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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT UOS ANGELES
THF. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
iWlY (^ XiJ^'»
TO'
'ast date stampe'"' ■"
i 1932
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■v^^RN BRA
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uM!VrRS\TY or CAt;
^' U3HAR
LOS ANGEUES. ^AUF.
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rr
OSa^cUtjU J' A^U^
MEN, MINES AND ANIMALS
IN
SOUTH AFRICA
BY
LORD RANDOLPH S. CHURCHILL, M.P.
NEW YORK
D. APPLETOX AND COMPANY
1892
A-^'?A'
Loynox :
PRI?iTED BY GILBERT VXD RIVISCTOX, LIMITED,
SE. lOHX's HOUSE, CLEEKEJTWELL, EC.
15 5
C 4-1
PEE FACE.
At the request of the publishers, I have, against my
own judgment, consented to revise the letters from
South Africa which I wrote to Tlte Baily GrapJiic,
in 1891, with a view to their j)ublication in the form
of a book. The critics of literary and epistolary
efforts, who daily inform the public through the
columns of the Press, pronounced with tolerable
unanimity, that these letters of mine were devoid
of merit and unworthy of perusal. To this judg-
ment I ought to have bowed, l3ut then, on the
other hand, the ^proprietors of The Daily Gvapldc,
who, for the purposes of these letters, were my
employers and Avho occupied the most favourable
position for the formation of a ^^I'actical opinion
as to whether these letters did or did not displease
tiie public, expressed to me very definitely and
without qualification their satisfaction with the
productions of which I was the author, but for
^vhich they were mainly responsible. A question
of difficulty arises. Either the |)ublic read the
letters, or it did not read them. If the ^Dublic did
not read tlie letters, then the proj^rietors of The
Dailij (Jraplilc would have been dissatisfied at the
iv Preface.
results of" ail niireniunerativc outlay. But these
ii'entlemeu were not dissatisfied ; therefore the
public did I'ead the letters, But the public only
reads what it approves of, or what pleases it.
Tlien I am led to a stranii'e and terril:>le conclusion.
Either the critics Avho condemned the letters were
wrong, or, Avorse still, the puljlic does not care
twopence what tlie judgment of the critics may be.
It is on the off-cliance that this state of thino-s,
deduced by argument, may be the actual state of
thino-s that I a^'ain submit these letters to the
l)iil)lic in another form. In the course of succeed-
ing years many men and women will leave our
shores to take uj) their abode in South Africa.
Possibly some of these emigrants may glean from
the following i3ages some information not alto-
gether valueless as to the country, its people, its
attractions, its modes of life and of travel. More-
over, of tliat lariie number of home-dwellinir
])ersons who follo^v witli atfection the fortunes of
a great and groAving colony in South Africa
there may jx'rchance be some whose interest
therein may be (piickened and sustained by the
perusal of the experiences, the thoughts of an
independent, unprejudiced wayfarer. In "either
case no linnn is done ; even a few grains of good
mav be ])roduced.
BcA^ond mere verbal corrections and such other
corrections as Avere necessary for the transposition
of letters to a neAvspajier into chapters of a book.
Preface. v
I have changed nothmg of what I originally wi'ote,
Avith the two following exceptions. Attempts at
liuiuuiir. ur whar is called " chatt'." when taken
serioiish" are fa i hires so disastr^jii- tliat they cannot
be too (piickly suppressed. Under this category
come niv allusions to the cook on board the Grau-
tuUij Cadle and my hazardous specidation on the
oriirin of the female sex. This latter speculation,
o J.
lightly turned off in a sentence, more for the \mv-
pose of an elegant termination to a letter than for
the purpose of arousing controversy, was received
so solemnly by grave and serious joiu'uals such as
The Si^edator and Tin' Speaher, that they actually
compared my ideas (unfavourably for me, I admit)
^^■ith those of the illustrious Darwin. By the
erasure of the guilty sentence alhulod to from the
text of these pages, I have done my utmost to
withdraw from a competition so dangerous to m\'-
seh".
1 Would add that the opinions M'hich I expressed
on the Dutch })opidation of tlie Transvaal were
intended by me to be exclusively conhned to that
population. Some imagined that those opinions
were intended to apply generally to the Dutch in
Sotith Africa. But such Avide and indiscriminate
censure was far from m\' mind. The Dutch
settlers in Cape Toliau' ww as worth\- nC praise as
the'ir rrlatiws, the Transxaal Boors, are ol' blame.
The f »rmer. loval. thrifty, industrious, hos[)ital»le.
lilieral. ai"e and will, T trust, ever remain the back-
vi Preface.
bone of our great colony ut the Cape of Good
Hope. That their numbers may increase, their
influence develop, their possessions and their
wealth expand, is my earnest hope, nor is it im-
probable that as time goes on the Dutch subjects
of the CJueen may communicate, by exam])le and
by intercourse, some of their excellent qualities to
their backward brethren in the Trans^'aal. With
these brief remarks, I submit to an indulgent
public a narrative of a travel every hour of Avhich
"Was to me most enjoyable, a travel which I can
confidently recommend to all who are desirous,
and who are so fortunately situated as to be able,
to make excursions for their pleasure into ncAv
parts of the world.
Haxdulpii S. CiiUKcniLL.
2, Connaught Place, W.,
March dth, 1892.
\
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
OUTWARD BOUXD.
PAGE
r)c])arturc from PadJington Station — Reasons for the
journey — The composition of the party — Arrival at
Dartmouth — The GrantitUy Castle — Lisbon : tlic
Zoological Gaixlens — Madeira — Invitation from Mr.
Benet-Stanford — A suL-tropieal Ljarden — Farewell to
Madeira — Shoals of flying ti«h — From breakfast to
bedtime on board ship — Atldctic sports at sea —
Fire ! — Cape Town . .... . . 1
CHAPTER II.
CAPE COLONY.
Scenery and climate of Cai)e Town — Public Buildings —
The Government House, Natural History Museum,
and Public Library — Adderley Street — The sea pros-
pect from Cape Town — Rivalry of Port Elizabeth —
The inhabitants and environs of Cape Town — Dutch
and English in the coluny — Mr. Cecil Rhodes — The
Transvaal War of 1881— Majuba Hill— Cape Politics
— Tlie South African States — Cape Town as a Coal-
ing Station — Defences of the Cape — Forts at Simon's
Bay — Fort Wynyard — General Cameron and the
Cape Town Garrison . . . . . .17
CHAPTER III. ♦
DIAMONDS.
"We leave Cape Town — The Paarl — Worcester Town — The
Hex River Pass — A Paddington man — Arrival at
jNIatjesfontein — Mr. J. D. Logan — The Karroo —
Diamond Industry at Kimberley — Visit to the offices
of the De- Beers Company — Mr. Cecil Rhodes a
viii Contents.
^ jmblic man of the first oidcr — Mr. Gardner AVillianis^
miniii,^- engineer — The blue si'O^uid — Separatinpf the
diamonds — Precautions against Theft — The De Beers
Company a model Village Community — Electric light
used in the diamond mines . . . . .33
ClTAl'TEK 11^
GOLD.
The diamonds of Kimberley — The journey to Johannes-
hurg — Railway extensions — Grass veldt between
Kimberley and A^ryburg — The cattle farm of the
future — " Native Reserve " of the Southern Eechuana
— Wc reach A^iyburg — Sir Sydney Shippard enter-
tains us — Coaching with a team of mules — The way-
faring man in the Transvaal — An attractive little
town — Gold mines in the neighbourhood — The out-
look at Johannesburg — The gold mines — Selfish
jealousy of the Boer Government — Astounding in-
ec^uality of taxation -(-Bad condition of the roads to
Johannesburg-VThe vicious system of concessions . 49
CHAPTER V.
MINING AND SPOUTING.
Account of the Robinson Gold Mine at Johannesburg —
The Langlaate Estate — Chlurination at the Ferriera
jSfine — I)r. Simon — The McArthur-Forrest process —
(Observations on the gold-fields of Johannesburg —
Silver Mines in the Transvaal — Deer preserves —
(With Dog and Gun in search of Game , . . .Go
CHAPTER VI.
THE TRANSVAAL BOEES.
A chance for British enterprise — The capacity of the
Transvaal and the incapacity of its rulers — The
journey from Johannesburg to Pretoria — Description
of Pretoria — The Dutch Parliament — From the
Strangers' Gallery — An interview with President
Kruger — Parliamentary manners — General Joubert —
, Report of a case showing the Boer idea of justice —
J Ill-treatment of Natives by the Boers — Shall we
surrender Swaziland — The Withering Grasp of the
Boer ' . . .79
CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTER VII.
ON THE ROAD TO MASHONALAND.
PAGE
The Chartered Company's Station at Fort Tuli — Mining
in the Zoutspanburg District — The Progress of tlie
" Spider " — Our first cooking efforts — Hints for
sportsmen-/-8ixty miles without water4-A glimpse
of Fairyland — We meet Major Sapte and Mr. Victor
Morier — Meeting with Captain Laurie at Khodes's
Drift — The Bechuanaland Border Police— A "Boer
trek " — President Kruger's position — Sir Frederick
Carrington and the B.S.A.C. Co.'s police — Experi-
ment with the new magazine Rifle . . . .90
CHAPTER VIII,
THE EXPEDITION : ITS COMPOSITION AND EQUIPMENT,
Major Giles — A fine collection of giants — Our rifles and
guns — Warning and advice to future travellers —
Composition of the Expedition — Major Giles's trek
from Vryburg to Tuli — The horse sickness in Africa
— A camp fire concert at Fort Tuli , . . ,110
CHAPTER IX,
THROUGH BUCHUANALAND,
Cold nights in camp — The horse sickness — Visit from /
Kaffir women to our Mariko River camp — Outspan
on the banks of the Crocodile River — We cross the
Mahalopsie River — Dr. Saur and Mr. Williams —
Camp at Silika — Arrival at the Lotsani River— The
luxury of a shave — The Suchi River — Headquarters
of the Becliuanaland Police at Matlaputta — The
Macloutsie River — I lose myself near the Semalili
River while in quest of game — Catching up the
waggons .........
CHAPTER X.
TREKKING AND HUNTING.
We entertain Sir Frederick Carrington — Farewell to Furt
Tuli — The business of inspanning — Our camp at
night — Sport with Dr. Rayner and Lee — Laying the
telegraph wire — The L^mzingwani River Camp —
12G
X Contents.
Koodoos, quaggas, and lioney birds — Lee's boy nick-
named "The Baboon"— The elephant fruit-tree-
Lee a charming companion on the Veldt — The
Umsajbetsi liiver — Habits of oiir oxen and mules —
Shooting game in South Africa — -A native market —
An unsuccessful antelope hunt — The mahogany tree —
Further hunting experiences — Camp on the Bubjanc
River — Our conductor Myberg . . . .142
CHAPTER XL
LIOXS.
Lion Camp — The tales of a Huntsman — The snake-tree —
In the track of the koodoos — We come across a posse
of Lions — Antelopes and quaggas — Return to camp
for the dogs — Result of one day's sport — We spend
another day hunting — Provisions running short . Lj6
CHAPTER XII.
PiFFICULTIES OF TRAVEL OX THE VELDT.
Tlie wealth of Mashonaland — We make a speedy trek and
overtake our waggons — Further losses by horse sick-
ness — Stuck fast in Wanetse River — The Sugar Loaf
and other miniature mountains — -A pestilential spot
on the Lundi River banks — A word of Avarning —
Viandt, the Boer ostrich hunter — We reach Fern
Spruit — ])eath of my shooting pony '^ Charlie " — A
veldt fire — A day of discomfort and disaster — Provi-
dence Gorge — Description of Fort Victoria — Gieat
loss of horses — Advice to intending emigrants . '.175
CHAPTER XIII.
CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY BETWEEN FORTS VICTORIA AXIJ
SALISBURY.
Departure for -Fort Salisbury — Our native workmen —
Water in the desert — A dreary journe}' — The country
between Fort Victoria and Fort Charter — Where is
the ' Promised Land ' ? — We meet ]Mr. Colquhoun —
The garrison of Fort Charter — From Fort Charter to
Fort Salisbury — Lions in the way — The Settlement
at Fort Salisbury — Signs of civilization — The gold
districts of Manica, Mazoe River, and Hartley Hill —
Reconnoitring after "ame . . . . .193
Contents. xi
CHAPTEK XIV.
SPORT IN MASHONALAND.
PAGE
Sport in South Africa — Hints to inexperienced sportsmen
— Approximate cost of equipment for a six months'
hunting expedition — Sir John Willoughby arrives
at our camp on the Hunyani River — Huntino; the
Hartehecst — How to cook venison — A Slough of
Despond — Farther hunting adventures after antelopes
— A native hunting party — A cohra in the camp- —
]\rethod of scaring vultures off dead game — Accident
to Major Giles — Scarcity of grain and food in Ma-
shonaland — Return to Fort Salisbury . . .212
CHAPTER XV.
THE GOLD DISTRICT OF TIIK ilAZOE RIVER.
In quest of gold — Exploration syndicates — Mashonaland
as a held for emigration— The Mazoe gold-fields —
Captain Williams's report — Old workings — The
" Golden Quarry " mine — Other mines visited in the
district — More disappointments .... -34'
CHAPTER XVI.
HUNTING THE ANTELOPE ON THE HIGH VELDT.
■\Ve start for Hartley Hill — The Mashonas as servants —
Marriage in Mashonaland — All alone on the Veldt —
Hints to hunters when lost on the Veldt — A Kaffir
kraal — Barter with the natives— Dangerously bad
shooting — The troubles of trekking — The country
between Fort SalisVjury and Hartley Hill — Wild
flowers and fruit — Unsuccessful chase after ostriches
—A fine herd of eland— The bull of the herd falls to
my gun ......... 246
CHAPTER XVII.
WEALTH OF MASHONALAND — DOUBT AND DISAPPOINTMENT.
Hartley Hill — Our party again united — The Tsetse-fly pest
— Mr. Perkins joins me in a day's shooting — Surgeon
Rayner's adventure with a lion — Contemplating the
return journey — Making a clean breast of it — Dccep-
xii Contents.
PAGE
live appearances — Reefs in the Eiffel district — What
is to become of the country ? — Mr. Perkins and the
leopard ......... 2Go
CHAPTER XVIII.
LIFE AT FORT SALISBURY,
Mineral Avealth of Mashonaland — Reefs in the ]\Iazoe
River Valley — The " Matchless " Mine — Good news
from Fort Victoria — A personal statement — Enter-
prise at Fort Salisbury — A model Ranche — Farms
leased by the Chartered Company — An interesting-
auction — Indignation meeting against the Chartered
Company — Horse-racing at Fort Salisbury — Organiz-
ing the administration of Mashonaland — Mr. Cecil
Rhodcs's views of the country ..... 1270
CHAPTER XIX.
0\ THE ROAU HOME.
Second visit t(i the iiiines in theMazoe Valley — Good-l)ye
to Fort Salisbury — Bad roads — The officials of the
Chartered Company — Fort Victoria once more-
Climate and weather in Mashoiudand — Gold dis-
. coveries round Fort Victoria — My faithful savage
y "Tiriki " — We telegraph home from Fort Victoria—'
Long's Mine — The Lundi River^ — Bad roads again —
Death of a " salted horse " — The journey to Fort
Tuli a record " trek " -Jdo
CHAPTER XX.
LOOKING BACK.
Our method of travelling — Welcome and entertainment
l)y the Bechuanaland Border Police at Macloutsie — ■
Palapye^ the capital town of Chief Khama — Lobengual,
King of the Matabele — Meditated flight of all his
tribe and belongings — The Bechuanaland Exploration
Com])any — Conversation with Khama, Paramount
Chief in the Protectorate — Palla Camp — The Journey
to Mafeking — With Mr. Rhodes at Kimberley — The
Agricultural and Mineral Resources of the Transvaal
— ]\ry advice to young Englishmen .... 313
Index . . . . . . . . . .331
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FULL PAGE.
Portrait of the Autlior ..... Fronti
The K.M.S. Granhdii/ Castle, 3489 tons, in Dnvtmonth
Harbour .....
Luxurious Travelling in Madeira
A JNIadeira Caro, or covered Sledgo
Parliament House, Cape Town
Government House and Gardens, Cape Town
Adderley Street, Cape Town
On the Road from Johannesburg to Pretoria. — Crossing
a flooded river ....
The Market Place, Johannesburg .
A Street in Johannesburg
"The Spider"
Executive Officers of the Expedition
A Camp Fire Concert at Fort Tuli
Showing a flare up for the lost one
The Members of the Expedition
First night out from Fort Tuli
Marketing with the Makalaka
Crossing the Lundi River
Two Members of thi^ Expedition crossing the Lund
River ........
A Dreary Road. —The View fifty miles from Fort Charter
Building a '^ Scherm " to keep off" Lions from the Cattle
on the Hunyani River .
A Sketch of the Country from Matipi's Kraal
Drawing dead Game home on a sleigh made from the
fork of a tree ....
spiece.
5
9
9
18
18
19
54
57
58
100
117
124
140
142
144
153
181
181
197
204
204
229
XIV
List of Illustrations.
On the Outskirts of Fort Salisbury
ISTcaring the end. — The Sale of the Surplus Stock ;vik
Stores of the Expedition at Fort Salisbury
Fort Salisbury. — At the Dentists ....
The Arrival of the Telegraph Line at Fort Victoria.—
Sending a telegram to London
From Tuli to Macloutsie .....
Crossing the Notwani after the heavy rains .
TAGK
2. SI
2SG
295
305
313
325
TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS.
A Cape Cart ........
The Defences of the Capo. — A 9'2-inch breech-loading
g'^i^
£52.000 Avorth of diamonds classified for shipment at
Kimberley ........
In the Rock Shaft of the De Beers Diamond Mine at a
depth of 900 feet
In the 800 feet level of the De Beers Diamond Mine
Sorting Gravel for Diamonds at Kimberley .
General View of the Robinson Gold Mines at Johannes-
burg .........
Sir Frederick Carrington and Officers of the Bechuana-
land Border Police, and British South African
Company's Police ......
Lord Randolph discussing his route with Sir F. Carring
ton at Fort Tuli ......
The long and the short of it .
Camp Life at Tuli — Branding Cattle
Fording a River
The Main Column encamped on the bank of the Lotsan
The Camp of the Main Column at Suchi River
The Waggon Conductor sports a new pair of " store '
trousers .......
Our Camp on the Umzingwani River
Typical Natives from the Umshlane River Districts
20
29
37
40
43
44
CG
lOG
111
iir
121
130
133
135
138
14G
151
List of Illustrations. xv
The " Sugar Loaf " Mountain between the liivcrs Wanetse
and Liindi .......
Passages in the Life of one of our Boys — In the Pantry
A " Yeldt " Fire
One of our Boys (as lie appeared with all his honsehold
goods)
One of our Boys (in sackcloth, drawing water)
The Camp before Fort Charter ....
Summer Sleighing in Mashonaland on the high road
during the rainy season .....
Native Paintings on Eocks at Matefi's Kraal .
Mr. Perkins, the Mining Expert, on the War-path .
Visit to the Mazoe Gold-fields — Experts at work .
The Mining Settlement at Hartley Hill .
At Hartley Hill — Panning for (toM at Mr. Borrow's hut 272
Messrs. Johnson, Heaney, and Bdrrow's Pianche at Fort
Salisbury .......
A Restaurant at Fort Salisbury ....
The First Horse-race at Fort Salisl)ury .
A Party at the mess table, after dinner — Fort Salisbury
Tiriki
As he arrived .......
As he departed . ......
The Outspan on the Tokwe River ....
p\Gi:
180
185
187
194
195
200
201
20;-)
210
235
2G4
283
285
288
293
303
304
305
307
Route Map At eiid of hool- .
1
MEN, MINES, AND ANIMALS
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
CHAPTER I.
OUTWAED BOUND.
Departure from Paddiiigtou Station — Reasons for the journey —
The composition of the party — Arrival at Dartiuouth —
The Grautully Gadle — Lisbon : the Zoological Gardens —
Madeira — Invitation front Mr. Benet-Stanford — A sub-
tropical garden — Farewell to Madeira — Shoals of flying
fish — From breakfast to bedtime on board ship — Athletic
sports at sea — Fire ! — Cape Town.
A BRIGHT morning towards the end of April.
The eternal east Avind blowing sharp and strong
serves to moderate the reo-ret which mii>-ht be felt
Ijy one leaving England for a considerable period.
In Paddington Station, alongside the platform, is
drawn up the special express for Dartmouth.
Every carriage appears to be full, round each
compartment door large groups of persons, who
intend to stay at home, wish farewell to those who
are resolved to depart, and by their exuberant
emotions obstruct the passage of the officials, of
the tardy traveller, and of heavy trucks of
baggage. Among the passengers the male sex
largely predominates, and youth is stamped upon
the countenances of the majority. In such a,
B
2 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
scene and in such a crowd I find myself an in-
terested and active participator, for I, with a few
friends, am starting on a long journey ; and, in
common with the others in the special train, my
destination is South Africa. It happened to me
shortly after my return from Egypt, in February,
to meet Sir Henry Loch and Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the
Governor and Prime ]\[inister of Cape Colony, who
had just arrived in England on a sj^ecial mission
of importance to the Home Government, Con-
versation naturally Avas mainly about South
Africa, about the territories of the Chartered
Company, tlie goldfields of Zambesia, the dispute
with the Portuguese. Sir Henry Loch and ]\Ii",
Rhodes were kind enouoh to o-iye me a cordial
invitation to ^'isit the Ca])C', and it suddenly
occurred to me that I had I'eally for the moment
nothing better to do. Politics for the time
attracted me little. The principal measure ^ before
the House of Commons which ^vas being pressed
forward by the Government, and by the party
to which I belong,' I disliked intensely, and
while I was not prepared to take part in any
opposition to the measure, for motives which
friends will appreciate, I was resolved to give
no vote and say no word in its favoui*. A
shareholder in the Chartered Comj^au}^, and on
intimate terms with some of the directors, my
attention had already been turned to Mashona-
land; I had imagined that the exploration and
development of that vast country, so wealthy by
' '• Irish Laud Question Bill."
Reasons for the Journey. 3
rumour iiucl repute, was not unlikely to distin-
guish the close of the century. English and
foreign interests had ]jeen and were clashing ;
spheres of influence for respective European
Powers had been marked oif in a hap-hazard and
lighthearted manner ; knowledge of the soil, of
the climate, of the inhabitants, of the resources of
Africa to the south of the Equator, was slight and
by no means diffused among our people at home ;
I thought that the day might not be distant when
it might be useful and beneficial that a member of
Parliament might be able to offer to the House of
Commons observations, oj)inions, and arguments
based ujDon personal ius^Dection, actual experience
of those localities, and to place before the public
the views and desires of Ca^De Colonists of authority
and of Afrikanders generally which might have
been personally confided to him. The attractions
of travel, of the chase, and specially of seeking for
gold oneself, of acquiring gold mines or shares in
gold mines, contributed also to decide me on the
enterprise, and the few weeks before departure had
been well occupied "wdth the somewhat elaborate
preparations necessary for the journey and with
business arrangements with fiiends who were
similarly interested and attracted.
In the comj^osition of my party I was fortunate.
Major George Giles, late of the Royal Artillery, of
considerable South African exj^erience, who had
seen much military service in that country, had
undertaken to act as managei' of the travelling and
director of the route, and had preceded me by
B 2
4 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
nearly a month to the Cape, intending to purchase
at Kimbei'ley the waggons, mules, oxen, and
horses, to engage the men necessary for such an
expedition. To travel in ox or mule waggons
without greater discomfort and hardship than is
incidental to camp life, a thousand miles to
Mashonaland, several hundred miles exploring
that country, a thousand miles return journey,
occupying in the operation a jDeriod of not less
than six months, requires a careful and costly
collection of resources and plant, of which I will
give a full descrijDtion in a subsequent letter ; to
avoid undue delay while the season was favour-
able. Major Giles had gone on ahead of me to the
Cape. ]My actual travelling companions at the
moment of departure wei'e Captain G. Williams,
late of the Royal Horse Guards, who had amiably
consented to assist me in my business and my
writing, Mr. Henry Cleveland Perkins, an American
mining engineer of great eminence, and Surgeon
Hugh Rayner, of the Grenadier Guards, on leave,
Avho intended to co-operate with the finest climate
in the world in keeping us in good health, and to
mitigate, so far as science might, the consequences
of any accident or disaster which an untoward fate
might inflict upon us. He was also instructed by
the militai-y authorities to furnish them Avith a
report on the climatic and hygienic conditions of
Mashonaland, to discover and specify healthy sites
for camps, and to collect such other information
as would be useful to j^ossess beforehand, should
military operations ever become necessary in that
country.
THE R.XI.S. "GRAXTULLY CASTLE," 3489 TONS, IN DARTMOUTH HARBOUR.
Page 5.
The "Grantully Castle."
To return to our departure : the last good-byes
have been uttered, the doors of the carriages are
slammed, the whistle sounds, and off we go, soon
developing that alarming broad-gauge rapidity
for which the Great "Western was remarkable,
dashing through Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Somer-
setshn-e with a haste, a hurry which seemed
quite unnecessary considering the immense distance
of travel which lay before us, and the considerable
period of time which Ave had to do it in. Dart-
mouth, so familiar to the }'achtsman, is reached all
too soon. There lies the Gninfulhj (JastJe, well
known to fame as the ship in which ]\Ir. Gladstone
sailed when he made his celebrated "perij)lus"
round Great Britain. A good-looking ship, sitting
gracefully on the Avater, Ijut small to my eye,
more accustomed to the giants of the P. and 0., of
the Cunard, and of the White Star Lines, in AA'hich,
Avhen I liaA'e on former occasions crossed the
ocean, it has l^een my fortune to travel. But the
Aveather appears to be set fair, the sun is bright
and Avarm, the sea smooth, and in tine Aveather
and calm AA^ater a little ship does as Avell as a big
one. Soon recede, from many a longing and
lingering eye on board, the beautiful harbour,
the green DcA-onshire cliffs, and a calm and
moonlit midnio-ht sees us well off Usliant. The
CrrcnttiiJly Castle found the Bay of Biscay in a
humour of comparative moderation ; not that
it was by any means amiable or attractive, on the
contrary, it quite sustained its morose and un-
genial character. The captain, indeed, expressed
the opinion that it Avas as smooth as a mill-pond,
6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
but most of tlie passengers thouglit this descrip-
tion extravagant, many of them ver}^ practically
disagreed with it. Fifty-eight hours after leaving
London we anchored in the Tagns, opposite
Lisbon, at the early hour of four a.m. Having to
wait until five in the afternoon for the London
mail, we took advantage of the ojDportunity to
visit an ancient and historic city. The jDrincipal
attraction to the eye was its cleanliness ; broad,
well-paved, clean-swept streets, spacious squares,
adorned with interesting monuments, an environ-
ment of forest and green hills, offer an aspect
calculated at first to please the stranger. But a
something or other, difiicult to describe, warns one
instinctively that Lisbon is a city the fame and
traditions of which lie exclusively in the past, in
all probability never to be revived. The inhal3i-
tants wear a sleepy, almost a dead-alive kind of
look. I did not observe a single Portuguese in
the streets who appeared to be in the smallest
hurry. Xo cheerfulness animates their counten-
ances, as is the case with the population of the
southern Italian towns. With the exception of a
few public buildings, the edifices and dwelling-
houses are of a poor and unpretentious character.
There is a total alDsence of attractive and well-filled
shops. Coming away, one feels that one is glad to
have seen Lisbon, for the reason tliat it ^^'ill be
unnecessary ever to go there again. ^V drive
throuo-li the streets terminated with a visit to the
Zoological Gardens, interesting for the quantity of
wild and of garden flowers, presenting tlie most
Lisbon and Madeira.
brilliant hues, and for a singularly unique collec-
tion of monkeys, among wliicli three intelligent
and engaging chimpanzees for a time arrested our
attenti(^n. I would strongly recommend any
traveller to Lisbon not to omit to inspect these
gardens. It must, however, be added that the
peo23le of the city scarcely appreciate their merits,
for the place, during our visit of more than an
hour, was totally deserted. The Botanical Gardens,
a visit to which want of time compelled us to
forego, are also said to be of considerable excel-
lence.
The afternoon drawing on, it became necessary
to return to the sliij^, and on the arrival of the
London mail, we again put to sea, shaping our
course for Madeira. A strono- head wind and sea
encountering us at the mouth of the Tagus, sadly
thinned the attendance at dinner. The night was
rough, and the following day supremely disagree-
able. A dri\'ing mist, a warm, clammy wind, and
a heavy rolling sea depressed the spirits, and made
all long for more southern latitudes. At da-wn on
the second day after leaving Lisl3on the island of
Terra Santa stood out finely on the starboard bow.
A few hours' steamino- brouuiit into clear view the
bold outlines and grassv slopes of Madeira, and the
sunny bay of Funchal. I was fortunate in find-
ing, on arrival here, a note from an old friend,
Mr. Benett-Stanford, who owns perhaps the most
beautiful villa in the island, inviting my friends
and myself to pass the morning with him. On
landino- a sliodit ascent lirou^iit us to the doors
8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
of the Quinta Yigia (Angiice : The house and
garden of the "watch-tower) and to one of the
most lo^'ely gardens I ha\'e ever set eyes on.
Imagine the contents of tlie conservatories and
greenhouses of Tring Park, of Waddesdon, of
Blenheim, Chatsworth, or Floors castle, all con-
centrated into a small space of some two aci-es,
and groAving with apparent wildness in the open
air. For accumulated varietv and jn'ofusion of
bloom, fragrance, and luxuriant foliage, dra"\vn
from every quarter of the Avorld, this garden can
have no yWh], and I have seen many, at home and
in foreign countries. The gateway is sheltered
by two remarkable camphor-trees, the leaves
of "which, when crushed in the hand, give off
an aromatic and spicy perfume. On the terrace,
overlooking the sea, one perceives, on the right
hand, an immense mass of l)lue blossom, borne
by the " Jacaranda.*' On the left a similar
mass of deep crimscfti blossom draAvs attention
to a splendid " Schotia." Tavo large trees, bv
name " Grevillia," coAcred with yelloAv flowers,
offer a stsu'tlino; but aiiTeeal)le contrast, ^[anv
tine specimens of the " dragon-tree " and of
the " umbrella -palm ' are studded about the
ground. The " Strelitzia regin^e," apparently a
sort of banana, is imposing from its size and its
feathering leaves. The " peacock-tree '" (Poinciana
pulcherrima), with its lovely blossom, attracts the
hand of the wanton flower-gatherer, and the eye
is in reality dazzled by the extraordinary, but not
inharmonious profusion of the " rose-apple "" tree,
I
A SuB-TRoncAL Garden in Madeira. 9
cinnamon, silver banana, and mango tree, of the
" Olea fragrans " and Francisia buslies, of the
quaint " bottle-brush " plant, ^vith its crimson
flower. The verandah ol' the villa is covered with
" Bougainvillia," and with another creeper, novel
to me, the '' Com1)retimi coccinium," oflering a
mass of scarlet bloom. For the purpose of strolling
through the town, our kind host provided a couple
of hammocks, with their attendant bearers in white
canvas clothing, and a '' caro," or covered sledge,
comfortably titted, drawn by Ijullocks. This
^'ehicle, which I imagine is peculiar to Madeira,
can he drawn l^y the sleek oxen with considerable
speed and perfect smoothness oxer the well-paved
streets, or rather paths, which intersect the town
and ascend the mountains. The public gardens,
the opera house, a visit to the British Consul, to
Messrs. Bland\''s ^\'ell-known office, and to the
comfortable English club, exhaust the small time
at our disposal, and soon after noon we are once
more on board the Grantnlly Gasfle, heading-
south to Cape de A'^erde, leaving hist, but some-
Avhat reluctantly, Madeira behind us.
The hour of 5"30 a.m. finds two or three pas-
sengers on deck enjoying the pleasures of a cup of
coffee and the first morning cigarette. From six
to eight the ship's toilette proceeds, from the rough-
and-ready washing and scrubbing of decks to the
conscientious and minute polishing of every bit of
wood and brass-work. This is, perhaps, the
pleasantest time of the day ; cool, fresh air, peace-
ful decks unobstructed bv chairs ; walking exercise
lo Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
is possible and pleasant, no noise disturbs the cur-
rent of your morning reflections. Cloudless is the
sky, strong the following " N.E. trade," covering
the surface of the sea with white horses, but not
strong enough to overtake and refresh the fast-
flying ship, whose j^assengers are warned by the
already glowing sun that the day is going to be a
" pipci'.' Looking over the stern you see the same
troop of swifts or swallows which for three days
now have followed us. Swoo]Ding, hovering,
skimming, darting, never left behind, seemingly
never progressing, never resting ; where they come
from, where they are going to, where they sleep,
and what they feed on offers a proljlem which
natural history has not yet attempted to solve.
