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THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRFGER ^M^^ % - Pi^ Id (Bcol THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER FOUB TIMES PRESIDENT OP THE SOUTH APEICAN HEPUBLIC ml TOLD BY HIMSELF !•■• B TORONTO George 1R. HDorana d Company, %im\tct> 1902 fill 193929 Copyright, 1902. by Thi CiarnniY Co. PMithtd Nammnhtr, 190g. PMNTEOIN THl OKITtO STATU iV THI DiVmHE P«t«* PUBLISHERS' NOTE Mr Keugee dictated these Memoirs to Mr. H. C. ^redeU, his private secretary, and to Mr. Piet Gro- bler the former Under Secretary of State of the South Afncan Republic. These gentlemen handed theu. notes to an editor, the Rev. Dr. A. Schowalter, ^o spent several weeks at Utrecht in constant col- loquy with Mr. Kruger, elucidating various points m^Jhe aid of the President's replies to a list of^ome hunched and fifty to t^o hundred questions which JJr. Jjchowalter had drawn up. 1 ^J^t^^f "'*" ^^ American edition has been trans- lated by Mr. A. Teixeira de Mattos from Dr. Scho- ^'}uV ""^^^^ ^^""*" *^^*' ^'"ated line for line with Mr. Kruger's original Dutch; with this differ- ence that, in this edition, Mr. Kruger speaks in the first person throughout, whereas, in the Conti- nental editions, the narrative is aUowed to change into tLe third person from the point at which he be- gins to attain a prominent position in the affairs 5f his country. This latter arrangement, which ap- peared on reconsideration to be an artificial one, has Pin been altered in this translation, and it has also been decided that, after Mr. Kruger's death, aU subsequent Continental editions shall be printed in the first per- son throughout. In the Appendix have been collected several docu- ments in the shape of speeches, proclamations and circular dispatches, including the famous three hours' speech delivered by Mr. Kruger, after his inaugu- ration as President for the fourth time, on the 12th of May 1898. CONTENTS CHAPTER I Eablt Dat8 and Putatb Life Homele3s-In the new hooe-Hunting adventnres- '***" Kroger kills his first lion— The dead lion roars— Fur- ther lion-hunts— Panther and rhinoceros huntiny- Under a rhinoceros— BnflTalo hunting— A fight with a buffalo-cow— Elephant hunting— Race between Kruger and an elephant- Canine fideUty— Kruger amputates his own thumb CHAPTER II Commencement of Public Activitt Foumey to the Sand River in 1852— The Sand River Convention— Punitive expedition against the Kaflir Chief Secheli— Kruger's life in danger-Vindictive raid on the Kaffir chiefs Makapaan and Mapela— Kruger alone in the cave among the besieged Kaffirs- He recovers Potgieter's body-Expedition against Montsioa— Kruger charges a band of Kaffirs sinjrle- handed * CHAPTER III In a Position of Command he first Basuto War-Kruger assists the Orange Free State against the Basutos and negotiates the peace with Moshesh— Kruger as general in the field against the Kaffir chief Gasibone Tii 35 53 CONTENTS CHAPTER IV The Citii, Was: 1861-1864 Kroger', protest againt the violation of the consUtution '^ by^oJLandant General Schoeman-Assembly c^^« «U »t Pretoria— Kruger'8 declaration of war—At St : r^-ent an^d their frustration by Scho. T„ Kruirer is nominated a voting member of the r;;m^?J-b, in order that he may be ,c.^^ hold office in the State without ^PP-^f^^^^^^te tiationii-Military preparations on both "id^-in political contest develop, into a religio^ ^^^^Jl*^ S Potchefstroom-Schoeman's flight-Renewed ne^ tiatic^The arbitration award of the Supreme Court r^'^e^Kmger i-^^ed-Battle of Zwar^^P.- Fresh negotiations-Mutual amnesty-The new eiec- tions-K^ger again Commandant General . . • • CHAPTER V Nativb Wabs Fighting in the Zoutpansberg-Lack °^ ^^"^ Z support-Kruger alone among the Kaffirs ... 9 CHAPTER VI Pbbsidbmt Bubokm w. .git.aoa-ExpUn.Uon brtw«n Kruger ma » viii lOS CONTENTS ger»— BurgersV poUcy— War with Secncunl— Dispute abont the arbitrary war-tax imposed by the President- Sir Theophilos Shepstone, the British Governor of Natal, arrives with his plans for annexation— Confer- ences with Shepstone— Burgers's difference with Kro- ger and the Volksraad— Kroger elected Vice-president —The annexation of the Transvaal— Protest of the Executive Baad against the annexation CHAPTER VII Th« Intsbbbonvx undxb thb British Fiao :ruger'8 first visit to London with the deputation sent to procure the repeal of the annexation— Popular meet- ings and popular voting in the Transvaal— The second visit to London— The Kaffir chief Secucuni puts the English doctrine into practice— The British Governor seeks Kroger's assistance against Cetewayo, the Zulu king— Further assemblies of the people and protests against the annexation— Kroger pacifies the masses— The High Commissioners, Sir Bartle Frere and Sir Garnet Wolseley, interfere— The other Afrikanders ask for the freedom of their Transvaal brothers — Kruger suspected of treachery— The delegates of the burgher meetings arrested for high treason— Kruger once mpre allays the storm— Plans for confederation opposed by Kroger— Sir Bartle Frere tries to treat privately with Krugeiv-Kroger refuses on the grounds of Frere's double-dealing— Kroger and Joubert have recourse to Gladstone by letter— All hopes of a peaceful solution abandoned joa CHAPTER VIII The Wab of Independence: 1880-1881 le seizure of Bezuidenhout's wagon — Meeting of the burghers at Potchefstroom— The " IrreconcUables " at ix CONTENTS Paader Kraal dect a triumvirate, consisting of Kroger, Jonbcrt and Pretorins, to carry on the govcrnment- The first shot-BatUc of Bronkhorstaproit-Majuba HiU-Paul Kroger during the war-His negotiations with the Kaffir chief Magato, whom England was trying to gain as an ally-Armistice and peace negotiation.- ProteF^s in the Volksraad-" Transvaal " or South African Republic " ? 