that I found it due to myself, and as a
wholesome lesson for his future guidance, to pay him
off for his behaviour in the cold early morning. I
will not repeat his language, but no blood was shed.
When we first went to Hebron, a native chief lantye
set up a claim (backed by certain adventurers), to

154 Recollections of Adventure*

the diamond fields north of the Vaal River. Presi-
dent Pretorius was very weak, and had actually
taken out a digger's licence from one calling himself
President Parker. Marais and I went to President
Pretorius and pointed out that he was giving himself
and the Transvaal away, and that it was his duty to
assert his authority, he was slow to grasp the situa-
tion, weak and uncertain, and the end of it was
the "Keate Award," giving the case against the
Tranvaal ; this was the prime cause of the poor
President's downfall. There were some native scares
and some people bolted about to avoid the savages,
but I refused to move our camp and nothing happened
to us. This self styled President Parker confiscated
my two loads of meal, etc., because I had not paid
some dues he claimed on something, but old Mr. R.
W. Murray, who had some position at that time, got
me off. If Parker had kept my stuff I should hare
been in a fix to feed my people, as food was scarce,
having to be brought hundreds of miles by ox wagon.
Paddy Rolleston and some Natal men were on the
river near us, Cecil Rhodes afterwards joined them
I think at the New Rush or the Colesberg Kopje,
now the famous Kimberley mine. Rhodes was a poor
and delicate lad with nothing but his brains and
energy for capital. Once on a voyage to England,
when he used to discuss with me the possibilities of
the interior, now Rhodesia, he said to me, " If you
with your knowledge, and I with my ideas, had
known each other better in the early Kimberley
days, we might have done a great deal of useful
work for South Africa." I answered " Yes, but I
think you are doing quite enough, and I am a quiet-
going man with a family, and am content with a
competence and less worry." He was certainly a
big hearted, broad-minded man, with nothing small
or mean in his character, and whatever mistakes he

of Diamvnd Fields and Early Kimberlcy Days 135

may have made, the insignificant creatures who
calumniate him, are not worthy to tie his shoe
strings.

I greatly admired his breadth of view, his per-
sistency and courage and open handedness, although
I could not pretend to keep pace with him ; he was a
man who only appears in a country once in a
generation. It is not likely that a second Rhodes
will visit South Africa or have the opportunities the
diamond mines offered, of carrying out his grand
programme of Imperial expansion in the " Dark
Continent."

The pertinacity of Rhodes and his far sighted -
ness were characteristic, as also his contempt for
money except as a means to an end. How many
men we still have with us who would have been
less missed in these critical times in South Africa.
I did not stay long on the diamond fields, the life
did not suit me. Any money I made I sent to
Natal to pay off in coin some accounts that I owed
and which I would not pay in Transvaal Notes
worth only 2/6 in the £ although they had been
made legal tender ; and Boers had taken advantage
of that to pay long standing accounts they owed me
in this worthless paper currency. When mother
and Arthur both got ill, I took them back to " The
Willows" and disposed of my interests in the diamond
fields.. One valuable claim in the middle of
Kimberley Mine I left Lexy Maclean to work but
he never attended to it, and sold it for a fraction of
its value.

Jew diamond buyers called ( "Kopje Wallopers" )
went the rounds of the sorting tables daily buying
small parcels of stones. Most of them developed
into merchants, magnates and millionaires, many

136 JRaeo800N<mJ of Adventures

of whom added to their legitimate business, that of
Illicit Diamond Buying, and encouraged natives and
low whites to do the stealing, and take the risks,
while they piled up wealth in safety. Sunday was
a great day among the kaffirs, troops of them went
a short distance from De Beers and fastened the
Birmingham cheap ("gaspipes") they had bought
to the large thorn trees which then covered the
ground, tied long strings to the triggers and fired
them off to see if they were safe to use, as many had
burst and injured the owners.

I probably missed a great fortune by selling out
when I did, but anyhow, mother and Arthur and I
still have sunshine, health, friends and families,
which are of better value than six feet of diamond -
iferous soil in Griqualand West. How many poor
fellows who went there full of hope and energy
failed to get their "castle in Spain" but left their
bones there, while some amassed wealth, but did not
appear much the happier. I for one am truly grate-
ful that all happened for the best.

CHAPTER XXIV.

EABLY GOLD DISCOVERIES,
LEYDENBERG AND ELSEWHERE.

Shortly after my return from the diamond fields
in 1872 Piet Marais, Charles Becker and A. Gusman
came to "The Willows," and asked me to join them
in a venture in Lydenberg, where gold had been
found in small quantities. 1 was intending to visit
Europe at the time and refused. Marais said, unless
I joined them he would have nothing to do with it,
and between them they persuaded me to go. I
supplied horses, etc., and we passed through Lyden-
berg, stayed with the splendid old pioneer Izaak
Breitenbach, and got Piet de Villiers to show us the
way from there, past Krugers Post over the mount-
ains to the Blyde River.

While prospecting, I discovered what I was
convinced were ancient workings, and found a little
gold in several places. The others did not do much.
Marais and I decided to buy the farms "Ponies
Krantz " and " Drie Kop " afterwards famous as
"Pilgrims Rest*'. We returned to Pretoria and at
once started off again for Rustenburg ; bought the
two farms outright for cash from the owners, who
lived there. Nothing much happened for some time,
but shortly afterwards, while I was sitting in the
Durban Club, a friend of mine came to tell me that
rich gold had been found on our farms ; and that
several hundred diggers were ground-sluicing for
"alluvial". I returned at once to Pretoria, persuaded
President Burgers and Judge Buchanan, (then Attor-
ney-General) to go with us, see the diggers, and

138 llecollcctions oj Adventure*

arrange proceedings. I employed myself in collect-
ing all the information I could from the works on
the Mining Laws of Australia, New Zealand and
California, — which I had sent for some time pre-
viously,— and drafted a set of laws, which I con-
sidered would suit South Africa. The Attorney-
General did not like me, having usurped his place,
but as there were no Transvaal Mining Laws, and
he had made no attempt to frame any, Mr. Burgers
agreed that he would discuss the laws that I had
drawn up, clause for clause, and with a few slight
alterations, the Law as drafted by me, became the
Transvaal Gold Law. It rained incessantly that
season, and the rivers were high. We were warned
on the way up that the diggers were unruly, and had
threatened to assault Mr. Burgers if he came to the
diggings to interfere with them, so, on reaching the
swollen Blyde River a camp was formed and a
council of war was held. Some tried to persuade
the President to return to Pretoria and not take any
risks, but I pointed out how completely such a
retreat would destroy the prestige of the Govern-
ment, offered to swim the river and interview the
diggers in the morning, and I prevailed. In the
morning some hundreds of diggers assembled on the
opposite bank. I swam across in a "state of nature,"
introduced myself as the proprietor of the property,
said that I intended to make reasonable terms with
them, and that President Burgers who was on the
other side, wished to see them and discuss the
matter. The good enough fellows cheered me, said
they would treat Mr. Burgers with respect, and at
my request sent to the Mining Camp for a long rope
to assist us through the rushing stream, which was
slowly going down. Mr. Burgers said "my dear
Struben, I can't swim," but I promised not to let him
drown — I put stones in the wagon to prevent it

Sarly Cold Discoveries — Leydenberg ond elsewhere 139

being turned over by the current — put the President
on the "cartel" (slung high) and also th^ light
articles, I swam through with the end of the long
rope tied to the end of the trek-touw, and then went
into the stream below the oxen to keep them up
stream, while the diggers walked away with the
rope, and although the water was half way up the
wagon, we got over safely, receiving quite an
ovation from the good-natured diggers. We had
palavers with their leading men, a dinner and
speeches, discussed the Law as drafted, made one or
two slight amendments, the diggers appointed a
Committee and Chairman to look after their inter-
ests. We appointed an American, Mansfield, to
represent us as proprietors, and stayed among the
miners for a considerable time, riding round the
country and inspecting mining operations. P.
Marais who was one of our party took very little
interest in mining, and did not like the discomfort
of camping in the wet weather, so got himself taken
over the river and the mountains to Tom Mullers'.
Next day he wrote me a pitiful tale of woe. The
room they gave him was "alive" with "Norfolk
Howards" so he moved into a tented wagon which
was worse, he was reduced to three meals a day, of
buttermilk and peaches. He was depressed in spirits
accordingly. Mr. Burgers and I discussed the situa-
tion and wrote to him that we deeply sympathised
with him, and drank his health and return to a less
blasphemous frame of mind, but as candid friends,
told him that buttermilk and peaches were excel-
lent purifiers of heated blood, and that "B flats"
taught mortals not to be proud. Heart-rending
letters were sent daily, and as he was between two
swollen rivers Mr. Burgers and I consoled ourselves on
the receipt of each letter with a bottle of Hock and
fervent hopes that his troubles would soon be ended.

140 Jieeollections of Adventures

In a few days, the rain having ceased, and the rivers
somewhat subsided, the diggers again helped us to
cross the Blyde. Gray Barber lent us his span of
oxen to assist us out of the steep, slippery mountain.
I had been so long in the cold river, helping the
wagon through, that I was laid up with lumbago.
Much "alluvial" gold was taken out of the Pilgrims
Rest Creek, and there were about fifteen thousand
diggers on the property, but as we could not get
satisfactory terms, arranged with the Government
and the diggers to sell the entire property to a Port
Elizabeth syndicate. Subsequently war broke out
with Sekukuni, the diggings were raided, and the
diggers (through Magistrate Cooper,) asked for
British protection. Then in 1877 the annexation
took place, and for years the Lydenburg gold mining
areas were neglected. The discovery by my brother
Fred and myself of the Witwatersrand gold fields,
diverted the attention of the mining and speculative
public. Lydenburg although a valuable gold-bear-
ing district, is only slowly regaining popularity.

CHAPTER XXV.

SEKUKUNI WAR, AND FALL OF
PRESIDENT BURGERS.

During the session of the Volksraad in 1876,
letters were read from officials and others complain-
ing of the warlike attitude of Sekukuni, and his
subordinate "Johannes", details of which I will not
enlarge upon. A motion was brought forward
declaring that the action of the Bapedi tribe made
it imperative that war should be declared, and a
burgher commando called out. Commandant General
Piet Joubert, member for Wakkerstroom, and I,
( member for the Pretoria district ) voted against the
resolution, on the ground that the Republic was not
then prepared to take the field ; that there was no
money in the Treasury ; and we also knew that a
section of the people were disaffected ; that Mr.
Burgers, who intended to take command, knew no-
thing of the Boer mode of fighting or of Kaffir war-
fare, and we feared disaster. Mr. Burgers, full of
confidence, gained the ear of the Raad, and the
resolution to declare war was passed, with our two
dissentient votes, which were recorded. When I
saw that war was inevitable, I begged President
Burgers not to take the responsibility of command,
asking him to appoint Mr. Paul Kruger, who knew
more about native warfare, who would also probably
work against him in his absence, and I pointed out
that if the Boer forces met with a reverse, he (Presi-
dent Burgers) would have the full blame. The evening
before he started he sent a messenger on horseback

142 RecoUectiofis of Adventures

to "The Willows" to ask me to see him. I went into
town and argued till midnight all the points with
him, till at last he decided not to go, but next day I
heard that he had started, Swart the Secretary to
the Government told me that the President had
instructed him to do the financing, but he had no
money available. I had warned the President that
Solomon Prinsloo and his following intended to give
him trouble, but he said that he felt "his star was in
the ascendant," that he would come out of the war
with safety, etc. An attack on Mathila's Kop on a
Sunday was the first opportunity taken by Prinsloo
to denounce Mr. Burgers, and start a spirit of dis-
affection in the laager ; and again after the failure
of the attack on the mountain, he declaimed against
the president and his methods, and the burghers
were only too glad to listen. With a cry of "Huia
toe " (" Home,") the commando broke up, Mr. Burgers
being left to find his way back to Pretoria as best he
could. My brother Fred was appointed the Presi-
dent's aide-de-camp during this disastrous campaign.
Volunteers were placed in forts near Sekukuni, to
keep him in check ; and remained there until
Sekukuni was finally subdued by Sir Garnet Wolseley,
in 1878-9. On the re-assembling of the Volksraad
after this fiasco of Mr. Burgers, I was appointed by
the Government and the Raad to investigate the
causes of the failure of the commando, and I am
afraid made some enemies on account of my plain
speaking. In cross examination of witnesses it
transpired that a German, Von Schlickman, who had
been conspicuous for bravery on every occasion, had
begged Mr. Burgers' permission to turn the guns on
Solomon Prinsloo and his party, and destroy them ;
as they were rebels during war time, but Mr. Burgers
would not let him. When Von Schlickman was
called upon to make a statement he told me (in Com-

Stkukuni War, and Fall of President Burger* 143

mittee), that he intended to shoot Prinsloo and
repeated it before the full Raad, pointing to Prinsloo
as a traitor. I also had to settle a dispute between
Stephanus Roos and Colonel Ignatius Ferreria, and
there were many painful episodes that I will not
mention here. Stephanus Roos led the storming
party on Majuba in 1880, and was shot on Mapoch's
Hill, on the anniversary of the day on which Sir
George Colley was shot on Majuba. There was a
superstitious feeling among the Rustenberg Boers
where he lived about it. The church bells were rung
and much said on the strange coincidence. Mr.
Burgers had been promised by the Boers at Seku-
kuni's that they would pay a special war tax, to pay
for the volunteers who were left behind. As member
for Pretoria district, I held several meetings, largely
attended, and begged them to pay the £10 tax per
farm as imposed. I was told, that my statement
that there was danger of their losing their country
if they would neither fight nor pay did not frighten
them, and many said that they did not trust their
Government, some said they preferred the British
rule to the unrest and bankruptcy that they had
endured for so long. When Sir Theophilus Shepstone
afterwards annexed the Transvaal, this £10 tax
(which had been paid by only a few), was remitted.