From time to time shoals of flying fish shoot from the
waves, nor can one imagine a more pleasant sight
than these animated particles of silver present,
jumping from and skimming along the surface of
the water by scores and hundreds, gleaming and
glistening in the sunlight. Last evening, one,
probably a " loose fish," when all his fellows had
gone to bed, jumped with a mighty leap right on
to our deck. Promptly secured by a quarter-
master, it attracted the observation of a French
gentleman, who desired to photograph it, have it
stuffed, and carry it home to his family museum.
But my friend and I disappointed him, taking it
and o-ivino; it to the cook, and eatins" for breakfast
the finny fowl. ]\Iorning wears away, groups of
gentlemen have appeared and disappeared, clothed
in that loose and liglit attire, ^viih sponge, towel,
From Breakfast to Bedtime. n
and soap, which denotes resort to or accomplishment
of the matutinal batli. Breakfast is over, and by
noon most of the partv are deej) in literary occupa-
tion, writing and reading apparently being suitable
only to this time of day. A temperature of 75 deg.
under the awning is adverse to muscular exercise.
Now come round the manao;ers of the dailv lotterN'
on the ship's run, drawing variously from tlic
passengers shillings and cro^vns ; some contenting
themselves with a sinoie lot, others basino- tlieii'
hopes on securing many chances. At 12*30 the
captain announces that in the preceding twenty-
four hours we have compassed the respectable
distance of 328 miles. The winner of the lucky
number looks happy in his clever superiority, but
can scarcely be much richer, for etiquette pre-
scribes that he should generously proffer cham-
pagne to the losers. Luncheon at an end, the
passenger mind turns to amusement. The young
find relief in the violent exercise of deck-
cricket, and in the wild mirth occasioned when
some placid, reposing, and digesting person receives
the ball full in his face, an incident which he is
expected to bear with perfect equanimity, neither
asking for, nor expecting the smallest apology.
Deck-quoits, and the sonorous game of " Bull,"
claim their adherents ; for others, the frivolous
" Halma," the rattling backgammon, or the severely
serious chess have their charms, and here and there
vice betrays itself in the shape of cards, with its
usual accompaniments of brandy and soda, beer,
pipes, and cigars, while ever and anon a half-
12 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
suppressed " damu," or a less suppressed exclama-
tion of triumpli, discloses the vicissitudes of the
game. So the afternoon blends itself into the
evenino-. At half-past six the bell for dinner
sounds, after whicli, music in the saloon detains
many. " Gentlemen oblige " the company with
sono;s and recitations, the French o;entleman dis-
plays a startling ingenuity in card conjuring. On
deck, soothed by tobacco, many groups converse.
The talk is prol^ably of Africa and Mashonaland,
of diamond mines and of the " Randt," of the depth
and thickness of reefs, of tlie yield of so many
pennyweights to the ton, of" pay chutes," of stamj)s,
crushers, and chlorination, till the disappearance
one b}' one of the electric lights warns us that the
nio'ht is well on, and we turn into our cabins to
dream of re-discovering El Dorado, of revelling in
the " jDlacers " of another California, of handling
deliriously the nuii'o'ets of a second Ballarat. On
waking Ave trust that we have not dreamed of a
Golden Fleece. So the voyage proceeds.
One of our days at sea was agreeably passed bv
holding athletic sports and contests, in which all
classes of tlie passengers took part. Racing, leap-
ing, and cock-hghting were the principal features.
Four times round the ship from stern to bow was
found to aftord a good half-mile course, and the
struggle was decided after several heats, some of
them of an exciting character. The prize for leap-
ing was long and closely contested, four feet seven
being at length triumphanth' cleared l3y the victor.
Taking into account the perceptible rolling of the
I
Athletic Sports at Sea.
sliip, the achievement appears to have been one of
merit. Cock-hghtiug, also, was the source of con-
siderable amusement, and, to the astonishment and
delight of all, the prize was carried oif liy the
smallest and youngest of the com23etitors. A
potato race, an eg<^ and spoon race, in Avhicli ladies
only took part, an obstacle race, in which last sus-
I^ended lifebuoys to l)e darted through and long
Avind sails to be crept through tested severely the
agility and endurance of the runners, occupied fully
the morning and the afternoon. A respectable
fund for prizes had been previouslv collected, the
ju'oceedings were managed with the utmost order
and method, the decisions of the oflBcials received
without a murmur. In the tug-of-"\var tlic hi'st
class OA'erpuUed the second, who also suffered de-
feat at the hands of the third-class passengers.
It appears that these athletic sports are a regulai*
institution on board the Grantidhj Castle, and this
original and agreeable method of breaking the
monotony of a long voyage offers an example to
commanders of ocean-o'oinix vessels which cannot
be too widelv imitated. The day antecedent to
our arrival at Cape ToAvn was the most dis-
agreeable of the voyage. A high and heavy
rolling sea rendered sleep by night or occu-
pation Ijy da)^ alike almost impossible. Shortly
after luncheon an incident occurred which for
some moments must have fluttered the strongest
nerves. A strong smell of burning, smoke coming
up thickly from the after skylight, passengers run-
ning up from below, driven out of their cabins by
14 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
the stifling smoke, told us all too plainly that a fire
had broken out on board shij). The fire-bell was
rung, the officers and crew were beat to quarters,
the hose was fitted, and in a few minutes gallons
of water were being poured through the skylight
down into the after-hold, where it was discovered
the fire had occurred. At the same time rapid
preparations were made for getting the boats ready
for lowerinii', thouoii whether these would have
been of much service to us, had we had to have
recourse to them in such a heavy sea, was a matter
of serious doubt. In a quarter of an hoiu', how-
ever, or twent}' minutes, all danger was over. The
officers and creAV worked with the utmost steadi-
ness and resolution, the first officer particularly
showing extreme courage and endurance, being the
first to descend into the burning hold, and re-
maining in an almost impossible atmosphere for a
considerable time directing the ajDplication of the
water. The j^assengers preserved their composure
remaikably, contenting themselves with getting out
of the way, and ottering as little impediment as
possible to the operations of the ship's company.
The cause of the fire was not discovered to a cer-
tainty. In the after-hold were scattered a variety of
ship's stores, a quantity of empty bottles, heaps of
straw and shavings, the contents of opened packing-
cases. It was ventilated by a grating into the cabin
passage, and tlie captain supposed, probably with
justice, that some reckless and wanton passenger,
lighting a cigar below in violation of rigid rules, had
ignorantly and carelessly thrown a^vay the match
Arrival at Cape Town. 15
still lighted, allowing it to fall on this mass of inHam-
mable material. The mail-room adjoins the after-
hold, and the mails must have had a narrow escape ;
^vliile the hold immediately forward contained
large stores of spirits. Had these been ignited the
consequences would probably have been most
serious. Some inches of water on the cabin floors,
and a strong smell of smoke, of charred straw and
wood, served for some hours to remind the pas-
sengers how near they had been to a very un-
pleasant termination of their voyage. The morn-
ing of the 14tli of May broke gloomily, with heavy
rain and driving mist. About nine o'clock
a bright clearance to the southAvarcl disclosed
the heights of Table Mountain. As we drew
nearer the weather became brighter, the clouds
broke: when ofl:' the breakwater the Cape of
Good Hope was welcoming us with its sunniest
smile. The approach from the sea to Cape Town
is imposing and attractive. The lofty granite mass
of Table Mountain, the distant ranges of hills
stretching over half the horizon, and the calm
waters of Table Bay brought into the mind succes-
sively Gibraltar, the Riviera, and the Bay of
Palermo, while the attractions of the spot were
strengthened by the feeling that a long, tedious,
and monotonous voyage had at length been accom-
plished. It may be a matter of question whether,
under present conditions, a voyage to South Africa
is as beneficial to invalids or to persons of delicate
health, and liable to sea-sickness, as is generally
supposed. The excessive heat in the regions of
i6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa,
the equator debilitates and exhausts ; scarcely a
day of the voyage was not marked by considerable
rolling or pitching, and the imperfect ventilation,
the inferior food, and the want of power and speed
in the older Cape vessels lead one to hope that
before loni>' an increasino- volume of passeno'er
traffic may com2:)el the construction of larger, better
found, and swifter ships, ri\'alling in their excellence
the racers of the Xorth Atlantic lines. I imagine
that a vessel like the Teutonic could cover the dis-
tance between Plymouth and the Cape of Good
Hope in less than fourteen days. The Graiittdh/
Cadle occupied a period of nineteen days and nine-
teen hours. On landing, I repaired to Govern-
ment House, to which I liad received a gracious
invitation.
Cape Town, 17
CHAPTER 11.
CAPE COLONY.
Scenery and climate of Cape Town — Public Buildings — The
Government House, Xatural History Museum, and Public
Library — Adderley Street — The sea prospect from C;ipe
Town — Eivalry of Port Elizabeth — The inhabitants and
environs of Cape Town — Dutch and English in the
colony— Mr. Cecil Ehodes— The Transvaal War of 1881—
Majuba Hill — Capo Politics — The South African States —
Cape Town as a Coaling Station — Defences of the Cape —
Forts at Simon's Bay — Fort Wynyard — General Cameron
and the Cape Town Garrison.
Hie terrarum mihi praeter omnes
Angulua ridet, ubi non Hymetto
Mella decedunt viridique certat
Bacca Venafro ;
Yer ubi longum tepidasque prsebet
Jupiter brumas, et amicus Anion
Fertili Eaccho nimium Falernis
Invidet uvis.
Foe beauty of scenery and general excellence of
climate Cape Town approaches perfection. In-
habited by some 50,000 souls, it reposes at the
foot of the great Table Mountain, sheltered though
not oppressed by towering and precipitous granite
masses. Possessing and proud of a history going-
back over a period of upwards of 250 years, the
town itself shows few if any signs of antiquity.
The traveller might often imagine from its strag-
gling and unfinished appearance that he had
c
i8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
arrived at one of those sudden settlements, the
creation of a few months or weeks, which are
characteristic of an American territory or of the
Australian Inish. Public buildings of high archi-
tectural merit are scarce ; indeed, the Houses
of Parliament and the Standard Bank may ])e
said to be the only edifices entirely Avorthy of
the traditions and position of the town. The
ohl Town House, the old Castle, vi^ddly and
agreeably recall the Dutchman of the seven-
teenth century, relics of an interesting past,
testimonies of a famous history, which should be
tenderly preserved. His Excellency the Govern'
nor is resjiectablv, but not splendidly, accommo-
dated. A long, low building, hidden away in a
corner of ugly elevation but of roomy and commo-
dious interior, containing spacious apartments,
uneasily supports the dignified title of " Govern-
ment House." A garden of considerable extent,
well filled Avith shady oak-trees and many fine
specimens of tropical plants, makes up largely for
the architectural shortcomings of the edifice.
Adjoining are to be found the Botanical Gardens,
the Natural History ]\[useum, and the Public
Library. All of these institutions apparently
suifer from a want of liberal maintenance, Avhich
is the more to l)e regretted as their contents are for
the most part excellent and rare. The Natural
History ^luseum possesses a very perfect collection
of African fauna, mainly contributed by the famous
liunter, Mr. Selous, of birds, and of mineralogical
and conchological specimens of great interest ; but
I
I
PuBLTC Buildings. 19
all these objects of study are so crowded and so
crammed up together, and stowed away in cases
so insufficiently lighted, that detailed and careful
ins^Dection of them is a matter of extreme difficulty.
Both this museum and the Public Library, which
latter is a fine hall, containing a large and varied
collection of l^ooks and many ancient manuscripts,
are freely and fren^uently resorted to by the in-
habitants. Adderley Street in the morning is
crowded and animated ; many of its buildings
liave striven to attain to a respectable standard of
civic architecture, and well-filled shops elegantly
display a variety of articles of luxury, whicli
suggest the difi'usion of an easy affluence. The
sea prospect from Cape Town is most agree-
able. A lengthy l)reakwater, constructed with
great solidity, protects an anchorage where many
vessels of size might congregate. The docks,
whicli were large enough for the shipping require-
ments of a generation ago, are too small to allow of
the entrance of large modern steamers, and it is
much to be reo-retted tliat the construction of a
l^ig, wide dock in the rear of the existing docks
has been suspended owing to ^vant of fimds.
Port Elizabeth, with superior railway advantages,
and, perhaps, a more go-ahead public spirit, is
pressing Cape Town hard ; and it is probable that,
if the latter does not bestir itself, it may forfeit its
commercial eminence in South Africa. But pos-
sibly the charm of Cape Town lies in its respectable
repose. The inhabitants, who welcome the stranger
with a cordial hospitality rarely to be found else-
C.2
20 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
where, have inherited, jorobably from the Dutcli,
a joleasant conservatism of thought and of habitude.
They are not inclined to believe that the bustle of
Melbourne or the crowds of Sydney represent the
highest standard of social happiness ; they have a
tendency to regard with some dou])t and anxiety
the development and progress which Cape Town
has undoul3tedly made in the last few years ; many
A Cape Cart.
of them view with apprehension and some with
alarm the influx of a large population which may
shortly be attracted by the mineral wealth of South
Africa already said to be discovered. The late
Lord Iddesleigh, in one of his political discourses,
averred that he had been accused of being " wanting
in go," but it was felt by all that the accusation,
if true, only exhibited more pleasantly the general
amiability of his character. Similarly it is possi-
Environs of Cape Town. 21
Lie that the peojjle of Cape ToAvn have a
tendency to a liability to such an accusation,
but those who are fortunate enough to know
and understand them will readily confess that
the defect, if it exists, may be counted among
their attractions rather than among their faults.
The environs of Cape Town in the direction of
Wynberg are of surj^assing beauty. Forests,
groves, plantations of oak, pine, eucalyptus, owing
their origin to the provident forethought of the
early Dutch settlers, thickly cover the ground
from the slopes of the mountain almost to the
shores of the sea. Miles of shady lanes, extending
in all directions, make ridin"* and drivino' an un-
failing pleasure, while on every side old-fashioned
villas and country-houses, with perfect and well-
kept gardens, disclose alike the cultivated taste
and the love of country life which characterize
the wealthier portion of the resident community.
English people afilicted at home by a winter climate
which year after year grows more intolerable and
more interminable, fruitlessly, and at great cost,
seek sunshine and "^varmth in the south of Europe
amid unsympathetic foreigners. A three weeks'
voyage, unaccompanied either by hardships or
risk, Avould bring them to this lo\'ely spot, where,
among people of their own race, speaking their own
language, and thinking their own thoughts, they
would tind and enjoy the most temperate and
equable summer weather, with all the attractions
of sea-side existence which the earth can offer. ^
Socially a very happy change has, in recent years,
been effected in the Cape To^vn community. The
'22 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
old hostility between the English and the Dutch,
which at the time of the Transvaal War had at-
tained a dangerous height, seems to have entirely
passed away. The two sections regard each other
with feelings of resj^ect, friendship, mutual trust.
The o-enius of the Prime ]\Iimster, Mr. Cecil Rhodes,
has mainly contriljuted to this auspicious state of
things. He has known how to acquire and retain
the conhdence of the English and of the Dutch
colonist, he has shown them in the daily practice
of his Government that their interests are entirely
and absolutely common, and so homogeneous is
now this Cape coinmimity that the President of
the South xlfrican Republic and the Transxaal
Boers have been plainly and eff'ecti\el\' Avarned by
many Dutchmen of authorit}^ and position in Cape
Colony that unfriendl}' action on their part against
the British position in Zambesia, and hostile action
by Boer " trekkers," against the British Chartered
South African Company, will neither receive the
support nor enjoy the sympathy of any appre-
ciable section of the Dutch subjects of the C^ueen.
The Cape Colony Dutch sympathized profoundly
with their countrymen, who, in 1881, Avere light-
ing for their freedom ; but that freedom having
been restored and guaranteed, they are equally
ready to disapprove of, and e\en to resist, their
Transvaal kinsmen impelled by land hunger or by
sheer animosity to attack British possessions and
British subjects Avithout reason or proAOcation.
Moreover, the Cape Colony Dutch argue Avith
much force : '^ AYe supported you Boers in your
struggle for liberty, our sui)port saved you from
Majuba Hill. 23
British resentnieiit ; in return you have placed
prohibitive duties oii our goods and })roductions,
you have oljstiuately hindered the extension of
our I'ailways, and you have exckided our chikh^en
from civil employment in your State. Whereas
we lind that this Imperial Government which you
so unreasonably hate, whether in Bechuanaland or
in the Chartered territory, admits our goods duty
free, actively supports the development of the rail-
way system, and invites our children not only to
enter its service, but to come into and occupy the
lands under its control." In justice it should be
added that the sagacious policy of Mr. Rhodes has
only been made possiljle by the termination of
the Transvaal War in 1881, and by the manner of
its termination. The surrender of the Transvaal
and the peace concluded by Mr. Gladstone with the
victors of Majidja Hill were at the time, and still
are, the object of sharp criticism and bitter de-
nunciation from many politicians at home, qttoruvb
jKirs parva fui. Better and more precise informa-
tion, combined with cool reflection, leads me to
the conclusion that, had the British Government
of that day taken advantage of its strong military
position, and annihilated, as it could easily kave
done, tlie Boer forces, it would indeed kave re-
gained tke Transvaal, but it miglit kave lost Cape
Colony. Tke Dutck sentiment in tke Colony kad
been so exasperated by wkat it considered to be
tke unjust, faitkless, and arbitrar}' policy pursued
towards tke free Dutckmen of tke Transvaal, by
Sir Bartle Frere, Sir Tkeopkilus Skepstone, and
Sir Owen Lanyon, tliat tke flnal triumpk of tke
24 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Britisli arms mainly by brute force would have
IDermanently and hopelessly alienated it from
Great Britain ; Parliamentary government in a
country where the Dutch control the Parliament
would have become impossible, and without Par-
liamentary government, Cape Colony would be
ungovernable. The actual magnanimity of the
peace with the Boers concluded by Mr. Gladstone's
Ministry after two humiliating military reverses
suffered by the arms under their control became
plainly apparent to the just and sensible mind of
the Dutch Cape Colonist, atoned for much of past
grievance, and demonstrated the total absence in
the English mind of any hostility or unfriendli-
ness to the Dutch race. Concord between Dutch
and English in the colony from that moment
became possible, and that concord the government
of Mr. Rhodes inaugurated, and has since to all
appearance hrmly riveted. On the other hand,
the peace thus concluded with the Transvaal
carried with it some grave disadvantages. The re-
erection of the South African Republic contributed
another powerful factor to the forces of disunion
iu South Africa ; the Boers of the Transvaal,
Avanting altogether the common-sense of their
kinsmen in the colony, have since the war been
inflated with an overAveening pride, foolishly
eager to seek quarrels and sustain disputes with
the English poAver, and will continue, possibly for
generations, to be a formidable obstacle to either
political or commercial federation in South Africa.
Moreover, the generosity of the surrender of the
Cape Politics. 25
Transvaal by the English Government was
naturally misunderstood by, or was not apparent
to, the mind of powerful native races. On the
whole, I find myself free to confess, and without
reluctance to admit, that the English escaped from
a wretched and discreditable muddle, not without
harm and damage, but probably in the best pos-
sible manner, and that lessons have been taught
to many parties by the Transvaal war which, if
learned, may be of the utmost value in framing-
future policy.
South African politics are highly interesting at
the present moment. The position of the Cape
Government is one of apparent solidity and power.
Against it, suj^ported as it is by a preponderating
majority in Parliament, two ex-Prime Ministers,
in imperfect harmony with each other, and followed
by groups numerically insignificant, with difficulty
sustain the forms of an Opposition. Complete
concord and co-operation exist between the Par-
liament and the Ministers on the one hand, and the
High Commissioner on the other. It is, indeed,
well that this should be so now, for the develop-
ment of the ao-ricultural and mineral resources of
Matabeleland under the protection of the British
Government, through the instrumentality of the
Chartered Company, will require for years the
most skilful, prudent, and courageous handling.
That those resources will before long prove to be
of value to the English people does not admit of
doubt ; but their very value excites the cupidity,
not only of the weak and easily-controlled Boer,
26 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
and of the weaker and still more easily-controlled
[Portuguese, but also of such j^owerful rivals as
France and Germany ; any failure on our part
ettectively to develop Matabeleland, to preserve
l)eace, order, and security in those ^'ast regions,
and to combine in the work the entire British
African community, would result in a loss Avhicli,
from a national and from a commercial point of view,
can onlv be described as immeasurable. But the
com]jination of the British African community for
effective executive purposes is a task which ma}'
almost exhaust the resources of statesmanship).
From the Zambesi to the Cape of Good Hope, a
region occupying some two thousand miles of land
in length, inhabited by about half a million whites
and by over four millions of natives, every form
of go\'ernment known to liistory is to be found in
existence and at work : in the Cape Colonv a re-
presentative JAirliament elected on the Avidest
native and European suffrage, with responsible
Ministers and almost complete independence of the
Home Government ; in Xatal a more restricted re-
presentative body, with Ministers not directly
responsible to that Ijody, a sort of Prussian ad-
ministration ; in Zululand the personal and direct
government of the Governor of Natal ; in the
Transvaal an independent republic, but mmble to
conclude treaties with foreio-n States without the
o
approval of the British Government ; with a pi-e-
sident, executive, and two chambers elected by
Dutch burghers, but with many thousands of
E uropean population possessing no political rights ;
The South African States. 27
ill the Orange Free State another independent re-
public, governed by a j^resident and one chamber,
elected by all the citizens ; in Bechuanaland the
direct and personal government of the Governor of
Cape Colony, exercised through an administrator
under laws enacted by the Governor's proclama-
tion ; in Basutoland direct and personal govern-
ment of the High Commissioner, exercised through
an administrator under laws enacted by the High
Commissioner's proclamation, and Avith native
customs and native laws administered by native
chiefs so far as they may not be inconsistent with
English justice ; in the Bechuanaland Protectorate
the jjersonal authority of the High Commissioner,
the native chiefs and territory j^rotected by the
Bechuanaland Border Police from external ag-
gression, Avdtli native hiAvs administered by the
chiefs ; in Swaziland a joint Government carried
oil by the Biitish and the Transvaal authorities,
with an executive consisting of a representative of
the Swazi nation, of the British Government, and
of the South African Republic, whose laws require
the joint approval of the guaranteeing Powers ; in
Pondoland an independent native State, the
sea-coast only of which is under the protection of
England with a seaport on the coast Avliich is
actual British territoi'y ; in Damaraland a German
territory under direct control of the German Gov-
ernment, the only seaport of which Ijelongs to the
Cape Colony ; in Amatongaland an indeiDendent
native State go\ eiiied by Queen Zambili and her
councillors, but possessing no power to conclude
28 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
treaties with foreign States, excej)t with the
approval of the British Government ; while in
Matabeleland, a territory as large as France, in-
habited by a numerous and warlike tribe of Zulu
origin, the burden of government has been
assumed by an English Commercial Corporation
under charter from the Crown, under the jurisdic-
diction of the High Commissioner, and deri^'ing
administrative authority from the High Com-
missioner acting on behalf of the British Govern-
ment. The mere enumeration of these various
forms of government, the mere setting out of this
com^Dlicated and variegated congeries of powers
and authorities all mixed up almost inextricably
together, will suffice to give some idea of the
difficulties and embarrassments which attend the
course whether of a Secretary of State, of a High
Commissioner, or of a Cape Colony Government
and Parliament.
For a British coaling station of great import-
ance Cape Town is fairly well fortihed. By the
courtesy of General Cameron, commanding the
forces, and of Colonel KnoUys, commanding the
Artillery, I was enabled to make a detailed ex-
amination of the defences. I was naturally much
interested in noting what had been done, because
Cape Town is one of the coaling stations which
Lord Salisbury accused me of being desirous, when
Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1886, of leaving in
a defenceless condition. Five 9 •2-inch breech-
loading guns, with hydro-pneumatic moimtings,
placed in positions selected Avith admirable art,
Defences of the Cape.
29
make the approacli of a hostile fleet a. work of
great difficulty and danger. With these formid-
able cannon are placed, more for purposes of
ornament than of effective use, fourteen or fifteen
seven-ton muzzle-loading guns. These latter have
been discarded by the navy, and are considered by
expert artillerists, on account of their muzzle-
loading aiTangements, their inferior accuracy, and
The Defences of the Cape — A 9'2 inch breech-loading'gun.
small penetrative power, to be obsolete. The
Home Government, however, considered them to
be good enough for the Cape, and at great expense
have sent out and mounted a number of them for
the defence of Table Bay and of Simon's Bay. I
am informed that for the same money an equal
number of the new six-inch breech-loading gun
might have been furnished, in which case the
defences of the Cape of Good Hope in respect of
30 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
ordnance would have been complete/ But it is
ever so. Our War Office and Admiralty can never
be persuaded to make a finished and perfect work.
The various detached forts in which these guns
liave been placed have been constructed with great
solidity. The Cape Government supjDlied the sites
and the labour at a cost of about G0,000/. ; the
guns and mountings were furnished by the Home
Government. A 9*2-iixcli breech-loading gun, w^ith
hydro-pneumatic mounting, costs 17,000/. Two
of these guns, two 9 -inch muzzle-loaders, together
with several seven-ton muzzle-loaders, command
and protect the naval station at Simon's Bay.
The forts at Simon's Bay have been so ingeniously
concealed by the engineers that it would be
difficult and perhaps impossible for the officers of
an approaching hostile fleet to discover their situa-
tion until it had come well within range. The
General kindly allowed the 9 •2-inch breech-load-
ing gun in Fort Wynyard to have three rounds
fired from it for my inspection. The projectile
Aveighs 3801bs., and the charge of powder is 1661bs.
The target, a flagstafl" on a barrel, was moored at
a distance out at sea of 2900 yards. All three
shots, so excellent is the accuracy of the gun and
the training of the gunners, passed Avithin a few
I'eet of the target, which, if it had been an
enemy's ship, would have suftered fatal damage.
^ The facts set out above were controverted in the House of
Commons, were controverted hy ]Mr. Stanhope, Secretary of
State for War. They are nevertheless authentic and accu-
ratelj'- stated.
The Garrison at CaPe Town. ^i
The destructive rano-e of this cannon attains
the jDrodigious distance of 10,000 yards. The
garrison at Cape Town is ridiculoiisl}' weak. It
consists of one and a half battahons of infantry
and two batteries of artillery. The 9*2-incli
lireech-loading gun requires for its handling seven-
teen trained artillerists. The garrison in its
present feeble state can only furnish three men pei'
gun. A scheme is at present being considered for
combining effectively with the Imperial troops
the best volunteer forces, but nothino- has been
decided on in this direction, and the jealousy of
home interference entertained by the Colonial
Government may yet cause much friction and
delay. I am informed that if Cape ToA^n is to l)e
rendered at all secure from hostile attack, one
additional battalion of infantry and one battery
of artillery is imperatively required. General
Cameron, speaking at the Mayor's lunclieon, as-
serted that he had only 1300 effective men under
his command, whereas a garrison of at least 6000
was necessary for the adequate protection of the
Cape of Good Hope. To do full justice to the War
Ofhce I should add that it maintains with mao-ni-
ticent liberality for the duties of this feeble garrison
a staff" equal in numbers and importance to the
requirements of an army of 20,000 men.^ AVith
the due celebration of the Queen's Birthday on the
25th Alay, and with the opening of the Cape Par-
- This statement was also contradicted in the House of
Commons by Mr. Stanhope, Secretary of State for War. It is^
nevertheless, perfectly accurate.
32 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
liament on the following clay, at l^oth of which
interesting and imposing ceremonies I was privi-
leged to be iDresent, I brought to a close a most
agreeable fortnight passed at Cape To^\ai.
Jl
En Route for Kimberley. 33
CHAPTER III.
DIA^rONDS.
We leave Cape Town — The Paarl — Worcester Town — Tlic
Hex Kiver Pass — A Paddington man — Arrival at Matjes-
fontein — Mr. J. D. Logan — The Karroo — Diamond In-
dustry at Kimberley — Visit to the offices of the De Beers
Company — ^Nlr. Cecil Rhodes a pulilic man of the first
order — Mr. Gardner Williams, mining engineer— The blue
ground — Separating the diamonds — Precautions against
Theft — The De Beers Company a model Village Community
— Electric light used in the diamond mines.
The mail train for Kimberley leaves Cape To's\qi
in the evenino-, but the traveller will be well advised
in doing the portion of the journey as far Matjes-
fontein by day. The railroad passes through
mountain scenery of exceptional beauty and
variety. We left Cape Town in pouring rain, but
soon after our departure the clouds broke, and the
Sim shining out brightly upon the mist which
hung over the tops of the Hottentot Holland
Range produced a series of rare and astonishing-
rainbow effects. About tliirty miles from Cape
Town is situated the Paarl, an old town of French
origin, which takes its name from a chain of large
granite boulders, supi)osed to resemble the pearls
of a necklace, Avhich adorn the summit of the hill
overhanging the place. The valley of the Paarl is
covered with vineyards intersjoersed here and there
D
34 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Avith fertile pastures on which graze herds of long-
horned cattle. The sweet wines of the Paarl rival
in excellence those of Constancia. The slopes of
the hills are well wooded, the general aspect of the
valley is of extraordinary attraction . R onnd about
Wellington, a toA\ai in the vicinity of the Paarl, wo
find a great corn-growing country, while in the
division of Worcester, a hundred miles distant from
Cape Town, we come to a district producing an
abundance of sheep, cattle, horses, ostriches, corn,
dried fruits, and Avines. The town of Worcester
has been admirably constructed. '' The. streets are
Avell laid out in parallelogi'ams, bordered Avith
AA^ater-courses and eucalyptus trees. A plentiful
supply of Avater, coiiA'-eyed from the Hex Kiver l)y
an artificial canal six miles in length, imparts to
the toAvn an unusually verdant aspect, the charm
of Avhich is enhanced by contrast AA'ith the sterile
appearance of the lofty and rugged mountains
Avhicli surround it. About nine miles from A\ oi-
cester there are hot springs Avith a temperature of
145 deg., the Avater of Avhich is famed for its
cure of Avounds and skin diseases." ^ Speaking
generally of the road between Cape Toavu and
the summit of the Hex River Pass, the moun-
tain and Aalley scenery is hardly to be sur-
passed in loveliness, and the traveller, assisted by
memory or imagination, may fancy himself noAv in
Yorkshire or Worcestershire, noAv in the Hio-hlands
of Scotland, noAv in the A^alleys of Provence. After
leaving Worcester, the railway ascends the Hex
' South African Argus Annual.
A Paddixgton Man.
River Pass, the summit of wliicli is some 3000 feet
above the level of the sea. The road, which is a
triumph of engineering skill, has an average gradient
of 1 in 40, and no fewer than seventy-two curves,
some of them very sharp. To view the magnificent
mountain prospect with more advantage our party
was accommodated with scats on the little platform
in front of the engine, and the sensations of
travelling in this manner along the verge of preci-
pices of giddy depth and over iron bridges of frail
appearance were at once novel and thrilling. The
engine-dri\':er, who was very affectionate, confided
to me Avhile we Avere passing at respectable speed
an apparently dangerous portion of the track, that
he was a Paddington man. This is the second
gentleman occupying an ofiicial position connected
with the administration of the railroads of South
Africa who claimed Paddington as his birthplace
and his home, and who saluted with joy the
appearance of his representative in Parliament.
]\Iatjesfontein, which we reached in the evening
and where ws passed the night, aftbrds a remark-
able example of what can be eftected by the energy
of the Englishman. Mr. J. D. Logan, who is the
proprietor of an estate here of 100,000 acres in
extent, has settled himself down on what appears
at first sight to be the most unpromising spot for
a farmer which the mind can imagine. Here, in
the arid plain of the Karroo, producing nothing
but low scrub and scanty herbage, he has built
himself a large and comfortable house, a spacious
homestead with oood cottas-es for his men, and
D 2
36 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
elevates with mucli success flocks of many thousands
of sheep and ]ierds of many lumdreds of cattle.