147 CHAPTER IX Paul Kupoeh's First Pbesidknct The election-The war -ith the Kaffirs in the Lydenburg district-Kaffir disturbances on the south-westero fron- tiers of the Republic-Boer volmiteers, in -Pfte of the President's proclamation, enlist under the Chiefs Mo- shette and Mankoroane, for their war "g*^;* "*« Kaffir chiefs, and found the RepubUcs of StelWand and Goshenland on the territory awarded them for their services— The Chiefs Montsioa and Moshette place themselves under the protection of the Transvaal- England protests against this arrangement-Nego- tiations regarding the western borders be^een Kru^^ Sir Charles Warren and Cecd lAodes-Kroger s third visit to London-Sir Hercules Robinson-Repeal of the suzerainty by the London Convention of 1884- Visits to the European Governments-Dr Leyds -Internal situation of the Republic ^ ^^^^^-/^'^ Delagoa Bay Railway-Unsatisfactory condition of the finances-Disturbances on the westero ^'O"*;"'-^;^'" covery of the gold-fields-The population of ^e gdd. fields: the " Uitianders "-Negotiations ^itii the Free State for a closer aUiance-Incorporation of the JNew Republic" 165 CONTENTS CHAPTER X Paul Kbuoeb'i S«cond Pbkiidxnct: 1888-1893 Dr. Leyds appointed State Secretary— Cecil Rhodes '*" canses trouble on the northern fronUers of the Repub- lic: the Chartered Company; Lobengula; Khama— Treaty of alliance between the Orange Free State and the South African Republic— Arrangemerts in favor of the UiUanders: the Law Courts at Johannesburg; the Second Volksraad— Paul Kruger's "hatred of the Uitlanders"— The Swaziland Agreement— British per- fidy—the Adendorff trek— Religious differences— Kru- ger the " autocrat "—The educational question— New elections ,„_ 187 CHAPTER XI Paul Eruoeb's Thibd Pbesidbnct: .ogS-1898 The Transvaal National Union— The second Swaziland Agreement— Difficulties with the Kaffir tribes in the Blue Mountains— The English immigrants refuse to perform military service— Sir Henry Loch at Pretoria —The President insulted— Annexation of Sambaan- land and Umbigesaland by England— Solemn opening of the Delagoa Bay Railway and tariff war with Cape Colony— The Jameson Raid— Mr. Chamberlain's pol- icy of provocation— The report of the Mining Com- mission—The struggle between the Government and the Supreme Court— Sir Alfred Milner— New elec- tions—The Queen of England a " kwaaie vroun "— Closer alliance with the Orange Free State .... 211 CHAPTER XII Paci. Kbuobb's Fourth Presidency The Bunu Question— Sir Alfred Milner— F. W. Reitz— J. C. Smute— The agitation of the South African zi CONTENTS PAOB League— Tlie Edgar Case— The CriaU: the suffrage, the roaerainty— The Ultimatum— The War— Prealdent Kmger during the War— On the way to Europe— On foreign Boil— Homeleaa— Conclu«Ion *6l Speei in Stt APPENDIX Speeches delivered at the Solenm Inauguration of HU Honor S. J. P. Krufwr as State President of the South African Republic, un Thursday, IS May 1898 . . . B Speech of State President Krugcr in the First Volksraad on MonJay, 1 May 1899 Two Speeches of President Kruger at the Decisive Sit- cing of the First and Second Volksraad of 2 October 1899 888 868 876 Circu] Cod era] Telegi Gen( Circula mand and Proclam of tiu Opening Speech of President Steyn at the Annual Session of the Volksraad of the Orange Free State at Kroon- 8tad, 8 April 1900 Index 881 E Opening Speech of President Kruger at the Ordinary Annual Session of the First and Second Volksraad of the South African Republic at the Joint Sitting of 7 May 1900 zU 885 CONTENTS F Speech delivered on the 7th of May by Pn^M,,.* ir '*«■ to e,pI„.«o„ of hi. Opening 7uZhTlT^7'^ Session of 1900 . ^' Ordinary ' ' ' • 891 O Circular Dlipatch from State Pre.M*.„f ir Comuuu.dant General., 1,,.^''^^* ^T' *° *^* eral. and Officer. . Commandant Gen- S99 H 408 I Circular Dispatch from the State President tn f». r> 405 J Proclamation by President Stevn airaini.1 «,. a of the Orange Free State * ' Annexation 409 Index 411 xHi EA CHAPTF.H I EARLY DAYS AND PRIVATE LIFE Hoim kil — ] Ba hun Me M myp< Til Coles] on tfa( Caspa wife, ( behind were sj other f ingah old wo many, but that the i woman, &a — NoUby CHAPTER I «*«I.y D4Y» AND TOVATE LIFE JVI ^ ""•"«*<"" «o b«>k to the time when, « -I » * . boy of nine. I left the land of my birth with my P«ent. «h1 my ™ele. Gert »d Theuni. Kruger ™ then we h«i lived .t V.«lb»lc F.™,, ™ fte Cole.berg dirtriet in C.pe Colony, whe™^^ bom on the 10th of October ,82, „ the third chUd ^J C«p.r J„ Hendrik Kruger- »d Elis. Steyn^l". mfe, daughter of Douw Steyn. of Bulhoek F^ w«e ample farmer., and I grew up at the f.™ like w I IT" "": '""""^ "'''' *' "'«>» »<' '-d! 2 . hand m the fields. With the exception that an old woman prophesied to my mother that her Z a THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER Stephanus Johannes Paulus was destined for a su- perior position in life, I do not know that any one could have had the least notion that God would en- trust me with a special mission. The first event of unportance in my life was our departure from home, our trek. I was too young at the time to occupy myself much with the reason of the great emigration. But I know that my pa- rents said they emigrated because the English first sold the slaves and, after they had got the money, set these slaves free again; and that the money which had been awarded in compensation was made payable in England, where it could be received either person- aUy or through an agent. The expenses entailed by this method of payment in many cases amounted to more than the capital, so that a great many preferred to sacrifice what was due to them, rather than be put to so much trouble and vexation. But they refused to contmue to live under such unjust masters. Added to this, the Kaffirs repeatedly raided the col- ony and stole the Boers' cattle, and the English gen- eral, after the Boers had themselves recovered their cattle, declared the collective herds to be so much booty, out of which the British Government must re- cover their war-costs before the rest could be distrib- uted among the former proprietors, who had them- selves joined in the fighting in order to get back their own. The discontent caused by this unjust proceed- EAHLY DAYS AND PRIVATE LIFE ing took a iinn hold of thp P««« • j fte chddren, and when those p:*»e„ts, n,adf s^ by custom, were detained in such an Lhif «nd used for the ™..