One of the causes of discontent during Mr.
Burgers' Presidency was the imposition of a railway
tax of 30/- on the farms, while no railway was being
built. Mr. Burgers had gone to Europe, authorized
to raise a loan for the purpose of constructing a rail-
way from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay. Mr. Hall was
appointed to survey the line, which he carried
through Swaziland, on to to the plateau near Klip-
staple. This route was after the annexation again
surveyed by Mr. Farrell, but subsequently, under

144 Recollections of Adventures

Mr. Kruger it was changed to the present one via
Waterval-onder, partly because Mr. Kruger did not
want it to go through Swaziland, and partly to serve
certain private interests. Major Machado afterwards
Governor of Mozambique, surveyed it but did not
consider it the best route. I was appointed by unani-
mous votes of the Volksraad in 1876, as the first
Director of the Delagoa Bay Railway and represen-
tative of the Transvaal. Mr. George Piggott Moody,
afterwards Surveyor-General representing Portugal,
was also a director. Mr. Burgers went to Holland
to negotiate the loan, and to Belgium to purchase
rolling-stock, rails, etc. The loan in Holland was
only partially taken up, Mr. Burgers in the mean-
time ordered a state coach and some rails and rolling
stock in Louvain, but had not a penny to turn a sod
or buy a wheelbarrow, and I as director, had the
unpleasant duty of explaining the financial situation,
and the unbusinesslike way in which the loan, etc.,
had been conducted, including the excessive commis-
sion charged by the people in Holland who assisted
Mr. Burgers. The president was in an awkward
dilemma, but no more money could be got on loan,
the Hollanders evidently distrusting the Transvaal
Government ; for as soon as the Annexation was
known in Amsterdam, the people at once communi-
cated with London, offering to complete or over-
subscribe the loan. Their offer was not entertained by
the British authorities. Mr. Burgers was authorised
by the Raad to borrow £300,000 ; he only obtained
£14,000, much of which went in commissions and
donations to Hollanders and Belgians. A very large
safe he bought to put surplus cash in fell overboard
while being landed, and lay at the bottom of the sea
in Delagoa Bay. Hollander love of the Transvaal
rose to the highest level when they obtained valuable
concessions for the mint, railways, the National

ftfkukuni War, and Fall of President Burger* 145

Bank and other monopolies authorised by the Volks-
raad. Mr. Burgers brought from Holland Mr. Von
Gorkum as Minister of Education and Dr. Jorissen
(who had been a parson on an island in the Zuyder
Zee), as head of the schools. Some Hollanders wrote
that they were not orthodox, and an agitation was
started, led by Daniel Taljaard, to prevent their
appointment to the Raad. Mr. Burgers appealed
to me, and I pointed out that as the Raad had
authorised their engagement they must be given a
chance, and could not be dismissed on inadequate
evidence of unsuitability. They were retained, and
Jorissen became a prominent politician during the
annexation period. Mortals cannot foresee events !

At this time, besides my own private work, I
had mueh to do. I was president of a land commis-
sion, which necessitated visiting various parts of the
country, to settle land disputes, which took up much
time. I was on several committees on the Raad,
finance committee, Director of Railways, a special
commission to enquire into official salaries and
working of offices, etc., besides the daily attendance
in the Raad as Member for Pretoria District.

On May 10th, 1876, General Piet Joubert,
Jacobus Esterhuizen and myself were appointed by
the Volksraad to draft native laws, and more espec-
ially a "Plakkets Wet" that is a Squatter's Law. At
the time I pointed out that it would be difficult to
enforce this law for various reasons, but I was in a
minority, and the law was passed ; it has since
proved to be in -operative. It has never been
honestly enforced ; some people were harassed and
threatened ; while Field-Cornets and other officials,
instead of the five families allowed by the law, kept
as many as they liked, drew rents from some, and
obtained their labour from others. Many Boers

146 Reflections of Adventures

«

gave over valuable farms to natives to cultivate on
half shares, doing no work themselves, the con-
sequence will be that the native will become an
intelligent, energetic farmer, and the the Boer a
loafer. Under the Squatter's Law five householders
are of little or no use to furnish labour for the
landowner, and a difficulty is how to break up
families, when, owing to natural increase, they are
in excess of the five families allowed on one farm.
On the other hand, the locating (by large land
speculating companies) of hundreds of natives for
the purpose of Kaffir farming cannot be allowed,
but it is too big a question to be discussed at length
in these notes. Under the Union, the whole native
question will come under review, and the systems
obtaining in the various provinces will be brought
into line as to land tenure, the franchise and the
position of native women, should the franchise be
given to white women.

During President Burgers' absence in Europe to
borrow money, General P. J. Joubert, acting
president, told me how he distrusted the Hollander
influence, which later led to trouble in South Africa.
Lord Carnarvon's scheme for Federal Union (as
propounded by Froude) was not accepted in the
Cape Colony; but Joubert was willing to meet
delegates at a central point — Aliwal North — to
discuss the question, and asked me if I would go
with him. I was willing, but nothing came of it.
Joubert was as genuine an Afrikander as ever Paul
Kruger was, but he had different ideas as to what
was best for his country, his distrust of the
Hollanders, and behind them the Germans, was
genuine, and he dreaded the hold they exercised
over Mr. Burgers and still more over Paul Kruger.
At the time of the Annexation, President Burgers at

8ek-ukuni War, and Fall of President Burgers 147

a meeting of leading Boers said that had he listened
to the one man who gave him sound advice, but
who sometimes opposed him, he would not then be
in the unfortunate and humiliated position he was
in. When asked who the man was he said, " Struben
tried his best to save me and the country, but I was
misinformed and misled, I did not know the people
of the Transvaal." This was told to me by Wessel
Schutte who was at the meeting. President Burgers
was accused by the Boers of having sold the country
to Shepstone ; of using his protest as a blind ; of
leaving for the Cape Colony with much money and
promise of a pension from the British Government.
I knew him intimately and I am certain that not
one of these accusations were true. He was senti-
mental and impulsive, and committed grave errors
of judgment ; but that he was guilty of intentional
treachery or wrong doing is untrue, and he lived
and died in Cape Colony a poor and disappointed
man. Paul Kruger and his Doppers were too
44 clever " for him. Some of them called him
"Antichrist" because of his Church controversies,
and his importation of heterodox Hollander parsons.
Many Boer families left the Transvaal for Portuguese
West Africa as a protest against their own
Republican Government at this time.

CHAPTER XXVI.
ANNEXATION OF THE TRANSVAAL.

About the time that Sir Theophilus Shepstone
came to Pretoria, a very prominent member of the
Natal Legislature wrote to me privately that, al-
though Shepstone was coming to Pretoria, avowedly
to see how he could assist in adjusting existing
difficulties, he actually had powers to annex the
Transvaal, and he thought he would exercise those
powers. I had permission to acquaint the Volksraad
of this, and asked permission to make a statement.
Paul Kruger desired that the public should be ex-
cluded, so the doors of the Raad were shut. When
I told the Raad and the President that I considered
it my duty to inform them, that Sir T. Shepstone
intended to annex the Transvaal in the name of
Great Britain, that it was the duty of the Raad and
the Government to be straight-forward and let Sir
T. Shepstone know what they would do in the event
of his taking the country. I pointed out that the
people had quitted the Cape Colony to get away
from British authority and that the Raad must judge
whether they were prepared to live quietly under
the British Flag again ; that as a sworn member of
the Transvaal Volksraad, I was in duty bound to
assist in any measure for the maintenance of the
independence of the country, but that if from
vacillation, or despair of getting the country out of
its present difficulties, the keys were handed over to
Sir T. Shepstone, and I again became a British
subject, I would remain loyal to that Government,
and that if the Boers afterwards changed their minds,
they need not then call upon me to fight because
/ would not. I put the case as strongly as I could
against the annexation, but I could see that many of
the members did not care what happened. The

Annexation of the Transvaal 149

Chairman asked if I had any objection to a deputa-
tion going to Sir T Shepstone to state what I had said
and to get a clear declaration from him of his inten-
tions. I said that I wished that they would. They
then deputed Messrs. Cornelius Bodenstein and F.
Munnik to interview him. On their return, they
told the Raad that Shepstone admitted that all
Struben had told them was true, but he could not
think where T had got my information from. The
Chairman then voted me the thanks of the Raad for
my conduct in the matter. The Raad was distracted,
and again asked me to give my views on the
situation. There was much diversity of opinion and
much talk, but it was evident that nothing would
be done. There was not 10/- in the State Chest ;
members of the Raad could not get the pay they
demanded ; the Government had not the confidence
of the country, and the people would not support it.
As a matter of history, the country was annexed by
Sir T. Shepstone by proclamation on the 12th April,
1877, without a shot being fired or a word of protest.
Sir T. Shepstone afterwards asked me, why I had
forced his hand, by informing the Raad of his
intentions ; and had in no way assisted him when he
thought he could depend upon me, having known
me for so many years. I answered that I did not
like the way the whole business was conducted ; it
might be diplomatic but not straight ; that I could
understand the dominating power in South
Africa, asserting that the South African Republic
had been allowed a free hand for some years, during
which time there had seldom been peace ; that the
country was bankrupt, and that the Boers had
proved themselves incapable of good Government,
and were a menance to the peace and progress of
South Africa ; and that in consequence, the British

160 Recollections of Adventures

Government would take over and rule the country,
and the public should be made aware of the position ;
but that I did not like this trading upon the
immediate difficulties and fears of the executive and
Volksraad, and quiet annexation, and that I feared
trouble when the Boers had had time to think over
the matter, and had recovered from the present
depression, when those who were against the annex-
ation could organise.

Sir T. Shepstone assured me that I was wrong,
that many members of the Raad had come to him at
night ; so as not to be seen by others, and had begged
him to go on, and annex the country, and not to
mind what they said in the Raad, where they were
not free to speak as they wished. I found out that
this statement of Sir T. Shepstone was true. Men
who talked loudly against the British rule were the
first to go to him. There is no room in this memoir
to mention a hundredth part of what took place at
this time ; a full history has been written by others.
There is no doubt that Sir T. Shepstone's promise to
remit the £10 war tax, affording a market for
produce, and the putting in order of the administra-
tive offices, tended to pacify the Boers at that time.
I will only record a few incidents. A brother of Mr.
Paul Kruger's, Tjaardt Kruger, brought in a load of
meal and some slaughter oxen to Pretoria, sold them
for a very high price in British coin, and I congratu-
lated him and said that the troops were useful to
him in bringing cash. He replied, " Yes, I know
that, but all this money I will spend in buying guns
and ammunition to shoot them/' He then asked me
to arrange a duel between him and Sir T. Shepstone
on the understanding that if he shot Shepstone, the
Transvaal was to be given back, and if Shepstone
shot him, he could keep the country. Sir Theophilus

Annexation of the Transvaal 151

was sitting on Mr. Lys' verandah when I delivered
the message ; and it took me some time to convince
him that old Tjaardt was in earnest ; when he sent
me back to say that in his official capacity he could
not accept his proposal. Old Tjaardt said he was a
coward, but no blood was shed. After the annexation
much money was spent in the country, the people
were divided in opinion as to British rule ; the Bapedi
and Zulu tribes had been subjugated at great cost to
Great Britain ; the public offices had been established
on sound business principles, which they were not
before, and the Boers as a whole were apparently
contented, with improved conditions. There was,
however, all along a section influenced by Mr. P.
Kruger and some others, who quietly kept the embers
of anti-British sentiment alive, awaiting an oppor-
tunity to organise against the British rule when
convenient.

Upon the annexation of the Transvaal under
the circumstances known to history, I resigned all
official commissions and accepted no office of emolu-
ment again in the Transvaal, either under the British,
or subsequent Republican rule. I will not attempt
to write details of the political situation — records
abound and books could be filled. I will only mention
a few points that occur to me. When Paul Kruger
went on the first deputation to England to get the
annexation rescinded, he was in the pay of the
British Government. While in London he ran up
an account of £1,400 for hotel expenses at the Alber-
marle, which he could not pay, so Lord Carnarvon
paid it for him, and it was, so it was stated, never
repaid.