The Karroo is far more liospitable and noiu'ishino-
for live stock than the nninstructed tourist M^oiild
inmoiiie. Tlie climate is })erfect, the aii- iiui^uorat-
iiio- hke thiit of Scothind, and the only som'ce ol'
anxiety to the farmer is foiiiid in the somcAvhat
insuthcient rainfall. Sport is to ])c ol)tained in
plenty bv the sportsipnii Avho docs not fear hard
v\^ork. The (piail, the iiamntp.ia pMrtrid<i'e, the
koran, the pauw, a s})ecies of Ijustard, all at different
times and seasons fill the frame-ljafr, wliile often the ^
spriiig-h<)k and sometimes the leopard ^vl\\ fall to
the well-aimed rifle. I iinairiiic tliat mauva \omiu'
English farmer with a £rood trainiiii:, an active dis-
position, and a small capital, might find in the
Karroo both a home and a I'ortune. No rent,
scarcely any taxes, and perfect freedom are con-
stituents of happiness which to the ordinary English
farmer would appear almost as an unrealizable
dream. y An earl)' start the next morning, a journey
of twenty-four hours across the monotonous and
apparently limit less exp anse, of the Karroo brought
_Ji^to KimberleyJ Nothing in the external appear-
ance of Kiml^erley suggests either its fame or its
wealth. A straggling, haphazard connection of
small, lo^v dwellings, constructed almost entirely
of corrugated iron or of wood, laid out with hardly
any attempt at regidarity, and without the slightest
trace of municipal magnificence, is the home of
the diamond industry. It seems that when the
diamonds were first discovered some twenty years
The Diamond Industry at Kimberley. 37
ago, many thousands of persons settled down sud-
denly on the spot like a cluster of swarmmg bees,
and established themselYes anyhow as best thev
could in the most rough and primitive fashion,
never dreaming but that the yield of diamonds
would be of limited extent and of short duration,
that their fortunes would be rapidly acquired, and
Classified for shipment at Kimberlej.
that they would pass as rapidly away from the
place, having exhausted all its Avealth-producing
resources. The re\'erse has proved to be the case.
The diamondiferous resources of Kimberley are
now known to be practically inexhaustible, but the
amalgamation of the mines has restricted employ-
ment and checked immigration, and the town
still preserves, and probably will always preserve,
38 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
its transitory and rough-and-ready appearance.
There are, however, a number of excellent shops,
and there are few articles of necessity, of con-
venience, or of luxury which cannot here be pur-
chased. A most comfortable and hospitable club,
an admirably laid-out and well-arranged racecourse
testify to the thoroughly English character of the
settlement. At Kimberley the diamond is every-
thing, and the source and method of its production
claim more than a passing mention. My first visri
was to the offices of the De Beers Compaii}', which
company represents the amalgamated interests of
the De Beers, Kimberley, Bultfontein, Du Toits
Pan, and other smaller miuQS. The amalgamation
was the work of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, and it was
this great work, accomplished in the teeth of
unheard-of difficulties and almost insurmountable
opposition, representing the conciliation and
unification of almost innumerable rival jarring
and conflictino- interests, which revealed to South
Africa that it possessed a public man of the first
order. The scale of the company's ojDerations is
stupendous. On a capital of nearly 8,000,000/. of
debenture and share stock it has 2)aid, since its
formation in 1888 up to March, 1890, interest at
the rate of 5^ per cent., and an annual dividend of
20 per cent. In the same period it has given out
some t^vo million five hundred thousand carats of
diamonds, realizing by sale over three and a half
milhoii pounds, produced by washing some two
million seven hundred thousand loads of blue
ground. Each load represents three-quarters of a
The De Beers ComI'anv. 39
ton, and costs in extracting about S-y. lOd. per
load, realizing a profit of 206;, to ?)0,s. per carat
sold. The annual amount of money ])aid aM'ay in
interest and dividends exceeds 1,300,000/. The
dividends might have been mucli larger, but the
policy of the present Board of Directors appears to
be to restrict the production of diamonds to the
quantity the world can easily absorb, to maintain
the price of the diamonds at a fair level from 28.v.
to 32.9. per carat, and, in order the better to carry
out this policy, to accumulate a very large cash
reserve. I believe that the reserve already accu-
mulated amounts to nearly a million, and that this
amount is to be doubled in the course of the next
year or two, when the board will feel that they
have occupied for their shareholders a position un-
assailable by any of the changes and chances of
commerce. In the working of the mine there are
employed about 1300 Europeans and 5700 natives.
The wages paid range high, and figures concerning
them may interest the English artisan. Mechanics
and engine-drivers receiA'e from G/. to 7/-. per
week, miners from 5/. to 6L, guards and tally-men
from 4/. to 5/. ; natives in the undero'round works
are paid from As. to 5,s'. per day. In the work on
the '' floors," which is all surface work, overseers
receive from 3/= 12.v. to 4/. 2s., machine men and
assorters from 5/. to 6/., and ordinary native
labourers from 17.s'. 6./. to 21.9. per week. In
addition, every employe on the " floors " has a per-
centage on the value of diamonds found by himself,
the white employes receiving 1.5. 6(?., and the
h^
40 Men, Mikes, and Animals in South Africa.
natives Sd, per carat. I\ early double these
aniouuts are paid for stones found in the mines.
' ^Ir. Gardner Williams, the eminent mining
eno'ineer who occujiies the important post of
Mr. GarclEer "Williams. Lord Randolpli Churcliin. Captain Williams.
lu the Eock Sliafh of the De Beers Diamond Mine, at a depth of
900 feet.
general manager to the De Beers 'Company, "svas
kind enough to accompany me all o^-er the mines,
and to explain in detail the method of operation.
The De Beers and the Kimberley mines are
probably the two biggest holes which greedy man
The Blue Ground. 41
has ever dug into the earth, the area of the former
at the surface bemg thirteen acres, with a depth of
•450 feet, the area and depth of the Latter being-
even greater. These mines are no longer worked
from the surface, Ijut from shafts sunk at some
distance from the original holes, and penetrating to
the blue ground by transverse drivings at depths
varying from 500 to 1200 feet. The blue ground,
when extracted, is carried in small iron trucks
to the " floors." " These are made by removing
the bush and grass from a fairly level ^iece of
ground ; the land is then rolled and made as
hard and as smooth as j^ossible. These ' floors '
are about 600 acres in extent. They are
covered to the depth of about a foot with
the blue ground, which for a time remains on
them without much manipulation. The heat of
the sun and moisture soon have a wonderful effect
upon it. Large pieces which were as hard as
ordinary sandstone when taken from the mine,
soon commence to crumljle. At this stage of the
work, the winning of the diamonds assumes
more the nature of farming than of mining ; the
ground is continually haii'owed to assist pulveriza-
tion by exposing the larger pieces to the action
of the sun and rain. The blue ground from
Kimberley mine l^ecomes quite well pulverized in
three months, while that from De Beers requires
double that time. The lono-er tlie oround remains
exposed, the l)etter it is for Avasliing." ^ The
process of exposure being completed, the blue
' Keport, 1890, General Manager, De Beers.
42 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
ground is then carried to very large, elaborate,
and costly washing machines, in which, l)y means -
of the action of running water, the diamonds are
separated from the ordinary earth. It may be
mentioned that in this process 100 loads of blue
ground are concentrated into one load of diamondi-
ferous stuff. Another machine, the " pulsator,"
then separates this latter stuff', which appears to
be a mass of blue and dark pebbles of all shapes,
into four different sizes, which then pass on to the
assortcrs. " The assorting is done on tables, first
while wet by whitemen, and then dry by natives." ^
The assorters work with a kind of trowel, and
their accuracy in detecting and separating the
diamond from the eight different kinds of mineral
formations which reach them is almost unerring. (^
\ /^ " The diamond occurs in all shades of colour from )
deep yellow to blue white, from deep brown to
light brown, and in a great A'ariety of colours,
green, blue, jjink, broAvn, yellow, orange, i^ure
white, and opaque." - The most valuable are tlie
pure white and the deep orange. '' The stones
vary in size from that of a pin's head upwards ;
the largest diamond yet found weighed 428^ carats.
It was cut arid exhibited at the Paris Exhibitiou,
and after cutting weighed 22 8^ carats. "After
assorting, the diamonds are sent daily to the
general office under an armed escort and delivered
to the valuators in charge of the diamond
department. The first operation is to clean the
' Report, 1890, General Mnnager, De Beers.
■ lid I.
Separating the Diamonds.
43
diamonds of aiiy extraneous matter by boiling
them in a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids.
When cleaned they are carefully assorted again in
respect of size, colour, and purity." ^ The room in
the De Beers oiiice where they are then displayed
offers a most strikinir siii'ht. It is lii>'hted by laro-e
windows, underneath which runs a broad counter
covered with white sheets of j^aper, on ^vdiicli are
In the 800 feet level of the De Beers Diamond Mine.
laid out innumerable glistening heaps of precious
stones of indescribable variety. In this room ai'e
concentrated some 60,000 carats, the daily produc-
tion of the Consolidated Mine being about 5500
carats. " When the diamonds have been valued
they are sold in parcels to local buyers, who
represent the leading diamond merchants of
Europe. The size of a parcel varies from a lew
thousand to tens of thousands of carats ; in one
^ Iloporfc, 1890, General Manager, De Beers.
.//
44 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
instance, two years ago, nearly a quarter of a
million of carats were sold in one lot to one
buyer." ^
The company sustain a considerable loss annually,
estimated now at from 10 to 15 per cent., by
diamonds beino- stolen IVom the mines. To check
this loss, extraordinary precautions have been
Sorting grayel for diamonds at Kimberley.
resorted to. The natives are engaged for a j^eriod
of three months, during Avliich time they are
confined in a compound suiTounded by a high wall.
On returning from their day's work, they have to
strip off all their clothes, which they hang on pegs
in a shed. Stark naked, they then proceed to the
^ Report, 1890, General Manager, De Leers.
Precautions again;=t Theft. 45
searching room, wliere their mouths, their haii%
their toes, their armpits, and every portion of theii*
l)ocly are sul)jected to an ehal)orate examination.
White men would ne\er submit to such a ])rocess,
])ut the native sustains the indignitv Avitli clicci'riil
equanimitN', considei'ing only the high wages which
he earns. After passing' through the senrchina;
room, thev pass, still in a state of nnditv, to their
apartments in tlie compound, A\'here tliey find
blankets in ^vliicli to A^'rap tliemsehes for the
night. During the e\'ening, the clothes which they
have left behind them are carefnlly and minutely
searched, and are restored tu thcii- owners in the
morning. The precautions A\'liich are taken a
few days before the nati^'es lea\e tlie compound,
their engagement being terminated, to recover
diamonds Avhich they may have swallowed, are
more easily imagined than descrd^ed. In addi-
tion to these arrangements, a. law of excep-
tional rigour punishes illicit diamond buying, ' ^ ^
known in the slang of Sontli Africa as I.D.B.ism. 7 —
Under this statute, the ordinary presumption of
law in favour of tlie accused disap^Dears, and an »
accused person has t() pro\'e his innocence in the
clearest manner, instead of the accuser having to
prove his guilt. Sentences are constantly passed
on persons con^dcted of this otlence ranging from
five to fifteen vears. It must be admitted that
this tremendous law is in thorough conformity with
South African sentiment, which elevates I.D.B.ism
almost to the level, if not above the level, of actual
homicide. If a man walking in the streets or in
46 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
the precincts of Kimberley were to find a diamond
and were not immediately to take it to the registrar,
restore it to him, and to liave the fact of its
restoration registered, he woukl he Hal)le to a
punishment of fifteen years' penal servitude. In
order to prevent illicit traffic, the quantities of
diamonds produced by the mines are reported to
the detective department both by the producers
and the exporters. All diamonds, except those
which pass through illicit channels, are sent to
England l)v registered post, the Aveekly shipments
averaoino- " from 40,000 to 50,000 carats. The
o;reatest outlet for stolen diamonds is throuo-h
the Transvaal to Xatal, where they are shipped by
respectable merchants, who turn a deaf ear to any
information from the diamond fields to the effect
that they are aiding the safe-©^ stolen proj^erty.^
The most ingenious ruses are resorted to by the
illicit dealers for conveying the stolen diamonds
out of Kimberley. They are considerably assisted
by the fact that the boundaries of the Transvaal
and of the Free State approacli witliin a few
miles of Kimlx-rley, and once across the border^
they are comparatively safe. Recently, so I was
informed, a notorious diamond thief was seen
leaving Kimberley on horseback for the Transvaal
Convinced of his iniquitous designs, he was seized
by the police on the border and tlioroughly
searched. Nothing was found on liim, and he
was perforce allowed to proceed. Xo sooner was
1 Report, 1890, General Manager, De ]5ecrs.
A Model Village Community. 47
lie well across the border, than he, under the eyes
of the detective, delibei'ately shot and cut open his
horse, extracting fi'oiii its intestines a large parcel
of diamonds, which, previous to the journey, had
been administered to the unfortunate animal in
the form of a ball. ^'
The De Beers Directors manage their immense
concern with o-reat liberalitv. A model villa o-e,
called Kenilworth, within the precincts of the
mines, affords most comfortable and healthy accom-
iliodation for several of the European employes.
Gardens are attached to cottages, and the planting
of eucalyptus, cypress, pine, and oak, as well as a
variety of fruit trees, has been carried to a con-
siderable extent. A very excellent club-house
has also been built, which includes, besides the
mess-room and kitchen, a. reading-room, where
many of the monthly papers and magazines are
kept, together with six hundred volumes from the
Kimberley Public Li1)rary. There is also a billiard
room, Avith two oood tables o-iven by two of the
directors. A la r o-e recreation oTound is in the
course of construction. AVithin the compound
Avhere the native labourers are confined is a store
where they can procure cheaply all the necessaries
of life. Wood and water are supjolied free of
charge, and a large swimming bath is also provided,
but I did not learn if the n[itives made much use
of it. All sick natives are taken care of in a
hospital connected with the compound, where
medical attendance, nurses, and food are sujiplied
gratuitouslv by the company. I should not omit
48 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
to mention that the entire mine nhove and under-
liToinid is li_2;hted by (dectricit)'. 'J'herc are tivn
cii-cuits of ek'ctj'ic lamps for De Beers and
Kinil)erlc\' mines. They consist of lifry-tA\'o arc
]amj)S of 1000 candle power each, and (191 gloA\'
lamps of sixteen and sixty-four candle i)ower each,
or a total illuminatinp: power of 63,696 candles.
There are, moreoA'er, thirty telephones connectinu'
the ditterent centres of A\'ork too-ether, and over
eio-htv electric hells are used for simallinu' in
shafts and on haulages. Such is this marvellous
mine, the like of whicli I doulit whether the
world can show. W'lien one considers the
enormous capital iinested, the ela1)orate and
costly plant, the numher <jf human beings
emplo3^ed, and the object of this unparalleled
concentration of effort, curious reflections occur.
In all other mining- distinctly profitable objects are
sought, and purposes are cai'ried out beneficial
generally to mankind. This I'cmark would apply
to gold mines, to coal mines, to tin, copper, and
lead mines ; but at the De Beers mine all the
wonderful arrangements I ha\'e described above are
put in force in order to extract from the depths of
the ground, solely for the wealtliy classes, a tin\'
crystal to be used for the gratification of female
vanity in imitation of a lust for personal adornment
essentiallv barbaric if not altoo-ether savao-e.
From Kimbekley to Johankeseurg. 49
CHAPTER IV.
GOLD.
The dianionds of Kimberley — The journey to Johannesburg —
Eaihvay extensions — Grass veldt between Kimberley and
Yryburg — The cattle farm of the future — "Native Re-
serve " of the Southern Bechuana — We reach Vryburg —
Sir Sidney Shipjiard entertains us — Coaching with a
team of mules — The wayfaring man in the Transvaal —
An attractive little town — Gold mines in the neighbour-
hood—The outlook at Johannesburg — The gold mines —
Selfish jealousy of the Boer Government — Astounding
inequality of taxation — Bad condition of the roads to
Johannesburg — The vicious system of concessions.
I PASSED from the region of diainoiids into
the region of gohl. The "Arabian Nights"
character of this statement is justified by the fact
that, as the small cHstrict of Kimberley produces
some 2,000,000/. of diamonds annually, so the
larger but still not vast district of the Randt
produces in the same period some 2,500,000/. of
gold. This latter production, unlike that of
Kimberley, is likely to be doubled and even
trebled in course of time. The journey from
Kimberley to Johannesburg, covering a distance
of 450 miles, deserves some description. The rail-
way is completed as far as Vryburg in Bechuana-
land. It is now proposed to carry this raihvay on
a narro^vcr n-au2"e to Mafekinii- and to a hundred
miles north of that place. Should the Tati gold-
50 Mex\, Mines, and Ankmals in South Africa.
fields prove as remunerative as well-informed
persons believe, the line will soon be extended
thither. From Tati to the Victoria Falls of the
Zambesi is a short step of about 500 miles, o^'er a
country offering few engineering difficulties, and I
doubt not that the next generation, before it groM-s
old, will travel to this great river and to its un-
paralleled cascades with the same ease and comfort
as the present generation is able to visit Niagara.
The road from Kimberley to Vryburg traverses a
succession of j)lains wide as the eye can range,
bounded here and there by Ioav and regular
chains of liills. Scarcely a single tree breaks the
endless flat of grass veldt.
Pone me pigiis uLi nulla campis
Arbor a3stiva recreatur aura.
The Roman poet must have had Bechuanaland or
the Transvaal in his mind "when he wrote the lines
quoted above, for the two countries perfectly
realize his conception. The veldt at the surface
in the winter has a somewhat sterile and 23arched
appearance, and is covered with patchy grass dried
by the sun to the colour of hay. Far and wide it
extends, and the traveller sees no reason why he
should ever emerge from its limits. Tayo causes,
however, combine to remove the tedium and
monotony of such a landscape. The vastness, the
apparent illimitability of the surroundings, elevate
rather than oppress the mind, and the genial
sunshine, the cloudless sky, the in\dgorating
highland air sustain the spirits at a hio-h level.
The Cattle Farm of the Future. qi
Nor must it he supposed that these African plains'
arc in any degree "wanting in fertility. The heavy
rains of the siuinner and autunni produce an
abundance of juicy grass, on Avdiich are raised
large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. Both in
Bechuanaland and in the Transvaal the amount of
live stock is very considei'ably less than the area
and the soil are capable of sustaining, and it A"\'ould
scarcelv be an exaggeration to assert that if, in
the course of centuries, all other supplies of meat
ibr the human race should be exhausted, the
African veldt could produce sufficient to fill the
stomachs of a stai'ving world. Cattle disease,
horse sickness, and the sheep scab at present otter
formidable obstacles to the rapid multiplication of
live stock. It is highly probable that science and
sanitary legislation will before long rempve or
mitigate these scourges of the farmer. Approach-
ing Vryburg, the railroad runs through the
" Native Reserve," a large district Avliiclr has been
set aside for exclusive occupation and cultivation
by the Southern Becliuana. The soil here is ^vell- 1
Avatered and of great fertility ; al)undant crops of
mealies (maize) can he easily I'aised, and many
other kinds of grain, j^otatoes, and various vege-
tables might be produced in lai'ge quantities were
the natives given to industry and agriculture.
Report, however, speaks but poorly of the
Southern Becliuana ; idle and insolent in good
years, helpless and mendicant in bad, it is
doubtful whether he will be long aljlc or per-
mitted to retain his hold upon a territory which
E 2
52 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
is capable of being transformed into one vast
garden.
Vryburg is an urban conimiuiity in its infancy,
whjcli may some day grow into a large and
f thriving town. At ]n'esent it consists of a number
of low buildings of somewhat mean and squalid
appearance, constructed of tlie inevitable corru-
gated iron, and sjDreading themselves out irregu-
larly o\'er a considerable extent of ground. Sir
Sidney Shij^pard, the British administrator, avIio
entertained us most kindly and hospitiibly,
occuj^ies a small cottage which many a J3ritish
mechanic would desi:)ise. It is to be hoped,
'considering the size aud importance of our
Bcchuanaland j)ossessions and the great powers
^vielded l)y the administrator, tliat the British
Go^■ernment, who insist upon retaining their hold
over Bechuanaland, will ])ro\ide its ref)resentative
with a more suitable and honourable residence.
Three ho eels offer to the tra\-eller fail* Init rough
accommodation, and in one or more "well-iilled
stores the immigrant or the settler can obtain
most of the necessaries of lilr and such articles as
are requisite for the commerce of the interior.
From Vryburg branch oft' many routes north and
east and west : westward into Damaraland, or
into the great Kalahari desert towards Lake
Ngami : northward to ]\Iatabelel.and and the
Zambesi ; eastward, which route we ourselves
followed, to the Transvaal and Johannesburg.
Passenger coaches are for the jDresent conhned
to this latter route. As ^ve vrere a large
Coaching with a Team of Mules. 53
party, with some amount of baggage, we had
secured for our ])rivate use two coaches, and
we passed the four days occupied in the
journey to Johannesburg in tolerable comfort.
This kind of coaching is an experience which at the
present day can only l)e tried in Africa. The
coaches themsehes are the most curious produc-
tions of human slcill. Intended to hold twelve
passengers inside, lialf-a-dozen outside, besides
large quantities of heavy baggage, they are con-
structed of very solid materials hung upon thick
springs of leather, and present the most unwieldy
lumliering and old world appearance. They are
dra^Mi by ten or twelve mules or horses harnessed
in 2^airs. T^^'o men are refjuired to guide the
team, the one holding the reins, the other the
long whip witli which he can severely chastise all
but the leading pair. AVhen driving a team of
mules the Avhip is in operation every minute,
constant flosi-^-ino; alone inducino- these stubloorn
animals to do their best. At times one of the
drivers is compelled to descend from tiie box and
run alono-side the team, fioo-n-iuo- them all with
the greatest heartiness and impartiality. In spite,
however, of all this effort and apparent harsh
treatment, an a^'erage speed of about six miles is
all that can be realized. Roads there are none ;
deeplv rutted tracks are followed. When tlie
ruts get too dee}) for safety the track turns
slightly aside, and to such an extent does this
sometimes occur that in places the track occupies
a width of a quarter of a mile or more. Swinging,
54 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
boundino-, joltiiio', creaking, straining over this
extraordinary route, the coach pursues the un-
even tenor of its ^Vi\Y, sometimes labouring and
pkmging Uke a ship at sea, constantly heeling
over at angles at which an upset seems unavoid-
able ; now descending into the deep bed of a
"spniit" (creek), now sticking fast in heavy
ground, now careering o\'er masses of rocks and
stones. The travellers, all shaken up inside like
an omelet in a frying-pan, never cease to wonder
that the human frame can endure such shaking, or
that Avood and iron can be so firndy riveted to-
gether as to stand such a strain. It may be men-
tioned that the life of a coach does not exceed two
years, that upsets are frequent, and casualties not
uncommon. In this latter respect, however, we
were fortunate, reaching our destination without
the sliglitest accident or misfortune, our (b'ivers
l)eing skilful and the teams on the wliole fairlv
good. AVhether Soutli Africa ^y\\\ ever j^ossess
proper coach i-oads is doubtful. Raili'oads will
soon supersede this antiquated method of travelling,
and the coach, with its long team of mules, the
ti'ansport I'idei- with lu's waggon, and his still
longer team of oxen, will soon become things of
the past, or l)e baiiislied to the remotest regions.
At present it is j^o^^^ihle for any one who cares
about the exjDcrience to realize most accurately the
mode so graphically described l-y Loi-d Macaulay,
in which our forefathers travelled in England
some two centuries ago. Along the i-oad but few
human beings are met, human habitations are
The Wayfaring Man in the Transvaal. 55
scarce and for apart, and little animal life is to
ha perceived. Birds are fairly numerous ; the '
" koran," the partridge, the plover, the " dikkop,"'
offer to the sportsman occasional shots. Skeletons
of horses and of oxen which have succumhed to
the labours and pri^'ations of the journey abound
[dong'side the track, all either having been jDicked
clean or in the process of being devoured by flocks
of vultures. At one place we perceived some
scores of these birds surrounding a carcase, so
gorged that they took no notice of our approach,
although we passed within a few feet of them. ,
The hotel accommodation in the Transvaal is of
the roughest description, the Dutch scarcely appre-
ciating either cleanliness or comfort. It is possible
that the sleeping rooms might in some cases be
condemned by an l^]ngiish magistrate or inspector.
An extraordinary profusion of food awaits the
liungry wayfarer, but, alas ! it is quantity and
not quality which is attained ; and it is easy for
the man who dines in a Dutch hotel at a table
covered with every variety of viand to rise from
his repast almost as liungry as he sat do^v^i. The
followins; is the menu of dinner which awaited our
party on our arrival at Pullen's " AYinkel " (store
and hotel), where we passed the first night of our
journey : —
Oyster soup.
Egg a la soupe.
Saleme (x^c) curry and rice.
Chicken pie.
Saleme (dc) duck and olives.
Roast leg mutton.
Lamb and mint sauce.
56 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Corned mutton.
Saddle mutton.
Boiled leg mutton.
Boiled shoulder mutton and caper sauce.
Boiled corned beef.
Boiled ham.
Stuffed roast turkey.
Stuffed roast duck and mushroom.
Eoast fowl.
Boiled fo^vl and oyster sauce.
Potatoes.
Beans.
Boiled currant i)uJding ami wine sauce.
Friiit pie.
Red currant pie and l)oilcd custard.
Tipsey (sic) cake.
Cake a la Meringue.
Custard tart.
Tart.
Queen tart.
Fruit a la Meringue.
Blanc-mange and jam.
Baisins and almonds.
I can truthfully assert that, having done my l)est to
partake of some of these dishes, when dinner was
over I would have given a gold mine in jMashona-
land for a quarter of an hour at the Amphytrion.
On the second day we reached Klerksdorp, and
were within the limits of the auriferous portion of
the Transvaal. Klerksdorp is in a state of decay,
having had but an ephemeral existence. It sprang
into life during the gold-mining boom of some
four years ago. The ground all round it for a
considerable space was hastily pegged off in
mining claims, companies were floated with large
capital, sliares were tossed up to a premium ]3y
the promoter, just as a Japanese conjurer with a,
fan causes bits of paper to ascend in the air, and
An Attractive Little Town. 57
then came the crash. All was over, and a large
pretentious stock exchange, tenanted now only
by the dog, the cat, the pig, and the foAvl,
tells the interesting story of an African golden
dream. There are, however, one or two mines in
the neighbourhood, which may possibly, with
skilful management, yield some profit to the
shareholders, v/here the ore is plentiful, though of
low grade. One of these, the Bufflesdorn, about
ten miles from Klerksdorp, we were able to make
a thorough ins]Dection of. It is being skilfully and
economically worked, possesses a reef from three
to four feet in thickness, yielding on an average
a1)out seven penn\^weights to the ton, is not
o\'er capitalized, and has much about it which
led those "who Averc with me and who were
experienced authorities, to suppose that be-
fore long it may be a fairly })rofitable mining
venture. Klerksdorp can also boast of a hotel of
considerable size, the landlord of Avliich, a Gei'man,
may be celebrated for his insolence and his
rapacity, whose guests are tormented by excessive
dirt and discomfort. A short drive of about five
hours brought us on the following day to Potchef-
strom. This attractive little to^vn lies in the
hollow of a great plain, at the foot of some lo^v
hills fairly covered with plantations. The houses
are surrounded by luxuriant gardens, the streets
are lined with handsome trees. The sight of a tree
or -of a bit of green in the treeless and parched
veldt gives pleasure and relief alike to the mind
and the eye. Here a clean and comfortable hotel
58 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
and an obligin,^,' host enabled us to forget the
vexations and annoyances of Klerksdorp.
Johannesburg was reached on the evening of the
fourth day. We found ourselves at once in Ji
society and amid surroundings widely different
from an^' which had been experienced since landing
in Africa. Johannesburg extends lor a consider-
able distance alono- a rido-e of hills 6000 feet above
the level of the sea. Around wherever the eye
reposes it is arrested by mining shafts, liauliug
gear, engine houses, and tall chimneys. Joliannes-
burg presents a very English appearance, that of
an Eiiiilish manufacturino- town minus its noise,
smoke, and dirt. TJie streets are crowded Avith a
busy, bustling, active, keen, intelligent-looking
throng. Here are gathered together human beings
from eveiy ([uarter of the globe, the English
possessing an immense predominance. The
buildings and general architecture of the town
attain an excellent standard, st\de liaving been
consulted and sought after, stone and bricks the
materials, corrugated iron being confined to the
roofs, solidity, permanence, and progress the
general characteristics. The rise of this town has
been almost magical, a period of less than five
years having been sufficient to effect it ; Avhen it
is remembered that some twenty millions of
capital, mainly English, have been sunk in the
mines of the Randt, and that about one and a half
million annually is expended on the maintenance
and exploitation of the mines, one is confirmed in
the belief that there is nothing that money cannot
I
The Outlook at Johannesburg. 59
do. The brio'lit clays which marked the discovery
of the gokl mines and tlie infancy of Johannesburg-
have passed away. The twenty milhons of capital,
at one time inflated to nearly forty millions, are now
reduced to nearer four millions. The London Stock
Exchange has become callous and insensible to the
attractions of rich reefs, of newly- discovered deep
levels, and the inhabitants, many of whom have
undergone the bitterest experiences and the
strangest vicissitudes, have an aspect to some
extent of doubt, nervousness, and anxiety, wonder-
ing when the long period of inaction and stagna-
tion, lasting for more than two years, ^vill come to
an end, and when their former golden hours will
return. I do not think there is an\' necessitv for
doid)t, care, and anxiety.
Facts speak for themselves, even to a stranger.
A gold-field which has been steadily and gra-
dually increasing its output, and which has
now attained a monthly production of 60,000 oz.,
in value some 200,000/., must have befoi-e it a
great futiu-e.^ Recent bad times and the insen-
sibility of the London ]\Ioney Market have
had an admirable effect upon the directors and
managers of the gold mines here. They have been
compelled, by force of circumstances, to divert
their attention from the flotation of new companies
and from the pushing up of shares to absurd
premiums l^y inaking fallacious returns of crush-
ings, and by other dodges familiar to the promoter.
^ The monthly output for January, 1892, .sis niontlis after
the statement above -was recorded, was valued at 84,000 ounces.
6o Mex, Mlnes, and Aximals ix South Africa.
They are now concentrating their eftbrts on the
development of their mines, the attainment of
deeper levels, the erection of improved machinery,
and on economical administration. Many com-
panies have been reconstructed, and others are in
process of being reconstructed ; the capital of several
companies has been ruthlessly cut doAvn. In one
case that was brought to my notice, the capital
of a company had been reduced from 200,000/. to
10,000/., and although this reduction undoubtedly
represents a heavy loss in the past, it probably
precedes a profitable future. Johannesburg is
a town of much promise ; the stranger, however,
will find occasion for criticism and even censure.
The streets are unpa^'ed, and tlie roadways are as
bad or worse than the tracks across the veldt.
When the wind is high, as is often the case, the
clouds of dust thick and continuous make breathing
almost a difficult}^, nor is mitigation of this great
evil attempted by an}- kind of pavement, or by
the simple and comparatively inexpensive water-
cart. The streets at night are unlit, and after
sunset total darkness renders locomotion along the
Imd roads a matter of difficulty and of danger.
The obscurity moreover enables footpads and
housebreakers to pursue their a^'ocations Avith
consideral)le impunity, and there has been recently
much complaint among the inhabitants in con-
sequence of the increase in this class of crime.
The police, maintained by the Boer Government,
are few in number, nor can I learn that they are
in any way distinguished for efficiency. During
Tender Mercies of the Boer Government. 6i
the Aveek I have l)een here I have not set eyes on
a singio policeman, either by night or by day.