^ ^ arbitrary way bitterness wLl'^d^rd ' '"'■'"''''^' -<* «- left house ^ho^trXT '"l'^''- pnonf^, J * ^"^ and unknown country, and set out, about twentv of ,, ^"^^ >a^^ine.ehan«ef„rthe«o<:s5,f^^^r M? r'T" *^ ''""^^ «-' eonunen^ i„ *y occupation here *™^' ""^ ^^^ »««nped. --astodri.thrcjs^rar.piei'e: fier. ihe children of mosf nf +k^ this work for f K Ml eniigrants had to nis work, for the black servants had nearly all -ned. the Colony, and, just aUhattLTwh:! ?^HE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER the whole property of the families consisted of herds of cattle, their services would have proved speciaUy useful.* Other burghers left their home at the same time as my parents and were also encamped near the Cale- don River. But this was not the Great Trek. That took place during the following year, 1836, under Hendrik Potgieter, and was joinf.l by the single groups of earlier emigrants. Immediately after this junction, a meeting was held, resolutions were passed to which all the emigrants had to submit, and a sort of government was instituted. But God's Word con- stituted the highest law and rule of conduct. Pot- gieter was chosen for the first position, that of com- mandant. The resolutions which came into general force contained, for example, the decree that it was unlawful cO take away from the natives, by force, land or any other of their property, and that no sla- 1 1 am on this occasion able to confirm the authenticity of an anecdote which tcUs how a genUeman v o introduced an EngUsh lord to President Kruger, thinking that the latter did not take sufficient account of his aristocratic visitor, and hoping to make a greater impression upon h.m, began to enumerate the important positions which this nobleman occupied, and to tell what his ancestors had been. Whereupon the President an- swered drily : , , ..> r " " TeU the gentleman that I was a cow-herd and my father a farmer. The gentleman who introduced this nobleman was the proprietor ot a large distillery at Zwartkop in the neighborhood of Pretoria.-iVb^. 6y the Editor of ih» German Edition. ~ u .j The anecdote is quite weU known in England, where I have often heard it told of a certain noble duke who, at that time, had held no I«"'^"'" Po- sition outside the Court, but whose father, who was then living, had fiUed more than one important post under Government. -3Van*/a— DeWet. ^'^''^^"^^s operations against "d plunder, and alsot ^'.^ITr «» *° -" »ok part in this evn!^T ^'™ •^'««- I 'a«on iaager irw::der^f '^^ '^" ""^ °w the Potchefst^om dil°:':nr^"' '" '''"" " THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER the Chief Magato at Klein Bueflfelshoek, near the well-known Elephant River in the Magaliesherg, where he was hiding. We shall hear of him again, for he settled, later, in the neighborhood of Rusten- burg. He had only a few followers with him and, when Potgieter asked him where Moselikatse was, he told him that he had already crossed the Crocodile River. Asked why he had remained behind and was in hiding, he said that he had escaped during the night on the march to the north, and was now liiding because he stood in fear of Moselikatse's bands which had been left behind on the Moselikatse Pass. See- ing that it was impossible to overtake Moselikatse and that an attack on the entrenched position at Moselikatse Pass was out of the question, the com- mando returned to the women's camp on the Rhe- noster and Vaal Rivers. But as early as the fol- lowing year, 1840, Potgieter started with another commando, and this time went direct to Moselikatse Pass. I took part in this expedition too. Potgieter there found a large KaflSr town, which he stormed. When it was in our hands we recovered a number of things which had formerly belonged to the trekkers who had been murdered by Moselikatse's orders. During the pursuit of Moselikatse, the chief Ma- magali told Potgieter that there was still a force of Moselikatse's savages at Strijdpoort in the Water- berg district. Potgieter went there at once and al- io EARLY DAYS AND PRIVATE LIFE tucked the Kaffir camo. But it *. j »- fighting the w4^;^;l "1°"' """ "" Zulu, but Hooi, or red Ka^^ho h^l'T "°* to join MoseUkatse-s hordeT Dr^^ltto^"/""*' informed of this t«^ i, , ""^V Potgieter was Mamaga.. w^h^J reaT^fr ^ r"«- .-sted and. after a r.^Url^lfZ^^^^'^ was sentenced to six m„n*h.- • • "artial. would not have JlffT^ '"Pn^nment. He «b.e to p„ve .hall «:; tX H H '.^ ""' "^^ associated with Mo.»ri, » ^"^ •'""y^ "^e" <.e had takeTSfzl:"*^'™^--*' ""<■*- they hr,ed tm Ir" *"' "'^'^''^^ "f^ -"ic^ losis T„ . L ""'* '""■'^ occasioned great losses. To mstitute schools or churches or »'• Aoonuni,- ■nutual frontier and h.H . *"' ■*«««!»« the tween Portugal and that part o^J ' 'T'' '^■ the Boer em.-«rant, ^Tu^lZ^T ""* Pamed this expedition, as depurZu ^'"" my father and the nth.