When Sir Bartle Frere came to Pretoria, in
1879-80, he asked me to allow myself to be appointed
a member of the Executive Council, under a scheme

152 -Recollections of Adventures

of administration he intended to inaugurate. I told
him that unless Messrs. M. W. Pretorius, P. Kruger
and P. Joubert, accepted office, I did not think his
scheme would be permanently successful. He asked
me to see these gentlemen, and try to arrange
matters. Messrs. Pretorius and C. Bodenstein were
prepared to consider proposals, if other influential
Boers would join. P. Kruger would have nothing
further to do with it, and the project came to nothing.

I refused to accept office as I considered the
scheme unworkable. An Executive was appointed
which had no influence in the country and proved a
failure. A legacy left by Burgers' government was
the Sekukuni trouble. When the Boer commando
retreated, some forts were built near the Zulu moun-
tains, and paid volunteers, mostly foreigners, were
left to harass the natives, to take their cattle, and
prevent them cultivating their crops until another
commando could subdue them. For this purpose Sir
T. Shepstone despatched Col. Rowlands with a force.
On request, I showed Colonel Rowlands and Captain
Harvey the map of Sekukuni's country, explained
the features as to water, roads, the best approaches
to the strongholds, etc., and specially warned them
against taking advice from Captain Clark, (after-
wards British resident in Basutoland), who was then
in Fort Burgers, as he had been unfortunate with
Sekukuni and would lead them into difficulties. I
knew the country well, but was too busy to go
myself, so I hired Franz van der Burg to go with
them as a guide. I went with the force as far as
Lower Elands River, to help them get " en route,"
then returned to Pretoria. Rowlands got on as
far as near Krokodil Heuvel, when Captain Clark
persuaded him that I was wrong. The force was
taken back to Ol if ants River (the old Commando

Annexation of the Transvaal 153

drift), and went via Burgers' Fort, down defiles along
the Zulu mountains. The men were exhausted, in
the burning sun without water, while the Kaffirs
sniped them from the hills as they marched down
the long kloof, the whole attempt to take the Kaffir
strongholds was a fiasco. On his return I saw Col.
Rowlands at one of Col. Brook's balls at Pretoria,
and said, " You listened to Clark after all, notwith-
standing my warning," he said " Please do not say
anything about it, I have paid heavily for it."
Commissary Sir Emilius Hughes asked me to organise
a commissariat train of ox wagons for them as he
had been so imposed upon by local men and had been
recommended to me. After some demur, I consented,
and started at once buying wagons and teams, and
hiring others; and my brother Edward went with
them through the Sekukuni and Zululand campaigns
and gave much satisfaction. This utter failure of
Rowlands' expedition had the effect of making the
Boers say that the British could not fight, that they
need not be afraid of them, and aided the agitators
against British rule ; and lost us prestige with the
native tribes. Subsequently, Sir Garnet Wolseley,
with a large force of regulars, volunteers and Swazies
conquered the worn out Bapedi, and took the old
shrivelled -up Sekukuni prisoner to Pretoria.

After the conclusion of the Sekukuni War, and
shortly before Sir Garnet Wolseley left the Trans-
vaal, Sir Owen Lanyon complained to me that he
would be in a dangerous position if left without
sufficient troops to maintain order in the Transvaal,
as Sir Garnet, acting on instructions no doubt, was
sending many away. It was not long before the
affair at Bronkhorst Spruit started the war, which
ended on Majuba in 1881. Sir Owen Lanyon left
Pretoria on April 8th, 1881.

CHAPTER XXVII.
ZULU WAR OF 1878-1879.

During and after the Zulu War of 1878-9, I
larged that Zululand should be kept as a native
reserve, no white man to be allowed to acquire land
over the Tugela River, the natives to remain under
native law, subject to a low taxation to provide for
the salaries of a British Resident and Magistrates.
Further, that the Laws in Natal should be made
sufficiently stringent to induce the bulk of the lately
imported Zulus to re-migrate into the reserve, and
to some extent deplete Natal of a rapidly increasing
but non-working black population, which might at
any time become a source of danger owing to agrarian
trouble ; as they with their system of cultivation
and stock raising require such large areas for
occupation.

My idea then being to retain the temperate
portion of South Africa for the white man, such zone
to be determined by a railway system from Cape
Town to Delagoa Bay to begin with, and to be
extended with increase of population. The chance
of carrying out such a policy was made impossible
by Sir Garnet Wolseley's settlement of Zululand,
and the subsequent action of Mr. Gladstone's Govern-
ment, which refused to accept any responsibility for
the country. Dinizulu, aided by the Utrecht Boers,
defeated the loyal chief "Usibepu," the principal
chief of Sir Garnet's appointing. The Boers acquired
the district of Vrijheid, then in Zululand. Dinizulu,
who was found to be the centre of unrest, was
deported to St. Helena, but was repatriated later

Zulu War of 1378—1879 155

owing to the influence of Miss Colenso. He was
again the cause of unrest, culminating in the Bam-
bata insurrection, which was suppressed by the Natal
volunteer forces. Dinizulu was then placed on a
farm near Middelburg, Transvaal. During the Zulu
War I was in Utrecht, and walking outside the town
with my brother Fred, met a messenger who had
ridden hard from Helpmakaar with tidings of Lord
Chelmsford's disaster at Isandhlwana, and Cherm-
side's defence of Rorke's Drift. Sir Theophilus
Shepstone (who was then in Utrecht), was overcome
at these tidings as his son George was with the
Natal Volunteers under the ill-fated Major Durnford
(of Bushman's Pass notoriety), and he asked me to
read the despatches. The Magistrate who was
present exclaimed, " We are all lost, the Zulus will
be here directly." I begged him not to create a
panic in the town and laager and to keep calm. Sir
Theophilus gave me full power to do what I thought
beet, to put the place in a condition to stand an
attack, as there were many women and children in
a small laager, and some military stores. There were
some three or four hundred native followers of a
supposed loyal chief, Oham, quartered near the
village, so I appointed two young Boers, Lombard
and Potgieter, I think their names were, to supervise
these Kaffirs, and after buying up all the shovels
and pickaxes in the town, we set the Kaffirs to dig a
moat round the women's laager, leaving a foot wide
margin below the wall, which I packed with broken
bottles. I had sand bags placed on the walls with
loop holes, a wooden platform along the inside for a
second line of sharp-shooters above the lower loop-
holes, and two heavy gates and a drawbridge con-
structed, had stores carried in, and I am sure that
the Zulus could not have taken the laager when I
had finished it. During the work, Oham's Kaffirs

156 Recollections of Adventures

frequently bolted, as they were not used to spade and
pick, but my lieutenants, Lombard and Potgieter,
who were mounted, drove them back into the moat
with sjamboks. These Kaffirs complained to Sir
Theophilus that I overworked them, and he asked
me to be more lenient with them, but I said it was
war time, and they must do their work. People in
the laager overheard them say that they would kill
me, and begged me to sleep in the laager, and not in
a cottage of Birkenstock's, on the outskirts of the
village, but I knew that the Zulus would not expect
any one to be there, and that I would be safe. The
people in the laager were grateful and signed a
round-robin thanking me for the work I did. My
brother Fred went on and joined Wood's Flying
column, and took part in the fight at Kambula. Sir
Theophilus wished to communicate with the column,
so I commandeered a horse from a young Boer for
the messenger. I also wrote to my brother Edward
who was with the column, and to Colonel Gilbert,
in command of the 13th Regiment, whom I knew
very well, and also to Piet Uys, begging them to
come out of the broken country of the Makulusine
into the open, to laager and prepare for a Zulu attack.
Uys and Colonel Weatherley were there with many
others, including R. Lys' brother. The sons of the
two former were trapped and killed at Hlobane,
but the laager in the open at Kambula withstood
the attack, chiefly owing to the pluck and discipline
of the old 13th Regiment.

My wagons went over the Drakensberg into
Zululand, where I had altogether 131 teams of 14
oxen each, about 300 men (white conductors and
native hands) under Edward and afterwards under
Fred's control with Sir Evelyn Wood's Flying
Column. I had to send hundreds of oxen to fill the

Zulu War of 1878—1879 157

teams, as many died from overwork and bad feeding,
and many were killed at the attack on Kambula
camp. On this and other occasions, Fred behaved
very well, was mentioned in despatches ; and was to
receive a medal, but being only a civilian, I do not
think he ever got it.

Nearly all the Basutos bolted when they saw
the Zulus swarming on to the laager. None of ours
did, but they behaved pluckily in defending the
cattle laager, killing Zulus among the cattle. After
the fight General Wood asked them who they be-
longed to, and why they did not run away with all
the other camp-followers. They said they were
afraid of the Zulus but could not run away, as they
would be ashamed to meet their master. One poor
fellow, who was a distance from camp gathering
wood, could not get back, so made for Pretoria, and
sent me a messenger explaining his position and
asking if I would receive him, which I did. I used
to send troops of 500 oxen at a time all the way from
Pretoria into Zululand, with only two of my natives
in charge and never lost any, except two which
were drowned when crossing a swollen river. My
natives fully trusted me and I them. I had terribly
hard work at this time to keep all these wagons,
oxen and men up to requirements, but felt all must
help when the savages were on the war-path ; and I
worked day and night until I was nearly done up.
Commissary General Sir E. Hughes said that ours
was the best organised and most honestly run com-
missariat train during these wars. It was common
knowledge that there was abominable swindling
and bribery in Natal, with some of the columns.

When I had completed the Utrecht laager, at
Sir Theophilus' request, I accompanied him to the
top of Laings Nek on the Drakensberg, then went

168 Jkcdttcctions of Adventures

with proclamations among the Wakkerstroom Boers
with orders to recruit as many as I could, to go to
Utrecht and the border to prevent Zulu inroads. I
obtained only two men, Englishmen, to go to the
front. The Boers told me that Shepstone had
annexed the Transvaal, and he could manage as
best he could : they were not going to fight for the
English and recommended me to throw Shepstone's
proclamations away. They knew and liked me, but
some extreme ones might punch my head if I showed
them elsewhere. I left my tired horses at Rolfon-
tein and got fresh ones, but my attempts to persuade
the Boers to assist in the campaign were fruitless,
and I went to Standerton to report to Sir T.
Shepstone on the temper of the people. He soon
after went across country via Harrismith to Maritz-
burg and I returned to Pretoria.

A strange thing happened at this time. I was
walking with Sir Theophilus Shepstone outside
Utrecht, discussing the situation, when suddenly it
became dark, and for a moment neither of us realised
that it was a total eclipse of the sun. When we did
he said " Struben this may have a strange effect on
the Zulus, who are superstitious". Next day we
heard of the disaster at Isandhlwana and he said to
some old Kaffirs who came to hear news " Umtwan
ami u fele, George ugwazile." " My child is dead,
George is stabbed," and he was quite overcome.
The history of the Zulu war has been written, and I
will not attempt to repeat it. After the battle of
Ulundi, Sir Garnet Wolseley came on the scene and
made the unfortunate settlement of Zululand by
appointing thirteen chiefs, among others, an English-
man, John Dunn. This man was accused of gun-
running up to the time of, and after Sir Bartle
Frere's ultimatum to Cetchewayo. He had a harem

Zulu War of 1878—1879 159

of Kaffir wives, one of whom was the Zulu king's
daughter. When Dunn saw how things were going,
he deserted the Zulu king, being subsequently given
a large district to rule over. One night at dinner in
Pretoria I was sitting next Sir Garnet Wolseley and
he was discussing the position in Zululand, when I,
in answer to a question, told him that the settlement
did not meet with the approval of the colonists, and
especially the giving of a chieftainship to Dunn, —
which was putting a premium on moral depravity
and gun running. He got so annoyed with me that
he wished us " good night " and went into his room,
I was hauled over the coals by some of his staff for
speaking too plainly. However a few days after-
wards he spent a day at "The Willows" and
discussed the questions of the day with me. At this
time Captain Paterson and a party were sent from
Pretoria on a diplomatic visit to Lobengula — an
inappropriate time when the native mind was
disturbed by recent native wars and political
changes in the Transvaal. The whole party were
murdered by the Matabele — only one Hottentot
servant escaped.

CHAPTER XXVIII.
TRAVELS IN EUROPE.

For some years I had wished to revisit Europe
which I had not seen since I left it as a boy from
school in 1850, but something had always prevented
my leaving the Transvaal. However, we deter-
mined to go at last. We started via Natal and the
East Coast on February 19th, 1880.