There can be no clonbt that many of these evils
wonkl be promptly remedied if Johannesbnrg
possessed a representative municipality, but the
selfish jealousy of the Boer Government obstinatelv
refuses any such concession. There is, indeed, a
sanitary boaixl, whose duties are solely confined to
matters of sanitation, which is elected by the in-
habitants. Two regulations, however, completely
neutralize the representative value of this institu-
tion. The members of the Board must speak and
understand Dutch, and the proceedings and
minutes of the Board are recorded in the Dutch
language. Johannesburg is essentially an English-
speaking tov,ni. I imagine that a very small 2jro-
portion of the inhabitants, practically speaking none
of the well-to-do classes, speak Dutch, and thus it
happens that those who, Irom their position and
possessions, Avould be natural and useful members
of the Sanitary Board, are totally excluded even
from this small share in the government of the
town. In the second jjlace the Boer Govern-
ment nominates the President of the Board
from outside the number of those elected. It
is not to be supposed that the inhabitants of
Johannesburg will long tolerate their condition of
absolute servitude in municipal matters. The
astomiding inecpiality of taxation between the
inhabitants of Johannesbui'g and those of Pretoria
is certain before long to bring about a movement
by the former to which the Boer Government ^vill
62 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
have to vield. Some figures may be useful as
sliowiug what our countrymen have to put up
-\\dth at the hands of the Boers. In Pretoria a
Dutchman can purchase abuikling stand of 26,400
feet square subject to a taN of 1/. 10.<?. For the
same site an inhabitant of Johannesburg has to
pay a tax of 45/. The poll-tax in Pretoria is
3.b\ Qd. ; in Johannesburg it is ISs. QJ. The
Sanitary Board tax in Johannesljurg, on a
property value 5000/., amounts to 41/. ISs. 4(/. ;
in Pretoria there is no such tax. The sanitary
fees in Pretoria are 13/. lO.v., in Johannesburg
17/. lO.y. In Pretoria there are no water-rates, in
Johannesburg the water-rates on a pro^jerty of
5000/. value amount to 48/. The result of these
taxation arrangements is that a Dutchman in
Pretoria, owning a jiroperty value 5000/., pays in
rates and taxes 15/. S-s. 6(7., an Englishman in
Johannesburg owning a simihir property pays in
rates and taxes 15o/. Ix. 10 J. This system of
taxation, so inequitable, so audacious, soim2)udeut,
cannot be expected to endure. Pretoria, with a
population of 6000, mainly Dutch, is maintained
at the expense of Johannesburg, witli a pojDulation
of 15,000, mainly English. The latter, when it ]ias
time to give its attention to nuuiicipal as well as
mining matters, Avill demand and exact a thorough
reform. Two years at the least will probably
elapse before Johannesburg, a town Avliose life and
groAvth depend on the construction of railways, is
properly connected with the sea-coast, with other
South African towns, or even with all of its own
Astounding Inequality of Taxation. G'^
adjoining coal-fields.^ Millions of tons of macliinerv,
of coal, of j^rovisions, of all necessaries of life, liaAc
had to be dragged over liimdreds of miles of
lii'ound in o-roanino; overladen waa'ii'ons bv ex-
liausted, half-starved oxen. In snch a condition
of things, one might have thought that the most
simj^le and inexjDerienced Government could, at
least, have maintained decent highway communi-
cation. Yet the ti'acks ai'e the worst in the
world, in many places almost im|)assable at the
best jDeriod of the year, totally imjjassaljle in the
Avet season. A comparatively small expenditure
Avould suffice to render traffic possible, and even
easy. The loss of life among oxen, the ^vqiw and
tear and damage suffered l^y and done to "wheeled
AX'hicles on account of these aAvftil and even
perilous tracks, the loss sustained by a system of
transit too dilatory and tedious for description,
must Iju incalculable, and certainly vastly exceeds
the amount requisite for the maintenance of
proper highways. It is, I believe, the fact that
repeated applications lia\'e been made to the
President for money to be spent on improving or
repairing the roads, but all such a})plications arc
vain. The President replies that he has no mone}'
to spend on such things as roads, that the
tracks which are in existence Avere made by and
were jxood enouuli for the forefathers of the Boers,
Since this was written a railway convention has been con-
cluded betAveeu Cape Colany and the Transvaal, under Avhich
the railway will be extended to Johannesburg before the close
of 1892.
64 Men, Mines, and Animals jn South Africa.
and are therefore more than good enough for the
present day. The perverse simplicity of these Boers
is inconceivable, but to it there attaches a dark stain.
Corruption, it is openly and publicly asserted in
the 23ress, in public speeches, and in society, sways
violently and malignantly Government circles. The
vicious system of concessions abounds. D}'nainite,
an article of prime necessity in a mining country,lias
been made the subject of a monojDoly, and granted
to an individual A\'ho, for considerations unknoAvn,
is entitled to exclude all other dynamite from the
country but his own, and receives a royalty of
12.i'. 6(/. a ton on all his own dynamite Ayliich is
consumed. To such a pitch has the policy of con-
cession been carried, that I am informed that
quite recently an individual a2)plied to the Govern-
ment for a concession to grant concessions, and
that the proposition was gravely and seriously
considered, but has not yet been accepted.
If this country had been in tlie hands of the
English or the Americans it would probably now
be peopled by some millions of Europeans, would
be giving forth every variety in inexhaustible
(juantities of vegetalile, animal, and mineral
produce, would be intersected by railways and
canals — in a word, it might be the most wealthy
and prosperous spot upon the face of the earth.
But Providence has cursed it with the rule ol"
50,000 Boers, and ibi- a time, but I expect only for
a time, it is destined still to huiguish.
The Robinson Gold Mine at Johannesburg. 65
CHAPTER V.
MINING AND SPoimNG.
Account of the Eobinsou Gold Mine at Johannesburg — The
Langlaate Estate — Clilorination at the Ferriera Mme —
Dr. Simon — The.McArthiir- Forrest process — Observations
on the gold-fiekis of Johannesburg — Silver Mines in
the Transvaal — Deer preserves — With Dog and Gun in
search of Game.
Of all the o'old mines roimd JohaniieslDuro- the
Robinson mine is the most remarkable for its size
both in respect of area and capital invested, for
the high average richness of its ore, for the enter-
jDrise and method of its management. This mine
was originall}^ bonglit by a small svnclicate for
less than 20,000/. In 1888, a company was
formed to work it, with a capital of 2,700,000/.
The company possesses a " myn pacht," or mining-
lease, of about 200 acres, containing some sixty
mining claims. Three distinct reefs are beinir
worked at different levels, the main reef leader,
the middle reef, and the south reef. The latter
has hitherto afforded the richest results. The
deepest level now being developed is about 500
feet below the surface, and it has been found by
assay, l^ut not yet confirmed by practical crushing,
that the ore at this depth maintains its richness.
There are about five miles of underground
workings, mostly illuminated by the electric light.
F
66 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
The ore, which near the surface of the ground is
a friable conglomerate, free from pyrites, becomes
at the deeper levels hard conglomerate rock,
almost impervious to the ordinary drill and
hammer worked liy manual labour, and highly
pyritic. These two qualities have necessitated the
installation of American air-drilling machinery of
such power as to be capable of drilling a hole four
feet deep into the rock in fifteen minutes, which a
native would be luiable to complete working an
General view of the Robinson Gold Mines at Johannesburg:.
entire day. The abundant presence of pyrites
compels the chemical treatment of the concen-
trates and tailings, the stamps alone being unable
to extract more than fifty per cent, of the gold.
The Mc Arthur-Forrest process, or, in other words,
the treatment of the ore by cyanide of potassium,
is being tried upon the tailings, and a chlorination
plant is being installed for the treatment of the
concentrates. It is too soon to pronounce upon
the respective merits of these processes, and it is
possible that the ex^^ense per ton may be greater
A Profitable Enterprise. 6^
than would admit of appreciable profit.^ Here
and there in the deeper levels pockets of ore of
extraordinary richness are found. I have before
nie as I write a specimen taken from such a pocket
estimated by assay to produce a thousand ounces
to the ton. This is probably an exaggerated
estimate. Another specimen has been estimated
to produce twent}'-eiglit ounces to the ton. The
average yield of the ore in the deeper levels "\vill
probably be found to l^e a little under two ounces
per ton. The entire gold production of the
Robinson mine since the commencement of the
year 1889 up to July 1891, a period of a little
more than two years, may l)e stated in round
figures at 100,000 tons of ore, realizing 200,000
ounces of gold, in value from six to eight hundred
thousand pounds. Upon the enormous capital
the directors declared for the year 1889 a dividend
of five per cent., and for the year 1890 four per
cent. They spent moreover out of earnings on the
development of the mine, and on new machinery,
an amount e(j[ual to these dividends. From
October, 1891, when the additional twenty stamps
have been erected, making a total of sixty stamps,
when the rock-drilling machinery is at work and
the chlorination plant set up, the manager expects
to get from crushings from 8500 to 9000 ounces
of gold per month.- There are employed in the
' Since the above was written both the processes mentioned
have been worked at a good profit,
- The returns of the crusliings at the Kobinson mine for the
month of January, 1S92, showed a production of nearly 12,000
ounces of gold,
F 2
68 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
Robinson mine 130 Europeans and about 900
native workmen. The AYages paid to Europeans
rano-e high ; carpenters receive from 5/. to 5/. 10.s\
a week, skilled mechanics and blacksmiths receive
6/. a week. Strange to say, in spite of these high
Avages, the white Avorkmen are constantly leaving
their employment and going off to Mashonaland.
The directors find it more and more difficult to
obtain skilled labour, and there aj^pears to be,
both at this mine and generally all over the
Randt, a most promising opening for young
English mechanics and miners. The cost of living
AYould probably exceed the cost of living in
England, but the high Avages, coupled with
dwellings rent free, in addition to a magnificent
climate, appear to open the road to fortune. The
Robinson mine is probably one of the finest gold
mines in the Avorld, but it is overburdened witli
an excessiA^e capital account, which before long it
may be found couA^enient and practicable consider-
ably to reduce. Situated somewhat to the Avest
of the Robinson Mine is the Langlaate Estate.
This company, Avith a capital of 450,000/., owns
and works an estate held in freehold, not under a
mining lease, of considerably larger area than that
held by the Robinson Company. The main and
south reefs are principally Avorked, but the average
yield does not exceed 15 dA\i;s. to the ton. There
is, hoAvcA^er, an enormous quantity of this ore in
sight, and the excellent management enables a
good profit to be realized. A battery of 120
stamps is in process of erection on this mine,
The Cyanide of Potassium Process. 6g
which is 23erhaps the best developed and generally
the most attractive of all the mines in the Randt.
The Ferreira Mine, adjoining the Robinson, is
justly celebrated for its splendid milling plant and
machinery, and for its economical and skilful
administration. The mine consists of about hfteen
claims, yielding, on an average, nearly one ounce
to the ton. The concentrates and tailings of this
mine, when properly treated, are expected to
produce a considerably additional yield. Here
has been installed a very perfect assav and smelt-
ing plant and laboratory. By the courtesy of the
very skilful gentleman in charge of this depart-
ment, Dr. Simon, I was enabled to follow the
beautiful process of the treatment of pyrites by
chlorine gas. The pyrites are roasted previously
to treatment, becoming extremely friable, losing
the suliDliur which they contain, freeing the gold,
and rendering it accessible to the attractions of
chlorine. In the McArthur-Forrest process, or
the cyanide of potassium process, the tailings do
not require to be roasted, the expense of treatment
being thereby considerably reduced, l3ut it is
asserted that the McArthur-Forrest j^rocess is only
available for the treatment of tailings "where the
gold is free, and that it produces no appreciable
results when treating pyritic concentrates.^ In
the simple chlorination process the pyrites having
been roasted (sufficiently to make them porous,
^ This statement, Avliich was made on the authority of
Dr. Simon^ is altogetlier denied by the representatives of tlie
McArthur-Forrest process.
70 Mp:n, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
but with a slow heat in order not to smelt them),
are placed in a vessel upon a filter composed of
jDOwdered quartz and glass. The chlorine gas is
produced in another vessel by combining man-
ganese and hydrochloric acid. It is then passed
through water in order to get rid of the hydro-
chloric acid, and it is then jDassed through sul-
phuric acid in order to get rid of the water which
it may have taken up. It finally penetrates
through the filter descril)ed above, to the pp'ites
in the condition of pure chlorine gas. In a fcAv
hours the chlorine combines with the gold in the
pyrites, and becomes chloride of gold. This
chloride then treated with sulphate of iron, the
gold is innnediately precipitated in the shape of
a black powder I'eadv for smelting. The pi'ocess
when conducted and viewed in a laboratory is
very l)eautiful and Avonderful. Other mines
claiming attention, and either now or in process of
becoming valuable properties, are the '' Simmer
and Jack,' the " Jumpers," and the " Salisbury,"
all of which I have had the opportunity of in-
specting. Speaking generally about this gold-
field, it may be remarked : (1) The ore, when first
discovered near the surface, was free-milling ore,
easily treated, and yielding in places from tM'o or
three up to as much as eight ounces to the ton.
Small batteries originallv produced striking-
results, the managers being able to pick and
choose those parts of the reef where the ore was
richest. Since that time larger stamp batteries
have been everywhere erected, the easily-treated
The Gold-Fields of Johannesburg. 71
rich free-milling ore has become or is becomino-
rapidly exhausted, and most, if not all, of the
mines have now before them an almost inexhaus-
tible quantity of hard conglomerate rock, yielding,
when treated as a whole and indiscriminately, a
considerably lower averao-e of o:old, and to extract
the gold from which, with any prospect of fair
profit, requires the most ingenious and elaborate
appliances and the most skilful and economical
administration. (2) In the early days of the
Randt gold-field folly and fraud reigned supreme.
The directors and managers were, as a rule, con-
spicuous for their ignorance on all matters of
23ractical mining. The share market was their
one and only consideration, the development and
proper working of the mine being in many cases
absolutely neglected. I was sho"\\TQ the other day
the Grahamstown Mine, which, possessing only a
claim and a quarter, was palmed ofi" upon the
public with a capital of 120,000/. This mine,
though situated on the main reef, unfortunately
struck upon a spot where the reef was inter-
sected by a thick dyke of clay, and it is scarcely
an exaggeration to say that hardly an ounce of
ii'old ever has rewarded or will reward the
victimized shareholders. (3) But this case is by
no means unique. Millions of money have been
literally thrown away. Bad machinery badly
put up has l)een badly situated, l^adly worked.
Many of the mines are at a standstill for want of
capital, and most of them, so eminent experts
assure me, are sadly behindhand with their
^2 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
development in view of the vast plant which has
been erected. A healthier tone and spirit now
prevail, the work of reorganization, of reducing
capital and working expenses, proceeds apace.
Unskilful managers and incompetent directors are
being got rid of, either by the efforts of share-
holders or of far-sighted men, and viewing the
extent and nature of the reefs it is safe to predict
that the Randt is on the high road to become
the o-reatest sold-field of the world. It should
be remembered that in addition to all the diffi-
culties and obstacles which I have described
above, and which the gold-fields have had to
encounter and overcome, must be reckoned the
most stupid, selfish, and incompetent Government
which ever afflicted a community or a country.
The Transvaal possesses everything which man
can desire for comfort, luxury, and general j^ros-
perity. An unequalled climate, a soil of exuberant
fertility, mines of gold, silver, coal, and iron, all
of great richness : the Boers in their stubborn and
mulish ignorance have resolved that, so far as in
them lies, none of this great wealth shall be taken
advantage of and developed. In a country Avliere
millions of acres might produce millions of quarters
of grain, only comparatively a few hundreds of
thousands of acres produce Indian corn. In a
country where the storage of ^vater and irrigation
works offer little difficulty either to the engineer
or to the exchequer, no systematic storage of
water is attempted. Yet the presence of water
everywhere within a few feet of the surface of the
The Silver Mines of the Tkansvaal. 73
soil, and the long period of winter drought, would
seem to render such storage of water and such
irrigation works imperative. In a country desti-
tute of trees, bat which nevertheless might after
a feAv years' care and industry be covered with
forests of various and valuable timber, not an
effort at tree planting is made except in the
neighbourhood of the gold mines. In a country
where for the develo]3ment of its mineral resources
the rapid construction of railways is essential, and
where the physical conhguration of the ground
and other causes marvellously facilitate such con-
struction, the same stubborn ignorance, the same
mulish folly before alluded to, has successfully
delayed and still delays any such railway con-
struction.
In the foregoing pages I have spoken of the
silver mines. These are situated some forty miles
to the east of Johannesburg, and are of very
recent discovery. The history of them is sonie-
Avhat remarkable. A company was formed to
Avork them with a capital, I believe, of about a
quarter of a million. The affair was probaljly a
fraud, the money was mostly wasted, little Avas
found, nothing was done, and the silver mines of
the Transvaal fell into disrepute and disfavour.
Some person or persons, however, discovered on
the propert}' specimens of ore of singular richness.
These being brought to gentlemen possessing ex-
perience and capital, were pronounced by them to
be good silver ore. A small syndicate was soon
formed, shares of the old company were quickly
74 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
bought up, new capital was expended, the reef
has been opened up and developed and ascertained
to be of o-reat extent and fair richness. The
average yield of the ore has been estimated by
assay to be about 30oz. of silver to the ton. In
some places, however, it reaches the high average
of from 200 oz. to 300 oz. to the ton. It also con-
tains about 30 per cent, of lead. I am informed
l)v experts that the geological formation of these
ore deposits is peculiar, the presence in abundance
of carbonate of iron and the almost total absence
of zinc and of any excess of silica rendering-
smelting very easy. At present some diificulty
in working this ore at a profit may arise from the
necessity of having to use for smelting imported
coke at the cost of some 15/. a ton. In the immediate
neighbourhood coal mines are being worked, but
it is doubtful whether this coal can be manufac-
tured into coke sufficiently good for smelting
pui'poses. It is known, however, that there exist
hard by beds of superior coal, and great hopes are
entertained that sufficientlv good coke may be pro-
duced upon the spot. Silver reefs appear to
abound on the properties adjoining that of the
Transvaal Silver Mines Company ; one or two
small syndicates have been formed to acquire and
develop these properties, and it is quite possible
that the silver mines of the Transvaal may become
a larger, a more imi:)ortant, a more valuable
industry than even the gold mines of the Randt.
I made, in company with some friends, a very
interesting and pleasant expedition to these silver
With Dog and Gun. 75
mines, and the incidents of the journey lead me to
offer a few remarks upon the presence of game and
the prosjDects of sport in the Transvaal. My friend
and I, who were naturally not competent to form
any practical judgment on mining values, took with
us our guns and dogs in order to while away the time
during Avhich the engineers and experts would be
at work. Not very many years ago these wide
and grassy j)lains abounded with game of almost
every description. Persons whose word can be
imj^licitly relied upon have informed me that
within the last fifteen years they can remember
these plains being covered as far as the eye could
reach with countless thousands of wildebeest,
blesbok, springbok, and other varieties of the deer
and antelope tril^es. So desolate and lifeless is
the appearance of these i^lains now that it is diffi-
cult to credit the assertion. It happened, how-
ever, unfortunately lor the s23ortsman, that not
long ago the demand for hides was considerable,
and the wise, prudent, and intelligent Boer im-
mediately set to work and slaughtered Avithout
discrimination every wild four-footed animal. So
reckless and ruthless was the slaughter that these
Boer sportsmen (?) never cared to carry home the
animals they had slain. Forming themselves into
large shooting parties, they shot the beasts down
everywhere by scores, l)y hundreds, and by thou-
sands, leaving the carcases to be devoured by the
vultures, and going a few days afterwards to
gather up the skins which the vultures had neg-
lected, and which the sun had dried and tanned.
^6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
l^ow the traveller can compass mile after mile of
plain without seeing so much as a solitary buck.
In a few places, however, attempts are made to
resuscitate and preserve the blesbok and the
springbok. On an estate of some 80,000 acres
belonging to Messrs. Marks and Co., situated on
the Vaal river, about forty miles south of Pretoria,
there has been raised a herd of a few hundred
springbok, which are carefully preserved. On
another estate not far off, near Paritj, belonging
to Mr. Koetze, some thousands of blesbok are to
be found, and are carefully preserved. These two
examples sho^v what might be done in the way
of preservation of deer if, not only as regards
this, but also as regards nianv other matters,
God had only given a glimmer of intelligence
to the Boer. For it must be remembered that
these animals are fairly profitable to keep, both
their meat and their hides being in some demand.
Over the whole Transvaal, however, little now
remains to the sjJortsman beyond feathered game.
This exists in respectable quantity and variety,
but the expanse of plain is so vast that the game
is greatly scattered, and the sportsman must often
walk far and long before he is rewarded by a shot.
On the grassy veldt will be found more than one
kind of magnificent crane ; the pauw or greater
bustard may sometimes ])e secured with a small-
bore rifle ; the koran or lesser l)ustard is moi'(^
numerous ; in the morning and in the evening his
discordant call may constantly be heard, and in
anything like decent cover he is easily secured
Avith a shot gun. Scattered aljout the veldt are
Shooting the Game. 77
"pans" of water, siirroimded by reeds and rushes,
^vhere wild-fowl may often be seen in considerable
numbers, but generally difficult to approacli ;
^\'liile along the " spruits " and in swampy places,
sni23e of more than one variety at certain times of the
year abound. In the neighbourhood of cultivated
grounds, of homesteads, and of gardens coveys of
red partridges are frequently met with ; and in
certain sj)ots quails may be said to swarm at the
proper period of the year. The sportsman, how-
ever, will have to work very hard and shoot very
straight to make up what to an Englishman would
appear a respectable bag. My friend and I, shoot-
ing for two days in the neighbourhood of the silver
mines, obtained the following singularly varied
but somewhat scanty bag, nor do I think that the
scantiness could be fairly attributed to any exces-
sively unskilful shooting: three snipe, ten quail,
six duck, one wild goose, seven i^artridges, five
koran, three plover, four pigeons, one eagle, and
five bitterns.
At this time I was enabled by the kindness of
Messrs. Marks to make a shooting expedition to
the estate before alluded to, which is carefully pre-
served, and where shooting is seldom allowed.
Our party consisted of four guns, and we remained
on the estate for four days. The weather was
perfect ; cool, and even frosty nights, bright and
warm days with refreshing breezes. We camped
out on the veldt, sleeping in a bell tent. The
method of living, though rough and ready, was
rendered enjoyable by the presence of a French
cook, who skilfully treated us in the evening with
78 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
the different varieties of game we had secured in
the day. In the morning, up before daybreak,
mounted on well-trained ponies, we chased the
springbok emerging from the cultivated land on to
the veldt, galloping as near to them as the fleet-
ness of our horses would permit, generally about
400 yards, dismounting, rapidly firing a snappy
chancey shot, then remounting and after them
again, getting, perhaps, two or three more shots,
and so on until the herd had galloped far away
out of range. This method of shooting deer
requires much habit and experience, and much
good fortune. Only two springbok rewarded our
efforts, neither of which, I must confess, fell to
my rifle. The chase, however, is in itself ex-
citing, the gallop across the veldt in the cool
morning air indescribably exhilarating, and the
effect of it is to make breakfast a widely different
and far more agreeable meal than one knows it to
be at home. After breakfast the shot guns are
resorted to, and likely places are hunted over by
pointers and setters, or beaten by " l)oys," after
the partridge, the koran, or the quail. In the
evening, thoroughly wearied out, the dinner table
and the camp fire are found to he real luxuries,
and nine o'clock would see us huddled up in our
bell tent, and sleeping that slumber which only
the satisfied sportsman knows. A description of
the bag may be of interest : four duck, fifty par-
tridge, four hares, 250 quail, eight koran, eleven
snipe, one dikkop, one wild turkey, one blue crane,
and two springbok.
A Chance for British Enterprise. 79
CHAPTER VI.
THE TRANSVxVAL BOERS.
A chance for British enterprise — The capacity of the Transvaal
and the incapacity of its rulers — The journey from Johan-
nesburg to Pretoria — Description of Pretoria— The Dutch
Parliament — From the Strangers' Gallery — An interview
with President Kruger — Parliamentary manners— General
Joubert — Keport of a case showing the Boer idea of jus-
tice — Illtreatment of Natives by the Boers — Shall we
surrender Swaziland — The AVithering Grasp of the Boer.
No English traveller who deserves and reflects
can leave Johannesburg and not desire that the
merits of this town and its many attractions might
he made known to and appreciated by the Englisli
people. Here almost every description of British
enterprise and skill may find a promising opening.
The accountant, the young clerk who has received
a good commercial education, the skilled mechanic,
the farmer, the market gardener, the miner, the
agricidtural labourer, will all find themselves in
demand. A comparatively small capital, ranging
from 10/. to 50Z., would probably be found suffi-
cient to start these different descriptions of labour
on their road to fortune, relatively, of course, to
the employment which they select, and to the
education which they have received. Domestic
service also offers a most favourable field. Scarcelv
anything is requisite for success beyond steady-
and temperate habits, and an industrious and versa-
tile disposition. I have come across more than
one young Englishman, who, coming out here at
So Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
an early age, with hardly a penny at his disposal,
finds himself at the age of twenty-five in possession
of what may be accurately termed a fortune.
Now, probably, is the moment for an emigrant.
In two years' time or so a railroad communication
between Johannesl^urg and the coast will have
been established, and although by the establish-
ment of such communication, all vested interests
from the highest to the lowest, corporate and
individual alike, will be enormously increased in
value, the labour market will become more fully
stocked, and the comj)etition for existence pro-
portionately harder. It can hardly be a matter
for doubt that the gold-fields of Johannesburg-
are destined to attract and support a population
which will ultimately dominate and rule the
Transvaal. Xot only is it certain that there is
gold ore practically in sight sufficient to occupy
the energies of a mining plant far larger than that
which now exists for one or two generations, but
the many wants of a mining population where
wealth is easily and largely gained, and where
luxury and free expenditure become a habit, offer
to every variety of commercial enterprise promis-
ing prospects. The mere feeding of such a popu-
lation will be a work of great ^^rofit. All over
the Transvaal, and especially around Johannesburg,
the well-watered and yet easily-drained valleys
j)ossess a soil of astonishing fertility, which with
ordinary skiU and care could produce abundant
crops of almost every grain, every vegetable, and
every fruit. Whether for housebuilding, for use
The Loss of the Transvaal. 8i
in mines, or for common tiI■e^vood, the plantation
of trees proposes to a landowner munificent re-
muneration. Such is the geniality of the climate,
such the fertility of the soil, that many kinds
of useful and valuable trees are estimated by
competent authority to make a growth of no
less than ten feet in tlie course of a year.
For the independence of the Transvaal Boers it
^vas truly a most fortunate circumstance that the
discovery of the gold-helds succeeded rather than
preceded the restoration of Boer independence in
1881. Had Johannesburg, with its present popu-
lation, its present possessions, and its present
prospects, existed at the time of the Transvaal
AVar, it never Avould have been suft'ered to |)ass
away from the dominion of the British Govern-
ment. I adhere to the opinion I expressed in a
former letter that the restoration of Dutch inde-
pendence was necessary if not essential to the
peaceful government of the Cape Colony, but
viewinir the Transvaal as it is, and calculating
what it might be if its possessors and i-ulers were
English, one cannot but lament that so splendid a
territory should have ceased to be British. The
English traveller, according to his disposition,
must be sorrowful or indignant when he considers
the contrast which is afforded by the capacity of
the country and the incapacity of its present
rulers. The natural events of the future will
probably peacefully retrieve the losses occasioned
by the errors of the past. The gold-fields, when
connected by railways with the coast, will be
G
82 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
crowded iu a few years' time with thousands of
Enghshmeu, wlio will impatiently jerk from their
shoulders the u'overnment of the Boers. These
will be out-numbered, absorbed, or scattered.
Already this j^rocess is perceptibly going on. All
the cai^ital invested in the Transvaal is foreign
and under foreign direction. Such is also the
case with all industry other than pastoral ; I
was informed on good authorit\' that more than
three-fourths of the land itself is now OA^oied by
foreigners. The days of the Trans^'aal Boers as
an independent and distinct nationalit}' in South
Africa are numbered ; they will j^ass a^vay uii-
honoui'cd, unlamented, scared}' even remembered
either by the native or l)y the European settler.
Having had gi^'en to them great possessions and
great opportunities, they ^vill be ^T.'itten of onh'
for their cruelty to'wards and tyranny over the
native races, their fanaticism, their ignorance,
and their selfishness ; they will be handed down
to posterity by tradition as having conferred no
single benefit upon any single human being, not
even upon themselves, and upon the pages of
African history they will leave the shadoAv, but
only a shadow, of a dark reputation and an evil
name.
These were the reflections with which I
journeyed from Johannesburg to Pretoria. The
road traverses a rolling veldt, similar to the other
parts of the Transvaal which I have visited. Al-
though a highway of great importance, and
crowded wtih traffic of one kind and another.
Pretoria. 83
the Transvaal CTOverninent allow this road to be
niaintamed m a condition as bad, if not worse,
than that of any other highway communication in
the country. Pretoria lies some iive-and-thirty
miles to the north of Johannesburg. Round
Pretoria the veldt becomes more broken, and the
eye is pleased at having its range of vision inter-
rupted by low chains of hills, among which are
seen pretty dells and valleys and streams, and
some appreciable appearance of tree and bush.
Fifteen hundred feet less than Johannesburii"
o
above the level of the sea, lying in a sheltered
hollow, Pretoria, in respect of climate, is far
milder and more genial than the high ridges
of the gold-helds. The soil of Pretoria is of
wonderful fertility lor the cultivation of vegetables,
flowers, and trees. Nearly every house has its
garden, and every garden possesses a plentiful
of water. The white population numbers under
6000, and it is estimated that some 6000 natives
also inhabit the to'WTi. It bears all the appear-
ance of a town in its infancy, low straggling
cottages and shanty residences adjoining stone and
brick buildings of imposing size. The Govern-
ment buildings, Avhicli are approaching com-
pletion, erected in a French style of architecture,
are distinctly tine and good. They have been
built at a cost of about 200,000/. They accom-
modate all the Government offices and the
two Chambers of the Volksraad. I was
present at one of the sittings of the Dutch
Parliament, and observed a combination of pomp
G 2
84 Men, Mines, and Aniimals in South Africa.
and commonplace which was somewhat amusing.
The First Chamber (or the House of Commons)
transact their business in a lofty, spacious, and
well-proportioned hall painted in red and green,
the national colours, decorated with the arms of
the South African Republic largely displayed, and
with a full-length portrait of the present President.
The Chairman is seated on a platform which
traverses the whole length of the hall. On his
right is a seat for the President, and again on the
ris'ht of the President are seated the members of
the Executive, conspicuous among whom was
General Joubert. Below on another platform are
seated two clerks who read out to the assembly
the orders of the day and the contents of bills,
memorials, or petitions. To these clerks is also
confided the arduous duty of taking down in
shorthand the speeches of the members. On the
floor of the hall are ranged the members, seated
at three long, narrow, parallel tables, slightly
curved in the form of a horse-shoe. Some thirty
members were present while I was there. Coats
and hats were hung up round the wall ; a mes-
senger or doorkeeper, in a sort of light brown
shooting jacket, heavy walking boots, and a slouch
felt hat, strolled about among the members, and
represented to my mind the decorous and well-
attired officials of our own Parliament. The
members speak from their places when called upon
by the Chairman. The President is a constant
attendant, and takes so free and frequent a part in
the debates, that the jealousy of the assembly has
Ti[R Transvaal Parliament. 85
been at times nroiised, and efforts are iVoiii time
to time made to restrain tlie eloquent interference
of the Head of the State. I had the advantage of
liearing several speeches, and though not undei'-
standing the Dutch Language, I noticed that the
speakers combined fluency "with brevity, that their
manner was one of ease and of dignitv, their
gesticulation natural and free. In the Second
Chamber I heard the President himself take part
in the debate. Three times he spoke with much
deliberate composure, but by no means without
animation. The two Chambers sit from 9 a.m. to
1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. till 4 p.m. They adjourn,
however, for a few minutes every hour, for the
purposes of smoking and conversation. During
one of the adjournments of the Second Chamber
I had the honour of being presented to the Presi-
dent. His Honour is a gentleman of some sixtv-
flve years of age, tall, and rather stout, with a
grave, shrewd, 1)ut hj no means unkindly counte-
nance. At the moment of adjournment he had lit
a short pipe, at which he puffed hastily and im-
petuously. Other members were walking about
the Chambers also smoking. Some of these
manners the English Parliament might copy with
ii'reat advantao;e. His Honour was o-ood enouoh
to express to me the opinion that the Boer trek
into Mashonaland, which has been so much talked
about, would give rise to no trouble or anxiety
whatever, but that, on the other hand, Boer
settlers in Mashonaland would be of great advan-
tage and assistance to the Chartered Company. In
86 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
answer to an inquiry from me his Honour also
expressed the opinion that the Matal^ele would
show no hostility against the white settlement in
Mashonaland as long as their own proper country
was in no ^w^ay interfered with. The President's
manner was extremely gracious and genial, and it
was not difficult, after only a few minutes of con-
versation with him and of ohservation of him, to
understand the great and strong influence which
he has acquired and retained over his countrymen.
The discussions of the Volksraad in either Chamher
are often of extreme simplicity and, indeed, frivo-
lity. The Second Chamber a short time ago dis-
cussed at length with much gravity, and at times
with some heat and asperity, the question of how
its members should l^e attired. It was at length
resolved that a tall Avhite hat, white tie, and black
coat should be the prescribed costume. I may add
that this Second Chamber has only recently been
created. Its members are elected by the same con-
stituencies as those which elect the First Chamber.
The Boer Constitution-mongers having brought
this political infant into existence were exhausted,
and neglected to supply it with powers, rights, or
duties. It can neither initiate, nor alter, nor even
review les-islation. Its consent is not souo-ht for
to any law, neither has it any right to discuss any
question of expenditure, nor is any information
given to it as to expenditure. In its present form
it is a mere debatino; societv. In the First
Chamber the following incident occurred the other
day : Two members, Messrs. Benkes and De Beer,
Parliamentary Manners. 87
who sit next one another, have the weakness to be
exceedingly nervous and shy. Immediately after
the afternoon opening, at 2 p.m., Mr. Benkes dis-
covered that some joker had put ;t dead lizard
among his papers. Jumping up he threw the
lizard to Mr. De Beer, who loudly exclaimed,
" Ml'. Chairman, there is a coiiolomander here,"'
and ran away. The Chairman : " What is it ? ""
Mr. De Beer: "A lizard, Mr. Chairman." The
Chairman : ''It won't bite you, it is dead." Mr.