^ u ^ " "°™«*- ''"h went as far north "t^e "' °" ^'°"'y- ^e "d therefo^S^TheX^^Or'"'"* *•*'<*• found no ahid^Vpi^S^'^j,^^';^- But we «nd other evils determined ... t T ^'"^"'kness ■«berg. where I c^™"1T *?. "*™ *» «>« Maga- ^ fanns by bar^^'HelfTr ' ■^"'''^ '^- he misfortune to W ^^ ""^ "*«• ^ had ■< "Pon civil n.,a«^ „ , JT J"" »">«r»i5e «, „]^„„, ^ ««l>aB«toS^.,S^,,"l,-.fr^^': "t""! rite fo, 1,;^ IS THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER to whom she hod given birth. God gave me another life-companion in Miss Gezina Suzanna Frederika Wilhehnina du Plessis. From this marriage s^ ig nine sons and seven daughters, of whom three sons and five daughters are still alive. The first care of the new settlers was to secure e- liable labor and to induce the black inhabitants of the country to undertake it. That was not an easy mat- ter. For, although the Kaffir was willing enough to work, he was always endeavoring to cheat his mas- ter in one wav or another. And, as soon as he had learned his wor.., his arrogance often became imbear- able. We had constantly to fight this difficulty in great ways and smaU, and the contest sometimes had its humorous side. For instance, one New Year's Day, I sent a Kaffir from my farm at Waterkloof to my mother's farm (I had lost my father in 1852) to fetch some raisins. My mother sent me about five or six pounds, and said so in a note, which the Kaffir conscientiously delivered. But the letter was a proof that the Kaffir had robbed me, for the raisins which he brought weighed much less than the quantity men- tioned in the letter. I asked him what he meant by trying to cheat me and why he had eaten nearly all the raisins. " The letter tells me," I said, " that there were a great many more than you brought me." " Baas," he replied, " the letter lies, for how could 14 J^HLV mvs AND PH,VATK UFE 1 l»d . ve.-. faithful K.r '"I ' *" *" "*»• "f n,y other f^„ ^^^' T"'" ^P"'' «» «»• ■"^ ""ttie to S.UI, p:7„*; ;2' '.i™""' "■«• -'on. the „*e:rt „l^/^~"'-«'- "-t«>d f„, "rf I "dded that he wafll ^t '^''' '""«»■»-" "he number of st^ "T."" """^ ''"*«"«i by »" by a mej^^t ^ *^ '''^' which I ^l *» by the n.e»e„g;r "d Z *" """ '"'^ « -'-".eietter^rurCKr '""'""' en«Iy proud of his scholarly att, *" ™- •t "H-ment co.«idered hiL^if "!""'"'* ""^ '">■» '•7 other Kaffir ™ ""*^'^ mmeasurably above - induced hiTLdTsorr'^^ '""^^ -«" «-toh.V.a„ds^^i;;f^°"'^-'t-omes. 15 THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER " Give this letter to April; he will give you what I want" This was done; and when they returned, bringing a letter from April, I said: " Give me the letter which April has written, so that I may see if you have cheated me or not." They were simply amazed, and April's scholar- ship roused their unbounded envy and admiration. They told everybody about the wise April who had suddenly learned to read and write. At that time there were no missionaries in our country; but a pious Kaffir, called David, went round among his countrymen in order to teach them religion. When this David wanted to teach the Kaffirs in my district the Bible and how to read it, they refused to learn to read or write. " Why," they asked, " should we first learn the ' book ' and then bother to learn to write, in order to be able to read again what we have already learned, when Paul Kruger's Kaffir reads and writes without knowing the book and witliout having learned to write?" David came to me and told me his difficulties, and, in order to break down the resistance of the Kaffirs, I was obliged to let David into my secret. April did not forgive me for a long time, for his impor- tance and the admiration of his comrades were now things of the past. 16 Ounng the first year, ni' •I" recently .cquir-d l.li \ '"'' *° «•«' •"d hither^ ^' i "'W -"^I^ Which •W' with the „iM '.c^. l™"""' "•^' ""y !»«*>»*.. Even- Bo^, Ll """ *" P"""* ou, «ntu« ,„d ,„ « r^*; '-whom the ]„ve „f ^. table. "'^' *° ""ke the country habi- " " too much to "liLfe" ?""" ' "«« MIed. "on.. b„ff.,„e,. rhi„::™^'; : -"^ r "«' »' "« present at a big hunt Z ^ ^^" """* 1 •« «.e detail, «.n.feS ^i^T" '. """ *" ■""" " I know. I „„,, have Z J> . r*^ ^ ^" *Phant, and five wL "" ""'"y *« 'o^y «•«* I w ki„;' Set""- ^"^ ^ ■»- went hunting I .j^.^: ^^^ a L ""'""■ ^"^ ^ " -«« -» good hoi,/rnd rTrr '^^ "^' hrger hunting expediti;™ J aT. f " ""'• °" wagons of our poo,'"*"* *° «"ow two or three % might havHl^t """""'^ •"• » ""t ,y cattle that were graz- THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER ing by the banks of the Rhenoster River in what has since become the Orange Free State. Six of us started (I was the seventh, but did not count) to find that lion. We were all mounted and rode in two parties of three, with a good distance between the parties. The lion sighted us before we were face to face with him, and came on with a wild rush. The three adults with whom I had come, my father, my uncle and my brother, quickly tied the horses to- gether and then turned them round, with their heads in the opposite direction to that from which the lion was bearing down upon us. This is the regular pro- cedure at a lion hunt; for, if the horses catch sight of a lion, there is always a danger lest they should get frightened and bolt. My relatives placed us. I was told to sit behind — or, from the lion's point of view, in front of— the horses, with my rifle covering him. His last bound brought him close to me; then he crouched, with the intention, as it seemed to me, of jumping right over me on the horses. As he rose, I fired, and was fortunate enough to kill him outright, so that he nearly fell on top of me. My companions ran to my assistance; but I needed no help, for the lion was dead. He was a strong beast. Hearing the shot, the other three hurried up, and then we all stood round the lion and talked the ad- venture over. A certain Hugo knelt down to mea- 18 sure the lion's tf-Pfh u- . Thinking „: C i^:.'' 7« 7-"'--::, W,. "■'"<* ™ frightened Hu«„ Tt h ;"""' ''™» ™". measurements and fell ^ l, «f"* *''' t""*- The others shoo Al^.X!"^"*-'^ '-''*• knows that, if you tread , ^""^ '""'te'' « *ort time of'his Jirji/'™' '^^ -•*■•" .«-. - though he we« stm a,"" ^ V'"'^ '^^^ '» i™, being foreed from the T ?' '"*'"' ^'" *««t. p^„„3 a,^ ^" *- »tomaeh through the «"■». hut he had forJLn r "' "'"'^- ^'^ ashamed of his fright. i„,;^"' *"'' """^ «««% ie turned on me to give me !j ^T"l!