We first visited Delagoa Bay, which was then a
miserable fever-stricken village of a few houses.
The place was bankrupt, the little black soldiers
were months in arrears of pay, and the mutinous
official's salaries were unpaid. The only source of
revenue was a tax of £1 per head imposed on
natives returning from Natal sugar plantations. I
found the Eastern Telegraph clerks operating in a
small tin hut, all down with fever, and reported to
Sir Bartle Frere at Cape Town on this and other
matters. When I arrived in England, I found
letters from Sir Bartle Frere introducing me to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Kimberley,
and to Mr. (afterwards Sir Robert) Herbert, Per-
manent Under-Secretary. The latter was an intelli-
gent and able official, full of knowledge of Colonial
affairs, and took much interest in my report. At
this time, the Transvaal, was in possession of the
British, who had their ports of entry in Natal and
Cape Colony: Delagoa Bay was of little value to
Portugal, and I strongly urged the authorities in
Downing Street to acquire it, as it could be had
cheaply then, and if in British hands, would make a
South African war (engineered by European powers)

Travels in Europe 161

impossible. Portugal owed England £14,000,000 and
interest accumulated, since the Peninsula War. This
debt cancelled and a small sum in cash would have
settled the matter. Mr. Herbert wrote about it to Lord
Kimberley, who was in the country, but he did
nothing and then when I had taken passages to
return to South Africa, wrote asking me to put off
my departure, and to await his arrival in London,
but as news of the unrest in the Transvaal made me
anxious, I left and did not see him. George Moodie
also went with me once to aid in endeavouring to
persuade the British Government to move in this
matter, but as Gladstone's party was in power, they
would do nothing. I had previously urged this on
Sir Garnet Wolseley when he was in Pretoria, but
the British Government were too slow. Now British
capital has made Delagoa Bay an important seaport
and town, and millions would be required to do what
thousands would have done then. Its railway com-
mands a large share of Transvaal trade, while it is
one of the most valuable coaling harbours south of
the line.

On reaching Zanzibar the S.S. "Nyansa" was
sold to Sultan Bargash, so we went on in a British
India S.S. We had some very enjoyable rides about
the island, the Sultan providing ponies, but we had
to start very early to avoid the heat. We passed
one morning a large traction engine buried axle-
deep in sand and rusting away. This had been sent
out by some philanthropic old ladies in England to
haul cocoanuts and bananas and other products to
Zanzibar market, as they had heard harrowing tales
of how the poor enslaved natives carried them on
their heads. I discussed with Dr. (now Sir John)
Kirk and Bishop Steer, the advisability of occupying
the fine forest-clad and snow-capped mountain

162 liecdlcctions of Adventures

" Kilimanjaro " with a mission station ; pointing out
that this would appeal to the British public, and
secure a base of operations into the interior, strength-
ening the British position in East Africa. Caravans
could go from Bogoyomo (the port of entry) in
winter, and post runners in summer would keep
communication open. The highland was perfectly
healthy, and commands Ugii on Lake Tanganyika,
to the west and Victoria Nyansa on the north. They
fully agreed but said that the British Government
would never move in the matter. The whole
territory, including Kilimanjaro has now been
painted yellow on the map by Germany, (1911).
The many lives lost and millions spent by England
in suppressing the Arab Slave Trade have been
thrown away as far as the vast territory claimed by
Germany is concerned. We now retain Zanzibar,
Pemba Islands and Mombasa, and the territory to
the east of Lake Victoria Nyansa.

Whilst travelling on the Continent, disquieten-
ing news caused us to leave sooner than we other-
wise would have done, and regretfully we left for
England. We landed at Southampton on a miser-
able wet Sunday, I thought it was the most dismal
place I had ever seen. I have never got over my
impresssion of the English climate received on this
visit to England, after an absence of exactly 30
years, that is from 1850 to 1880.

CHAPTER XXIX.
RETURN TO SOUTH AFRICA.

FIRST BOER WAR.

As the news from the Transvaal was so bad and
the possibility of war imminent, we had to curtail
our visit to England as it seemed necessary to
be in Africa at such a crisis, so made up our
minds to leave almost at once. We started for
South Africa in the "Kinfauns Castle" with Captain
Robinson in command, on October 25th, 1880. On
arriving in Natal, I at once bought two wagons and
oxen to travel to Pretoria, but war had broken out,
the Bronkhorst Spruit disaster had taken place and
the roads were closed. I made frequent efforts to get
to Pretoria but was not allowed, so was obliged to
remain in Durban, arranging for landing and trans-
porting furniture, machinery, etc., which we had
brought from England.

Sir George Colley, whom I had known in
Pretoria, sent an orderly to me frequently, to let
me know when I could get through, but we never
succeeded until the war was over. I was anxious to
get up, as our children were on " The Willows " and
afterwards in the siege of Pretoria, but we could get
no news about them. I saw Sir George Colley often
and very soon came to the conclusion that he under-
rated the capabilities of the Boers as irregular
troops, as sharpshooters and as veldsmen; and I
anticipated the reverse he met with. He was a
nervous, sensitive man, and appears to have lost his
head after the Ingogo fight.

164 Recollections of Adventure*

I drove to Harrismith and met the remnant of
the regiment which had been cut up at Bronkhorst
Spruit. No two of them gave me the same account
of this disaster. I also learnt that it was impossible
for me to get to Pretoria that way, as Captain
Elliott had been shot in cold blood, while crossing
the Vaal River with Captain Lambert. I afterwards
stayed with Lambert in the same club in Maritzburg
and heard all about it. I had written to General
Piet Joubert asking him to send me a free pass to go
through their lines at Laings Nek to Pretoria, but he
informed me that the "Krijgsraad" would not grant
one. Old Conrad Pietersen, on whose farm the now
famous Pieters Hill is situated, a wealthy Boer, who
had been in our neighbourhood when we lived on
Ruitenburg and who was a so called friend, refused
to let me his furnished but vacant house in Lady-
smith, and we had to draw the wagon near to the
Dutch Church, and Mary who did not wish to return
to Maritzburg (hoping to be able to get on soon), had
to live in the vestry which was placed at her
disposal by the minister Mr Kriel. It was a trying,
weary time. One day a detachment of troops were
crossing the Klip River and I noticed a Boer sitting
above the drift taking down their numbers. As soon
as they were all counted, he rode quickly away
through the poort. These troops were under Colonel
Ashburnham, who was advised to push on to New-
castle. He escaped being ambushed on the Biggars-
burg by a couple of hours. Anyone can read all
about the war of 1880 in detail in books, despatches
and newspapers, and I will not repeat.

I returned and stayed in Durban, where the
latest news was obtainable as the war dragged on.
I took Mary back to Estcourt, where I hired a small
house, and used to visit the little family there from

Return to South Africa 165

time to time, but I could do nothing until peace was
declared by Gladstone, after the reverses at Ingogo
and Laings Nek and Majuba. During my stay in
Ladysmith Sir George Colley passed through to the
front. A rumour was about that Boers were inciting
natives and using them against the British, and that
Sir George Colley intended to use the natives
against the Boers in retaliation. I at once
wrote a strongly worded letter to him, (a copy
of which I have) begging him not to employ
blacks to fight against whites under any conditions
and warning him of the lasting ill consequences
of such action. I have since learnt that there was
never any intention on his part to use native levies.
At Estcourt I kept a cart and four horses ready, and
the day peace was declared, mother and I started
for Pretoria. On arrival at Heidelberg, we found
the Provisional Government and Mr. Paul Kruger
established there. The village was full of people and
lodgings were difficult to obtain, but Sir Morrison
Barlow, who had been taken prisoner in Swaziland
(where he was acting as magistrate), and brought to
Heidelberg gave up his room to us. Soon after my
arrival Mr. Kruger sent Dr. Jorissen and Secretary
Edouard Bok, to ask me to re-enter political life, and
assist the new Government. They stayed until quite
late and prevented us having dinner. Notwith-
standing their arguments and promises, I refused to
promise anything, as I intended to see what had
really happened in Pretoria, and to my children and
property before committing myself. Mr. Kruger
was annoyed at my refusal. Next day in Pretoria
we found the children looking miserable, having
been half starved on boiled kaffir corn and third-rate
rations while in camp during the siege of Pretoria.
On the other hand the troops and favoured indi-
viduals were being fed on the fat cattle and produce

166 Eecollections of Adventures

taken from my farms, and for which I was never
paid. I found "The Willows" for all practical
purposes wrecked, not a moving thing left, all my
papers destroyed, livestock, implements, machinery,
produce, all taken. We felt so bitter that Mary
decided to return to Natal. After arranging what
matters I could, I bought a wagon and team of oxen
from Rider Haggard, and sent the family off with
two old " Willows " natives. I had to remain behind
in Pretoria to settle some matters and followed in
my horse cart. I slept at Heidelberg. The hotel
was very full, so they made me up a bed on the floor
in the drawing-room. Later, as I was falling asleep,
the proprieter came to ask me if I would mind his
putting up Mr. Aylward in the same room. I said
no, that I was fully armed and I could shoot him if
necessary. They made his bed fairly close to mine
but when Mr. Aylward came in and found out who I
was, he would not sleep there, and they removed his
bed elsewhere. The scoundrel had been implicated
in some Fenian atrocities in Ireland, and headed a
seditious insurrection on the diamond fields. He
had come to work up sedition in the Transvaal
against the British Government. I was told after-
wards that he was an arrant coward, and could not
sleep at night unless someone he knew was in the
same room, and kept a light burning. I paid my
score and got the key of the stable from the landlord
intending to start at daylight, but in the night I got
restless, as there had been heavy rain and only
Kaffirs were with Mary and the children, so at mid-
night I started to follow the wagon. It was
fortunately light when I came to where the two
roads parted, and I saw that the boys had taken the
wrong one. I drove on as fast as I could, found the
wagon stuck in the middle of Vaal River, the span
of oxen all twisted up in a heap, the Kaffirs shiver-

Return to Smith Afrita 167

ing with cold and quite demoralised, Mary and the
children were sitting on the cartel bed, the water
was running through the wagon, and the river was
rising fast. I did my best to get the oxen to pull,
but they had been too long in the water, and were
not a good span at best, so all I could do was to
get the wagon near the bank and gallop up to a Boer
farm for fresh oxen. At first the man said he had
no oxen, but when I told him there was a mother
and children in the wagon and that if they were
drowned it would lie at his door, he said he would
send the oxen if I would pay him £3, which I did.
He brought a fine team of fat oxen which, with our
assistance, got the wagon up the steep mud bank.
Had I waited at Heidelberg for daylight the whole
family would have been drowned ; as the two Kaffirs
were quite helpless and the children all small.
Mary was, as usual, calm and brave, but fortunately
she did not quite realise the great danger they were
in. We trekked down to Maritzburg, where I
hired a house from Offie Stepstone. It was a
miserable time — I had nothing to do and was
spending money all the time, and I cursed the day
when I had to return to Africa, which was never at
peace.

Among other things which I had imported to
take to Pretoria were implements, fencing material,
a steam engine and sawing plant, large water pipes
and sluice valves, also a brick and tile making plant.
My brother Fred who had nothing to do, took over
the latter and started making excellent ornamental
bricks, tiles, flowerpots, etc., at Isipingo, Natal.

I started alone for Pretoria to try and save
what I could out of the wreck of my affairs. I was
outspanned at Sand Spruit beyond what is now
Volkerust, when I saw a storm gathering, so started

168 Recollections of Adventure*

in haste for Paardekop, where there was an hotel of
sorts. A terrific storm of wind, hail, and sleet
caught me a few miles from the starting point and
and I had to put down the hood to save the " spider "
from blowing over, while I could hardly keep the
horses on the road. When I reached Paardekop my
little groom Kleinboy, was frozen and of no use. I
drove the spider to the side of the house, and went
to get assistance ; but the Jew who kept the hotel
refused to come out, saying it would kill him to do
so. There was no one to help, so I unharnessed the
horses in the hurricane and had just put them in the
stable when the roof blew off and the wind took it
down the hill. The hotel was an iron building, the
snow drove through the joints and made strips
across the floor. The Jew said he had no food, but
could let me have some gin, I told him he lied
because I had seen him eating dinner in the next
room. After some strong language he gave me a
meal of sorts, and a glass of gin, and I had to attend
to the frozen Kleinboy.