De Beer, throwing the reptile at Mi*. Benkes,
" Take that." The Chairman : " Order, now ! let
us proceed with the ^^'ork. Come here, messengei',
and take that lizard away." Mr. De Beer then
resumed his seat, crying to Mr. Benkes, " You
A\-ere more afraid than I was."' The President,
with difficulty sometimes, controls and gets his
way with these asseml)lies. In old days he was
accustomed to awe them by threats of his resigna-
tion in case they did not agree with him. This
method having become weak by over-use, he has
hit upon a new device, and quite recently he told
the meml:)ers ^\dio Avere disputing with him that if
they did not yield he would reduce their salaries.
They were terrified into immediate submission.
It mav be mentioned that the members of either
House receive a salar\' of 31. per diem while the
Houses are in Session. The President receives a
salary of 8000/. a year. He lives very quietly,
never entertains, indeed, he never gives bite or
sup to a soul. He is reported to have amassed a
large fortune. One of the curiosities of the Boer
Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Constitution which should be noted is, that during
the recess of Parliament the President has power
of his own authority to issue proclamations having
the force of law, which are, and remain, valid until
the meeting of the First Chamber, when they are
confirmed or disallowed. Tliis power, which obvi-
ously is open to the greatest abuse, lias been, it is
asserted, much abused.
General Joubert cumulates in himself three
distinct ofiices — that of Commandant of the Army,
Minister for Native Affairs, and member of the
Executive Government. For these three offices
lie receives a salary of 3000/. a year. Nearly
all tlie offices of Go^'ernment are occupied by
Hollanders. These immigrants — " Uitlanders," as
they are called — are disliked by the old Boer and
Africander population. They are pure office-
seekers, without any sympathy for the Boer,
speaking high Dutch — a language " not under-
standed of the people,'" and are justly reputed to
be as ignorant as they are arrogant, as corrupt as
they are stupid. The Boer idea of justice, as
between Boer and native, deserxes remark. I read
the report of a case in which Adriaan E. de
Lange, a Government official, belonging to a
family much respected in the district, was indicted
for having caused the death of a native by violence.
It appeared that in November last a Kaffir accused
of theft was committed to the care of De Lange,
the assistant Field-cornet for the ward of Hooge-
veldt, to be lodged in the Rustemburg goal, and
that before reaching the latter place the Kaffir
Boer Humanity. 89
died on the following mornino;, of injuries said to
have been inflicted by De Lange. When De
Lange was l^ronglit before the magistrate he was
committed for trial on the charge of culpable
homicide, and the magistrate refused to admit him
to bail. On hearing of this, the Boer farmers in
the neighbourhood assembled in such numbers,
and assumed such a menacing attitude, tliat the
maa;istrate was terrified and allowed De Lang-e to
go out on bail. From the medical evidence at the
trial it appeared that the Kaffir had been mal-
treated in a frightful manner, the bodv being-
covered with l)ruises and raw j)laces from top to
toe. He had also received internal injuries to the
lungs and to the stomach, which were full of blood
from ruptured blood vessels ; the kidneys were
severely inflamed. The external injuries, the
district surgeon stated, must have been caused
partly by some blunt instrument, such as a
" sjambok," and partly by dragging the body
along the ground by means of a leather strap
Avhich was foiuid attached to the wrist. There
was no doubt that death had resulted from the
injuries inflicted. The chief witness for the prose-
cution was Jantje, a native in the employ of a
storekeeper, who deposed that De Lange had
arrived on the afternoon of November 12th at his
master's store with the deceased in charge, and
that at De Lange's request Jantje was told by his
master to take the deceased to Rustemburg. Ac-
cording to this "svatness many sores and bruises
were visible on the Kaffir on his arriMil at the
90 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
store. Jantje then related in a very graphic
manner how De Lange presently overtook him as
he was leading the unwilling and weary prisoner
alono-, statins: that he was dissatisfied with his slow
jorogress. De Ijange, after getting off his horse
and thrashing the deceased, got on again, and b}-
means of a long rein fastened to the hoy's left
Avrist, dragged him along the road. This, he
asserted, De Lange repeated many times, alter-
nately dismounting to shower blows on deceased
with his " sjambok," and mounting again to drag
him along the ground by the rein round the TVTist.
Finally, De Lange, after kicking deceased, and
stamping with his foot on his neck, chest, and
stomach, left him and rode off to a farmhouse near
by to get more assistance, instructing Jantje to go
on meanwhile, and if the Kaffir would not walk to
drag him if necessary, instructions which Jantje
feared to disobey. De Lange presently returning,
commenced the same ill-treatment as before, and
further seized deceased hj the throat, holding him
so tightly that the tongue protruded, all but
suffocating him. Eventually the poor wretch
entirely gave in, and had to be taken to a l^lack-
smith's shop in the neighbourhood, where he was
tied up by De Lange, and watch set over him.
Jantje's evidence was corrol^orated by that of his
master, l^y the medical evidence, and by two other
witnesses. De Lange then proceeded to Rustem-
burg, where he spent the night. The following
morning he returned to fetch his prisoner, but
death was before him, for half nn hour previously
Boer Justice. 91
the liimted wretch had breathed his last. The
jury were absent an hour and a half, and on their
return announced that they found a verdict of
" Not Guilty." The report adds that the accused
is a member of the " Gereformeerde," or " Dopper "
C'hurch, that all but t^vo of the jury were of the
same denomination, and further, that there were
relatives of the accused among them. The nati^'e,
Jantje, wdiose testimony was so important, quite
unshaken under the most searching cross-examina-
tion, had been some twenty-six years in the service
of his present master, and had always borne an
excellent character. For nearly six months before
the trial he was detained in gaol as a Avitness,
although the accused was liberated on bail. His
master stated that he himself had offered bail to
the amount of 250/. for Jantje's appearance, but it
was refused. The report concludes : — " Among
the Boers in the ward, for which De Lange is
Field-cornet, feeling ran high, and would, it is
thought, ha AC taken very definite shajDe had the
verdict been different. De Lange is most pojDular
with them, for it is felt that he is a man who
understands how to deal with a Kaffir. Should he
consider that recent occurrences make it becoming
on his part to resign his field-cornetcy, they express
their determination to re-elect him immediately." ^
Such is Boer justice.
The above case is a typical one, and for that
reason, as well as for its shocking details, I have
' Local Newspaper, Sfandar^l ami Diggers' Nens, May 12th,
1891.
92 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
quoted it at length. Not that all Boers, or, indeed,
many Boers, would be guilty of such inliuman
cruelty. It is typical, in the sense that all Boers,
whether on the bench or in the jury-box, would
act in a precisely similnr manner, no matter what
the circumstances of the case might be, where
Boer interests and Boer life were on one side and
native interests and native life on the other.
Cases of cruel treatment inflicted by Boers on
natives are by no means rare. The Boer does not
recognize that the native is in any degree raised
above the level of the lower animals. In conversa-
tion he describes the native as a " creature." His
undying hatred for the English arises mainly from
the fact that the English persist in according at
least in theory equal rights to the coloured popula-
tion as are enjoyed by the whites. In the Trans-
vaal no native may travel from one place to
another unless he is provided with a pass. In the
towns no native may be out at night, unless he
is similarly protected. Neither can any native
in the Transvaal acquire a title to land. On the
other hand, throughout the Transvaal the native
enjoys the valuable privilege of being able to
purchase and consume in any quantity the most
23oisonous alcoholic compounds. Taking all
these matters into consideration, I can imagine
that a British Ministry or a British Parlia-
]nent may pause and hesitate l^efore hand-
ing over to Boer dominion Swaziland and its
jDeople. This is the territory which the Boers
eagerly covet as giving them additional grazing
Shall we Surrender Swaziland ? 93
ground and a line opening on to the coast. They
aver, with what amount of truth I Ivnow not, that
Swaziland has been more than once promised to
them by persons holding official positions under
the British Crown. The main cause and object of
the recent threatened " trek " into Mashonaland
was to put 23ressure upon the High Commissioner
in this matter of Swaziland. " If you will redeem
your pi'omise of giving us Swaziland we will drop
the trek." Such was always the Boer thouoht,
and such was often the Boer expression from
President Kruger downwards. Two circumstances
undoubtedly militate in favour of the cession of
this territory to the Boers. In the hrst place the
British Commissioner, Sir Francis de Winton,
sent out specially by the British Government to
inquire into and report upon the condition of
things in Swaziland, recommended the cession of
the territory to the Boers. In the second place
the present arrangement, namely, a joint Govern-
ment of the country l)y British and Dutch Com-
missioners, is unsatisfactory to all parties con-
cerned, cannot be regarded as a permanent one,
and could very easily be made unworkable l)y
the Boers themselves.
In spite, however, of these considerations, in view
of the utter misgovernment of the Transvaal, of the
insolent denial by the Boers of all political and even
municipal rights to persons residing in the Trans-
vaal, other than of Dutch birth, strongly imjDressed
^v^ith the knowledge of the vicious and cruel senti-
ments which the Boers entertain toAvards the nati\'e
94 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
races, I own that it would be with the greatest
misgiving and reluctance that I could persuade
myself as a member of Parliament to support the
surrender to the Boers of the fortunes and destinies
of the Swazis ; a race, in many respects, of superior
quality and promise, one, moreover, which in recent
years has fought gallantly side by side with British
troops, and has acquired a peculiar title to British
protection.
The Boer farmer |)ersonifies useless idleness.
Occupying a farm of from six thousand to ten
thousand acres, lie contents himself with raising
a herd of a few hundred head of cattle, which are
left almost entirely to the care of the natives whom
he employs. It may be asserted, generally with
truth, that he never plants a tree, never digs a
Avell, never makes a road, never grows a blade
of corn. Rough and ready cultivation of the
soil for mealies by the natives he to some extent
permits, but agriculture and the agriculturist he
holds alike in great contempt. He passes his day
doing absolutely nothing beyond smoking and
drinking coffee. He is perfectly imeducated.
Witli the exception of the Bible, every Avord of
which in its most literal interpretation he believes
with fanatical credulity, he never opens a book, he
never even reads a newspaper. His simple ignor-
ance is unfathomable, and this in stolid composure
he shares with his wife, his sons, his daughters,
being proud that his children should grow up as
ignorant, as uncultivated, as hopelessly unpro-
gressive as himself. In the winter time he moves
The Withering Grasp of the Boer. 95
with his herd of cattle into the better pastures and
mikler chmate of the low country veldt, and lives
as idly and uselessly in his waggon as he does
in his farmhouse. The summer sees him re-
turning home, and so on, year after year, genera-
tion after generation, the Boer farmer drags out
the most deui'aded and imoble existence ever ex-
perienced by a race with any pretensions to
civilization. I have, I must admit, met some
13ersons in Government circles and elseAvhere of
Boer or Dutch birth who are entirely excluded
from the scope of these remarks, whose manners
were polite and amiable, who were anxious to
show kindness and hospitality, whose conversa-
tion was distino'uished 1)V orio-inal ideas and
liberal sentiments. These, however, are but bright
exceptions. I speak of the nation of Trans-
A^aal Boers as a Avliole, as I think I have seen it.
I turned my back gladly on this people, hastening
northwards to lands jDossessed I hoped of equal
Avealth, brighter prospects, reserved for more
worthy owners entitled to happier destinies ; I
rejoiced after all that I had seen in the Trans-
\7ial, that tlie country and the people of the
Matabele and the Mashona had been rescued in
the nick of time, owing to the genius of J\Ir.
Rhodes and the tardy vigour of the British
(Tovermnent, from the withering and mortal gj-asp
of the Boer.
g6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER VII.
ON THE ROAD TO :\IASHONALAND.
The Chartered Company's Station at Fort Tuli — Mining in the
Zoutspunburg District — The Progress of the " Spider " —
Our first cooking efforts — Hints for sportsmen — Sixty
miles Avithout water — A glimpse of Fairyland — We meet
Major Sapte and Mr. Victor Morier — Meeting with
Captain Laurie at Rhode's Drift — The Bechuanaland
Border Police — A " Boer trek " — President Kruger's posi-
tion — Sir Frederick Carrington and the B.S.A.C. Co.'s
police — Experiment with the new magazine RiHe.
" There is Fort Tuli." Sacli were the welcome
words uttered by Captain Laurie, of the Bechu-
aualand Border Police, ^vho was riding with me
on the morning of Sunday, the 12th of July. I
looked up and found that a sudden turn of the
road descending to the Tuli River disclosed an emi-
nence about 300 feet hio-h, somewhat resemblino- in
miniature the Hog's Back at Aldershot, surmounted
by a group of white tents over which floated in the
breeze the British flag. Early in March, 1891, I
was in the AVestminster Palace Hotel, talking over
with 'My. Cecil Rhodes the journey to South
Africa which I then contemplated. " There is Fort
Tuli," he said, " the first station of the Chartered
Company," pointing to a spot on the map before
him, and drawing a straight line in pencil fi'om
Pretoria to Tuli. He added, "And that is the
Departure from Pretoria. 97
I'oatl \'ou nmst travel." I own I little tlioim'lit ut
the time I sliould ever get to Tuli, for these long-
journeys are chancy sort of things, and many
difficulties and obstacles often intervene to prevent
their accomplishment. Between seven thousand and
eight thousand miles I had travelled since leaving-
London ; noAv only about four hundred miles
separated me from Fort Salisbury, in Mashonaland,
to which I was bound. A period of eleven weeks
was occupied in compassing the greater distance :
a further period of six weeks will be taken up in
traversing the lesser. Now beo-ins the hard travel-
ling. The country ahead is still in a savage state.
No hotels, no stores, no provisions to be bought on
the road, beyond mealies, and perhaps here and
there milk and eggs and poultry. Everything
necessary for the support of the expedition has to
be carried along. Before entering upon the com-
position and the plant of the expedition, a short
descri]Dtion of the journey from Pretoria may be
of interest. Our party, consisting of Captain
Williams, Mr. H. C. Perkins, myself, and a servant,
. with a fair allowance of bao-o-ao-e, left Pretoria in
the early morning of Friday, the 3rd July. We
travelled in one of the ordinary coaches of the
country, which had been specially retained.
Going north the grass veldt is left behind, and the
road descends on to the low country bush veldt,
passing through hill scenery of much beauty. It
is a great relief, getting away from the high grass
veldt, with its hopeless expanse, unbroken by tree,
bush, or living creature. Now the surroundings
H
98 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
captivate the mind. Trees, bushes, glens, glades
abound on every side in much variety. Often one
may fancv oneself in an English park, or in an
Enoiish wood. Althouo-h winter, numberless ever-
o-reen trees, plants, and bushes attract and please
-the eye. The day passes rapidly travelling-
through this lovely country. It is midday, ap-
parently, immediately after sunrise, and dusk before
one has had time for a In-ief afternoon slumber.
Our first halt was made at the AVarm Baths, about
fifty miles from Pretoria. Here there are some
hot springs, possessing medicinal (jualities. The
water issues from the ground at a temperature of
about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The baths are of
the roughest description, square holes dug in the
earth, the sides plastered with mud. However,
we found them fairly refreshing after a long and
dusty drive. The hotel accommodation is rude
but clean, and doubtless the Boer considers the
place a perfect Capua for luxury. The next
day, passing always through beautiful woodland
scenery, brought us at noon to Nylstrom. Here
are a Landroost's office, a telegraph station,
a hotel and store, all newly erected. The hotel
and store were kept by a rascally fellow, who told
us we could have no food for two hours, and on
being informed that we were provided with
supplies of our own, calmly charged us 2/. 10^. for
an hour's use of the common dining-room. In the
evening we reached Bads-loop, where we found
some clean bedrooms and an excellent store, the
property of a young German settler, who was
Mining in the Zoutspanburg. 99
most obliging, amiable, and hospitable, whose
charo'es were moderate. In the mornino- we
journeyed to Ey tings, where again we found good
accommodation. The place is named after the
owner of the hotel. During the two previous
davs' travelling through the low bush country we
liad descended to a level of about 3000 feet, but on
the third day the road again ascended, and at
Eytings reached the altitude of 4500 feet. Start-
ing at daybreak the following morning we passed
through Smitsdorp, a flourishing and rising little
town, about 10 a.m., and reached Pietersburg at
noon, having taken three days and a half over a
journey of about 180 miles. Pietersburg is the
capital of the extensive district of the Zoutspan-
hurg. Round about, both in the high and low
country, many mining enterprises are being carried
on. We visited the Mount Marais Mine, four miles
from Smitsdorp, and the Palmitsfontein Mine,
about six miles from Pietersburg. In the former
the ore is of low grade ; in the latter it is in places
very rich, but uncertain in extent and depth and
pockety. It is not probable that either of these
mines will greatly reward its owners. Accounts
more or less reliable reached us of extremely rich
gold findings recently made in the low counti'v
Murchison district, about eighty miles to the east-
ward of Pietersburg, one mine, " The Birthday,"
having produced some very remarkable quai-tz
specimens. This district is, however, at present
very inaccessible, much tormented with fever,
horse sickness, and " fly," and some long time will
H 2
loo Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
ela]3se before precise and definite information can
be obtained, and some still longer time l^efore any
develoj)ment of the auriferous properties can be
made. But the mineral resources of the Transvaal
are, indeed, extraordinary. Far and wide all over
the country they may be found, and it is difiicult
to over-estimate the numbers of the population
which will at some future day be settled here or
the amount of wealth which will l)e produced.
At Pietersburo' our method of travellino- had to
be changed. The coach was abandoned and " the
spider " resorted to. This latter cai-riage I had
purchased from Mr. Xelmapius at Pretoria ; it had
been specially constructed for travelling in the
veldt. The four wheels are high, light in appear-
ance, but of great strength. The seats inside
provide for four passengers, and are roomy and
comfortable. On the driver's seat three persons
can be seated. Over all, projecting ^vel\ on to the
splashboard, is a light canvas covering fitted with
^vindows and with cushioned sides. At night the
space between the inside seats is fitted up with the
cushions from the front seat, the curtains behind
and in front are let down, the windows raised, and
a first-rate sleeping apartment and bed are at once
secured. These "sj^iders" are constructed to go
over almost any road, and are far more comfortable
nnd less jolting than a two-wheel Cape cart.
Eio;ht fine strono; mules, an Eniiiish driver, and a
" boy," complete the equipment. Besides the
"spider" we had to engage a cart with six mules
for our baggage and provisions. From Pieters-
burg to Tuli there is no hotel and little store ac-
"The Spider." lor
c'ommodation. This will, probably, be soon
pro^dded, as a coacb service now passes along tlie
road, either way, twice a week, but the traveller
who desires to be reasonablv comfortable will do
well to rely upon his own feeding, cooking, and
sleeping resources, and for a long time to come will
find a night passed in the bush very preferable to
one passed in the inside of a Transvaal shanty.
For twenty or thirty miles round Pietersburg, the
liio'h o-rass veldt without tree or bush is seen,
Ijroken here and there by isolated kopjes. AYe
travelled twenty-five miles on leaving Pietersburg,
where I may remark ^\^e found a thoroughly good
hotel, and encamped near a small store kept by a
(xerman. Here commenced our first cooking
efforts. To collect brushwood and dried dung for
the fire, to fill the kettles and boil the water are
the first duties ; bacon and eggs and bread are the
staple of the repast, supplemented by such tinned
])rovisions as mav have been brouirht alon^r. Eo:^s
and bread and milk are very often not obtainable,
when biscuits and preserved milk form indifferent
substitutes. My party soon became very skilful
and expeditious with their kitchen arrangements,
and would have breakfast or dinner ready within
half-an-hour of outspanning. The Aveather was
perfect, with the exception of on-j day, when for a
few hours we were troubled with a regular Scotch
drizzle ; the nights were cool, but not cold ; the
bush country into which we plunged on the second
day after leaving Pietersburg, varied and agree-
able. Partridges, " pheasants(?) " guinea fowl, and \
doves can be secured along the route, and form ap-
102 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa
preciable additions to the daily meals. Any one
travelling in this country for pleasure should cer-
tainly be accompanied by a couple of well-trained
pointers. With these he would often have excel-
lent sport. Long-haired dogs, such as setters,
retrievers, spaniels, should not be brought here, as
they soon become infested by ticks Avliich cannot
be seen or extracted, and which bleed and torture
the ])00Y animals, making festering sores, until the
dogs fall away in condition, become weak and use-
less, and often die. A good supply of carbolic oil
is essential, as all scratches from thorns, bites, and
stings from insects on the hands or face are likely
in this country to fester and give trouble unless
treated with carbolic oil. Two hours at daybreak
and an hour and a half at sunset are the best times
for shooting game, which the wild beauty and
variety of the bush renders a most exhilarating
pursuit. On the second and third days we had to
traverse a route totally unprovided with water for
a distance of about sixty miles. The abundant
vegetation demonstrates that anv quantity of water
could be found within a {e^Y feet of the surface by
digging ; but wells are looked upon by the Boers
as useless luxuries, and unless Nature has provided
a " pan " or " spruit," the Boer passes on, at a cost
, of no matter what amount of suffering to his ani-
mals. For twenty-four hours our mules got no
water, and consequently reached Jahshaan on the
evening of the third day in a very exhausted con-
dition. A night's rest and good water completely
restored them. At Jahshaan is a kopje, Avherc
there are many guinea fowls. Here also, is a kraal.
Sixty Miles without Water. 103
where relays of mules are kept for tlie coach,
service. On the afternoon of the fourth day Ave
arrived at a spot which for beauty of scenery is
unrivalled. The abundant presence of palm trees
and palm bushes indicated that the tropics had
been entered. Many large trees give most grateful
shade. The " cream of tartar " tree is a most re-
markable growth, in that the circumference of the
trunk, from thirty to forty feet, often exceeds the
height of the tree itself, and the branches, which
are thrown off at the toj), are so disproportionately
small, when compared with the trunk, as to give to
this tree a most gTotesque and rather weird appear-
ance. The fruit hangs in pods about the size of a
small cocoanut from the branches, and contains a
white, creamy substance highly acid to the taste,
which the natives aver is a specific in cases of
fever. Our camp was situated about 400 yards
from the Limpo230. I Avas strolling along the river
bank in the evenino' with a o-un, when I suddenly
came upon the most lovely scenery that I ever
beheld ; I can only describe it as a combination on
a large scale of the tropics, Windsor forest, and a
fine reach of the Tay or Tweed. If this was situ-
ated in Europe it would be the resort of thousands,
and would be covered Avith hotels, villas, and
o-ardens. The settino- sun threw on this enchant-
ing spot a light of inconceivable loveliness. It was
absolutely fairyland, but the fairies were a few
ugly naked Kaffirs. At this place we met Major
Sapte, military secretary to his Excellency the
High Commissioner, Mr. Victor Morier, and Major
Gascoigne, on their Av-ay down from Mashonaland.
104 ^^EN, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
The former had been sent by the Higli Com-
missioner ecaiiy in ]\Iay up the Pungwe River with
despatches for the Portuguese Governor and for
Colonel Pennefather at Fort Salisbury, command-
ing the Chartered Company's Police. He told me
he had left everything quiet and peaceful on the
frontier round Massi Kessi, but that it was unlikely
that the Pun2:we route would l)e available as an
ordinary travelling route for a considerable time,
probably not for another year. He added that he
had l)een treated with the greatest politeness and
courtesy by all the Portuguese, not only liy the
officials, but also by the detached groups of
Portuo-uese soldiers who had l^een encountered on
the road. Mr. Victor Morier, who had been
present at the skirmish near Massi Kessi, between
the Portuguese and the Chartered Company's
Police, fi'ave me an iuterestins; account of that in-
cident. It appears that the Portuguese advanced
from Massi Kessi to the position held by the police,
informed the officer in command of the police that
Manicaland was in a state of siege, that all
strangers were to be turned out, and demanded
that he should evacuate the position. This the
officer declined to do, upon which, after a brief
interval, the Portuguese, some 400 or 500 strong,
natives and Europeans combined, advanced to
attack the position, firing the first shots. They
were fired upon in return, and after two hours'
shirmishing the Portuguese retired with much pre-
cipitation and some loss, and so great was their
discomfiture that they stayed not in Massi Kessi
The Skirmish at Massi Kessi. 105
some miles distant, wliere they "\70uld have been
undisturbed, but evacuated that 23lace also and
leaving all their stores, scattered away on the route
down to the Pun o- we. Mr. Victor Morier informed
me that the police force of the Chartered Com-
pany only numbered thirty-five all told. This
place of outspan for the night must also be com-
memorated bv me on account of the wonderthl
dinner we had that evening. Baked partridges,
fried partridge liver, minced koodoo and stewed
vegetables, winding up with hot stewed prunes.
The next day we travelled along the Limpopo to
Rhodes's Drift, a distance of twenty-li\'e miles. At
Morrison's, a small store four miles from the drift,
we were fortunate in meeting Captain Laurie,
K.xV., now in command of the detachment of
Bechuanaland Border Police sruardino- the drift.
He conducted us across the Limpopo, and made us
most comfortable in his camp for the night. Our
cart with our luo-o-ao-e and provisions had sadlv
broken down, wheel and dissel-boom, having been
smashed over the rocky parts of the track, and
was far behind ; without the aid of Captain
Laurie we should have passed a night unprovided
with food, cohering, or shelter. The Limpopo, or
Crocodile river, was high for the time of year, the
water coming right over the floor of the " spider,"'
and well up on the shouldei's of the horse I was
riding. At Rhodes's Drift the river is about lliO
yards wide, a hue, strong flowing river. The
banks are steep, and the crossing was one of
some slight anxietv, bnt, thanks to the assistance
io6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
of a trooiDer of the detachment, Avho stripped off
his clothes and led onr mules through the water,
we effected the j^assage without loss or damage.
Possibly, in a fe^v years' time, there will l^e a fine
ii'on railway l^ridge across this river. On the
other side of the Limpopo, 500 yards from the
river, lay the camp and foi't of the Bechuanaland
Sir Frederick CarriDgton aud officers of the Bechuanaland Border
Police and British South African Company's Police.
Border Police ; to see again the British Hag,
to feel that at last one was well out of Boerland,
was truly pleasant and refreshing. These Bechu-
analand Border Police are as line an irregular
cavalry force as could be seen. Composed of men
of good education, and in many cases of good
family, their training hts thein for all kinds of
The Bechuanaland Border Police. 107
service, enures them to any hardship, makes any
difficult}^" a trifle to them, enables them to
confront with resolution any vicissitude of march,
bivouac, or combat. They are clothed in a
tunic and breeches of dark yellow corduroy, very
smart and well fitting, and wear a most pictur-
esque sombrero kind of hat of the same coloured
felt, adorned with a red or blue ribbon, according
to the particular troop. Black boots, three-
quarters up the knee and partly laced over the
ankle, complete the attire. They are armed with
a ]\Iartini-Henry rifle, which is carried with its
stock resting in a small leather bucket hanging from
the saddle on the right side. Across the shoulder
hangs a bandolier, holding fifty rounds of ammu-
nition. A strong, long sword-bayonet is carried on
the left side. Haversack, water-bottle, cloak in
front, patrol tin in leather case on the saddle, and
a thick, warm rug behind, are also added ; the
whole weighing, Avitli the rider, on an average
about sixteen stone. The force numbers about 600
men, divided into fixe troops. It has been entirely
raised and organized by Sir Frederick Carrington,
its present commander, and would certainly under
him perform the highest services. The men are all
well trained in rifle-shooting, many of them being
flrst-rate marksmen. The great smartness of their
appearance and demeanour would satisfy even the
particular and critical eye of H.R.H. the Duke of
Cambridge. At Rhodes's Drift the small detach-
ment quartered there, consisting of Captain Laurie
and thirty men, had, in a space of three weeks,
io8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
cleared some acres of bush, sunk a well with tim-
bered sides about thirty or forty feet in depth,
erected a circular fort Avith thick earthworks and
timbered walls and wide deep ditch. Underground
in the fort was kept the ammunition and other
stores. The whole represented an immense amount
of hard, incessant labour, and had been effected
with an amount of neatness, of ingenious expedient,
of fertility of resource that spoke volumes in
favour of the skill and science of the officer, of
the enprit de corps and resolution of the men.
What an armv "we mioht have in Eno;land if onl\'
we had no AYar Office ! The B.B.P. are now
guarding about 150. miles of the Limpopo in aii-
ticij^ation of the Boer trek. Along this length of
river are four or five drifts where detachments are
stationed, and where forts have been erected.
Major Goold- Adams described to me the attempt
made shortly before b)' a party of Boers to cross the
river. About thirty Boers, the advanced guai'd of
a mucli larger party, came down to the river, fully
armed, intending to cross. They were called to
that they would be fired upon by the British force
if they advanced, upon Avhich they sent over two or
three of their partv to parley. They Avere in-
formed that they could not 1)C allowed to go in un-
less they signed declarations of their intention to
recognize the British flag, and to abide by the laws
and regulations of the Chartered Company, and
that in no case would any large, armed party be
allowed to enter. They refused to sign any docu-
ments, and in a manner described as most insolent
A " Boer Trek." 109
and menacmg, declared that they would cross by
force. They returned to their party, and once
more came down to the edge of the water. A
Maxim gun was brought into position bv the de-
tachment, and laid on to tliem, and the officer.
Major Goold- Adams, called out that if they pro-
ceeded a single step further he Avould tire. The\'
halted, hesitated, and, prudent counsels prevailing,
turned back and rejoined the main body some
distance from the riAer. Here a violent scene is
said to have taken place between the leader of the
advanced body and the leaders and men of the
main body. The latter were reproached by the
former for cowardice and desertion of him. The
quarrel terminated by the small and violent group
abandoning the enterprise and disbanding. The
other and larger body, with whom was Colonel
Ferreira and a certain Malan, a son-in-law of
General Joubert, then marched to another drift,
where thcv encountered the same officer, and where
a similar, but much less stormy, scene took place.
Colonel Ferreira crossed over by himself and was
immediately arrested under orders received from
the High Commissioner, and sent to Fort Tuli.
After a few clays' detention he was liberated and
allowed to proceed up country, having signed
all the necessary documents. The other Boers,
finding the British in force, determined to resist
their joassage, retired and immediately disjDersed.
Thus, happily and fortunately, ended the cele-
brated " Boer trek." At one moment an en-
counter, with certain bloodshed and loss of life.
no Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
was very near, but the firm determination of
Major Goold-Adams and his men, the adequate
preparations made beforehand Idv Sir Frederick
Carrington and the High Commissioner, averted
what woukl have been a great calamity. " The
Boer trek " promised at one time to be a very for-
midable lousiness. The Boer leaders, more or less
encouraged by General Joubert, who were carry-
ing on intrigues with the Portuguese on one hand,
and the Matabele on the other, undoubtedly saw
their wav to a successful incursion into what they
regard as " a promised land specially reserved for
them by God." Fortunately President Kruger
never hesitated ; from the first he exerted against
the " trek " all his great authority, he kept from it
all actual sympathy or effectual support among the
mass of the Boers, and his telegram of April last to
the High Commissioner to the effect that he had
damped the trek was, even at that time, strictly
accurate. It is quite j)ossiblc that in taking this
action he has overstrained his influence and im-
perilled his popularity. Unless he succeeds in
obtaining Swaziland for his |)eople this will surelv
be found to be the case. But these things cannot
be determined until 1893, when the next Presi-
dental election takes place.
At Fort Tuli our party was most hospitably
received and entertained bv Sir Frederick Carrino--
ton, Captain Leonard (in command of the post).
Major Tye, the ci^dl magistrate, and by the officers
of the B.B.P. In the fort are quartered from
eighty to ninety men of the B.B.P. and of the
President Kruger's Position.
II I
British South African Gliartercd Company's Police
(B.S.A.C.P.). This latter force oTeatly resembles
the B.B.P., on the model of vvhich it was formed.
The composition of tlie rank and file of the
Lord Eandolph discnssing his route with Sir F. Carrington at
Fort Tnli.
B.S.A.C.P. is fairly indicated by the following-
authentic anecdote : — A new officer had joined and
Avas riding along in front of his men. A trooper
riding behind was overheard to remark to another,
" I say, Bill, I don't think much of this new fellow.
112 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
I d(3n't remember having ever met him in White's
or Boodle'?." There are in the force serving as
troopers two sons of British peers, and many men
of birth and good family. Some come out to
see hfe and adventure, and make a fortune;
others, and not a few, to make a Uving, and if
possible regain a lost fortune. Fort Tuli is a
strong position against any artillery which is likel\'
to be brought against it for many years to come.
It is armed with a Maxim and Avith a Gatling gun.
Sir Frederick Carrington allowed me to see these
guns at practice. The range was 1600 yards, the
target some small bushes growing on the sandy
bed of the river, which for some distance is effectu-
ally commanded by the fort. The Maxim appeared
to be remarkable for its precision, the Gatling for
the extent of ground swept by its projectiles.