° """-^ *«* *rs stepped good' al:^^;^^^^- But the hm. see that it was only mv iL "" ""^ """»« l™ «. great a fright '^ *^°™"'* *** '■"d given ^ere after a herd of Lfi "'' ^"^^er and I l-^XwasiSS-r^Kil^T'^'-^ '»■». I came upon a herd of iC T^ "* " '•"'■ -^ was out of the question S ^T °" " *''*'' "-s left the herd and mlT' ! '''"'^ '»"' "^ *e -ed him to comellth"!': " '^ ^" ™e. I a,. »* "^ though t^e'tad^-^^ r:, «°<^ *- »«gh the head into the h^„ Th ^ 1 """«' -•-d tu^ed away from me hi " '"' "'* jj, "'^^ ••"* jumped up THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER again immediately and retiirned to his companions, while I reloaded. The moment he reached the herd, he fell doAvn dead. Encouraged by my success, I fired upon the others. But in vain. They escaped into the nearest mountain, and I was not able to fol- low them. A few years later, I had another en- counter, on the same spot, with a herd of lions which had killed several of our oxen. These also escaped into the same mountain; but I succeeded in first shooting two of them. My companions, who were not so swift of foot, lost their quarry. I shot my fifth lion in the Lydenburg district, when on a trek towards the Elephant River. We were pursuing a brute that had robbed us of several oxen. I at that time had a good and faithful dog, which was my constant companion, and which used to track the lions through the bushes. When he found the lion, he stood still, loudly giving tongue till the lion roared angrily back at him. When the dog saw me coming, he stood aside a little. Now the lion got ready for me; but, at the moment of springing, the dog seized him from behind, and a bullet at close quarters dispatched him quickly. This made the fifth lion that I killed by myself. In company with others, I have of course shot a great many more. Durmg a march against Moselikatse, who, a short time previously, had surprised and cut down our so EAKLV DAYS AXD PBIVATK Up^ people, I was orderM f« .. "wnnoiter the enemy's rJ^ '"'«°'"' «° «««« a big herd of eleph Jts it'"* "^ "^ ""me to this encounter Mv t^i, *""" "'''» '^^ but Con«rand.nt Po^Lf "^5 *" """* "^te' *em, »«. «« the enemy ^ThTr''^'' '"" '~" *<»»■ Those .e« theZt^LntsT' "^ ''^ '^"- «■» othe.. m, „„e,fTLrs K™ '" ^ '"^-« °^ "■■^ion to fe, and I waT» f I^' ^™ "^ P^'" i™ down with the ii Jlr T '*' "' *° ""^^ nence on the next occasion th . " ^ "^'^ ^''P'" '"w and faithful hu^STJ ™ -"^ ''"»■''-»- »d I-hunted Ihto^^"'™''-'™. N. Theunissen, W made an a«^.trhy wh^rthT"" *""' "' haved recklessly or thrl 7 ""^ "''"' ^■ ^e Which was'o^;„t:?^ »-«««. ""'»'«' *- a sound thrJhin; ThetT"" *'"''' '^ 'rong with my rifle on tfc *" «»nething ««el of which was Lw »'""'"' «™' "- * IK>wer was ^^Ty le::^"™;!'*' '"^■ -«»^«e™ssth^T^::--;-s.. THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER They were witharnostera,' the most dangerous brutes. I told Theunissen to follow the two cows and not lose sight of them. It was my intention to kill the bull, and then join in pursuit of the cows. My comrade fired from time to time to let me know where he was, for he was soon out of sight in the thick undergrowth of the wood. When I had passed the rhinoceros, I jumped from my horse to shoot him. I placed myself so that he had to pass me within ten paces; this would give me a good oppor- tunity to hit him in a vulnerable place. One bullet killed him outright. I mounted and rode as fast as I could go in the direction whence I heard Theunis- sen's gun, loading my rifle as I galloped. He had just sent a second bullet into one of the cows as I came up. The brute stood quite still. I saw that the animal was trying to get away through the un- derwood, which was less dense here than anywhere else, and I went after her. As I rode past my com- rade, he called out: "Don't dismount in front of the beast; shes awfully wild and can run like anythmg." I did not pay much attention to the warn- ing, knowing Theunissen to be over-cautious, but jui^ped off my horse and ran obliquely past the rhinoceros. She had scarcely caught sight of me iBkenosUr is the Afrikander for rhinoceros. WUhamosUr is . whiU rhinoceros.— TVowJiUor « Not*. 22 EARLY DAYS AND PRIVATE LIFE "^mn ""'.T '" *"" """""• ^ «"''-«' •>« to come ^ . Cstance of three or four ya„is. When I ^Ih ». *"*• '''■^ ""'»»' '''" dose upon me, .nd ttere was nothing to be done but to L^ "."nd a^d run for dear life, m attempting to^ ». my foot struck against the thorn .^t" and I came down flat on my face Th. i„ V me,- the dange.„s hoL' :. l^^t Z^Z pmned me to the «.™d with h. nose! intendi^ to tr«nple me to death. But, at that moment f tZm" d" r r '"^ """""- •" *^ ^"d h^ i^ ' H ': ^""""-"We. right into her a^n H 7- "" '" ""' '^""^ «" "y hold on the gun dunng this dangerous adventure. The rhi- T^z:^:i:r "- '"^- ^-^ "■ ''°™ "- My brother-in-law hurried up as fast as he could for he thought I had been mortally wounded b7my ever, that I was standing up safe and sound, he t«,k h.^ sjambok, and ".e position when I ": I " "'"' ^ ""J^ ""li^d «e«d at being distu"t^'^,.r «"""''■ ^- »tood outside the w^ Tl ,f ^ """"d*'. <« they hi» boms, «, high 2^' ^''.*^ ""ff-Jo'' hoof f„. Fortunately I e!l^ ^1,"^ " " ""'*''« "■- ' ^ escai)ed with a f riirht My brother-in-law N Tl,„ • bunting near Vleeslk™' .^^"^''^'^ »d I we« Wot, when I hid a mor^* ? *^ '^'""•'"* ^■ "buffalo. IhldWtatrf"^"'*""""'^''^* eaped into the de^ th^ kT"' "^ *' '»<' «' p-iMetofouowrh^rb^r;! ^'''r™- ■ny brother Nicholas »n!. 7^, ' *^™ ""^ ''°'* «» in the Uuck undergroti Tv ■'°'' ''^' "^ "-^ *o pursuer. I was^ptsanrr::^^ 7""" *° «* ;;dOenly faemg and a'tlTC^n ^ ""' "" *oo^ but my ffint-loct missed Z so ftTf ^ *° »' >t. The rains had been h. , h«d to run - was a hi, sw.mp1n^:h Svr ^T' '^'"' »t of the enraged animal's wt Thet JT"^ ' "fter me, and stood over mli^'. I ''"**''' ^''^ "ie before I had time tTgrtup. '^ '"'■ 2S .