A poor delicate little clergyman with his wife
and child told me that the Jew would not let them
have any food, and that they were almost starving.
I made the miserable hotel -keeper give them some
food at once, and I paid for it. During a lull in the
storm, Robert Preller (whose farm-house was close
by over the Spruit) came for a flask of gin, I per-
suaded him to give me room for my horses and self,
and he helped me to inspan and to get over to his
farm. This saved the lives of my horses, if not my
own as the storm broke out again, and we were snowed
up for three days, in the most bitterly cold blizzard
I have ever experienced. The snow was driven over
the high range, and was six feet deep at the home-
stead. I got compressed forage from the Commis-

Return to South Africa 169

sariat, and, as we could not get at the spring, boiled
snow for the horses to drink, and so saved their lives.
As soon as I could get to the hotel, I went to see
how the poor little parson and his wife were faring.
They were miserable, and, as the weather showed
signs of clearing, had decided to go on to Standerton
with a Commissariat wagon which was leaving, as the
hotel keeper was treating them so badly. They had
only got to an iron stable, a few miles further on,
when the snow storm broke again, and there I found
them three days later. They reached Standerton in
time, but the poor little man died soon after arrival.
Preller's cattle were buried in the kraal several feet
deep, and when the snow melted, there was not one
of the seventy-six alive. His sheep had run down
the wind, and he and I tried to find them, but the
snow blizzard drove us back home. The running
saved their lives. After the storm he found them on
a farm of mine, " Haartebeesthoek " on the Vaal
River. All the way to Pretoria (via Heidelberg) I
saw thousands of dead animals, cattle, sheep and
goats, etc., and again from Pretoria to Kimberley,
where I went some time afterwards. The country
was denuded of livestock, the loss all through the
Free State and the Transvaal High -veld was
immense as the Boers seldom provided shelter for
their livestock. In Pretoria I had no pleasant task.
The Boers had taken part of my property from "The
Willows" and the British my cattle and farm
produce for the troops. The Boers had made " The
Willows" the headquarters of one of their com-
mandoes, staying on the homestead during the day,
and sleeping all about the rocky bush -covered hill at
night. Nothing was left in the house except the oil
paintings and portraits of my parents and grand-
parents, which I afterwards learned were spared
owing to the influence of Karl Erasmus, who was

170 Recollections of Adventures

married to the daughter of my good old friend
Joachim Prinsloo, Landdrost of Pretoria. Outside,
everything had gone excepting the frame of a large
steam wheat-thrashing machine, of which bolts,
wheels, sieves, etc., etc., had been taken away. I
found that some of my immediate Boer neighbours
had most of my things. At the retrocession the
British Government undertook to compensate those
who had been pillaged. On the 13th of June, 1881,
Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor of the Cape Colony,
and General Evelyn Wood arrived in Pretoria. On
August the 3rd, 1881, the Pretoria Convention was
signed, and on the 21st September the last British
troops left the Transvaal. Sir Owen Lanyon, who
had become Administrator on March 5th, 1879, left
Pretoria 8th April, 1881. Sir John Brand, President
of the Orange Free State had arrived in Pretoria on
June 8th, 1881, to join with Sir H. Robinson, General
Evelyn Wood and Chief Justice de Villiers, in hand-
ing back the Transvaal to the Boers, after the fight
of Majuba (on the 27th February, 1881). Mr. Glad-
stone decided to abandon the country, and carry out
the programme as announced in the Midlothian
election campaign. Among other events Sir H.
Robinson called a meeting of native chiefs at which
I was present. He explained to them that the
white Queen over the water did not wish to fight
the Boers, so had given the Transvaal back to them
with all the natives, English residents, etc., and told
them to be law-abiding, faithful subjects to the Boer
Republic. He introduced General Piet Joubert (who
sat on his right hand) as Minister for Native Affairs
in place of Henrique Shepstone. The natives asked
why they had paid taxes to the British (under
promise of protection ) while they were now being
handed over to the Boers, etc. It was a most
humiliating spectacle !

Return to South Africa 171

There were many incidents during the war of
1880-1881 which one would like to forget.

God grant that foreign intrigue will not bring
about any more trouble between the British and the
Boer in South Africa, where they must live together in
unity, if the country is not to revert to barbarism and
the reign of the black man. I mentioned some way
back that all my selected cattle, oathay and mealies
had been taken from " The Willows " by the British
Military Authorities at the outbreak of the war, and
I was tendered a price so inadequate, that I refused
to accept it. Judge De Wet, who evidently had been
primed, told me that I had been abominably treated,
worse than any others and he recommended me to
try the case in court. I obtained an interdict on
stores to found jurisdiction, then General Bellairs
and George Hudson asked me to submit the case to
arbitration and not to sue the authorities. After
many promises, I agreed, and they asked me if I
would object to Judge De Wet as arbitrator. After
the way he had expressed himself to me, I naturally
thought he would be impartial, accepted him, and
withdrew the interdict. He, after keeping me wait-
ing for months, sent me a dirty, little crumpled piece
of paper, on which he stated that " Mr. Struben had
no claim whatever." This man was given a judge-
ship in Ceylon because he understood Roman-Dutch
Law. George Hudson and Dr. Dyer indirectly had
the paying out of compensation claims, with Dr.
Rutherford as secretary. Claims were treated in a
most callous manner. I myself heard Hudson (who
was going out shooting), answer a question as to
what valuation to put on a claim, which he had not
seen, " Oh, cut it down about two-thirds, that will
be near enough." Dr. Dyer bought up a good many
claims from people who did not know what they

172 Eecollections of Adventures

might get. This business almost ruined me for the
third time in my life. On the 14th May 1881, I
wrote to the Royal Commission presided over by Sir
Hercules Robinson, showing my position prior to the
annexation and the losses I had suffered since then,
and during the war, but no notice was taken of my
letter. After our pleasant voyaging in the East and
in Europe, this coming back to a ruined home in
South Africa, and with a large family to provide for
and no prospect of improving my position, was almost
too much for me. The brave little mother and I
went through a sad and anxious time.

After the 1880 war when nearly all my diaries,
private and political papers, family relics, etc., were
destroyed, myself nearly ruined, and the country so
miserably poor, that it was a hard struggle to keep
my family, I turned to anything I could think of to
earn a livelihood. I tried various branches of
farming, and did some prospecting. A bad drought
in 1883 handicapped me. I was tired to death, and
getting to hate the couutry, and all connected with
it. There was no justice obtainable from the local
officials; even the Bench was not respected, and I
wanted to sell out and leave, but there was nobody
to buy, no trust, no hope, for the future of the
country, under misrule. At the retrocession, the
bulk of English-speaking people who could, left the
Transvaal. There was no money in the Exchequer
and no credit, and the granting of concessions
became the order of the day on everything conceiv-
able from jam to dynamite, from land areas to
brandy monopoly and a few patriotic foreigners did
well. If I could have sold out, I with my brothers
intended going to New Zealand but were unable to
do so, as we could get no one to buy anything.

Return to South Africa 173

In January 1883 the Boers went to war with
Mapoch ; and the Field Cornet took all my working
oxen out of the ploughs on " The Willows " to pull
their guns ; and all my native servants as camp
followers, so that all farm working was stopped.
Being an English individual I had to supply as
much to a commando, as any dozen of my Boer
neighbours.

For fear that by any possibility there might be
a term of peace and industry in the Transvaal, the
Boers declared Republics in Stellaland and Rooigrond
and one, styling himself President Van Niekerk
issued bloodthirsty proclamations and for some time
kept the western border in a state of anarchy.

CHAPTER XXX.
AFTER THE RETROCESSION.

The Transvaal Boers most cordially disliked and
despised the Hollanders dwelling among them, but
on account of their speaking Dutch and being useful
to write official documents and keep accounts, they
tolerated and used them. Dr. Leyds (who was born
in Borneo) and was a school-master, succeeded in
ingratiating himself with President Kruger. He
had written a letter to a friend in Holland speaking
in a most insulting manner of the Transvaal Boers.
This letter was sent back from Holland to the Trans-
vaal, was read out to the Volksraad, and caused
great indignation, but as he was so intimate with
Transvaal affairs, Mr. Kruger defended him, and
smoothed it over.

When the state income from the Rand Goldfields
exceeded the Kruger dreams of avarice, a secret
service fund was started, and Dr. Leyds was credited
with handling large sums, The money was mostly
used to purchase cannon, rifles, ammunition, to
prepare to fight the British, and establish Repub-
lican rule over South Africa, it was hoped with the
assistance of Germany and Holland. The deep-
seated animosity of the Dutch Afrikander against
the British is mainly due to the injudicious manner
in which the emancipation of the slaves was carried
out in 1838.

On March 26th, 1713, England made a treaty with
Spain "The Asiento de Negros" by which she secured
the monopoly of supplying slaves to the Spanish

After the Retrocession 175

colonies, and the greater portion of the slave trade
all over the world was carried on in English ships,
and with the knowledge of the English poeple. In
view of this, and notwithstanding the philanthropic
feeling which prompted the Act of Emancipation,
the arbitrary manner in which slave owners were
treated, the way they were paid, the partial com-
pensation awarded, the disorganisation, ( social,
industrial and commercial ) involved could not be
justified. The gradual emancipation, (having due
consideration for the industrial interest of the com-
munity ) they could understand, but the sudden ces-
sation of work and the consequent ruin, they could
not forget. The West Indies were also ruined in
like manner. Again, the policy pursued by the
British Government towards the turbulent and raid-
ing native tribes on the Eastern borders ; and
especially the ill-considered act of Lord Glenelg
in siding with and re-instating the Kaffirs after
heavy sacrifices made by the burghers and British
troops — in driving the marauders out of the colony —
caused thousands of people to seek homes elsewhere.
At the same time it must be admitted that the
South African Boers were not satisfied under any
Government. They had been insubordinate under
the Dutch or Batavian rule, and subsequently under
the British and the Transvaal Boer Government,
but they made no allowance for that. They only
remembered what they considered the harsh and
unsympathetic treatment of the ruling authorities.
As their history shows, since the days of the old
Batavian Government, the Dutch Boers have been
intolerant of strict discipline, of taxation or any
restrictions. Although they did not go to extremes,
there were frequent dissensions among the parties of
trekkers during the occupation of the Free State,

176 Recollections of Adventures

Natal and Transvaal and the Boer Civil War of
1864. The consequent issue of paper money, the
ruin of commercial houses, the total absence of
credit, the stoppage of all progress or development,
the hopeless state of insolvency in the Transvaal
and the discontent of the burghers with their own
Republican administration was the cause of the
annexation of the Transvaal by Sir T. Shepstone in
1877. Since these wars, free institutions have been
granted to the whole of South Africa, including the
conquered Republics.

The Union of South Africa has been established
and a Dutch Afrikander Ministry rules the land.
It now remains to be seen whether the Government
will prove capable of welding the several national-
ities and communities into a real and not a sham
Union, or whether the back-veld Boer will be
exploited by unscrupulous or fanatical agitators, to
obstruct the Government, and block all progress of
useful development.

In 1875 a second large party of Boers trekked
to Damaraland, the first lot having gone in 1874.
They were mostly Doppers and left the Transvaal
because they did not trust their own Government,
and objected to the laws passed, and to the state of
general unrest and poverty due to mis-government.

These Trek-Boers (after terrible privations),
eventually settled in the Province of Angola at
Mossamedes. The curious feature of this exodus was
that they left the Transvaal Republic ostensibly on
account af the Church not being orthodox (that is
Calvinistic), and the selection of Thomas Burgers, a
Dutch -Reformed minister of Hanover, Cape Colony,
as President (Mr. Burgers had started a controversy
on certain passages in the Bible) ; yet they placed

After the Retrocession 111

themselves under the authority of a Roman Catholic
Government, and intermixed with Roman Catholic
Portuguese, some of the marriages being rather
irregular. Others trekked to German South West
Africa, but most of these returned, as they could not
stand German authority and their stringent rule.
Since 1900, some have gone to the Argentine, to
Brazil, British East Africa and Rhodesia. When
once a Boer sells his farm, he becomes either a loafer
about the town, or he treks away to seek undeveloped
land, where game is plentiful, labour cheap and life
primitive.

CHAPTER XXXI.

A GENERAL SURVEY AND SUMMARY
OF EVENTS.

I could write pages of the events preceding, during
and after the war of 1880, but no good purpose would
be served. Enough has been written about the
military and political muddles of these times, as
well as of the nepotism and bribery, the concession -
mongering which was rampant in the Transvaal
after the retrocession ; the policy which led up to
the Jameson raid, and subsequently the great war
of 1900, when the Republics took the offensive. The
whirligig of time brings strange things to pass ! In
1857 Kruger raided the Free States, in 1896 Jameson
raided Kruger. The Boers raided Bechuanaland and
Zululand with Kruger's approval and tried Matabe-
land. Rhodes and Jameson annexed and populated
it. Jameson and his friends paid tens of thousands
in fines. Kruger & Co. paid nothing and obtained
land ! During the sixty odd years of my sojourn in
it, South Africa has never had rest, never known
real peace, or been able to concentrate its energies
on industrial and commercial development like other
countries. One never knows what will happen ! I
remember Sir Garnet Wolseley discussing with me
the advisability of proclaiming the country up to
the Zambesi River as an annexure or portion of the
Transvaal. I pointed out that in the event of a
Liberal Government coming into power, and that if
according to Gladstone's speeches the Transvaal were
given back, it would involve the session of what is
now Rhodesia and would probably become German

A General Survey and Summary of Events 179

territory. With party Government in England, the
colonies never know what policy will be pursued ;
as everything is sacrificed to party.

On April 4th, 1860 the district of Lydenburg (which
since 1857 had been an independent Republic) was
incorporated in the South African Republic, largely
owing to the influence that my father exercised
with the Lydenburg people. He became secretary
to the Government in 1860. On June 12th 1865, the
Republican Government issued paper money in notes
from 1/6 to £5 face value, but they were not backed
by any coin in the treasury, and were worth only
from 2/6 to 5/- in the £1. The issue continued to
1868, and the notes were signed by M. W. Pretorius,
State President, M. W. Viljoen, Member of the
Executive, and C. I. Joubert, Member of Commission,
H. v. d. Linden, Treasurer. They afterwards became
a forced legal tender at par ; to the ruin of
bond holders and merchants, and were ultimately
redeemed by the Cape Commercial Bank when
Mr. Burgers became President in 1872. These notes
were issued to redeem the " Maandaten " or Treasury
Bonds, after the Civil War of 1864. The Boers in
Potchefstroom and elsewhere, who owed bills for
coin (British currency), agitated for proclaiming
the notes a legal tender, and men who had been
given credit and extensions of time for years, rushed
off to pay their debts with this worthless paper. I
was a victim for what at that time, were to me,
considerable sums, and as the Cape Colonial mer-
chant would not accept the paper, many shopkeepers
were ruined. Many of these Boers, who were
well off, paid their debts at 2/6 in the £1, and thought
themselves clever.