The effect of the hre of either was very striking,
and I would imagine terrifying to any finding
themselves within the range of these ingenious
little monsters of destruction. Here I had a good
opportunity of ascertaining the opinion of trained
marksmen upon the new magazine rifle now being-
supplied to the British army. The Secretary of
State for War had given me one of these rifles,
]\Iark I., to take along with me and try. It was
now produced and examined by the officers with
much interest. A fine experiment was made with
it, one which could not have been carried out in
England without the intervention of the S.P.C.A.
A slaughter ox was tethered on the sand of tlie
river 1500 yards distant and about 300 feet beloAV
An Experiment with the Magazine Rifle. 113
the bastion from wliicli the rifle was fired. Captain
Capper, renowned in the B.B.P. for his skill as a
rifle shot, fired at this distant and certainly not
large object. All his shots were observed through
the telescojDe to go very close to the ox. The
afternoon was clear, there was no wind. At the
twentieth shot the animal fell like a mass, and
remained perfectly motionless. AVe momited our
horses and rode out to examine the carcass. The
bullet, which had slain the ox so instantaneously,
had entered the nape of the neck rather high behind
the ear, passing doAvnwards, severing the spinal
cord, and emerging lower do"wn the neck nearer
the shoulder on the other side. We observed that
the animal had also been struck by another bullet,
wliicli had penetrated the middle of his side, passed
across the body somewhat upAvards, emerging just
under the hump on the other side, injuring the
intestines and other vital parts. This small bullet
had produced no apparent immediate effect on the
animal, who had duiino- the firino- been under the
observation of the strongest telescopes, and was
not observed to start or even to make a movement
till the last bullet struck him. I asked Captain
Capper what he thought of the Aveapon for accu-
racy : he told me he thought he would have made
more accurate practice with the Martini-Henr}',
but this he attributed to the method of sighting-
adopted for the magazine rifle, which he strongly
condemned. I think he rather liked the rifle on
the whole. On the other hand, I fancy I may
state that the balance of opinion was not favour-
I
114 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
able to the weapon. All pronounced it very com-
plicated ; all doubted whether it was a practical
weajDon for a common soldier. The method of
half-cocking the arm, the arrangement and spiing
of the magazine, the short cleaning rod, the poor
and weak bayonet, received nothing but condem-
nation. One officer, jDerfectly entitled to give an
opinion, said he would like the rifle without the
magazine. I thought this the most damaging
oi^inion I had yet heard given. I am confident
that all were unanimous that if they had to fight
for their lives they would choose the IVIartini-
Henry in pi'oference to the new magazine, but
this judgment, definite and unqualified as it was,
is j^erhaps discounted by the notorious human
prejudice in favour of what is accustomed to and
against change and novelty. This discount, more-
over, is strongly supported by the equally notori-
ous fact that at the time of the introduction of the
Martini-Henry into the service, high military and
high expert opinion leaned heavily towards a
preference for the ancient Snider. Again, on the
other hand, the defects of the new rifle are great and
glaring even to eyes by no means exj)ert, and to
minds not trained in mechanics. The uses it will
be subjected to, the hands in which it will be
placed, cannot luixe received real practical atten-
tion. Impossible perfection has been sought after
irrespective of matter-of-fact practical common-
j^lace considerations. Personally I venture to sum
up the question by the remark that it is one of
extreme dilficulty ; that if I were Secretary of
Expert Opinion on the New Arm. 115
State for War, viewing the expenditure to be
incurred, the great national disasters certain to
follow on an error of decision, the serious and to a
great extent successful manner in which the new
rifle has been impugned, no human power that I am
aware of would induce me to assume the responsi-
iDility of imposing this magazine rifle on the army.
The Small Arms Committee and other highly-paid
expert and inexpert ofiicials with which our
country is blessed or oppressed have taken fl^'e
years to decide upon a weapon. After such an
extravagant consumption of time, a few months
more would be of little account. A review of all
the circumstances of the case by fresh and equally
well-informed, but by more impartial and less
personally interested judges, would probably allay
public anxiety, increase military confidence, and
certainly relieve the load of responsibility which
must attach to any minister or ministry who make
the final decision. Xor can it be said that there
is any great hurry. A good magazine is probably
a better weapon than a Martini-Henry, but the
diflerence is minute and insignificant compared
with the diflerence between a known and tried
Martini-Henry and a bad magazine.
I 2
ii6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE EXPEDITION : ITS COMrOSITION AND
EQUIPMENT.
Major Giles — A fine collection of giants — Our rifles and guns
— Warning and advice to future travellers — Composition
of the Expedition — Major Giles's trek from Vryburg to
Tuli — The horse sickness in Africa — A camp fire concert
at Fort Tuli.
At Tuli I had the pleasure of joining my waggons
and of seeing: ao-ain the other friends who accom-
panied me to Mashonaland, whom I had taken
leave of jst Cape Town more than six weeks
previously. They had been doing all the real
hard, rough work of the journey, and making a
long, tedious, and, from some points of view, an
anxious trek. Major Giles, an ex- Artillery officer
of many years' South African service and expe-
rience, had undertaken the superintendence and
general management of the Expedition : a heavy
and complicated business, as will be seen when the
composition of the Expedition is gone into in
detail, in which he had been most efficiently
assisted by Mr. Edgell, avIio had seen much wild
life in the Rocky Mountains and in cattle ranches,
and by Mr. McKay, who last year formed one of
the Pioneer force despatched into Mashonaland.
J
A Fine Colt>ection of Giants.
117
I may mention that Major Giles stands 6ft. 4in.,
Mr. Edgell 6ft. Aim., Mr. McKay 6ft., Messrs.
Mockell and Mybiirgli, the conductors, 6ft. 5in.
each : a fine collection of oiants. The orfranizinii'
and equipping of an African expedition is an
elaborate and costly business, and a detailed ac-
count of the work may be of value to those at
The lonp; and the short of it.
home who may be contemplating, or who may
undertake a similar journey. In London a large
outlay had been made. Tents, all camp equip-
ment, cooking appliances and utensils had been
supplied by a well-known London outfitter. The
following rifles and guns had been bought of a
London firm: — 1. A double-barrel 'oil B. L.
ii8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Henry rifle. 2. A single-barrel ditto. 3. A
single -450 B. L. Henry rifle. 4. A pair of No.
12 breech-loading shot guns with rebounding locks.
5. Six Winchester repeating rifles, new pattern,
•450 bore, canying four cartridges in the magazine.
I also had from Messrs. Fraser, an Edinburgh firm,
a "500 bore B. L. double-barrel rifle. With this
rifle I did all my shooting, and found it to he a
most perfect, accurate and beautifully sighted
arm. In addition to this armament there were
purchased at Kimbeiiey two pairs of No. 12 shot
guns, made by Greener, four ordinary Martini-
Henry rifles, and two sporting rifles. We had
with us about 10,000 rounds of ammunition. A
London house had furnished a great variety of
provisions, tinned meats, pressed vegetables, fruit,
bacon, ham, tea, coffee. Saddlery, horse clothing,
and halters were purchased in London, as also
medicines, etc. I would venture to give a word of
A\^arnino; and advice to those who start on a South
African journey, and who have to ^^urchase
material at home. I foolishly imagined that if I
resorted to West-end tradesmen in London, though
I would have to pay considerably higher prices,
at least I would obtain the best articles turned out
and packed in the best possible manner. But in
this I was disappointed from not having personally
seen after everything, down to the smallest details.
For instance, three bell tents wore supjDlied, all of
old and each of different patterns, with poles too
long, causing very great inconvenience when un-
packed and brought into use. All the packing
Hints from mv own Experience. 119
cases were of such weak and flimsy material that
after being opened they became useless. More
than that, the packing of the articles was so de-
fective that many things were broken, especially
an elaborate stove, and lamps of more than one
kind. An expensive canteen, on being opened,
was found to be defective in many articles. I
could cite other instances of carelessness and neg-
lect, Avhich ought to be most carefully guarded
against, for in a country such as this defects in
the original equipment cannot be made good, will
always produce vexation and inconvenience, may
sometimes be attended with consequences still
more serious. At Kimberley servants and grooms
were engaged, waggons, oxen, mules, horses pur-
chased. Here a2:ain I Avould advise the traveller
who has to make purchases at Kimberley to
personally inspect and examine every article
ordered and to see to the packing of it. One large
wholesale house to whom I had special letters of
recommendation, supplied us with many shocking
hi\([ articles of the most shoddy description. Also
some essential parts of the mining equipment
which had been ordered were found on arrival here
not to have been sent. The state of the expedition
as I found it on arrival here was as follows : — In
addition to those gentlemen I have already
mentioned, it had been joined by Captain the
Honourable Charles Coventry, of the B.B.P., who
had obtained three months' leave. Also I had
been fortunate in securing the ser\' ices of Mr. Hans
Lee, a well-known and most successful hunter.
120 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
through Avhom I hoped to obtain some good big-
game shooting. The remainder of the joer-
sonnel was as follows :— 3 white servants, 2
" Cave boys," 4 grooms, two cooks, with 2
native boys to assist, 2 donkey herds, 1 4 nati\-e
drivers and leaders. The live stock consisted of
103 oxen, one slaughter cow, 13 riding horses, 18
mules, 1 mare to run with the mules, 14 donkeys,
11 dogs, mostly curs. The vehicles Avere 1
" spider " carriage, 1 large mule waggon on springs
draAvn by 12 mules, 4 half-tent waggons, drawn by
18 oxen each, 1 buck or uncovered waggon, also
drawn by 18 oxen, the Scotch cart, a covered
waggon on two wheels, drawn by 8 oxen. This
quantity of wheeled vehicles and cattle and mules
had to draw about 21,000 lbs. of meal, mealies,
potatoes, onions, and various other provisions,
2000 lbs. of ammunition, 1500 lbs. of trading-
goods, 2500 lbs. of mining tools and plant, 8000 lbs.
of baggage, 5000 lbs. of camp equipment, furniture,
and miscellaneous articles, 3000 lbs. of corn and
forage for horses, and about 1500 lbs. of saddlery
and stable equipment, making a total, with allow-
ances for other necessary weights, of upwards of
40,000 lbs., or, according to local measurement,
some twenty tons weight of freight. The enumer-
ation of the above will be sufficient to indicate the
amount of thought, care, and trouble requisite for
the conveyance of such a troop and such a quantity
of stores across such a country as South Africa,
with its hopeless roads, its swamps, its rockv
places, fevers, and sicknesses, without incurring
Carrying Stores across South Africa. 121
accident, djiinage, or loss. The trek from Vry-
burg to Tiili, a distance of 550 miles, was ac-
complished in a period of fifty-four days, only
thirty-five days of which were occupied in actual
treking, thus covering the distance at the rate of
about 16^ miles joer travelling day. This trek
was, moreover, accomplished without the loss of a
Camp life at Tuli. Branding cattle.
single ox, with the loss only of tAvo mules, one
from sickness, one from accident, and with the
temporary loss of seven donkeys, five of which
have been recovered. No case of sickness has
occurred among the men of the expedition, either
white or coloured. Major Giles was fortunate with
the horses, all of which were brought as far as Tuli
122 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
in even better condition than they were in Tvhen
they were originally Id ought.
The horse sickness in South Africa causes such
heavy loss that I am tempted to dwell on this
subject. Most authorities are of opinion that it is
useless to purchase horses for African journeys,
unless they are what is termed " salted," that is,
have had and have recovered from the sickness.
Such horses, however, are, for the most part,
sorry, -^vTetched steeds, without spirit, with very
inferior strength. They by no means enjoy per-
fect immunity from further attacks of sickness.
Large prices, moreover, ranging from 50/. up-
wards, are asked for them. Major Giles resolved
to ascertain whether by great and constant care
he could not, at least at this season of the year,
preserve his horses from the sickness. He had to
encounter a great deal of derision from persons
of all sorts of experience, who freely 23rophesied
he would not bring a horse alive to Tuli. Mr.
McKay, who undertook the charge of the horses,
gave the following details of his management.
First, the horses are never watered before 11 a.m.
or after 3 p.m. This precaution is adopted against
the evils occasioned by the morning and evening
dews, at times and in certain jDlaces very heavy.
Secondly, when outspanned, the horses are covered
with a horse-rug, buckling over the chest, and
Avith a blanket rug, doubled, coming well back
over the loins. At sundown the horses are fed
in nosebags, the bottoms of which have been care-
fully tarred. Three times a week each horse has
Major Giles and his Horses. 123
its nostrils slightly tarred inside, once a week a
tonic dose is administered to each, composed of
about two wine-glasses of gin, ^vith enough
quinine to co^'er a shilling, well piled u]), mixed
with the gin. Further, in places with an CA'il
re23utation for horse sickness, the horses Avere
never allowed to go to the river or other water ;
buckets of water Avere brought to the camp and
allowed to stand for an hour or more in the sun.
and then slightly chilled by mixing warm water.
The great and principal precaution is that some
trustworthy person should daily see that the
grooms carry out these regulations conscientiously.
A few minutes' neglect destroys the effect of all
the care of days and weeks. I admit that many
persons assert that all precautions against horse
sickness are unavailing, and that we were favoured
by singular luck whicli could not l^e expected to
follow us lono'.i Y^.|- ^]^g treatment described
above is strictly in accordance with common-sense
and with elementary sanitary science, and is surely
worth a careful trial in view of the immense value
of horses to the traveller in South Africa. On
one day while at Tuli all the oxen were brought
in for inspection and appeared to be of fine quality
and in first-class condition. Certainly it would
not have been thought that the respective spans
had been engaged during six weeks in drawing
waggon-loads of about 7000 lbs. apiece over a
distance of 550 miles alono- Bechuanaland roads.
The camp Avas, by special permission of the com-
' This opinion turned out to be correct.
124 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
manclino- officer, pitched on the north bank of
the river, on a space which had been cleared for
a cricket ground. All around is the Inish veldt,
where at some distance from the camp the animals
find orood o-razinsr. Here, at an altitude of onlv
1850 feet, the weather is found to be much warmer
in the daytime than in the high uplands of the
Transvaal, nor is there any frost at night. At
this time of the year the situation is fairly healthy,
and there is no fever among the troops. During
the rainy season the troops suffered considerabh'
from fever and dysentery, the horse sickness
ravaged the mounts, some 80 per cent, of horses
having been lost. It is said that the Chartered
Company will give up this station, "which is to be
taken over by the Bechuanaland Border Police.
Before our departure the military force enter-
tained the expedition at a camjD fire concert. A
colossal and Plutonic bonfire threw a wild and
glaring light upon the surrounding scenery and
upon the groups of men and natives in many-
coloured and motley attire. The attendance
must have numbered over a hundred. Many ex-
cellent songs were sung, one recitation bearing
on Sir Charles Warren's Bechuanaland exploits
achieved a great success. A single verse will in-
dicate the spirit of the poem and the reputation of
the officer : —
So you see there was no iigliting, on tliat glorious campaign,
For not a man was wounded, not a warrior was slain ;
And the doctors had an easy time, as doctors always will,
Campaigning with a General who goes fighting with a quill.
A Camp Fire Concert. 125
It was after eleven before the programme Avas
completed, of&cers and men taking equal parts in
the performance. The men were in the highest
spirits, the officer being obviously extremely
popular. At the close Sir Frederick Carrington
addressed them in a stirring speech, and was
enthusiastically cheered. Truly an impressive
scene. Here, some thousands of miles awav
from England, in a country inhabited by a
numerous tribe of savages of noted ferocity, not
a hundred miles from the kraal of the sTeat
Lol^engula, was a tiny group of men holding their
own, maintaining their authority ]3artly by their
own reputation for efficiency, partly because they
represented the might and prestige of the Empire ;
never dreaming for a moment that a shadow even
of danger could approach them, never doubting
their ability to dissipate any danger should it
arise. This is the group of military force which
holds for England a portion of South Africa, from
Kimberley to Fort Salisburv, comprising a territory
as large as Germany and France, replete with
elements of a hostile and dangerous nature. May
good fortune ever attend and reward them.
126 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER IX.
THROUGH BECHUANALAND.
Cold nights in cam}) — The horse sickness — Visit from Kaffir
women to our Mariko Kiver camp — Outspan on the banks
of the Crocodile River — We cross the Mahalopsie River —
Dr. Saur and Mr. Williams — Camp at Silika — Arrival at
the Lotsani River — The luxury of a shave — The Suchi
River — Headquarters of the Bechuanaland Police at Mat-
laputta — The Macloutsie River — I lose myself near the
Semalali River while in quest of game — Catching up the
waggons.
From the Journal kejjt by Surgeon Hugh Rayner.
Ramatlabana, Stutdfty, May ^Ist. — We are
seventeen miles north of Mafekiug, out of British
territory, but in the British Protectorate. Nights
are very cokl. As soon as the sun goes down the
temperature changes, and after midnight the cold
is intense and continues till sunrise, when it
gradually becomes warmei'. There is, however,
always a cool breeze during the day, so that the
heat of the sun is considerably tempered. If by
chance the sun becomes obscured by clouds a
feeling of cold is at once experienced. As a
specimen of the night cold, I slept last night in a
camp bed with a cork mattress and three l^lankets.
I was in a rough flannel sleeping bag and
covered with two camel's hair blankets and a
sheepskin kaross. Yet my feet never became
Av^arm, and were quite cold on waking this morn-
The Horse Sickness. 127
ing. Mr. Sinclair came across to our camp this
morning, and kindly offered to take us out for
some duck-shooting, so we all made a start on
horseback to some " vleys " some few miles away.
We came across a flight of seven duck, all of
which Ave killed, after foUoAving them backAvards
and forAvards from " Adey " to '' A'ley."
Wednesday,. June ?>rd. — At 1 a.m. AA^e inspanned,
and had not 2)roceeded more than a couple of
miles before one of the Avaojo^ons stuck in the mud
in a drift. The night Avas A^ery dark, the moon
being in its last quarter. Then tAvo others stuck.
EA'CntuallA^ one of them — the meal wao-oon— had
to be unloaded and the others double-spanned
before they could be extricated. We did not
start again till just belbre daylight — a hard night
for eA'ery one except myself. I had a comfortal^le
night's rest, and being A^ery tired trom my exer-
tions of the preAious day, slept on quietly in my
" Kartel," ^ all unconscious of what Avas going on
outside. We had intended to reach Sandpits by
daylight, Avhich is the nearest water (supposed),
but luckily Ave came upon a " Adey " where there
is seldom water, al)out nine o'clock, so aa^c out-
spanned there. . . . xVt 3.30 p.m. Ave inspanned,
and at 5.30 arrived at Sandpits. On the Avay one
of the mules AA^as attacked by the dreaded
" horse " sickness, and was dead in three hours.
This sickness is Avell knoAvn in South Africa. It
attacks horses and mules suddenly, but donkeys
are exemj)t. An animal is c|uite well up to a
' Large waggon slung mattress.
128 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
certain time, in fact, it may be in rather better
fettle than usual, when suddenly it appears un-
well. It ceases to work and becomes very tottery.
In a few minutes it is noticed to be breathins;
hard, and its nostrils working are evidences of
great distress. Almost at the same time a dis-
charge of mucus appears at the nostrils, which
presently becomes very profuse. The distress
increases, and in a few hours the animal, becoming
weaker and weaker, and more and more distressed
in its breathing, falls do^vn and dies. Post-mortem
shows general congestion of the internal organs,
especially of the lungs. All kinds of remedies
have been tried, and have failed. In the case of
our mule, half a bottle of gin and a large table-
spoonful of tjuinine were at once administered,
and this seemed to revive it for a time ; l3ut soon
the weakness came on again, and the animal died.
June 11th. — Sequana is about fifteen miles from
Maripi, our last halting place. It is on the banks
of the River Mariko, which provides good water.
We are outspanned about 200 yards from the
river by the road side. This afternoon a lot of
Kaffir women came round with milk, pumpkins,
etc., for barter. They were a very good-natured
looking lot. I happened, at the time, to be
reading the special number of SoutJb Africa, which
contains many excellent pictures of this part of
the world and of the various tribes. I showed
them to the women, and they recognized several
specimen portraits. The first was a picture of
Matabele women, correct in detail, because it was
Kaffir Women. 129
coi^ied from a i3hotogra|)h by Snrgeon-Major
MellacleAv. One woman immediately recognized
it, and clapped her hands, calling out, " Ha, ha I
Matahele, >\Iatahele 1 ' Then came some pictures
of soldiers, which they also recognized, and with
^vdiich they were equally pleased. A pleasant
half-hour was thus sj^ent. A Kaffir man sold me
his hat for 6^., which I took a fancy to, and which
was simply the skin of a very pretty little red and
black bird, tied jauntily on the left side of his
head with a piece of string. Then he went away,
but soon returned Avith another " hat " on. This,
hoAvever, was not nearly so pretty, and I made
no offers. I have no doubt that had I bouoiit it,
CD '
he could have a^Dpeared in any number of " hats "
in succession. I also bought from him a jackal's
tail (used for brushing flies a^vay) for Qd., and
my Kaffir friend went away delighted with his
bargains.
Tuesday, June IQtJi. — Inspanned 2 a.m. Arrived
at Palla Camp — seventeen miles from Xo. 4 Post
Station. Our outsj^an is on the banks of the
Crocodile River, about hfty yards distant. The
actual camp of the Bechuanaland Police is about
four miles further on, where there is also a tele-
graph station. A small detachment of the police
are stationed there. There are tAvo stores, one of
Avhich is Avithin half a mile of our outspan. I Avas
told that there AA^as a good deal of fever about
here, contracted at the close of the late rainy
season, but there is ahvays more or less fever
along the banks of the Crocodile. The country
K
130 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
lip to now has l^een getting gradually more
wooded since A'ryburg, and the trees getting
gradually larger. The thorns all the way ha^'e
been very troublesome, especially the well-known
" wait-a-bit " thorn. . . . AVe found several
waggons outspanned here, Mr. Winslow and ]3arty
amono- them. AVent out four hours Avith a rifle
o
in the morning, but saw nothing. In the after-
noon ]Mr. Winslow came and showed us the wa)'
to a large '' vley " about two or three miles away,
where there were numbers of duck and teal.
Here we shot about a
dozen birds, but Giles
\\as the only one who
iiianaoed to brine* his bird
to bag, a very large duck ;
in fact, almost as big as
with
a verv
a goose,
l)road span of wings.
All the other birds fell
into the "•vley," and it
^vas too deep to wade
foi- them. Also croco-
diles were said to li^e
there sometimes. Dark-
ness brought an end to
our afternoon sport, so
we returned to camp,
feeUng M-e had rather wasted our cartridges,
and killed birds for no reason. Mv. Winslow and
three of his party came to supper, and we had a
" smoking concert " over a roaring camp fire. . . .
Fording a river.
Crossing the Mahalopsie River. 131
I was called out to see a Kaffir *' boy " who had
been shot in the leg by a man, " X "" for mutiny.
The man had pulled out a knife, and meant mis-
chief. He was well pep})ered in the calf of one
leof, and I don't thiuk he will be able to sit doAvn
Avith ease for a few days. However, he was not
seriously hurt, as, of course, '' X/' took good care
not to shoot till he was, so to speak, at a safe
distance.
Friday, June 19///. — Our outspan is about fifteen
miles from our hist halting-place, and we are siill
on the banks of the river. There is a post-
chanoino- station close bv, and from here bullocks
are used for the post-cart instead of mules. This
is on account of the dreaded horse sickness. . . .
AVc crossed the ]\la]ialopsie River this afternoon.
There "sras no water in it, sinijDly a dry, sandy
bottom. jMackay and I were walking across to-
"■ether when he drew mv attention to two
depressions in the sand in the middle of the river-
bed. These were about a couple of yards in
diameter and a couple of feet deep. " See," said
Mackay, '' some one has been digging for water
here. I'll bet there is water about a foot deeper.
I'll show vou." He then commenced dio-gino;
vigorously Avith his hands and shovelling the sand
out. Sure enough, about a foot deeper, water
flowed into the hole. "That's worth knowinir,"
said he, and we proceeded on our waA\
Tuesdaij, June 2ord. — Inspanned at 1 a.m., and
trekked out twelve miles, making with last night's
trek about tAventy miles from our last outspan.
K 2
.t32 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Arrived at sunrise at tlie AYegdraai (pronounced
Vechdri). This means in Dutch the parting of the
river from the road. Giles tells me last night's
trek was a very good performance, but of course
our oxen are real good 'uns, and are very fit, and
still look in splendid condition. There are several
waggons outspanned near us. Feathered game
was scarce to-da}'. Inspanned at 4 p.m. Soon
after starting Giles received a note from Dr. Saur
and Mr. Williams, miniuo- enoineer, Avho are ooino-
up to Mashonalaud for the Zambesi Exploring
Company. They asked for the " loan " of some
bread and a few necessaries of life. It appears
that they have been coming up the road quickly
in a Cape cart, and expected to catch up their
waggons about here. Unfortunately their waggons
had by accident taken a wrong road, and they
were stranded without any " skoff." Of course
Giles soon found them the necessaries required.
Wednesdaif. June 2-itJi. — Inspanned at 1 a.m.,
and at daybreak arri\'ed at Silika, twenty miles
from our last camp. The road was very rough.
There used to l)e a store here, but it has been
moved. There is a small detachment of the
Bechuanaland police. AVe have left the Crocodile
River well to the right. This is a very pi-ettily-
situatecl place. There is a large kopje at our back
and several others around. There is a small
stream of running water about half a mile distant.
The outspan place is very dirty. There are lions
about here, and a Kaffir shot one the other day
and sold the skin to a white man for 1 5$. There
Dr. Saur and Mr. Williams.
133
are nlso koodoo and giraffes. Dr. Saur and Mr.
AVilliams ariived in their Cape cart, and were
made honorary members of our mess. Thev had
seen a herd of wiklebeest just a few miles away,
and Mi\ W'iUiams, while looking for feathered
o-aine, came across a hyaena, which he immediately
The main cohimn encamped on the bank of the Lotsaui
let driye at and killed. We rest here to-day, as
there is a twenty-four mile trek to the next water.
All along the road for the last fe^v days ^ve have
come across dead bullocks, the result of lung-
sickness.
Tliursday, June '25th. — Inspanned at 2 p.m., and
at 4 we outspanned for an hour, Outspanned
134 Men, Mines, AND Animals in Sourri Africa.
again about 8, having trekked about 12 miles, Dr.
Saur and ]\Ir. AVilliams following in their Cape
fart. John (our cook) has been seedy with a
bilious attack, and Mackay had a headache — the
result of a bathe, which he, Edgell, and myself
took in a nice clear pool which we found this
morning. The water was rather cold. The dust
on the road seems to get worse every day. It gets
into one's mouth, eyes, nose, and ears ; fills one's
kartel, and makes everything filthy. It is always
red sandstone, I suppose.
Friday, June 2(jf]i. — Arrived at Lotsani River at
9 a.m., which we crossed and camped on the further
side. The road throuo'h the river was down and
up steep l:)anks, but we came through it well. AYe
have done twenty-five miles from Silika in three
'• skoffs," ^ which is excellent trekking. The river
is very low, but the water is clear. It is, ho^vever,
brackish and unpalatable, and is apt to produce
diarrhoea. The outspan place is dirty, but none
other is possible. The nights have been much
warmer the last few days, and it is no longer a
question of sheepskin kaross and numberles^^
blankets. To-da\' we discovered a Hindoo barljcr,
who is making his way up country on some Kaffir
waggons, so "we all indulged in the luxury of a cut
and shave. Inspanned at -I p.m., and trekked six
miles, that is, about two miles bevond Elebi, ci'oss-
iug a small drift on the way. Elebi is a small
police-station, there being now Uvo men there.
^ Skoff ; journey from outspan to outspan, or from meal to
meal.
The Camp at Suchi Rivkr.
135
Tlie fort that was hero lias been abandoned. The
jDlace is of some importance as one where police
can be concentrated for patrolling the Crocodile
River, Avhich is al30ut twelve miles distant, in case
of trouble with the Boers.
Saturday^ June 21t]i. — Arrived at Suchi lii\er
The camp of the main column at Sachi River.
at daybreak, and encamped on the other side.
<jur trek here was al)out sixteen miles. The River
Suchi is similar to the Lotsani, being now merely a
thread of ^\'ater in the river-bed. The water is
])rackish and unpalatable, and leaves crusts of salt
on the banks where it has evaporated. The country
is flat all round. About ten o'clock this morniu"-
136 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
it commenced to rain, and rained in showers for
about an hour. Thunder was heard in the direc-
tion of the TransvaaL Rain is a A'eiy unusual
occurrence in these parts at this time of the year.
Tae.sdaj/, Jane SOtli. — Arrived at sunrise at
Macloutsie, and camped on the other side of the
River Matkputta. Macloutsie consists of a police
camp, telegraph station, two good stores, and a
fort. It is now the headquarters of the Bechuana-
land Police. There arc at present about 100 men
stationed here. iVbout two months ago the
telegraph wire was prolonged here from Pelapswe,
and since then on to Tuli Fort. The horse sickness
is very bad here, and I was informed that about 80
per cent, of the horses died last year. The river
is small, but the water is very good. Giles, Edgell,
Mackay, and I rode in and called at the store,
where we bought a set of cricket matei'ials. It
seemed odd to find such thino;s for sale in the
midst of an African wilderness. In the evenino^
we dined at the ofhcers' mess. After dinner the
liand, which consisted of a violin, a flute, and a
guitar, played, and we passed a very pleasant
evening. Such a charming, cheery lot of fellows,
and most hospitable too. The officers all ]We in
thatched huts, and the mess hut is the same sort,
but on a larger scale, of course.
Wednesday, July l.s-f. — Trekked to the further
side of the Macloutsie Ri\'er, about five miles. At
present the river is a small stream of good, clear,
running water, and about eighty yards in breadth
at the crossing. The descent and ascent are fairly
Lost in the African Wilderness.
0/
steep, and it is a stiffish pull for wao-gons. Some
Kaffir waggons following us that are carrying
annnnnition, etc., to Maslionaland had to double
span each waggon, and then thev had a lot of
trouble because their trek chains broke over and
over again. AVe trekked about four miles after
sundown. Road was very hilly and crossed by
many dry spruits.
Tfmrsdaj/, JiiJij 2 ml. — Arrived sunrise LijDokwe
River ; good road from our last camp, Avhich is
about eight miles aAvay. River noAv about five
yards in In'eadth ; clear, good running water.
There are many pheasants and guinea-foAvl here,
and our larder is no ay Avell supplied Avith game.
Friday, July 3. — ArriATd Semalali RiA^er, about
eighteen miles trek. I don't think I am likely to
forget this place. It is the easiest thing in the
Avorld to lose one's Avay in this country, and to-day
is not the first time it has hapj^ened to me. You
take careful landmarks of kopjes, the direction of
the Avind, the position of the sun, etc. ; you pro-
Adde yourself Avith a i)air of field glasses and a
compass, and then imagine that it is impossible to
mistake the direction from Avhich a^ou came. And
yet Avhen }^ou arriA^e at some point to Avliich you
liaA'e taken a l:)ee-line, say a couple of miles aAvay,
you look back, and, somehoAv or other, the Avliole
scene seems changed. A'our landmarks appear in
a different position, the Avind is noAv in another
quarter, and }'our camp, from Avhicli you could see
distinctly the spot on Avliich you noAV stand, is in-
visible. You search the landscape carefully Avith
138 Men, Mines, and Animat.s in South Africa.
your field glasses, and nil looks different.
hill over there should be more to the right
That
that
other smaller one should be more to the left and
nearei". You are loth to believe at first that you
do not quite know where you are, but as you walk
on, thinking you are going in the right direction,
your landmarks become
more and more changed.
All around you is a
l^oundless stretch of un-
dulating plains covered
with bush and scruli,
sometimes so thick that
vou see nothing bevond
fifty yards. Occasionalh'
you come across a kopjie,
when vou have no idea
vou are anywhere near
one. Xot a sound is to
be heard, except jDcrhaj^s
the occasional twittering
of a bird or the rustle of
the leaves and long grass.
At lemrtli vou feel olilio'ed
to own that vou dont
know where you are. It
is a time of desolation, and you cannot but feel liow
utterly helpless you will be should vou be unable to
find your camp before sundown. It was this feeling
that I experienced to-day. I went out soon after
8 a.m., having taken a little coffee and biscuit,
only intending to potter about after pheasants and
The waggon coiiductur sports a
new pair of " store " trousers.