%v HI THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER My rifle was in the water and useless; but, for- tunately for me, as the buffalo butted at me, she rammed one of her horns fast into the ground of the swamp, where it stuck. I got hold of the other and tried with all my strength to force the animal's head under the water and so suffocate her. It was a diffi- cult thing to do, for the horn was very slippery on account of the slimy water, and I needed both hands and every atom of strength I had to keep her head under. When I felt it gomg, I disengaged one of my hands to get at the hunting-knife, which I car- ried on my hip, in order to rid myself of my antago- nist. But, if I could not hold the brute with two hands, I certainly could not hold her with one, and she freed herself with a final effort. She was in a sad plight, however, nearly suffocated and her eyes so full of slime that she could not see. I jumped out of the swamp and hid behind the nearest bush, and the buffalo ran off in the opposite direction. My appearance was no less disreputable than the buf- falo's, for I was covered from head to foot with mud and slime. Theunissen, hearing the row we made, knew that something was amiss, but he could not come to my assistance. It was impossible to get through the undergrowth of thorns on horseback. When I had cleaned myself down a little, I got on the track of the rest of the herd, and succeeded in shooting two. 26 wai never m near 1o,,„b „„ ,;,. « 'Hce „ia, .„ „ « »y We as „„ce during burg and I were on the veZTi" "'" «*»»- «»"« in ,ight.* I "3 ■»«• -hen the first herd t^- i»u,d„„f*rt":,:^««°«''hotat *o"e I was riding „,,, Jr. „ ' ?' '"' ** JW "nimal, and had the uJZ '""^'™'"'y »P'>- ■n a cWe after I di™„:„t^" !"""'"« ">""" - qu'eting and holding him and , "^™»"'«'«J my t^fo^ I was ready to ^'o^t ^ T """= ""» '»»' one of the elephants eau^siit of'"""' ''°™' """"gh the bushes as f J f ""' ""^ ««>e ■>«»ne„t of dis»„:^,:!tr ""'" ^- a* *« ««^ and had not ttefett ,^1" °*""« "' "^ "- "fter n,e. Van RensbrJ h„ "" '''P"""' "«» «nd called ont as loudtt htT u *"' ^™'^'«V turned and saw that Ih^ > t ^ '" """ "e. I -has behind me wftb ber ^t "" "" '"'*'^'""« *« "■ough the underwo^ 7w^7'«'>*-»heb™te elephant was alreadv nn™. '"'"""• ''•" the *e underwood, t^LT "' T' *' ™>'" "^ *e bulk of the elephant r ';' "'" '"«'*''" "^ '^-ditin,p„j^:tr„::^-/;*e«.u„d' o«e, freed myself wifh T ^^* «^° °^ my •^ed. trumpetiW an^ "P^^"*' ^he fol- »nk. Jow came a race for life mm THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER or death. However, I gradually increased the dis- tance between us; but that was a race I am never likely to forget. The Kaffirs who were with us were about a hun- dred yards away. When they saw what was hap- pening, they too commenced to run; so there we were: the Kaffirs first, I after them, and after me the elephant in furious pursuit. While running, the idea — ne to my mind that I would catch the Kaffir who was the poorest runner, and, in case the elephant bore down on him, step suddenly aside and kill her at close quarters. I hao ^-ept hold of my nfle, a big four-pounder. But the -iv^phant was so tired out by this time, that she herself put a stop to the hunt by standing still. Just then van Rensburg came up, but his horse stepped into a hole covered with grass, and both horse and rider came down, for van Rens- burg's foot had caught in the stirrup. Meanwhile, the elephant had disappeared. After van Rens- burg had found his legs again, I said to him: "Hunt in that uirection," pointing with my finger, " and try to catch my horse! " The elephant, in making her escape, had turned first to the north and then to the west, the direction in which the herd had moved on. I said to van Rensburg: " When you have found my horse, bring it after S8 »ne. Meanwhile, I uriil foil .^ J soon came up with th. T ? •* " "*• P"""«l n.e. The «?f t n;:^: ^"'"■''"' «"'* '■«<' I P«»ed it ,„iekly to ™ ,e "f ""^ ^*'"'' »■"• •cre^ed when it »w me "V/. '"''"'"= ■■"* " turned round quioldvLTh ^^' '"°*"- »■'«' f "- 1 J Jped illh^LI;^"?""*": '"^' r could through the undenvo^ "„ . ™" "' '"' "» upon van HeMbur« whoT^T' """^ '"''''^nly " There «„ t«=.S ^ u '"'^* "■y '•<»«• tun, back." "^ *« ««^« »»«.•• he said,- " we must " I'ery well," I answereri " , «»* « shot first at these el,^i, ? ^ ""' ■"■* ^ »■«* ■»= so much troubir- "*""" '""'^ '"'-« «ive„ The mother , er calf i> j I««red, but, before r „.7 '' ™"nwhile disap- '"^y « to shoot two"f IT T ■"*' ^ '"" «• »y hoz^, whose name wL T ^''''''rtunately i^*e poisonous i,i::::i™-tr"-"« -he commencement of the ^in/r::. "tT^::' When quite a vouth T «., ^- My UncleCuir^-" " ''^' " P- « -telope, or e Jd" ^" '"^^ ^ -« W ■ te neighborhood of Cte i^* °"*'" *'''™' -" » antelope in t^el"'^'^""'' - -n gp ^y cousin rode in THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER front and my uncle followed him; there was a dis- tance of about forty yards l)etwcen them. Sud- denly, a panther api^nred and made for us at a furious rate, althou|?h we had given him no provoca- tion whatever. He overtook my uncle; hut the lat- ter's well-aimed shot brought the panther to the ground at the very moment when he was leaping on the horse which my uncle was riding. A big lion-hunt, in which several of us took part, gave me the opportunity of witnessing a remarkable instance of canine fidelity. We had a wh«jle pack of hounds with us. When they had found the herd of lions, they surrounded it, barking furiously. One of the hounds would go no further from us than about twenty paces. There he stood barking; but nothing could induce him to join the pack : he was too fright- ened to do tliat, and too faithful to leave us. One of the lions made for us and then the poor terrified hound was the only one that did not run away. He stuck to his post. He trembled and howled with fear, to say nothing of more visible signs of distress, and every second he looked round anxiously at his master to see if he were still there, hoping, I dare say, that he would fly, and that the dog might follow at his heels. But the master stayed and so the dog stayed. The lion was within ten paces of the dog when we shot him. And even now the timid dog was the only one of all the noisy pack that attacked him as he fell so i i ' :. »inder our fire IT , ^'^ ^IhE ."..