The Sekukuni and Zulu Wars undertaken to
protect the Transvaal in 1878 to 1879, cost Great

180 Recollections of Adventure*

Britain fourteen million pounds sterling. As the
settlement (owing to Mr. Gladstone refusing to accept
the responsibility of administrating Zululand), was
a fiasco, Boer speculators were allowed to annex the
best part of it as an independent Republic, which was
subsequently incorporated with the Transvaal. After
the Retrocession of the Transvaal in 1881, conces-
sions were freely granted to foreigners, Hollanders,
Germans, Frenchmen, for making gunpowder, for
distilling spirits, for the public salt pan, for iron
smelting, for making jam and soap, a bank and mint,
for railways, etc., etc. The country was run for the
benefit of "continentals," Mr. Kruger's one idea
being to keep the British out at any cost as partici-
pants in these concessions, but to allow them to
contribute the bulk of the revenue. One remembers
the closing of the " Drifts " and- the special taxation
without representation and other matters which
eventually culminated in the Jameson Raid, and
ultimately in the war of 1900.

At the time of the discovery of the diamond
fields in 1870, the whole of South Africa was
practically bankrupt. The Transvaal was hopelessly
insolvent. A British £1 sterling was almost un-
obtainable, and in cases where it was absolutely
necessary, it cost about £4 or £5 to get it. It was a
bitter struggle to bring up a family respectably and
keep out of debt in those days. There were no rail-
ways or markets. The Boers were really hunters
not farmers, growing only enough for their own
wants. Their only extravagances were " salted "
shooting horses, rifles and ammunition, but they
managed to live somehow, and were as happy as
they are now. The opening of the Diamond Fields,
and subsequently in 1873 of the Lydenberg Gold
Fields followed in 1884 by the discovery of the

A General Survey and Summary of Events 181

Witwatersrand Gold Fields, entirely altered the
conditions of life in South Africa, both for the white
and coloured inhabitants. Labour has been in
demand at high wages, railways have superseded
the ox- wagon, towns have been built, banks estab-
lished with a coin currency, and inter-communi-
cation is rapid and convenient. Those people who
do little or nothing themselves, should be less prone
to abuse the so called mining magnates, who have
brought in millions of capital to develop the
resources of this country, which, if dependent on the
enterprise of the old inhabitants might have re-
mained dormant another ten centuries. Agriculture
in all its branches would have also stood still, but
for the infusion of fresh blood, the object-lessons
given, and the new methods introduced. I am of
opinion, that unless oversea immigration is en-
couraged, South Africa will slowly but surely revert
to the dark races, and become again barbarous.
The children of the old Boer pioneers as a rule are
going backward, they will not farm properly them-
selves, but let the Kaffirs work their farms on shares.
The consequence is, and must be, that the Kaffirs
are becoming industrious farmers, white owners are
drifting into the towns, and many becoming " poor
whites," and a burden to the State. Many children
of leading land owners of the last generation have
squandered their land and money, and are now
asking for Government support. While under
Sir Richard Southey, as Governor of Griquland
West (including the diamond fields), permission was
granted diggers and companies to pay their natives
wages with fire-arms instead of money ; and
thousands of guns (mostly of very inferior quality)
were obtained by Kaffirs hailing from various tribes,
Sekukuni, Zoutpansberg Mountain tribes, Natal

182 Recollections of Adventures

Zulus and Basutos, etc., in the other British Colonies
and in the independent Boer States the sale of arms
and ammunition to natives was a criminal offence.
The Free State protested against the armed Basutos
passing through their territory to Basutoland. In
Natal the authorities demanded that all fire-arms in
possession of natives should be registered. The
result was that when Langalibalele's tribe refused to
register their arms, fighting followed. The tribe
was dispersed and Langalibalele sent a prisoner to
the Cape Peninsula. The inconsistent and mis-
chievous policy was disgraceful on the part of the
Government and led to disturbance and bloodshed,
while it made the Boers more than ever distrust the
British native policy, which has by vacillation and
inconsistency, (due largely to changes of party
Government in Great Britain,) done more to retard
the progress and quiet settlement of South Africa
than anything else. It is to be hoped that under a
Union Government a uniform policy based upon
justice and common sense, with a due regard to the
maintenance of the supremacy of the white races as
the civilising factor in the future will be pursued.

I remember very often going with the late Mr.
Harry Escombe to inspect the works at the port of
Durban, in which he took such great interest, and
he would rejoice to-day if he could see the splendid
advance the plucky little Colony has made since
then. When Indian coolies were introduced

to work at sugar plantations (as the Kaffirs
would not work) I pointed out to him the danger I
foresaw of these Asiatics, finding the climate and
conditions favourable, remaining in the colony and
increasing the already swarming coloured population,
and that they would, when their terms of indenture
expired, start cultivating and trading on their own

A General Survey and Summary of Events J83

account, and employ the very natives they came to
replace. I suggested that their contracts should
terminate in India, not in Natal, and that the
employers should be bound to re-ship them to India,
that any other indentured Indians should be subject
to a considerable immigration tax, and even then
the number allowed into the country should be
strictly limited. He thought that I was unduly
alarmed at the time, but subsequently asked me to
put my ideas in writing, which I did. It was, how-
ever, the usual shutting the door too late. The
Indian has now practically possession of Natal, their
numbers exceed the whites, they have ruined and
driven out the smaller white trader, they employ the
Kaffir, and cultivate more sugar cane than the white
man, they spend little or nothing in the Colony, and
in no way, either from a social or economic point of
view, or as a defensive force, take the place of the
white men whom they have displaced. They are
now claiming rights which they did not enjoy in
India and are becoming a source of unrest and
danger, not only in Natal, but also in the Transvaal.
If the British Government, in view of their great
interests in India, attempt to force these Asiatics on
South Africa as British subjects, it will cause people
to think it a heavy penalty to pay, for being a
portion of the Empire.

Apart from their supplanting and driving away
the white trader from the Transvaal, their influence
on the native races is most detrimental. It is a
question upon which much can be written, but there
is no space in a book of this kind. Unless the
Union Government tackles this question of Asiatic-
invasion boldly, and from a South African point of
view, this will soon be no white man's country.

184 ReeoUtttions of Adventures

When, owing to petty squabbles in the Cape
Colony and the feebleness of the British Colonial
Minister, Herbert Bismark — notwithstanding his
statement that he wanted no inch of territory, but
only to protect Luderitz and Hahn at Angra Pequana,
—annexed the country, now German South West
Africa, I urged Rhodes to get the Downing Street
and Foreign Offices, to obtain the cession of this
territory, in return for Heligoland — which Germany
then wanted — but it was no use. That important
island at the mouth of the Elbe was ceded, the
equivalent being a promise not to interfere with
British occupation of Zanzibar and Pemba (where
Germany had really no right to interfere). As long
as we are on friendly terms with Germany their
occupancy of the South-West does not matter, but
in case of war it would be serious and at all times
gives them an excuse for being constantly in South
African ports, possibly influencing the South African
political situation.

Before the Majuba fiasco of 1880, Delagoa was
of no importance. It had no hinterland, no trade,
no harbour or landing facilities. Since 1880 it has
grown in importance, and was the port of entry for
the Transvaal, and the depot for the vast amount of
all material accumulated by President Kruger, whilst
preparing for the war with Great Britain 1899-1902.
Since the Boer war British capital has made Lourenco
Marques an important sea-port, and Portugal now
claims a lion's share of the profits on seaborne goods
and rail transport to the Transvaal.

In 1875 Mr. Hugo Nellmapius wanted a conces-
sion to run a camel transport from Delagoa to
Pretoria, undertaking to carry ammunition, etc., for
the Government, on certain conditions. Now trains
run daily to Pretoria, via Witbank, direct to Johan-

A General Survey and Summary of Events 185

nesburg, and my dream of the railway line from
Cape Town to Delagoa has long been fulfilled.

When Sir Theophilus Shepstone annexed the
Transvaal, Joseph Henderson, Chairman of the Natal
Bank, opposed the idea of carrying on the Delagoa
line as it would compete with Natal, so it was
stopped, but subsequently President Kruger re-
started it.

The treatment of Macmurdo by the Portuguese
authorities in Delagoa Bay and the disgraceful
"Geneva award" after years of delay and when
most of the original arbitrators were dead were
common knowledge, but the railway is running now
for the benefit of the Portuguese port and prior to
the war for that of the Netherlands "Spoorweg
Maatschappij " in Holland. It must be borne in
mind that the English residents in the Transvaal
and other parts of South Africa had no hatred of
the Boer, but feared Paul Kruger and the influence
exercised by such men as Leyds, and other Hol-
landers, over him, and this fear was shared by many
Dutch Afrikanders.

In 1883 Doctor Jorrissen who had been largely
instrumental in bringing about the war of 1880 and
obtaining the retrocession — had gone with Mr.
Kruger to Europe, to get the terms of the Convention
made more favourable to the South African Republic
—was in bad odour with the Volksraad, and they
decided to dismiss him. (I went to hear the debate.)
Later, I had a long talk with Doctor Jorrissen. He
was bitter at the treatment he had received from
the Boers and told me that he often had grave
doubts as to whether he had done right in assisting
them to gain an independence, which they did not
know how to make a proper use of, and that he

186 Recollections of Adventures

had no hope for improvement, and anticipated bitter
rivalry and party troubles and more to this effect.
The only people who were well off in those days
were the native commissioners and tax collectors.
Mr. Kruger pauperised the lower class Boers by
giving them doles out of the Amortization Fund,
erven in the towns and plots of land about the
country, such as Mapochs' Land and the Spelonken
etc., Many of these people had inherited farms, or
portions of farms and sold them, and were actually
working for the Kaffirs. On my farms I had for-
bidden my natives to employ poor Boers, as I con-
sidered it demoralizing for both. Now many Boers
give their farms to natives to cultivate on half
shares and do no work themselves. Natives are
purchasing farms all over the country, while the
poorer Boers congregate on the outskirts of the town,
leading a miserable, demoralizing existence. The
better class Boers will not employ them on the
farms, saying that they are too exacting, and too
lazy to work. When the Germans annexed South
West Africa and there was trouble on the border of
the Transvaal, Wessel Schutte told me in 1884 that if
Germany attempted to interfere in South Africa,
the Boers would stand by the British, noth with-
standing all that had happened.

In 1884 to 1885 the Boers on the Western border
were on the war path ; and Colonel Warren was
sent to watch the position. No one knew what
would happen, and the country was kept unsettled
as usual, but I had my hands full night and day and
could not bother about politics. In a paper issued
at this time June 6th 1885 I find considerable
excitement had been aroused in Pretoria by the
effort of a strong party in the Volksraad to pass a
resolution that the names of all persons who petitioned

A General Survey and Summary of Events 187

the British Government in favour of annexation,
and later against the retrocession should be published,
and that such persons should be disqualified from
occupying seats in the Volksraad or office under
Government, The debate was characterized by un-
relenting bitterness and one member wanted the
disqualification to be extended to the tenth genera-
tion ! This was passed.

As I had taken no part in the annexation, this
could not affect me personally. At this time Hugo
Nellmapius with Sam Marks started the Hatherley
distillery, and President Kruger was asked to christen
it, which he did " De Volks Hoop !"— The people's
hope, and the old conscientious puritan cut his hand
badly with a champagne bottle, which instead of
swinging, he jabbed against the chimney.

On October 28th 1884, President Paul Kruger
sent for me to meet him in the Executive Council,
and urged me to accept a requisition to re-enter the
Volksraad. Again I refused on the ground that I
had been unjustly treated at the time of Shepstone's
annexation in 1877, when my straight- for ward action
in the Volksraad had been misconstrued by himself
and others, especially the Hollanders, and also on
account of my home having been looted by my own
constituents, during my absence in Europe in 1880.
He begged me to forget and forgive, and now to help
the country out of its difficulties. He warned me
against Piet Joubert, who he said, was no real
friend of mine, but I had learnt to distrust them all,
and would not consent. At this time he was very
jealous of Piet Joubert. He was annoyed and told
people that he had begged Struben to come into the
Raad and assist him, as, although, I often opposed
him, he knew that I was honest, and told him to

188 Recollections of Adventurer

his face what I thought was right, but that as I had
again refused to help him, he would have nothing
more to do with me.

Another time I had a long talk with him about
building a reservoir in the Crocodile River Poort in
the Magaliesberg, to irrigate the rich loamy lands
below, but he feared that there were too many
riparian owners, and other difficulties, and nothing
came of it. This dam would supply the Rand Mining
area, besides irrigating miles of rich soil down the
Crocodile valley. The catchment area above the
poort is large and many permanent streams converge
at this point. The river is subject to high floods, and
one took away the bridge at Schoeman's, and carried
away trees, grasslands, etc., and formed a dam in
Vliegepoort, making a lake over thirty miles long.
I remember Mr. Kruger asking me what I thought of
the Transvaal, entering into a treaty with Germany.
I answered that there was no room in South Africa
for two European powers, that the British rule was
established, and apart from that, the Boers would be
less satisfied with German military rule, and official
methods, than they had been with the milder and
more liberal British administration. He said that
I was always afraid of Hollander and German
intrigue, and was prejudiced. I admitted my fear
that any foreign interference in South African affairs
would lead to friction and possibly bloodshed. I
pointed out that Lord Carnarvon's proposed Federal
Union scheme in 1875 had not found favour, that it
was safer to keep clear of European complications
and that it was only self-interest that dictated the
superficial friendly attitude of Holland and Germany,
not any special love for the Afrikander Boers.