"A Time of Desolation." lyg
guinea-fowl for a couple of hours or so. I crossed
the ri^ er and walked towards a small ko^^jie. In
about an hour I thought it time to return for
breakfast ; but, somehow or other, missed my wa\'
in some long o-rass. I tliought it didn't matte i-
^'ery much, as I knew the general direction of the
road, so steered north-west so as to cut it at right
angles. But I A^'alked on and on through the
Avilderness, and no road appeared. After more
than a couple of hours' hard walking in the hot
sun with three dead guinea-fowl dragging on my
waist-belt, and a heavy gun, which felt heavier
every moment, on my shoulder, I came to the con-
clusion this wasn't good enough, and determined to
break a rule which I have often had instilled into
me in this country, namely, that when once you
strike out in a certain direction you shouldn't go
l)ack. However, I am glad I did go back, for I
know now that the road at this particular point goes
south-east, or nearly so, whereas all the way up to
now it has, of course, been north-east. The long-
grass was very trying, and I never was as thirstv
in my life. A Yankee can boast about a ten-dollar
thirst, Init I'd have given mine away for nothing, and
1 ne\er want another one like it. Suddenly I
heard a rustle, and, looking up quickly, saw a head
of splendid hartebeest, which animal I liad not seen
before, and which I recognized bv their horns.
There were nine of them, and thev came along at
a soi't of canter trying to head me to windward.
They stopped all of a sudden at a little over 100
yards, offering a splendid shot broadside. Alas !
I40 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
I had only a shot-gun with ^o. 5 shot, but
I couldn't help goino- down on one knee, and
taking aim at one just liehind the shoulder, and
thinking hoAv I must get him with rifle. Off they
went again, and I was alone once more in the
wilderness. About fiye minutes afterwards I came
upon a. pool of beautifully clear water — what was
left of a small dried u]^ stream — and fairly
wallowed in it. AVhile here I thought I heard
three shots fired at distinct interyals, so, knowing
that was the signal agreed upon in case any one
lost his way, struck out in that direction. Then
from the top of a kopje I made out the riyer, as I
thought, by a line of green trees. This proyed to
be correct, and I then soon came up with our own
oxen oTazinii'. The boys directed me to a:o alonii'
the riyer l3ank l3ack to camp, saying I couldn't miss
the way. By accident 1 was told the wrong side
of the riyer, so after walking about three more
miles, I managed to lose myself again, as the riyer
all seemed to o'o to nothino- and I couldn't tell
which was riyer and which was ycldt. Therefore
I walked 1)ack, thinking to find the oxen once
more ; but the sun was getting low, and I found
them gone, and, worse still, couldn't trace the
spoor. Then I heard shots fired, and going in the
direction of the souud, came up Avith a Kaffir
with some oxen, who showed me our waggons
about five hundred yards distant. I got in after
sunset, and found the waggons just gone — all
except the mule waggon, which Avas waiting for
me. Thank goodness ! I'm here at last. I'ye
SHOWING A FLARE-UP FOR THE LOST ONE.
Page 1 to.
Catching Up with the Waggons. 141
"svalkecl hard from eio-ht this mornino- till sundo'U'n
"\7itl10ut a- morsel of food. I didn't (|uite relish
the idea of sleeping ont in the cold Acldt "wdth
nothing on my shoulders but a flannel shirt, and
no fire — for, mirahile dictu, I had forgotten
cia"arettes and matches. In ten minutes ^ye caught
up the otlier waggons and trekked eight miles. I
foro'ot to sav tliat the tlii-ee shots I thouii-ht I
heard were tlie three signal shots, sure enouo;h,
from our waggons, and they probably sa^•ed me
several miles Avalking. It only shows how useful
it is to have a signal agreed upon. One thing I
am certain of — the man who says he can't lose
himsell" in this country (and I hem-d one once) is a
fool. Nothino: is easier.
142 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER X.
trekking and hunting.
We entertain Sir Frederick Carrington — Farewell to Fort Tuli
— The business of inspanning — Our camp at night — Sport
with Dr. Kayner and Lee — Laying the telegraph wire —
The Umzingwani Kiver Camp — Koodoos^ quaggas, and
honey birds — Lee's boy nicknamed " The Baboon " — The
elephant fruit-tree — Lee a charming companion on the
Veldt — The TJmsajbetsi Kiver — Habits of our oxen and
mules — Shooting game in South Africa — A native market
— An unsuccessful antelope hunt — The mahogany tree —
Further hunting experiences— Camp on the Bubjanc
River — Our conductor ]\[yberg.
On the evening of July IGtli, our party entertained
Sir Frederick Carrington and some of the officers of
the B.B.P. at a farewell al fresco banqnet, and
passed a cheerful evening roimd the cam]) fire with
its usual accompaniment of song and tale. I had
accompanied Sir Frederick in the afternoon on a
shootino- excvirsion after reit-buck. These buck
were expected to be found in a long and wide glade
near the Limpopo, where tlie rnshes were high
and the grass was thick. Some dozen mounted
troopers acted as beaters, and we saw seven buck,
of which two were killed. They are about the
same height as a falloAV deer, with red bodies, and
white bellies ; their horns are short and pointed.
We also secured two brace and a half of pheasants.
On the 17th, the waggons ^Wtli our baggage from
Pretoria liaving at length arrived, we left Tuli.
]\lr. .Vlfred Beit left early in the morning of the
iNSfAXNlNG. 143
same day, his waggons having preceded him some
twelve hours. The Imsiness of inspauning, when
a novelty, is very interesting. The camp presents
a scene of great apparent confusion, but in realitv
all is in perfect order. The various cases, port-
manteaux, and bags, having been packed, the tents
struck and rolled up, and the bedding folded, and
everything being assigned to its proper waggon,
the loading of the waggons begins, a work re-
(juiring great care and method. All this work is
done imder the orders of ]\Ir. Edgell and Mr.
Mackay, whose task is by no means a light one.
The marshallinii- of o\ev a liundred oxen, of the
horses, mules, and donkeys, proceeds with precision
imd regularity, the " boys " having been perfectl}'
drilled and trained on " the trek " through Bc-
chuanaland. All being ready, the " vorelopers " at
the head of their teams, the drivers causing their
"whips to crack with loud repoi'ts, off starts one of
the waixffons, five minutes later another, and so
on ; last comes my " spider "" "with its team of eight
mules. The Avhole made a fine procession of great
length. At the outset a work of difficulty lay before
us, the crossing of the drift of the Tuli River.
Here the sand for more than one hundred yards is
deep and heavy, and double spans become necessary
for each waggon. The leatling waggon, having
descended into the river-bed, is halted, the span of
oxen is taken out of the second wao-o-on and at-
tached to the first, which, drawn, by thirty-six
oxen, move with apparent ease through the drift.
This process, repeated A\-itli each waggon, occupied
some two hours, and it was four o'clock before all
144 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
the waggons were safely over on the other side.
The seven waggons, the Scotch cart, and spider, all
crossed over without the slightest stickfast, accom-
plishing what I was informed was a record achie\'e-
nient. Sir Frederick Carrington and some of the
officers of the B.B.P. watched our proceedings, and
no doubt if there had been an}' liitch, or if any of
the waggons had stuck, much chaff would have
been indulged in at the expense of the expedi-
tion ; but the latter, stimulated by the knowledge
that critical eyes were looking on, were resolute
to present the smallest mishap. After trekking
six miles we outspanned and set U]) our camp for
the night. The appearance of The camp was
striking. The moon shining brightly, the long-
avenue of vrao'o'ons on each side of the road with
the oxen Iving down, attached to their yokes,
offered a most singular and memorable sight. I
had bad a couple of hours' shootuig in the after-
noon with Sir Frederick Carrino-ton, and brouoht
into camp a small I'oi-buck, a hare, and two
pheasants. On the ISth e^'ery one astir l^y half-
past five, the waggons were started oif at daybreak.
They trekked seven miles, outspanned at nine, the
sun being already warm. Dr. liayner, Lee, and I
rode into the bush to look for buck. I found one
lying dead in a small pool of ^\-ater, Avliich had
been shot the day before by some unfortunate
sportsman. We carried it off in trium^jh to the
camp, Avhicli we reached about eleven o'clock.
Washing, breakfast, and loitering about occupied
the time till four o'clock. It is but true to sav
FIRST NIGHT OUT FROM FORT TULI,
Page 144.
A Telegraphic Expedition. 145
that I was the nnl\' loiterer, every one else having
some kind <»1" work to (!<). ( )iir (la\- ramp was
pitched on the Ipau'i Ki\er. a\ here ^\vlv also en-
(•am])e(l a laro-e hodv of men emplo\ed 1)\' the
Chartered ('ompaiiv in lavini;' the telegraph wire
up eountry to Fort \'ietoria, Avhieh work is being
accomplished at the rate of about three miles a day.
This expedition is mainly composed of 250 of
Khama's men, all armed ^\'ith old nniskets, A\hich
they carry slung oyqy their shoulders, generally
loaded and at full cock, together with their picks,
spades, and axes. It is doubtful whether Loben-
gula will quite relish the incursion into his
country of armed men from the tribe of his here-
ditary foe. Khama once, some years ago, nearly
killed Lobengula, woiniding him badly in the neck.
The work, however, of lading the telegraph has to
be done, Khama's men were the only labour which
could be obtained, and Khama's men would not
come into Lobeno'ula's country unless tliey were
fully armed.
On the 19tli we reached the Umzingwani River,
about twenty miles from Fort Tuli. There was a
good amount of water here. ]Major Giles, I and
Lee, after breakfast, rode out into the bush to look
for game. Two water-buck -were seen, which Lee
shot at without etfect. I got a shot at a steimbuck,
but missed him. We saAv much spoor of koodoo
and other antelope. A heavy shower came on, a
very unusual thing in this part of Africa at this
time of year, and ^ve got wet through. It was noAv
found that our hours of trekking, which had been
146 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
adopted mainly on iny account, were unsuitable for
tlie oxen. To make ;Liood treks it is necessary for
the oxen to labour either during the night or late
in the afternoon when the sun is low. AYe decided
to return to the hours of trekking which had been
adopted by the expedition diu'ing their passao-e
Our camp 011 the Uiuziagwaui iiiver.
through Bechuanaland, from 1 a.m. till davl)reak,
and from 4.30 p.m. until 8 p.m. \\h?n the Avag-
gons started in the early morning my " spider " re-
mained behind till 6 a.m., and caught the waggons
up by breakfast time. On the 20th I rode Avith
Lee into the bush. We came across two koodoo
Koodoos and Honey Birds. 147
bulls, one of wjiieli Lee shot. The koodoo is a
mao-nificent antelope. It stands asliiuli as a mule,
is of a soft a'rev colour, its jju-c is heautifiillv
marked with Avhite, and it cai'i-ics tine twistinu"
horns from tA\ o to three feetlonu". Furtlier on we
[)ut n]) two ^vi\^{ ]n,U' : Lee ^li'ot one and I i^-ot the
other. AVe saw nnieli fresh s])oor of (jnao-aa.
This mornino; I saw for the first time the houev-bird.
We followed it for abont half a jiiile. When Lee
whistled, it gave back iin answering note, flying
from tree to tree, leading ns on. AYhen it reached
the tree occupied by the wild bees it answered no
more to Lee's whistle, indicating that the honey
Avas found, and flying off to a neighbouring tree to
Avatch om* jiroceedings. As Ave were unprovided
Avdth an axe, the poor bird Avas destined to be dis-
appointed in us. Lee and his boy both climbed
the tree, found the holes into the hive, and got Avell
stung. Lees 1)oa' is a inost remarkable creature.
He is a long-legged, lanky bushman, ansAvering to
the name of " Baavean.'' pronounced " Bobean,"
the Dutch for bal)oon. The " Baboon's "' skill in
spooring game is almost incredil)le, he possesses an
instinctiA'C knoAvledgc of the ha1)its and as to the
Avhereabouts of animals. Lee and the " Baboon "
Avill spoor game through the bush for miles. A^
tree pointed out to me this morning, the •' ele-
phant fruit tree " : bears a small fruit about the
size of an apricot, from A\diich when ripe exudes j
an amber-coloured syrup, AAdiich tastes when eaten
something like a preserAcd candied greengage.
EleiDliants are said to be very fond of this tree,
L 2
148 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
from whence comes its name. Lee I find an ex-
cellent companion on tli(! \'el(lt, for, besides his
o;rcat s]iootin_u' skill niid ('X])erience, lie jjossesses a
lai'ii'e aiiioniit of bush lore in resjx'ct of animals, of
trees, and nf plants. Avlii(h be imparts freely and
ao:reeal)l\'. Tbese mornino- rides thvono-h the bush
have an indescribable charm. The scenery, tbe
fresh ail", the bright simshine. and the knoAvledge
that YOU may at any moment come upon anything
in the shape of game, from a lion or a giraffe down
to a pig or a baboon, lends to these excursions a
most exhilarating interest. We rejoined the camp
about midday on the Umsajbetsi Riyer. From
This riyer to the I nizingwani is a long stretch of
seyenteen miles without Avater for the oxen. The
Umsajbetsi at this time of the vear is only a bed
of dry sand, 1 )ut water somewhat brackish is easily
obtainable by digging a foot deep in the sand.
Captain Williams Avent out shooting in the after-
noon, and wounded badly two koodoo cows, but
unfortunately both got away. xVt fiye o'clock we
inspanned. I find it yery amusing to study the
habits of the oxen. In spite of their long horns and
somewhat wild, formidable appearance, they are, in
reality, to those who haye to driye and manage them,
the most docile, patient animals. A stranger, how-
ever, would do well to be careful not to go too close
either to them or to the mules. These oxen come in
in the evening from the veldt in one great troop,
driven along by a couple of boys. They range them-
selves in spans, as schoolboys at a school range
themselves in classes, each span apparently knowing
The Oxen and Muees. 149
its own "waggon, each ox its own 23lace in the span.
The mules are not so interesting or attractive, and
it is possible that a mule is one of the few animals
on whicli kind treatment is absolutely thrown awa}'.
Our mule waggon, which loads over 2000 lbs. ol"
transport, has a fine team of twelve mules. They
are a most vicious set, and would readily bite or
kick at any one except Myberg, the conductor, or
Gideon, his "boy." Myberg tells me that they
would even go at him if he happens to wear a
different hat or coat from that which they are
accustomed to. These mules have their idiosyn-
crasies. One of them is that they like to be
accompanied by a mare. This mare is tied up
alongside the span, but does no work herself. She
goes out grazing with them on the veldt, and I am
told that "svlien mules have a mare along with them
they never stray. Another curious habit of theirs,
which it often anuises me to watch, is that of
gnawing each other. This gnawing appears to be
a regular matter of baroain between them. Tavo
mules approach each other, one wants his shoulder
gnawed, the other his quarter. Their conformation
makes it necessary for the j)roceeding that each
slioidd gnaw the same place on each other at the
same time. The mule with the itching shoulder sug-
gests to the mule with the itching quarter, " If you
will gnaw my itching shoulder for a few minutes I
will gnaw your shoulder which does not itch, but
will then gnaw your quarter "which does itch, and
allow you to gnaw mine which does not."
Just before inspanning this evening the dead
ISO Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
koodoo was brought in on two donkeys, and was
the object of much admiration, and from no one
more than the cook. On the 21st we reached the
Umshlane River, a ten miles trek. This river is
also drv, but water can ho got by digging.
Havino- ibimd that o-ame in the vicinitv of the road
was scarce, probably frightened away by the con-
stant passage of Avaggons and by the telegraph
expedition, I arranged to go with Lee for three or
four days away from the road into the veldt. I
took with me the "spider" and the Scotcli cart, a
small two-wheeled waggon, and provisions for six
days. The mules were taken from the mule
wao-oon and attached to the Scotch cart, and the
CO "
oxen from the Scotch cart were put to the mule
wao-cron. I started off in the afternoon and
Co
reached the Bubye Iliver at sunset. The next
morning at daybreak we rode off into the veldt
just as our waggons, which had been trekking
through the night, passed us. Soon we came
across the spoor of koodoo and cjuagga mixed,
which Lee and the '" Baboon " followed for up-
wards of half-an-hour. A low whistle from the
" Baboon " denotes that he perceives the antelope.
I jumj) off my horse and see through the trees
very indistinctly three koodoo about 150 yards oif,
at which I fire without success. They gallop ofl',
and we follow on their spoor, and come suddenly
upon some roan antelope at about the same range
as were the koodoo. Again 1 jump off my horse
and fire, and again Avithout result. This Sonth
African shootino- is a widelv different business
Experiences of South African Shooting. 151
from Scotch deer-
stalking. Ill Scot-
land one is taken
by some steady old
stalker within a
hundred yards or
s<J of the stan-
^^"hich is generally
standing in an open
space, and offers
you a fair ''pot-
shot," the rifle
beino- rested either
Typical natives from the Umsblane Kiver districts.
152 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
on vour knees or on a stone. Here you have to
jump oft' a horse, look through a quantity of trees
and bushes, tire from the shoukler, and fire quickly,
as the game nearly always sees you as soon as
you see it, arid hounds oft'. ^loreover, it is in-
credible hoAv difficult it is for an untrained eye to
discern these wild animals through the bushes.
On more than one occasion, though I possess a
tolerably good pair of eyes, Lee has tried in vain
for some seconds to show me antelope through the
bushes, Avhicli I have Ijeen totally unable to make
out. I expect that to be successful after game in
the Soutli /Vfrican veldt requires long training and
experience. Lee galloped away after the roan
antelope tln'ough the bush, helter-skelter. I re-
mounted and followed him as best I could, but lost
sight of him. I heard Lee lire three sliots, and,
on coming up with him. found that lie had got
one antelope on the ground, about 80 yards oft",
and another badly wounded about 100 yards
away, moving off. We followed up the wounded
one, and perceived that it was accompanied by
another buck, who Avas apparently unwilling to
leave it. I o'et a o-ood shot at this one, and kill
it, my bullet passing through both shoulders.
The wounded one is finished oft' with another shot,
and there are now lying on the ground A-.ithin the
space of 200 yards three roan antelojje, a big
cow with splendid curving horns, and two young-
bulls whose horns were shorter and almost straight.
Truh" this was a line sight, and one which some
English sportsmen would giadlv travel 8000 miles
A Native Market. 153
to see. The roan antelope is rather smaller than
the koodoo, about as big as a hne Scotch stag, and
quite as graceful in appearance. The main body
of our waggons was only encamped about three
miles off. The "Baboon " is at once sent off to
fetch donkeys to carry the meat, while Lee and I
remain to o-rallock the bucks and cover them over
with grass and branches to hide them from the
vultures. AVe then rode on to Major Giles" camp,
where I luckily found my friends at breakfast.
Here I was informed that the eight oxen were not
strono; enouo'h to drao- the mule wao-o-on, so it was
decided that the mule wao-o-on was to remain be-
~o
hind with me, and the light Scotch cart was to be
given back to the span of oxen. This arrangement
was a pleasant one for me, for ])y it I obtained the
companionship of Captain Williams, who occupied
the mule wao-o-on. I remained with mv friends for
some hours, and witnessed for the hrst time a
regular native market. A small group of Maka-
laka had a kraal on the Umjinge River, close to
our camp, and brought pumpkins, milk, mealies,
and beans, for which they took in exchange pieces
of coarse blue calico (''limbo"). Trade proceeded
merrily, with much laughter and joking. Mr.
Mackay and ]\Ir. Coventry conducted the barter,
Ijut I am fifraid that their weights and measures
would not always have sustained the examination
of an English police inspector. I found that one
yard of " limbo " would purchase about a shilling's-
worth of stuff. Altogether some twehe yards
were expended. These natives were bv no means
154 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
an unattractive lot, some of the women having a
Ijright and youthful appearance which I'endered
them almost good-looking. They were \ery
partially clothed, but much adorned with feather
coiffure, and brass ornaments on arms and leos. I
rode afterwards with Lee to make a circuit through
the veldt back to my camp. AVc had not pro-
ceeded far into the veldt before Lee pointed out to
me, about eighty yards to ray left, a sable antelope.
This maunificent creature, with Ions: horns arcliin2'
light over on to its back, Avas standing in some
high grass looking at us curiously. On horseback
I saAv him perfectly, Imt when I jumped off to tire
I could only see the top of his head and his horns,
owinu" to the lonsr "Tass, I took a careful aim
throuoii the li'rass at where I thought his shoulder
ought to be, but, alas I Avithout effect. He
bounded off, Lee in hot pursuit. Lee got a shot
at him some distance further on, but missed. We
followed him, and came upon him a third time,
but got no shot, as he was too (|uick for us. and
made off for good. AVe were i-ather unhappy over
this reverse, for the sable anteloi^e is the antelope
of all others which tlie South African hunter
covets. In the coui'se of the afternoon we saw a
great deal of sjDoor of various kinds of game, but
got no further shot. On my return to camp I
found that Captain Williams had arrived with the
mule cart, and great plans were made over dinner
as to future sport.
The following morning we were both off at
daAvn, Captain AVilliams aoinu' in one direction
The Track of the Lion. 155
accompanied by the '' Baboon," Lee and I proceed-
ing towards ^lonnt Towlu, whicli rose from the
plain in soHtary grandeur to an altitude of about
5000 ft, above the level of the sea, six miles dis-
tant from our camp. I passed a profitless day,
seeing nothing but a couple of koodoo cows, at
which Lee got a snap-shot. I saw, hoAvever, some
objects of interest. AVe came across a fine big
mahogany tree covered Avith seed pods. These
seed pods resemble a xevy large locust bean, and
the covering is like old Ijlack shoe-leather. On
opening them you find, ai'ranged in beautiful
order, about eight or nine seeds in shape like
acorns, the cup being the brightest scarlet, the
berry ebony l^lack. Crossing a sandy patch, Lee
pointed out to me the spoor of t^vo lions, which he
said was about two davs old, I now jjciran slio-htlv
00,/
to realize that one miglit come across a lion some
of these shooting days, as to which I had lieen for
some reason or other rather incredulous. Thirty-
six hours from this time I was destined to have all
doubts as to the existence of lions dissipated in
a startling and not altogether agreeable manner.
I got back to camp very tii'ed about foui" in the
afternoon, and found that Captain Williams had
been equally unsuccessful, having only had a long
and difficult shot at a hartebeest, and a bootless
chase after a sable antelope. Our ill-luck did not
prevent us from making an excellent dinner off
stewed roan antelope of our oAvn cooking. During
our absence our camp had been moved in an
easterlv direction, some three and a half miles
156 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
away from the road into the veldt. Consideriiiii'
that it was still too near the road to see much
game, we determined to de^'ote the next day to
moving the camp a good distance further into tlie
veldt down the Buhjane Ri^'er. This we effected.
It was a trek of much interest, as we had to make
our OAvn road through the, hush. Captain Williams,
I nnd Lee kept riding on ahead to find out the
best wa\' through the trees, the places where the
many spruits could most easily Ije crossed, and
how to a^'oid the rocky ground. We had to cross
the riA'er Umjinge just where it joins the Buhjane.
This was rather an anxious business, for the banks
were high and the sandy bed was hea^•^^ The
mules were taken out of the " spider," and attached
to the team of the mule-waggon. Drawn by
eighteen mules, this Avaggon literall}' bounded down
the bank, more than once within an ace of capsiz-
iiio', and for a moment stuck fast in tlie sand.
Our mules, however, jjroved equal to the emer-
gency, and, stimulated by the most tremendous
cracking of " vorscld)achts " and some lashings,
successfully di-agged their load up the opposite
bank, where they "were soon followed by the
" spider." At ten o'clock we outspaimed and rested
till one in the afternoon, when we inspanned again
and trekked till sunset. AYe accomplished alto-
gether about ten miles. The axe had often to be
freely resorted to to clear away the bush ahead.
We pitched our camp in a lovely spot on the liigli,
precipitous bank of the Buhjane River, which can-
not be said to How, but which lies beloAv us in a
Companions by the Way. 157
series of pools of clean and clear water, (1< ttted here
and there anionii' huu'e l)oid(lers ol" i-ock and wide
-spaces of sand. All ai'oiind us is the thick hush
veldt. \\\' have the jjlace all to ourselves. In
the distance Mount Towhi, behind Aviiich the sun
sets with a scarlet ^lilow. Tiie moon, almost at the
lull, illuminates the surroundin^i;' sccncrN' with
astonishing brilliancy. We were a cheerl'id party
that night at dinner, Captain Williams and 1,
Myberg the conductoi', and Hans Lee the hunter.
Myberg is a splendid specimen of a yomig colonial.
Standino" six foot five in his stockino-s, strong; as a
horse and wirv as an antelope, he jDossesses a most
good-natured disposition, is always ready for
anything, and makes the best of everything. Hans
Lee is a short l:)ut ^veil-made man, with I'egular
features, a black beard and moustache, a soft
dronino; kind of voice which lends to his conversa-
tion and his narrati\'es a peculiar charm. His
English is rather broken. AVe retired to rest
early, somewhat fatigued with the labours of the
day ; the sounds of the night were the crunch-
ing of the mealies by the mules attached to their
canvas manger, their whines -when biting each
other, the occasional lio^vd of a jackal or a hysena,
and at 1 a.m. the " Baboon " woke up Captain
Williams to make him hearken to the roaring of a
lion some three or four miles away on the other
side of the river. The sound, it appears, was quite
faint, and I was somewhat incredulous when told
about it next morning. By ten o'clock T was
perfectly convinced of my error.
158 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTEU XL
IJONS.
Lion Camp — The Tales of a Huntsman — The snake-tiee — In
the tracv of the koodoos — We come across a posse of
Lions — Antelopes and qaaggas — Return to camp for the
dogs — Result of one day's sport — We spend another day
hnntin" — Provision^ running short.
On the evening of our arrival at " Lion Camp,"
while Captain AVilliams and I were preparing
the dinner, Lee had gone ont on foot with his
rifle, and had shot at and wounded a sable antelope
only a slioi"t distance from tlie camp. This buck
Ave started to hunt up on tlie morning of July
25th. Lee and tlie " Balloon " soon found its
spoor, but were uiial)le to follow it far, and we
shortly afterwards gave up the pursuit. We
then separated, Lee and I hiuiting towards the
cast. Captain Williams and the " Balioon " going-
south. On this day we were poorly provided
with horses for hunting purposes. I had left my
shooting ponv " Charlie," a perfectly-trained and
steady animal, from off whose back I can fire, at
the camp, as I had ridden him the previous day,
and I was mounted on a strong, somewhat under-
bred bay horse, a good roadster, but unsuited to
shootino- or to the chase. Lee was ridino; a weedv
The Tales of a Huntsman. 159
little chestnut pony, which had been purchased at
Kimbeiiey for the sum of 8/. Captain Williams
was mounted on a bay jDony named the ''Tortoise,"
which name sufficiently desc]"i1)es liim. and the
''Baboon'" l^estrode a, laroe raw-boned, coek-
throppled nag- called " Xelson." But it had never
occurred to Captain Williams, nor to me, that anv-
thing- very wonderful in the wa\' of steeds was
necessary. We looked upon them merely as con-
veyances for aettin;^' over the *iTound (pucker than
we could on foot. Since this morning I have
come to the conclusion that shooting in South
Africa, unless it is to be accompanied by great
risk, I'equires that the sportsman should be
mounted on a perfectly-trained, well-bred, fast
horse, just as tiger-shooting in India requires a
perfectly steady and courageous elephant. For
some time, near!)' two hours, Lee and I wandered
on, peering al)out through the bushes, examining
spoor, of which we saw nnicli, and sometimes con-
versing in a low tone. At times Lee told me of
one or two curious things. He told me that in
the Zoutspansberg I'ound Avliere he himself resided,
there grew a tree called the snake tree, the leaves
of which, when boiled, make a decoction which
is an infallible specific against snake bite. He
had used it himself, he said, on animals with com-
plete success, and he ^vas perfectly confident that
with this remedy he could cure any human being
who had been bitten by a poisonous snake. He
further told me that persons whom he could trust
had informed him that the drink made from these
i6o Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
leaves eured animals from the mortal illness caused
])y the bite of the Tsetze fly. This is i\ matter worth
exanuning into, as i.ee is a person of perfect credi-
l)iHtv. He als(j informed me that there was a
<mall tree in ^[atabeleland, where lie has Jixcd for
many years, which bears a iVuit Hlvc To and sweet
as the pine-apple, the roots of which ai-e a perfect
antidote to the effects of strychnine poisoning,
and are always used ])y tlie natixes to cure any
of their dogs which have picked up poisoned food
which lias been laid about t<j kill jackals and
hyenas. Also he recounted to me other stories
of his experiences in the chase. At last we per-
ceived, some distance off, two koodoo cows. We
approached them within tolerable range, and both
dismounted to shoot. The cows Avere making oft'.
I dismounted so awkwardly that I fell heavily on
my back, cutting my hand and losing my hat.
Getting on and off a horse with a heavy rifle in
your hand rer|uires practice like anything else.
Lee got a shot and struck one of the koodoos, and
galloped after it. I picked myself up as well as
i could and followed. On arriving at the place
where the koodoos had been the spoor was ex-
amined, and much blood was found on the grass.
We followed the track of the wounded animal for
some space, but had to give it up. It was now
past ten o'clock. The sun was high and hot ;
we had seen little, and I began to think that I
Avas going to have another day barren of sport.
Lee climbed up a kopje, beneatli which we were
riding, to examine .the surrounding bush, and
The Glade alive with Lions. i6i
after about a quarter of an hour's absence re-
joined me, and said he couhl see nothing, but
thouo-ht we had better turn to our left towards
the north, as in the direction which we were
taking there was nothing but thick bush, whereas
towards the north the veklt was much more open.
In a few minutes I almost wished that we had
stuck to our orio'inal direction.
We were riding along through a small open
glade covered with high grass, Lee a few yards
ahead of me, when I suddenly saw him turn
round, cry out something to me, and point with
his linger ahead. I looked, and saw lolloping
along through and over the grass, about forty
yards off, a yellow animal about as big as a
small bullock. It flashed across me that it was
a lion, the last thing in the world that I was
thinkino' of. I was o-oino- to dismount and take
aim, but Lee called out in succession five or six
times, " Look, look ! " at the same time pointing
with his finger in difterent directions in front.
I saw to my astonishment, and rather to my
dismay, that the glade appeared to be alive with
lions. There they were trooping and trotting
along ahead of us like a lot of enormous dogs,
great yellow objects, ofiering such a sight as I
had never dreamed of. Lee turned to me and
said, " What will you do ? " I said, " I suppose
we must go after them," thinking all the time
that I was making a very foolish answer. This I
am the more convinced of now, for Lee told me
afterwards that many old hunters in South Africa
M
i62 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
will turn away from such a troop of lions as we
had before us. AVe moved on after them a short
distance to where the bush Avas more open, the
lions trotting along ahead of us in the most com-
posed and leisurely fashion, \evy different from
the galloping off of a surprised and startled ante-
lope. Lee now dismounted and tired at a lion
about iift\- yards off. I saw the brute fall
forward on his head, twist round and round, and
stagger into a patcli of high grass slightly to the
left of where I was riding. I did not venture to
dismount with such a lot of these l^rutes all around
ahead of me, not feeling at all sure that I should
be able to remount quickly enough and gallop
away after shooting. Aly horse, untrained to the
ofun, would not alloAv me to tire from his back,
and would probably have thrown nie oft' had I
done so. I stuck close to Lee, determined to
leave the shooting to him unless things became
critical, as his aim was true. I counted seven
lions ; Lee says there were more. I saw, and
cried out to Lee, jDointing him to a great big
fellow with a heavy black mane trotting along
slightly ahead of the rest. He was just crossing
a small spruit about 100 yards ahead, and as he
climbed the opposite bank oft'ered his hind-quarters
as a fair target. Lee tired at him, at which he
quickened his pace and disappeared in i'ront. AVc
approached the spruit, and, almost literally under
my nose, I saw three lions tumble up out of it, climb
the opposite side, and disaj^pear. Xow I own I
longed for my shooting pony Charlie, for they
An ExcitIxXg Adventure. 163
offered me splendid shots, (jiiite close, such as I
could hardly have missed. I raised my rifle to
take aim at the last, l^ut, ])erhaps fortunately for
me, he disappeared, l:)efore I could fire, in the high
grass on the other side. I saw Lee fire from his
horse at one as it was climbing the bank, which
he wounded badly, and which retreated into a
patch of thick grass the other side of the spruit,
utterinir sounds somethino-bctween a orowba oTunt,
and a sob. The lions had now got some 100 yards
or so ahead of us, and had disappeared into thick
high grass. We kncAv that there was a Avounded
one behind us on our left, and another w^ounded
one in front of us also on our left. Lee now o-ot
o
rather excited. I have no doubt that if he had
been 1)y himself, mounted on a good horse, he
Avould, to use his own expression, have '' played
the devil with them." He told me that lions
would not stand being chased ver\' far, but would
lie down, conceal themselves, and wait for us,
and that if we approached the wounded lions
they would in all probability charge, when Ave
should have to gallop aAvay at the top of our
speed. The idea of galloping at full speed on a
second-rate horse through thick bush trees and
grass, chased by a lion, Avas singularly unpleasant
to me. After a fe^v' minutes' consideration, and
after making me promise to remain Avhere I Avas
and gallop aAvay as fast as I could as soon as he
had fired, Lee determined to go and look at the
second wounded lion, Avho Avas lying aAvay from
us some sixty or seA^enty yards. I saAV him go
M 2
i64 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
up to within about ten yards of the grass where
the wounded lion Lay. Fortunately she was
badly Avounded by the first shot, or she would
probably have come at liim. He caught a glimpse
of her and fired. There was a tremendous com-
motion in the grass for a second or two. Lee's
horse o-ave such a bound that I thouo-ht he would
have been thrown, turned round, and galloped
away. I followed as fast as I could. We galloped
about 200 yards to the right of the direction the
other lions had taken, and then pulled up and
held another hurried and anxious consultation.