-. PC. fo;ij:::z^' '"•"■ ■"■' --•"«' ■»^J the year 1SJ,\ P-^ River, in the ^Ztt" '"'"% *"^ «*-„- veldt ,„ sh«t »„e «^: "'; ~"- "^ ".e %. „„ .^^ "de. I came .em,,. J ' '■"'" "^ ''our', I oniy succeeded" :* r"?,""" """ •' "■ »"* into the «„od. 1 d" ™" „/? ' ""'"""• ""> i* ««! .'»-• - the rh,i l:,r.'" T '""" "^ "> whi<* e«e it would be „ " " *" "'"«''' "-- »«• 1 «.«eeded in «e« "„ "^ *" """•""' »« «»t ve.7 „on,e„t. n,/^*," e.' ^^' ^' •""' «' ^W it with ™v left h "d ? '^ -^"^ *''''* r <«t«ndthe™,Jl.^''^ -" "^ '^" ♦-™''. the ^^^'ofthe^unLS-Tfr™^™'' ^k, for the f„„v,„3 ^i^^,-^^ J *«d no „•„, ,^ ' I »"«, with the rhi„«=e™s it """^ " '"'' = '».e to the ford of a Itol '""™''' ""til ^■- cme to the arouj I "^""*- ""'^" "y P«r- ■■'«y»thedirX:of::r""'«'-«»Hde Ilj: i THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER horse, went to the spot, and there they found the rhi- noceros still alive, and, following the trail of blood, discovered the remains of the rifle and my thumb. My hand was in a horrible state. The great veins were torn asunder and the muscles lay exposed. The flesh was hanging in strips. I bled like a slaughtered calf. I had succeeded in tying a large pocket-hand- kerchief round the wound while riding, to save the horse from being splashed with blood. When I got to the wagons, my wife and sister-in-law were sit- ting by the fire, and I went up to them laughing so as not to frighten them. My sister-in-law pointed to my hand, which looked like a great piece of raw meat, the handkerchief being saliu-ated with blood. " Look what fat game brother Paul has been shoot- ing 1 " she said. I called out to my wife to go to the wagon and fetch some turpentine, as I had hurt my hand. Then I asked my sister-in-law to take off my bandolier, and she saw that my hand was torn and noticed how white I was, for I had hardly any blood left in my body. I kept on renewing the turpentine bandages, for turpentine is a good remedy to " bum the veins up," as the Boers say, and thus to stop the bleeding. I sent my youngest brother — ^he was still really young at the time — ^to borrow as much turpentine as he could get from the nearest farm, which was about half an hour's ride away. Herman Potgieter, who j ss II V- »My to conrfort me: ^''* "^ ''~ther said, pes- We inspanned and drove to tl,. <• there advised me to aendTo^ / "^^ ^^'^ °^ *»d amputated; but I W, f^' "'^ '"''« *« -y-lf to be stiU ftlir^rf «^' -» to allow wm. ThetwoJoiToTrw^"^"^"-^- k-J gone, but it appearedT! T ""* ""^ «'"»'' ^^ *» '-move a^ft " '?"'<' ^i" •» nee "tending to perfo^ t^e^ .'" ^ *~'' "^ "^'^e. •-"y f«.m me. I^t tlTT ' '"* *'^ *^^ i* ■nd out across the Cl t ,h .?"*'' " "«= ^^ -.".uttbeoper.tionwasaXX';""^'"^ ""^ « means by me of deaden in^T^"' °"'- ^ '"«» =""«Ie myself that tteT!. " ^'"' »° ^ '"«) to '■^« thil su^£ *! *"■ °° ''"'h I was per- dy else. *^^ "J"'™""" Wonged to some- The wound hpoT^^ -aed flnely-ttde^^'T »""''^- The women ypowderedsugaronit, and, fr„„ i ll THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER time to time, I had to remove the dead flesh with my pocket-knife; hut gangrene set in after all. Dif- ferent remedies were employed, but all seemed use- less, for the black marks rose as far as the shoulder. Then they killed a goat, took out the stomach and cut it open. I put my hand into it while it was still warm. This Boer remedy succeeded, for when it came to the turn of the second goat, my hand was already easier and the danger much less. The wound took over six months to heal, and, before it was quite cured, I was out hunting again. I account for the healing power of this remedy by the fact that the goats usually graze near the Spek- boom River, where all sorts of herbs grow in abun- dance. , 84 CHAPTER II COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC ACTIVITY •ii, m lii CHAPTER II COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLir .r, ' PUBLIC ACTITITY tte Sand BiVer. where th. f Pretoria ■ to mention wa, conrfuS "" ^"""^ «*'" Con- Xn that same year fh *-na chief S^eli' ^Ct t^t"^ ""^ »- " » oommand»t. This S^^' , *°°'^ P«rt ^ » II;: li THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRUGER other Kaffir chief, called Moselele, who had com- mitted several murders in the South African Repub- lic, and refused to deliver him up. The demand for Moselele's surrender was received with the insolent reply: " Who wants Moselele can come and fetch him out of my stomach." Secheli meant to convey that Moselele was as safely hidden with him as the food which he had eaten. A commando under Chief Commandant Scholtz, with myself as deputy-commandant, was sent to pun- ish him. When the commando arrived before Se- cheli's town, the Kaffir chief sent a messenger to Commandant Scholtz to say that he would do no- thing to him on the morrow, as that was a Sunday, but that he would duly settle his accoimt on the Mon- day. At the same time, he very artlessly asked for some coffee and sugar, probably in return for his amiability in " letting us off " for Sunday. Com- mandant Scholtz sent back word to Secheli that he had coffee and sugar, but none to give away. He promised, however, to give him pepper on Monday. On Monday morning the battle began. I was well in front, and brought down a number of Kaffirs with my four-pounder, which I had loaded with coarse shot. When the mountain on which Secheli's town lay was already partly taken, Louw du Plessis, who was sen- ing the guns, accidentally hit a large rock, and the S8 I'UBLIC ACTIVITY «n.e bound up „;''^*;:^-»-» "Ok, and bouId«: ^ -«- -eeping up to which my burghe« w^dl! ' '*"^^«' "» danger "ot warned in tLe I ^ '''''°*^ '^ ««y "«« 'tt«k on «,e dange^u, ^i^ralC*" "^ '"^ prevented me from c^T "«'' "^ ''"•"d ^"teptupahotfeS'""^"'"*^- ^"'K-rf- «f ter a sharp fight the^^ T^ '*™ '"<' «°'e«- b-t, My hfe was in danger fnr . «^ «une battle. One^f Z "^f *™' '''^^ ^«-n>ahugerifle,stru;met ^n '"^^'' '^ J«cket in two. The art^t e * .f^"^ ""^ tore my f-t he had, up to thl wtd ?,''"'"'"'' "'•' •» bx*. but that, whenl'ht " ^ ^"" '^ "^-^^^ ^ brandy-bottle iZ ""^ ^"^^ "^ bands on »f fact, iLen ;eri' T^""'' ^ " ""tter After hostihC!