On July 3rd 1903, Paul Mare in Cape Town
told me that General Hendrick Schoeman, openly

A General Survey and Summary of Events 189

declared that he was actually the cause of the war,
because on behalf of Paul Kruger he had at the last
election for President destroyed 500 of Piet Joubert's
votes, on account of Joubert being against declaring
war with Great Britain and being prepared to
adopt measures to avert war, and to maintain the
independence of the South African Republic. I
have heard that Schoeman repeated this statement
on other occasions. After the war he was killed
by the explosion of a shell which he was showing
to his children. This same H. Schoeman told
me in Pretoria in 1899 (at the time that Presi-
dent Kruger had gone to meet Sir Alfred Milner
in Bloemfontein), that he would soon see me in
Cape Town, as the Cape Colony Boers would seize
the railways at Hex River Pass, and that some of the
Cape officials were on their side, etc. He was a
commandant at Colesberg during the war, having
invaded the Cape Colony ; but did not get beyond
that point. He was a great friend of President
Kruger's and quoted texts from the Bible on every
possible occasion. I am of the opinion, that had
Piet Joubert been elected President at the last ballot
instead of Paul Kruger there would have been no
war with Great Britain, and the Republics would
have continued to exist, at any rate for some time,
possibly for generations. Piet Joubert distrusted the
Hollanders and Germans, considering them no true
friends of the Afrikander people ; merely exploiting
them to further their own schemes — this was a sore
subject between Kruger and Joubert.

Shortly before the outbreak of the war I was in
Pretoria and walking up to Joubert's house with him
he said to me, pointing to some German officers in
uniform — " those are the fellows that are going to
get us into trouble," and later in his house, while

190 Becollections of Adventures

discussing the situation he said " if war comes, I am
a Dutch Afrikander and Commandant General, and
I shall do my best for my land and people ; but if
anything happens to me, you can always say that
this war is none of my seeking ; it will be a success
for us at first, but will end in the loss of our in-
dependence. I hoped to avert it, but I am over-ruled.
I must obey." He died during the war.

CHAPTER XXXII.

DISCOVERY OF THE WITWATERSRAND
GOLD FIELDS.

As I have already pointed out, after the Boer
war of 1880-1881, the country was at a standstill,
and many people practically ruined. I had tried in
various ways to recover, but not being able to make
headway, was almost in desperate straits, but deter-
mined that something must be done. For many
years I had been convinced that the Transvaal was
very rich in minerals, and I had already found indi-
cations of gold, silver, and other metals in various
parts. As a boy, in 1853, I had accompanied Mr.
Evans through the Drakensberg ranges in Natal,
when he pointed out the occurrence of marine shells
at considerable altitudes, giving evidence of the land
having risen, and the ocean having receded. This
gave me the idea, in 1885, that the conglomerate
beds of the Witwatersrand were (in remote geo-
logical periods) the southern sea-shore of Africa.
That theory has not been disproved as far as I know.
When, in 1858, I accompanied Mr. Evans to Zout-
pansberg, he pointed out that the ranges north of
Makapan's poort were a gold-bearing formation. In
1859 I found gold-bearing quartz in Doel Kraal,
near what was afterwards the Esterling mine ; but
it was of poor quality, and nothing came of it, until
years afterwards.

In 1860 I sent some exceedingly rich specimens
of hematite ore to Glasgow, but I was not able to

Note. — Some of this chapter is taken from an article sent in
1906 to the "Rand Daily Mail," and from other notes by my
father.— (Editor.)

192 Recollections of Adventures

exploit it. Even as early as in 1866, while driving
from Pretoria to Potchefstroom, I noticed vertical
talcose slates on the north-west end of the Wit-
watersrand, but at the time was unable to mine
them. In 1860 and again in 1867, I found copper
near Pretoria, and in the Zoutpansberg district, but
the country was not ripe for mining base metals, and
there was no one to follow up my discoveries. In
1868 I located titanic iron lodes, north of Pretoria.

As elsewhere more fully -explained, in the early
days (1870) I worked at the diamond fields—In 1872
I found and worked gold at Lydenberg. In 1876
Sir Theophilus Shepstone sent an Australian expert
(a Mr. Armfield) to me for information, as to likely
parts of the country to prospect for gold. I told him
that the Witwatersrand was a good formation, and
that colour of gold had been found in the creeks
issuing from the range. He went there, but confined
his prospecting to white-quartz reefs, so missed the
conglomerates, and was not successful in locating
a gold-reef. No further attempt was made at the
time to do this. All this led up to my very strong
belief in the possibility of finding gold in payable
quantities in the country. In 1883 my brother
Fred who was in Natal, returned to " The Willows."
He had had experience of gold -mining on Pil-
grim's Rest, and Lisbon - Berlin mines, and we
arranged a prospecting trip to Rooiberg, where he
discovered gold and ancient copper workings, but
he did not work these owing to lack of funds. In
1884 I purchased Jacoby's farm, Sterkfontein, and
Geldenhuis' farm, Wilge Spruit. Fred went to
inspect them and reported gold on them, and on
Honingnestkrantz. We worked a shaft on Sterk-
fontein, sent some ore to Johnson, Matthey & Co.,
(in England) for analysis, and it gave favourable

Discovery of the Witwatersrand Gold Fields 193

results. Fred also prospected the range from Sterk-
fontein to Wilge Spruit and located the rich outcrop
at the latter place, which we called the " Confidence
Reef". He then discovered the conglomerates on
Paarde Kraal, this we followed along the rand from
Vogelstruisfontein and Driefontein, east of Knights,
which is now the Witwatersrand Gold Fields. On
March 4th I let George Moodie, George Hudson and
Fred each take a share in the " Sterkfontein Junction
Mining Co.," of which I was elected chairman and
Fred manager. On the 7th he wrote that he was
down 28 feet finding " colour " all the way in the
shaft, and had traced the reef to Wilge Spruit. I
engaged a Cornish miner named Arnold, and started
him working on Wilge Spruit under Fred's super-
vision. The man was afterwards quoted as a dis-
coverer, whereas he was merely a labourer in my
employ. As he drank, and was too talkative, I took
him to a copper lode on " The Willows " to get him
out of the way.

On April 16th, 1884, I commenced to drive an
adit into the hill to cut the reef. This took about
two years (being in quartz-porphyry). At the back
of the dyke we struck a strong stream of permanent
water, which I had conducted down to Cliff en dale
farm, where we were then living.

During 1884 we were very busy. I purchased
or leased properties along the line of conglomerate
reefs, known as " Almond Rock " from its appear-
ance, and called " Banket " by the Dutch. Fred was
prospecting and looking after the mining work.
Many friends tried to dissuade us from working
them and told me that I would never see the money
again, as gold had never before been found in con-
glomerate. On or about June 1st, 1885, Dr. Jorrissen
came to me from Pretoria, and said that the

194 Recollections of Adventures

executive had heard that I had discovered rich gold
reefs in the Witwatersrand, and wished me to
inform them if this were the case ; as the Volksraad
were discussing the necessity of issuing money in
the form of Treasury bonds, and that they would be
the laughing-stock of Europe, as they had just got
the Transvaal given back to them by Mr. Gladstone ;
but had not a penny in the exchequer. I admitted
that I had found gold ; but that I had not had time
to develop the reefs, and that it would greatly
interfere with my plans to make our finds public
just then ; but after much persuasion, I promised to
think it over. He said there was no time to be lost
or the Raad would pass the resolution, and the
country would be bankrupt and discredited. I stated
at that time — to the President and members of the
executive, and the entire Volksraad assembled in
Pretoria to meet me — that this was the most exten-
sive and continuous gold field yet discovered. We
thought at that time (judging by the formation)
that there was a certainity of the conglomerate
beds going down at least 500 feet — we now know
that 2,000 feet has not probed their depth. I insert
a report from a Pretoria paper which is as follows :—

" On the morning of the 5th June 1885, in the
presence of His Hon. the President, the Chairman,
and the members of the Volksraad, and a number of
the townspeople of Pretoria, Mr. H. W. Struben of
" The Willows," exhibited gold quartz of great rich-
ness, taken from a lode traversing the Witwaters-
rand, in the Pretoria district. The gold, (which was
visible to the naked eye) permeated the quartz, and
the result of some trials, made by some persons in
the presence of the audience, was extraordinary. A
button of gold and silver, smelted out of quartz by
Mr. W. E. Dawson (who had also made some of the

Discovery of the Witwaternrand Gold Fields 196

assays) was also shown — and the exhibition made a
favourable impression on all present, especially on
those who were best acquainted with gold-mining.
In a speech made upon the mining question, Mr.
Struben laid stress upon the duty of the Government,
to foster and protect the mining interests ; and of
the Volksraad, by wise legislation not to crush but
to assist in developing this new and important
industry in the district. Mr. Struben said that com-
plaints were heard from all classes of the poverty of
the land, the loss of trade, and the scarcity of money ;
but he maintained that such a state of things need
not exist. The Transvaal, with its streams of water,
grazing, agricultural, and especially mining capa-
bilities, was the richest portion of South Africa and
the district of Pretoria was, in his opinion, the
richest part of the Transvaal. He considered that
it would rest with the Government, the Raad and
the people, as to whether these resources were
developed, or smothered ; it would not be the fault of
the soil. He trusted that the Volksraad would so
legislate this session, upon the important question of
the revision of the gold law, that proprietary rights
should be fully defined, acknowledged and protected,
and no excessive duties and royalties levied that
would cripple the mining industry. The digger,
who was the exploiter of the minerals, and the
consumer of the agricultural produce of the country,
should be encouraged and protected ; as long as he
proved himself a law-abiding citizen ; and that the
Government lands should be thrown open to him.
Mr. Struben further described the work done by his
brother Mr. F. Struben in prospecting, mining etc.,
OR the Witwatersrand, during the last sixteen
months. A great deal of hard work had been done
in tracing the reef for over twelve miles ; sinking

196 /tec llectt "is of Adventures

shafts etc., — some to a depth of 50 feet. Tunnels
had been cut, and the reefs showed a larger body at
a depth ; and as much as 121/£ feet through, and the
angle of dip 60 to 80 degrees.

The reef showed the following results by assay.
Johnson, Matthey & Co., London.

Dec. 12th Ozs. dwts. grs.

1884 Assay of gold only 1 7 12

» 16

2 15

., 50

W. E. Dawson, Government Analyst.

May 7th Gold only ... 1 15 22

1885 „ ... 13 8

14 8

June 4th * Pure Gold 913 0 0

1885 Silver 362 12 10

Pure Gold 301 3 17

Silver 123 19 9

Per ton of quartz of 2,000 Ibs.

Mr. Struben further stated that he intended
working as many properties in his possession as he
could manage, at his own cost, that his machinery
was ordered, and would be out shortly from England.
He recommended those who could possibly manage
it, to open up their properties, either individually, or
else to get up small workable companies of moderate

* Note. — This incredibly rich result of 913 oz. to the ton
assayed and re-assayed by the Government analyst, astonished
everyone — and there was great excitement when it was made
public. This was the highest analysis of any gold that had been
found. The gold permeated the quartz, and was visible all
through. This quartz was from the Confidence reef, not on the
conglomerate reef of the Witwatersrand, and was never found
so rich again. This extraordinary find on the Confidence reef
was considered and called (in mining parlance) a " chimney."
After this first discovery all trace of it was lost, and futher
prospecting has up to the present failed to locate its continuation.

Discovery of the Witwatersrand Gold Fields 197

capital, to exploit their lands, so as to keep the
money as much as possible in the country, and not
to rush off with everything to speculators, who
would form gigantic unworkable companies on
foreign capital ; which it had now been proved (as
in Lydenberg), did not pay dividends, and brought
the country into discredit. His Honour the President
responded, thanking Mr. Struben for the exhibition
of the wealth of the country, and for his statements ;
and assured him that he could depend upon the pro-
tection and assistance of the Government to those who
endeavoured to develop the mining wealth of the State.

The hon. chairman of the Volksraad, Mr.
Hoffman, also said that it was, and would be, the
wish and endeavour of the Volksraad to legislate in
such a spirit, that industries of such importance
should not, as Mr. Struben seemed to fear, be crushed
to the ground ; but that they would be assisted and
protected, and the rights of proprietors of the land,
as well as the diggers would be so assured that they
would have reason to be satisfied."

A gold-crushing battery of five stamps, which
I ordered from the Sandycroft foundry in England,
was put up in a kloof on Cliffendale farm (Wilge
Spruit), the first erected in that part of the country.
On the 12th December, 1885, we started crushing the
quartz in this battery; but from want of technical
knowledge, and also in those days having no cyanide
process (as it had not been discovered), we succeeded
in catching only a very small percentage of the
extremely rich but fine gold in the stone. I after-
wards gave the "tailings" — which had run down
the stream after passing over the mercury-covered
plates of the battery — to a carpenter who was work-
ing for us, not realizing their value. He erected a
brandy cask, driven by water charged with mercury,

198 Recollections oj Adventure*

and extracted a couple of thousand pounds worth of
gold which he took to England. He was a sly dog,
and sat complacently smoking his pipe alongside the
revolving barrel, pretending that he was getting
only a little gold, while he really got more than we
amateurs did off the plates in the mill. I only learned
after he had gone how much he had made. The
owners of the adjoining portion of Wilge Spruit
formed a private syndicate, and, to encourage them
I ordered and imported and had erected for them a
five-stamp mill and turbine.

On February 22nd, 1886, I sent the first small
consignment of gold to the Standard Bank of
Pretoria consisting of 61 ozs. 11 dwts.

On June 17th, 1885, I had written a paper to
the " Natal Mercury " giving a geological sketch of
the Pretoria district, mentioning the intention of
Fred to compile a geological map of the Transvaal,
showing gold bearing areas, etc. I also wrote a
long letter to Mr. Gardiner Williams — manager of
the old Pilgrim's Rest gold field — advising him as to
working there, after Fred and I had paid him a
visit. I also asked him to come and see our work on
Wilge Spruit before he went to America, and to
alter his opinion about there being " no payable
gold field in South Africa."

All this time, while Fred was working the mill,
crushing quartz for testing values, for other com-
panies ; I was busy purchasing or leasing mining-
rights, and had a severe time, as some of the sellers
—when offered higher prices by speculators — tried
to repudiate their engagements, although I had paid
them more than they ever expected ; and we had by
our energy and expenditure, made their properties
(unproductive bare veld) of value, while they had

Discovery of thr Witwntersrand Gold Fields 199

done nothing but take the profits. The local and
Natal newspapers published most eulogistic articles
about the service I had rendered South Africa, but
too lenghty to insert here. In those early days
Fred and I were recognised as the discoverers of the
Witwatersrand gold fields, having opened up and
proved the reef for forty miles, from Vogelstruis-
fontein on the west, to Driefontein near Boksburg
on the east. Since then many persons have posed
as pioneers and discoverers after the event. A man
named Walker had worked for me and seen our
pannings of the conglomerates along the reef. He
did get some rich specimens of the main reef on
Langlaagte, but he cannot be considered the dis-
coverer of it, as my brother Fred had found it before
though nowhere so rich. Fred was undoubtedly the
actual personal discoverer of the Witwatersrand
gold-bearing conglomerates or " Banket."

I wrote numerous articles on the subject of
mineral discoveries from 1853-1858, 1860-1866,
1869-1872, all ancient history now. On June 25th,
1885, Mr. Richard Smith of the Metallurgical Labora-
tory Royal School of Mines, London — sent an ex-
haustive report of analyses of a box of ores sent by
me to him in November 1884. The figures would
not be interesting in this narrative.

In 1886 I purchased the then best known coal
field at the source of the Wilge-river known as
Steen-kool-spruit, the coal proved to be of excellent
quality, but I did not work it. Now there are coal
fields opened up all over the country, but competition
has brought the price down, so that it hardly pays
to mine coal, though this coal supply has made gold
mining possible on a large scale. In an interview
given in 1908 to " South Africa " by me is the
following extract :—

200 Recollections of Adventures

" I consider that the Transvaal has only been
scratched, and that the mining industry of the
Transvaal is only in its infancy — but the whole
question of mining in the Transvaal hinges upon the
words " labour, capital, and credit." Given labour
at a reasonable price there is practically no limit to
the possibilities of the country ; but the Transvaal
differs in this respect — as far as we know at present
—from other countries, that, though the minerals
discovered are generally in very large quantities,
practically inexhaustible, yet at the same time there
is no part of the country that has ever proved so
rich locally, as for instance, Bendigo or Ballarat in
Australia. The Transvaal is not so patchy, and
not so rich ; but nine-tenths of the mines in the
Transvaal will pay, given strictly economical con-
ditions. Very few will pay if you have to employ
excessively expensive or unreliable labour. The tin
industry of the Transvaal is in its infancy. This
industry unfortunately has had a set-baek owing to
the nefarious dealing of certain unscrupulous people
in "booming" it on paper, before legitimate work
was done. I am convinced judging from what I
have seen — and I have visited the tin mines, and I
know the country rock of most parts of the Trans-
vaal,— that tin exists in large quantities in different
parts of the country, widely separated, so that one
is justified in assuming that there is a large supply of
tin available. With regard to other base metals, I
am aware that there is magnetic, hematite and
chrome iron, and iron of every possible description in
inexhaustible quantities. Whether that is of value
so far in the interior remains to be seen. Whereas
in America, you have got to cart your coal to your
iron, or vice-versa, here you have very rich iron,
coal, and lime, all within a short distance of each
other. I am of the opinion that for some years to

Discovery of the Witwatersrand Gold Fields 301

come we will not be able to compete against England,
Germany, and America in the finely manufactured
iron or steel article ; but I do hold that the excessive
sea-freight and land carriage should be sufficient
protection, to allow of a profitable industry being
started, for the manufacture of all articles of rough
iron and steel work. You want your stamps,
your fencing irons, your implements of all kinds,
roofing irons, rails, pots, etc., and I see no reason
why all these should not be produced in the country ;
because of the excessive carriage on these heavy
articles imported from overseas.11

AFTERWORD.
BY E. STRUBEN.

Though (as explained by my father) these
Recollections were written chiefly at the request
of his family, many men of note and position in
South Africa and in England, also frequently urged
him to do so, and to publish them ; knowing that
his unique experiences, as one of the first English
pioneers in the country (especially in the Transvaal)
would make it a most interesting record. His
knowledge of the country, and of the different races
in it, was profound and far-seeing. His opinion
and experience were frequently sought by those in
authority, and in the highest positions in the
Government. His influence (as far as in him lay)
was always used to further the highest interests of
the country which he loved and adopted as his own.

He was a keen Imperialist, and a great believer
in the future destiny of South Africa as an integral
and useful part of the British Empire.

He realized the immense capabilities of the sub-
continent as few did ; its untold riches and inex-
haustible resources — only awaiting development.

He deeply deplored the political squabbles and
mistaken ideals of some of its people, which were
retarding the country's advancement. He realized
that these efforts differently directed, could make of
South Africa — so highly favoured as to climate and
conditions — one of the finest countries in the world.
He chose to make it his permanent home, instead of
spending what he made in it or from it elsewhere.

204 Afterword

His hopes and visions of its future welfare, and-its
high destiny among the nations must some day be
justified, as he like all high-minded workers— faith-
fully striving for betterment and right — was a seer
beyond his own immediate day.

I have kept this narrative in my father's own
words and simple and direct style, merely re-arrang-
ing some of the events and incidents, in order to
keep them in chronological sequence as much as
possible. When (very rarely) finding it necessary to
amplify or add anything, it was done from his own
notes or writings. He had intended going over and
re-modelling the whole of it himself, but was unable
to do so, and as his health was not good, discontinued
the writing of it in 1911, as there was so much he
felt bound to look after in his affairs.

After seeing the Goldfields proclaimed and
established, and thousands of people pouring into
the country to try their fortunes, and when, through
them money was coming into the Treasury, which
before that was bankrupt, he worked on various
bodies for the improvement of the country. He was
on the first commission for framing the Gold Law,
he was chosen as the first Chairman of the Chamber
of Mines, and also served on the "Digger's Com-
mittee," on Boards of some of the leading mines,
either as Chairman or Director. The life did not suit
him, so after a time he sold out most of his mining
interests, and left with his family for Cape Town,
afterwards taking them to school in Europe, or to
travel on the Continent.

He built the house at Rosebank, Cape Province,
in 1890, which for the years since then has been a
hospitable centre for the family, friends and many
people in this country and from Europe. The Boer

A fterword 20i

War of 1899-1902 caused him much sorrow and
anxiety besides rather severe losses. He travelled
with his wife and two daughters round the world in
1902, leaving just before peace was declared ; hearing
of Cecil Rhodes' death on their arrival in New
Zealand. He strongly and frequently urged the
establishment of a Mint to coin the gold and silver in
this country instead of sending it all away; as it
would save much expense, and would establish an
industry giving many people employment but this
scheme was not found possible at that time.

He was interested in all branches of agriculture,
importing all kinds of farm machinery from England
long before any one else in the Transvaal did so.
He imported various kinds of cattle at different
times, trying to improve the breeds in the country,—
Devon cattle, Hackney horses, Shorthorns and others.
He had tried experiments in the earlier days on the
Transvaal farms with Angora goats, ostriches, etc.
In these matters (being a pioneer), he had to pay
for want of experience sometimes, as always hap-
pens, but others have benefitted by his experience
and many improvements which he endeavoured to
inaugurate have been made.

He was much interested in schemes for the
afforestation of suitable parts of the country, and was
one of the first men who planted large Eucalyptus
forests in the Transvaal (for mine timbers). He was
also interested in schemes for irrigation and water
conservation, making many dams and reservoirs on
his own properties in various parts of the country.

After the family had settled at the Cape he was
asked to stand for Parliament, but owing to rather
indifferent health declined, preferring to take things
more quietly, after the years of a strenuous and

206 Afterward

hard life — so he retired from public affairs; but
continued to take an interest in various useful bodies
and schemes for the general welfare. He was
president of the Western Province Agricultural
Society in 1904, and in conjunction with Mr. Rhodes,
who had generously given the fine show-grounds at
Rosebank to the Society, did a good deal in helping
to improve that Society in its work for the country.

In the last years of his life he was much
saddened by the political unrest, and the racial
quarrels fomented by agitators and irreconcilables,
often saying, that when he first knew the country, the
language and racial questions hardly existed, they
had become greatly accentuated by men posing as
friends of the people. He hoped great things from
the Union of 1910, and though many of these hopes
are as yet unfulfilled, and the country has again
been distracted by rebellion and the great war — those
very events have brought out the loyalty of the more
enlightened to the British Empire and who recognise
the justice and freedom possible under that rule.
In his own words " men of all nationalities and all
parties hoped, that, with the Union, at last all
sections of the community would recognise the
wisdom of conciliation, and of building up a white
nation of South Africans, whether their mother-
tongue were English, Dutch or other European
language."

Though his last days were deeply saddened by
the world war (which undoubtedly hastened his end,
as that of many of the older generation) and he
longed for peace for this distracted country; he
realized that after the war, when life generally
must be re-adjusted to new conditions a brighter
future must dawn, bringing expansion, a wider out-
look, and a greater development of the limitless

Afterword 207

resources of the country in which he always believed,
in spite of many trials and difficulties. He died on
October 18th, 1915, in his home at Rosebank. His
noble upright life of strenuous endeavour was an
example and an incentive to many, and a grand
heritage to his children, for whom he did so much.

Articles in the local papers of October 19th,
1915, said of him. " His name was familiar to all,
not only as a distinguished South African pioneer
ever since his arrival in South Africa as a mere boy
in 1850, but also as the discoverer of the enormous
mineral wealth of the Rand. Since 1890, Mr. Struben
lived at Rondebosch ; and though frequently pressed
to stand for Parliament, his indifferent health led
him to decline. His interest in public affairs,
however, has frequently found expression in the
vigorous and at the same time singularly moderate
letters on the political situation, which have appeared
in the "Cape Times" over the pen name of "Can-
didus Africanus." A man of wide interests, broad
views, and an extraordinary knowledge of South
Africa, its problems, and its history, he would have
been a valuable asset in the political world. His
death at the ripe age of seventy-five, removes a
forceful personality, which has left its mark upon
the development of South Africa in many notable
directions. Mr. Struben's death means the loss, not
only of a fine example of honourable and successful
endeavour, but of a great store of ripe experience
and practical wisdom, which, particularly in these
days of rampant indiscipline, was in a very real
sense, an asset to society and to the State.

It is a story not only of native shrewdness
and quickness in catching the timely tide, but of
grit, pluck and perseverance — and withal of sterling
honesty and proved worth — Mr. Struben was as

208 Afterword

much at home with South Africans of Dutch extrac-
tion as he was with their British fellow-citizens;
and by one and all with whom he came in contact,
he was as much respected for his probity, as he was
admired for his clear understanding and his sound
judgment. Nobody loved South Africa with a deeper
or truer love, and nobody felt more keenly the dis-
appointing relapse to internal strife and dissension
than he. All classes of the community in all the
Provinces of the Union — for Mr. Struben was well
known in all — will mourn his death."

PHINTED IN SOUTH APItlCA BT THE STANDARD PKK88, OAPK TOWH

14 DAY USE

RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED

LOAN DEPT.

This book is due on the last date stamped below, or

on the date to which renewed.
Renewed books are subject to immediate recalL

12Apr'62LZ

APR 2 4 1987

AUTO. DISC. MAR 31 '87

LD 21A-50m-3,'62
(C7097slO)476B

General Library
University of California

re 48020

M310588

GENERAL LIBRARY -U.C. BERKELEY

BOQOB17572