^'"'™? of brandy. ■* nnssionaiy, whieh 7 '™*^'°''«' ^^ En«- ^ "''"<* ''as not far from the kJt ^ /* THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL ERU6ER i town. Here Theunis Fretorius found a complete workshop for repairing guns, and a quantity of ma- terials of war which Livingstone was storing for Se- cheli. This was a breach of the Sand River Con- vention of 1852, which prescribed that neither arms nor anmiimition should, be supplied to the Kaffirs, and that they should not be permitted to provide either for themselves. Scholtz accordingly confis- cated the missionary's arsenal, and in consequence the Boers were abused by Livingstone throughout the length and breadth of England, and slandered in every possible way as enemies of the missionaries and cruel persecutors of the blacks. As a matter of fact, the Boers were neither op- posed to the mission nor enemies of the natives. Their principle was tu allot a certain district to every tribe that kept quiet and peaceful and was willing to accept civilization; such district to be proportion- ate to the size of the tribe. The missionaries who wished to labor among the natives also received free grants of land for the erection of churches and for private purposes. Even before the arrival of the missionaries beyond the Vaal, some of the Boers had instructed their native servants in the Gospel. But they were often brought into unpleasant contact with the native tribes owing to the engagement into which they had entered to deprive the natives of the arms which the latter were constantly smuggling into the 40 f PVSLIC ACTIVITY country Th; "■^ """ty of the e™Sr:i"' Tl* ^-""'^ , ', • ""t aiso political c„' ■p"'^"'y, not only w.ii„^ ~ """' *"•■ ">« <^'viJi«tio„. and tW is^K. ^"*'' ^''^'^ ha, ,«om fo^""' """l '""°ani- <»"'ya handful of It *'^''"'' "»««•'' civiljj^" 'i" only one form of «aOves,„ order, sev^rit^r" *" ''^^ "unS^n/Sf" "'"^'" *"'="'*« **»» he came slln! *f "" ^^^tial. The bWu "'*»"*«da of black "bey and lea^''^;'- .f * "« be'on^ to the "feH'" '.'^ *" *^ ^^^M •We position adopS h r''' "PP^'' « thouKMhe 7, "^ *'"*^'' ^^ And again, ""'^ nJonUity, » ^iniy a^t^with^'irtThrr ^""^ '^••«-'*"^^^^^^^ ^^^ Africa would be the^an V "^^ *''«* «>e greatest 1 J^*" '^"^ »<«* «'"«on to this questto^ "S." '^"''^ P^vidfTtll'll'^*"'*'' South ;^e as regards^t Repubr'^l'^ " P«'C ryefu^h."*"''^*"'^^ "d simple. Every Kaffir tH^' i!f '".''"^y' «'• «the^ he, l^"' ^«>''- "spect the authoritv «f '^ '^""n <>"' bound«t ' ^'""°" ''' <^Iear "^-h these tHt"Xlr.f--n'ent. and "in'Xr* .*;! *""«"* *«> ^ their share of thf kv *' ""^^ ^ equitablv^ . ""** *''* '*«'s. by '^ fo'-igners Td etT , """^en- W^ o't^^T *««d. they must "-^etheseunfortunatTKaffi ^i^ ^^P"'"-' Xnl^ i^"? *"''"-- ^t3of the Republic whr*'''***''«yn^notSLTirj^" ^'^ *° ?«'- '« the time ^11 ha* " °""* *''" '"fluence hw Jl .*'""°''"'^«« ''"b- " fruit of the oM ""* '^''^n the native^,, .l^r ^""^ ^^^T «ith li THE MEMOIRS OF PAUL KRU6ER The next war in which I took part under Com- mandant General Pretorius was that of 1858, against the Kaffir chiefs Mapela and Makapaan, in the Waterberg district, near Makapaanspoort. This was an expedition to avenge the foul murder of Her- man Potgieter, brother of the late Comnandant General.* This Potgieter was a splendid shot and a great elephant-hunter. Mapela had sent for him, saying that there happened to be an exceptionally large number of elephants in his territory. More- this distribution of territory is nothing more thmn the old law of the Re- public. As for the future, I cherish the hope that some time, under God's blessing, it will come to this, that order, industry and the fear of God will make the Kaffir also a happy and contented subject of the South African Republic." At the end of the speech delivered at his inauguration as State Presi- dent in 1888, in connection with his admonition to the children and teachers to profit by the advantages of the education provided by the Republic, he added these words i " You colored people, •• A short word to you too. You have a risrht to the protection of the laws of this Republic. Whether you make use of the opportunities given you to acquire civilisation depends upon yourselves. You are free to accept civilisation or to rcgect it. For you also I pray for the blessing of Almighty God." Kruger was elected President upon the first of these declarations, and he called down a blessing upon '. blacks, on a solemn occasion, in his official ctiaracter. This, therefore, permits us to draw definite conclusions as to the attitude of the people in regard to this question. — Not» by tht Editor of the Otrman Edition. 1 C!ommandant, afterwards Commandant General Hendrik Potgieter, who is so closely connected with the history of the Kruger family, had, in the meantime, died, at the beginning of March, 1855, and his son Piet had been appointed to succeed him as Commandant General for the Lydenburg and Zoutpansberg districts. — Note hy the Editor of the G«rm» Edition, 4S I'UBLIC ACTIVITY over, he uked Potaieter f„ «W<* were in M.~h^ '°"'»« «<>««» to hi, cattle ""gement which h^lt^^^" *" '""'"«•• «n ar 0» "ceiHn^ thi,'^e^';;:^-'Mapel.,^„,,, •"^ ""t "ith hi, „„ A^J"" '^»I»'«' Potgieter «>lo«dg^„. Whe„,^,^'J'".'»"Kl.er,a„dhi, "•gons were, a, muaCdeln "' *'"*'"''• *« A« «"t. the K.ffl„ J;^"/ *' ^"^ town. ;e«.tio„ with Potgiet^ IT K '^ " •'■«' "»'- described to him the „lZ. ^ ' «"npanion,, and to be found, l^dden^^^h "^ ""* *M.ant, we^ ions and drageed Pof . " *''" «'^d compan- ^«J him .live in thf ptenf ^f"?- '" ^°^' "^^^ poor man „«, „„t releaarf^ u *" «^™- The f-ed n.e the sporw^Il^T. ^' '''*^'^ place. '^ "*"* «"» butcherr had talcen »«P«*ed any ha™, orX.l"-'^', '"''" ""'"''y '""mber of women «,d Im """^"'^ '"*''*e