Lee wished to go back straight to camp, about
three miles off, and get our three dogs, two
pointers and a greyhound, which he said would
soon show us where the lions might be lying, as
in the thick o-rass we could see nothin2:. I was
anxious to make certain of the lion last fired at,
feeling sure that it was mortally wounded, and
could do no harm. And now occurred a stranoe
thing. Six koodoo cows came suddenly galloping
along fifty or sixty yards away from us one after
another. I called out to Lee not to shoot, as
they were only cows, without horns, and I did
not want matters still further complicated. How-
ever, he was not to be denied, jumped off, and
shot at the last koodoo, bringing her hea^dly to
the ground. She got up again and made off. In
two minutes the koodoos, which had been gallop-
ing in the direction where the lions had last been
seen, came galloping back past us upon their
tracks, showing pretty clearly that they had gone
Back to Camp for the Dogs. 165
right upon and had winded the lions, who were
lying about near their wounded fellows. Lee now
insisted that Ave should o-o straio-ht back to the
o o
camp and get the dogs, as the situation, he de-
clared, was one of danger. I confess that when I
was a quarter of a mile from the spot I felt rather
relieved, for I had thouo'ht all alons; that eisrht
or nine lions was frop de luxe. As we were
going along Lee exclaimed, " By Jove, there's a
lot of buck ! "' x\.way he galloped, and I after
him. We came pretty close up to a lot of about
a dozen roan antelope and three quaggas. I
dismounted and tired at one, with what effect I
do not know, for Lee galloped on, calling to me
to get on my horse again. I got up and galloped
after him ; he being a considerable distance ahead,
I had some difficulty in keeping him in \iew. I
heard him fire three or four shots, and, when I
got up to him, found that he had one antelope
a^^parently dying on the ground, and two more
staggering away badly wounded. Just now three
antelope cantered by to my left, and I got a
capital shot in the open, about seventy yards. I
hit one very hard with my first barrel, but did
not stop it, caught my horse with a little difficulty,
and galloped on after Lee, Avho was again a good
way ahead of me. The place seemed alive with
game, I came up to Lee, who had again dropped
another antelope. I saw a (juagga, about eighty
or ninety yards off, fired at him and dropped him
just a little beyond Lee's wounded antelope.
We walked on towards the antelope and quagga,
i66 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Lee giving them each a -finishing bullet. AVe then
remounted and galloped on, Lee shot at another
antelope and wounded it severely, and I fired at
and broke the hind leg of a quagga. The game
all made oiF as best they could, and I could do no
more, being perfectly exhausted. I had dis-
mounted and fired seven times, and galloped very
hard for nearly two miles. We " off-saddled "
and had a little In'eakfast, of which whisky-and-
water was the princi^Dal element. The sun was
very hot. Lee was certain that we should pick
up five or six antelope and two quaggas, but these
hopes were ultimately disappointed. After a
hurried repast we got on our horses and rode to
the camp, within a mile of which we fortunately
found ourselves, arri\'ing there about midday.
Captain Williams and the " Baboon " had not
returned as we had hoped ; so, after Avaiting for
them in vain for an hour and a half, we started
back again to hunt uj) the wounded lions, taking
with us Alyberg, armed Avitli a smooth-bore and
ball cartridge, and the three dogs. My servant
Walden being very anxious to accompany ns, after
some hesitation I permitted him to come on con-
dition that when we approached the ^ilace where
the lions were he should ascend a tree. He was
armed with a Martini-Henry rifle, and led the
dogs. I had no horse for him to i-ide. I thought
we were going to ha^'e a nastv Inisiness, for Lee
said that the other lions would probably stay near
their wounded fellows or would come ])ack to look
for them. AVe tra^'ersed the jjlace ^^-here we had
The Wounded Lioness. 167
chased the antelopes and found that the antelope
to which Lee had o-iven the finishino- bullet had
got up and made off; the quagga was there dead
enough, lying on his stomach with his fore leg
doubled under him, with his neck arched and
striped skin, looking a lovely object. AVe then
made a detour so as to approach the lions from the
point from which we originally came upon them.
Lee's skill in findino- his way in this veldt, where
one spot looks exactly like another, was simply
marvellous. Getting near the place, I put Walden
into a tree with instructions not to descend until
he heard me whistle, and proceeded, with the dogs
ranging about. The place where the first lion
which was wounded had gone we gave a wide
berth to, and ^yent straight to the place where the
second wounded lion lay. When we were within a
few yards of the spot we heard very clearly that
peculiar growling, grunting, sobbing sound to
which I have before alluded. Lee said, " That
means you are to come no nearer " ; upon Avhicli we
retreated a little and consulted. The grass was so
thick that we could not see the lion. I suggested
that we should climlj into trees and fire shots into
the patch to see wliat state she was in, and possibly
to move her out of it. This plan was adopted, and
having tethered the horses aA^'ay some distance, we
approached and ascended two trees which over-
looked the particular patch of grass. Here
Myberg's strength and stature served to great ad-
vantage, for I stood upon his shoulders and
ascended some twenty feet hiuh into the tree. Lee
i68 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
and Myberg ascended another close by, from wliich,
fortunately, they were able to discern the where-
abouts of the lion. They fired three shots, and the
cessation of the growlino-, which till then had been
continuous and distinct, showed that the bullets
had done their work. We then descended and
walked into the grass, and found the lion, or rather,
the lioness, dead. She had an awful wound in her
left shoulder, which was completely shattered by
the Martini-Henry bullet used by Lee, and we
noA7 saw that she never could have charged us. A
bullet through the neck from the tree had finished
her off. The behaviour of my pointer dog had
been very extraordinary. He had ranged about
with much freedom and courage, but whenever he
approached the spot where the lioness lay, his tail
dropped between his legs and he slunk away.
The other two dogs were perfectly useless. AVliat
are wanted for a lion are good curs which get near
the spot and bark and annoy the lion and make
him show himself. We had now to look for the
other wounded lioness, and this we proceeded to do
with great caution. Unfortunately, we failed to
find her anywhere. She must have recovered and
made off during the two or three hours of our
absence. Then there was nothing to be done but
to skin the dead lioness. She 'was an old lady of
great size, with her front tectli much worn away.
Her skin was in perfect order. Having got the
skin on to the back of one of our horses, we went
to look for some of our wounded antelope. After
much searching we came across a wounded one
The Conduct of the Dogs. 169
wlio made off, and gave us a short, but exciting
chase. A bullet from Lee's rifle and one from my
smooth bore brought him down ; even then he was
not dead, and lay upon the ground with head erect,
tossino; his horns at the doo's ayIio were barkino; at
him. I gave him two bullets behind the shoulder,
Myberg gave him one through the neck, upon
which he rose to his feet, swayed about heavily for
a few seconds, staggered forward a few paces, and
then fell down dead. The tenacity of life of these
creatures is inconceivable. It was now dusk, and
Ave had some difficulty in finding our way back to
cam|), distant about two miles. Here we found
Captain Williams, who had hunted and badly
wounded three quaggas, but had been unable to
secure any of them, owing to the poor quality of
his steed. So ended Avhat w^as to me a very
memorable day. I had thought Avlien I came to
Africa that I Avould try and shoot a few nice buck,
but I had never bargained to come across such a
posse of lions. On revieAving the incidents of
the day, I came to the conclusion that all had
ended A-ery fortunate!}', and that I had had an ex-
citing experience such as is knoAvn to few, and had
escaped unscathed. The folloAving morning. Sun-
da a^, July 26th, I started off at daybreak Avith Lee
and " the boys " and six mules to find and bring
into camjD our wounded game of the day before.
The quagga and the roan antelope, which latter
had been killed on the preA^ous CA^ening, Avere
soon found close by each other. The former was
quickly skinned. Tavo trees, one of fair size and
I70 Men, Mixes, and Animals in South Africa.
tlie other smaller, with forked branches, were then
selected, felled, and lashed together. Upon this
improvised sledge Ave bound our dead roan ante-
lope, and to it Ave attached the six mules. These
drao-o-ed alono- their burden, not without difficulty,
througli the bushy and Ijroken ground, and reached
camp about mid-day. I was quite done up, having
walked some miles, the sun beino; verv strono-.
Lee, who had been hunting about all the morning
for our other Avounded antelopes and quagga, re-
turned in the afternoon with the head and horns
of one roan antelope, the eutire body and bones of
AAdiich had been devoured in the nio-ht b^^ our
o
friends the lions. I haA'e reason to think that
another shooting party in our immediate vicinity
picked up tAvo or three head of Avliat Ave had
AVOunded, as Ave heard several shots in the course
of the morning close to our camp.
It had been arranged Avith ^lajor Giles that I
Avas to start to rejoin him on the 27th, but the
attractions of this spot Avere so great and the game
apparently so numerous that Captain Williams
and I determined to stay another day. Off Ave
started at daybreak on Monday, the 27th —
Captain Williams, I, Lee, and '" the Baboon." I
decided that Ave should keep all together, as lions
Avere evidently about, Captain Williams and " the
Baboon " having seen much spoor on Saturday,
and I did not choose to run the risk of Captain
Williams ha\dng such an experience as I had had
Avith no one to help him but *•' the Baboon," Avho
not only speaks no English, but Avould probably
A Herd of Quaggas. 171
run awav if lions appeared. After riding- along
for more than a couple of hours in Indian file, Lee
discovered a herd of about a dozen quaggas. Cap-
tain AVilliams dismounted and iired at one that
was facing him, and i\^Yi\y dashed tlie herd with us
in liot pursuit. AVe soon came up Avith them, and
in a spot where the veldt Avas fairly open I got a
capital shot from nrv horse's back at a quagga that
was galloping along about 100 yards away. To
my great delight he dropped to the shot. I found
afterwards that the bullet had hit him high on
the back, which it broke, AYe galloped on, keep-
ing the game in view, and had four more shots
with uncertain effect. This herd of quaggas bound-
ing through the bush presented a lovely appearance.
Soon we halted, as it was no use killing any moi"e
of them. It would not have been difficult to kill
the whole lot. On going back we found the one
Captain AVilliams had originally fired at lying-
dead, shot through the chest. The skinning of the
two dead quaggas occupied the best part of two
hours, when we resumed the chase, determined to
kill no more (juaggas. AVe had not gone two
hundred yards when we pei'cei\'ed a solitary one
grazing. As we watched it it lay down. On our
approach with harmless intentions, it lx)unded off,
when we discovered it was badly wounded. AVe
galloped after it, thinking it better to finish it off.
The chase lasted ten minutes, diu'ing which it
received three bullets without dropping. A ball
from mv Eraser express finally settled him. Pro-
ceeding to skin him and to water the horses in a
172 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
pool hard by, we were startled by the sound of a
loud " cooey " from " the Baboon," who had been
left about half a mile behind us. Lee exclaimed,
" He has seen a lion." AVe remounted quickly
and galloped off to " the Baboon," who told us he
had met " a great lion " coming from our direction,
who had stopped and looked at him, and after a
few seconds had moved away. " The Baboon's "
manners and gestures in describing the appearance
of the lion were most quaint and grotesque. He
said he was immense in size, with an enormous
black mane, and added that when he saw him he
was so frio-htened that his hat was lifted off his head
by his hair standing on end. We galloped in the
direction which " the Baboon " said that the lion
had taken, but, though we found and followed his
spoor some distance, we never saw him, groatlv to
the distress of Captain Williams. On our way
back to camp Captain Williams and I each secured
close to the river two cow waterbucks. We were
rather unfortunate on this occasion, as immediately
after we had hred a fine bull waterbuck with long
horns and an equally good koodoo bull made their
appearance from the spruit in which the cows had
been feeding, and Avent off rmharmed. On the
whole, the day had been a pleasant one, and we had
had much sport.
So strongly were we possessed by the charms
of " Lion Camp " and its neighbourhood, that we
"were unable that evening to make up our minds
to leave it, and although almost out of j)rovisions,
tea, coffee, biscuits, flour, jam, all being consumed,
The Skin of the Waterbuck. 173
we determined to stay on one more day. A resolu-
tion was arrived at not to shoot at koodoo cows or
waterbuck cows, or quaggas, but to try only for
sable nntelope and giratt'e, of which latter animal
Ave had seen fresh spoor. Accordingly, on the
morning of the 28th, as we were himting through
the bush, several koodoo cows and a fine herd of
Avaterbuck coav were seen, Avho, as if aAvare of our
policy, gave themseh^es little trouble to get out of
our way, and tried our A'irtuous resolutions highly.
Nothing else did we come across, and Ave returned
to camp at two o'clock, tired and disa^^pointed.
The Avaterbuck is a handsome animal, nearly as
big as the roan antelope, Avith a broad A\*hite stripe
running round its r|uarters and underneath its tail.
The coAv-waterbuck has no horns. Those of the
l)ull are splendid, nearly equal in l^eauty to those
of the sable antelope. The skin of the Avaterbuck
is greatly prized in this country, being said to
exceed in excellence for breeches, boots, gaiters,
" rheims," and " A'orschlaghts," all other hides. In
the afternoon C^aptain Williams Avent out hunting
Avith Lee. Sharp rheumatic pains, brought on by
bathing on Sunday in the heat of the day, Avhich
made riding almost torture, kept me to camp.
Our tAvo serA'ants had ridden in the mornino" to
the road to try and obtain from other passing
AA'aggons some small supply of proA'isions. Fortu-
nately they fell in Avith Messrs. Rylands and Fry,
Avho Avere hunting near our camp, Avho generously
sent us some Hour, some coftee, and some sugar.
Captain Williams and Lee returned late, liaAing
174 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa
seen nothing. So Ave determined to start on the
morrow to rejoin Major Giles, a journey of three
or four days, expecting to find him on the Lundi
River.
I
4
The Wealth oe Mashoxalaxd.
1/5
CHAPTER XII.
DIFFICULTIES OF TRAVEL ON THE VELDT.
The wealth of MashonalanJ — We make a speedy trek and
overtake our Avaggons — Further losses by horse sickness —
Stuck fast in Wanetse River — The Sugar Loaf and other
miniature mountains — A pestilential spot on the Lundi
Ri^■el• banks — A word of warning — Viandt, the Boer
ostrich hunter — -We rerch Fern Spruit — -Death of my
shooting pony "Charlie" — A veldt fire— A day of dis-
comfort and disaster — Providence Gorge — Description of
Fort Victoria — Great loss of horses — Advice to intending
emigrants.
The wealth of Maslioiialand may l^e great even
beyond all that wild rnmour has asserted, but if it
is to be made a^'ailable for mankind, another route
thereto will have to be established than that which
I travelled o^'er. Not only does the length of the
overland road from the south, some thousand
miles or more, present dilficulty to the traveller
or the merchant, but the character of the countrv
traversed, its geological formation in parts, its
climatic and hvo'ienic conditions elsewhere, oiFer
insuperable obstacles to any successful commercial
enterprise into this region, conducted from the
base of Cape Colony or of the Transvaal. These
propositions the mere narrative of my journey
will, I think, adequately support. Our camp on
the Bubjane River was struck at daybreak on the
29th of July. An arduous trek through the bush
back to the road lay before us ; many difficult
spruits had to be traversed ; many long circuits
176 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
made to avoid impassable, though dry, water-
courses ; much tree and bush had to be felled.
Proo-ress was slow, and thouo-h the distance from
our camp to the road did not exceed twelve miles,
to compass it occupied an entire day. Escaping,
by much good fortune, all accident, either to
vehicles or animals, we reached the main road, in
the evening, where it crosses the Bubjane, at the
spot where I had last parted from ]\Iajor Giles
and the main body of the waggons. Short of
j)rovisions, having consumed all our bread, biscuit.
Hour, tea, coffee, and sugar, we had little to eat
save the remnants of the game we had shot.
Captain Williams and Lee passed the day hunting
unsuccessfullv, chasing two bull koodoo, but
securino" neither. Xow we had before us a three
days' speedy trek, some twenty-five to thirty miles
a day, to catch up the remainder of the expedi-
tion, which by this time, we reckoned, had reached
the Lundi River. ]\Iealies for the horses and
mules, beans, milk, and wild honey for ourselves,
were obtained by barter from the natives, some
bread and coftee were begged from the waggons of
Messrs. Rylands, also on a shooting expedition,
and all seemed to promise a fortunate termination
to our hunting adventures. But I was to
commence my experience of one of iue pests of
African travel, the fatal horse sickne^. On the
morning of the 30th one of the mules drawing the
" spider " was observed to he unable/to pull, and
to be breathing lieaA'ily. Xothing cqf.dd be done
for the animal, no remedies were ai^ailable, nor.
Death of the Mules. 177
indeed, are any of use ; the creature had to be
left to die by the roadside. At midday another
mule was in the same condition, and was also
abandoned, and in the evening a third succumbed
and died during the night. The "spider" team
being; now reduced to three mules, three were
taken from the mule waggon, the team of which
was reduced to ten mules, too small a number for
its heavy load. These losses were depressing ; it
was impossible to say ^vhere they would stop, or
in what condition the lapse of n. few hours only
might find us. Up to this time things had gone
very j)i'osperously, not only with me on my
journey from Johannesburg to Tuli, but also with
Major Giles on his long trek through Bechuana-
land. Xo losses of any importance had been
sustained, and I ^v^as inclined to think that the
horse sickness I had heard so much of was of
trifling moment, which could be easily avoided by
proper treatment and jjrecaution, and which only
embarrassed the io-norant or the careless " trekker."
On this point I was destined to be undeceived.
The Umsawe river was crossed on this day, a
small stream with a fair quantity of flowing water.
From here to the AYanetse river is a distance of at
least twenty-two miles. Rain had set in the
previous evening, damp and cold wind prevailed
throughout the day ; outsjoanning, cooking, and
eating in the open air ceased to be agreeable, the
travel generally was dreary and uncomfortable.
Of course, persons who were acquainted with the
country and its climate averred that such rain vvas
N
178 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
most unusual. I have travelled many thousands
of miles, and visited many places of the earth, and
I have never vet arrived at any place where I was
not informed that the weather was most unseason-
able. The loss of tlie mules and another wet
evenino- made all disjnrited and melancholy. On
the morning of the 3 1st, we reached the Wanetse.
This is a river of importance, seventy or eighty
yards wide at this time of year, with a strong-
flowing current. The drift is an awkward one ;
large boulders obstruct the passage, and rocky
slippery banks make it almost impossible for the
mules to emerge from the river dragging any load
behind them. The " spider " crossed in safety,
but with tremendous jolts and shakings. The
mule waggon reached the middle and stuck hope-
lessly fast against a large l^oulder. The conductor
and " the boys " all stripped and plunged into the
stream. The whips were freely plied, the mules
from the " spider " were added on to the team, a
jack was placed under the waggon with great
difficulty to raise the wheels, but all to no
purpose. The mules struggled, plunged, and
tumbled about in the stream and on the rocks in
an extraordinary manner, so that it was a wonder
either that they were not drowned or that they
did not break some of their limbs. Finally, the
panting, heaving, fatigued, and dripping creatures
were released from their useless toil, and a team
of twenty-two strong oxen was borrowed from a
transport rider who, with his waggons, was en-
camped on the opposite bank. These, inspanned
I
Stuck Fast in the River. 179
and attached, immediately, apparently without
eftbrt, extricated the wao'o'on from the river and
lightly dragged it up the opposing steep incline.
Myberg, our conductor, was somewhat chagrined
at this incident, for lie was proud of having
avoided anything like a stickfast till this day,
and he entertained strong opinions as to the
superiority of mules over oxen, which were now
somewhat shaken.
All this country which had been traversed for
some days j^ast is thick bush veldt, studded here
and there with rocky ''kopjes." These kopjes
are of various shapes and height, some of them of
great beauty, some fantastic, some almost grotesque
in appearance. They rise to an altitude of from
100 to as much as 500 feet. Between the
Wanetse and the Lundi, one called the Sugar
Loaf, said to attain a height of 800 feet, is a most
remarkable object. Generally they are rounded
rather than pointed at the summit, and their
peculiarity lies in this, that they seem to consist of
one immense, massive o-ranite boulder, without
discernible crack, fissure, or mark of severance.
As a rule they do not rise in ranges, nor are they
connected with each other. These miniature
mountains, often not without grandeur, add
greatly to the attractiveness of the wild woodland 1
scenery, and at evening, when the smiset is
brilliant, stand out with a sharpness and an
originality which long arrests the eye and excites
the imao-ination. After crossino- the Wanetse we
overtook the wao-oons of Mr. Maunde, who had
N 2 I
I So Men, MineSj and Animals in South Africa.
been trekking up from Kimberley since May. He
generously supplied us with some fresh excellently-
baked white bread. Another set of waggons,
with whom I found a friend, gave us some pots ol'
jam, so that our evening supper was, by com-
j^arison, sumptuous. Living in England, where
The " Sugar Loaf " Mountain between the Rivers Wanetseand Luadi.
bread is so cheap, so common, and so wastefully
consumed, it is impossi1)le to imagine Avhat a
delicious luxury it becomes on the veldt to the
traveller who has been for some days without it.
I would not have exchanged my loaf of bread this
evening for all the delicacies of the Paris Boulc-
TWO MEMBERS lOF THE EXPEDITION CROSSING THE LUNDI RIVER.
Page 181.
A Pestilential Spot. i8i
Yards, Major Giles and the waggons were rejoined
on the 1st of August at midday. They were out-
spanned on the nortliern bank of the Lundi river,
and had Lain there for four days. I expect that
this delay occasioned by my shooting expedition
was in its results somewhat costly to me, and that
probably here several of the horses contracted the
germs of sickness. The Lundi is a fine river,
twice as large as the Wanetse. The stream flows
strong and deep, and the water poured into the
" spider," rising up to the inside seats. The
bottom of the drift is good hard sand, and at this
time of year the passage is effected without
difficulty. On either side the road descends
precipitously to the watei', and it is in this portion
of the passage that danger lies and accidents often
occur. I found Major Giles very impatient to get
away from this river. The outspan certainly had
a tainted and pestilential aj^pearance. Here for
months during the rainy season had lain troops of
waggons and of cattle. The camping ground was
a mass of dried and fresh dung, smelling disagree-
ably. Ten yards from our waggons was to l)e
seen a grim array of fourteen graves. Twice as
many more, I Avas told, could be found in the
vicinity, and testified to the poisonous fever for
which this river has an evil reputation. What
had occurred was that many parties of travellers
leaving Mashonaland too late in the season last
year had arrived at the Lundi to find it a foaming
torrent altogether impassable, had been detained
there, some for weeks, some even for months, had
i82 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
been without provisions or proper food, and getting
low in bodily and mental health, had in many
cases succumbed to the malarial fever, for the
treatment of which there was neither medical
attendance nor medicines. On the morning of my
arrival one of our horses, a grey gelding, an
excellent animal, well trained to shooting, was
taken ill. (Quinine, gin, mustard poultices were
promptly administered, but the horse died at sun-
set. Here also one of our oxen strayed and was
never recovered. We struck our camp at 4.30 in
the afternoon, and trekked eight miles. The
evening was saddened by the death of Fly, the
p-rev o-eldino- the first out of a lot of thirteen
horses which had come all the way from Kimberley.
Another of the mules in the " spider " team also
dying, on the following morning I had to inspan
two of the horses. Myberg and Lee took the
j^laces of the t"\vo njcn who had dri\'en the
" spider " hitherto, and I hoped to proceed with
less misfortune. On Sunday, the 2nd August, we
traversed for fourteen miles a magnificent comitry,
liilly, well- watered, the bush veldt being more
open and park-like than before, dotted with manv
and various fine trees, covered thickly with sweet
grass, good for oxen, with a soil capalile of growing
every species of agricultural j)roduce. This good
country extends from the Lundi to within a feM'
miles of Fort Victoria, a distance of about sixtv
miles, and seemed incomparably the best part of
Mashonaland which I had seen. Xo finer tract of
land for farms could be found in Africa were it
A Word of Warning. 183
not for two fatal disadvantages — (1) the malarial
fever, which during the rainy season terribly
oppresses human heings ; (2) the sickness which at
all periods of the year kills from ninety to ninety-
five per cent, of liorses and mules brought into
the country. The opening u}) of the bush veldt,
the cultivation of the soil, and some amount of
drainage may overcome the former evil and cause
it to disappear, as has been the case in other parts
of South Africa : the same causes may diminish
the severity of the horse sickness. In the Cape
Colony, at Kimberley, and in some parts of the
Transvaal, horse sickness, which used to be rife,
has almost died out, and I sup^jose that it is not
impossible that science may discover some remedy
or some successful mode of treatment which may
mitigate the rigour of this malady. Till these
changes have extensively occurred I am of opinion
that agricultural enterprise in this otherwise
l^eautiful part of Africa, would be attended with
damage, disaster, and catastrophe.
On the evening of the 2nd August, I met, at
our outspan, a Boer, by name A'^iandt, well known
to Lee. He had hunted the ostrich for many
successive seasons in Mashonaland, and was
acquainted with every hole and corner of the
country. He told me he knew j^laces to which
no white man of the present day had ever been,
where there was much gold and extensive old
mining workings. Lee guaranteed his honesty
and veracity, so I endeavoured to induce him to
accompany us. He was transport-i'iding, and re-
1 84 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
turning to Tnli Avith three empty waggons. A
bargain was at lens-th struck. He was to turn
l3ack and go with me for three months to the
sold districts, and his waofo-ons and oxen were to
be left at n. spot hard b}^ our camp, where there
was good veldt, in charge of his " boys " till his
return. I went to bed delighted with the arrange-
ment, feeling sure that I would be guided to un-
told treasure. The morning In^ought disappoint-
ment. The Boer ostrich hunter had been unable
to persuade his " boys " to remain in charge of his
property, which naturally he could not abandon.
He had therefore determined to proceed to Fort
Tuli. I oualit to have bouo'ht his wao-o-ons and
oxen right out, but this idea did not occur to me
till the following day, when it was too late to give
eifect to it. Possibly the man was a humlnig ;
possibly he knows the position of King Solomon's
mines. On the 3rd we only trekked ten miles :
both on this and on the preceding morning an ox
had been unable to rise and had been abandoned.
At the Lundi, two oxen had, while grazing, fallen
into deep spruits and broken their necks. Oiu^
troop of oxen had fallen belo^v 100. We still
passed through an excellent land, in which
jMyberg and Lee, both high authorities, declared
tliey would wish to possess farms. Another horse,
of course one of the best, " Bless " by name, was
taken ill this e^-ening. He lived for two days, and
we thought we should save him. On Tuesday, the
4th August, we reached Fern Spruit, a lovely spot,
^rhere the veldt was very good for oxen, and
The Vexations oe a Sportsman.
185
where there flowed a fresh, sweet stream, between
banks clothed with many kinds of fern. During
this trek Captain Williams strolled on ahead of
the waggon and " spider." Suddenly a fine sable
antelope emerged from the bush on to the road, and
Passages in the life of one of our boys. In the pantry.
stood for a minute or two looking at my friend
not sixty yards away. Alas ! Captain Williams
had no arm save a walking-stick, and the antelope
passed slowly away unharmed. This kind of
vexatious event always occurs when the rifle is
left behind. You carry a rifle for days and see
iS6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
notliino-. For a moiiient you leave it in the
wao-gon, and a magnificent chance of sport pre-
sents itself. Fern Spruit became hateful to me.
AYe halted here a night and day in order to give
" Bless " proper treatment. On the following
morning " Ruby," a good horse, was taken ill, and
died in less than three hours. Surgeon Rayner
made a post-mortem examination of the body.
The animal appeared to have been seized with
pleurisv, producing a profuse discharge into the
l)ronchial tubes of white foam or froth, a clear
yellow serum, which had tried to escape througli
tlie windpipe and nostrils, and, by the effort, had
produced suffocation. The poor animal had died
in two or three minutes with all the struggles
and spasms consequent on suffocation. A much
liarder trial was in store. Aly shooting-pony
" Charlie," to me an invaluable animal, perfectly-
trained, was taken ill about midday, and was
dead in the afternoon. Major Giles and his
friends exhausted every effort to save this pony.
Every remedy was tried. For a short time
sulphur burnt under the nostrils ajD^^eared to pro-
duce a o'ood effect. Durino- half-an-hour the dis-
charge poured profusely through the nostrils, and
if this could have continued, the pony might
have survived. So strong was he that three men
could scarcely hold him in his efforts to escape
from the sulphur fumes. Suddenly the discharge
ceased to flow ; in a second he fell to the ground
and expired almost immediately with desperate
struggles, biting the ground with his teeth. I
A Narrow Escape.
187
was now very sad, for tlie pony was a reo:ular pet,
and I had oTO"\vn quite attached to hiin. We
determined at once to quit this malignant locnlity,
and to proceed to Fort Victoria on the high veldt,
where we trusted our liorses might escape the
A " Veldt " fire.
illness. Bat this cursed place was nearlv fatal to
the expedition altogether. The heat of the day
was great, the grass long, thick and dry. While
we were at luncheon some natives must have set
fire to the grass in immediate proximity to, and
to windward of, our camp. At the well-kno^Mi
i88 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
crackling sound of a bnsh fire Ave all started to
our feet, and lielield that we were surrounded by
an advancing mass of high roaring flame, distant
from our waggons less than n hundred yards.
Not a moment was to be lost, everyone turned
out ; fortunately we were numerous, forty all told ;
some seized a coat, some a rug, some a sack, some a
branch of a tree hastily torn down, and dashed at
the flames to beat down the burning grass and to
arrest the progress of the fire. For a minute or
two the result seemed doubtful, but by great
exertion the fire was overcome and extino-uished
Avithin a feAV yards of the camp. At one time I
feared that much property Avould have been con-
sumed and that great and irreparable loss Avould
have been incurred. The natiA'es are in the habit
of lighting these fires with perfect carelessness as
to Avho or Avliat may be in the neighbourhood.
Afterwards they search the charred ground for
dead rats and mice, which they find in quantities
and eat. The heat of the sun, of the flames, the
violent exercise immediately after luncheon, made
tAvo or three of our party very unwell. Alto-
gether this Avas a hateful and abominable spot, and
the day Avas one of discomfort and disaster. While
Ave were inspanning for the evening trek, the
horse " Bless," which Ave thought to save, Avas
suddenly taken worse, and died in a few minutes.
A quarter of an hour more nothing remained of us
to mark our stay, save the three dead bodies of
our poor horses lying stiff and stark and ghastly
on the A'eldt. I drove on in the "spider" to
Fort Victoria. 189
Fort Victoria througli a pass in the hills pomp-
ously designated " Providence Gorge. " We had
all expected to find in this awfully-named passage
lieetling cliffs, sheer ^^recipices, foaming cataracts,
a journev of incident and even peril — in short, all
the features of the high xllps or Apennines. Bnt
" Providence Gorge " is nothing more than a long-
valley between two low ranges of hills, gradaally
and slowly ascending some six or seven hundred
feet from Fern Spruit to the plain on which lies
Fort Victoria. This plain is of great extent,
destitute almost of tree or bush, the horizon broken
here and there by isolated hills, at the foot of one
of which is situated the fort. The fresh and
bracing air of this vast expanse made the change
from the low to the high veldt perceptible, and
very pleasant. The country stretching away to
the north appeared to be fair and attractive, but
on closer acquaintance this apjDearance turned out
to be most delusive.
There is nothing veiy remarkable about Fort
Victoria. A small square enclosure, protected by
a mound, a ditch, a Maxim gun, surrounded by a
cluster of huts built of mud, reeds, and grass, marks
the rule of the British South Africa Chartered
Company, and the site of what may one day be a
populous and prosperous township. The Com-
pany at present maintain here a force of sixty-five
jDolice, commanded by Captain Turner. I learnt
that the natives around had orown somewhat bold
in their depredations, and had made off with cattle
grazing in the vicinity of the fort. An ex^Dedition
190 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
to one of tlie Kraals liacl become necessary, and
some appearance of defence on the part of the
natives had been made, but when the police
advanced at the charge the natives fled in pre-
cipitation. The cattle Avere not recovered, but
others were sent in. The health of the force is
now good ; many cases of fever, however,
occurred during the rainy season, and the altitude,
3760 feet above the sea, o-ives no imnuinitv from
malaria. The sickness also during the rains
ravages horses and mules. Out of about 600
horses brought here only thirty had survived, and
only three had " salted," namely, had the sickness
and recovered from it. This horse sickness is a
terrific scourge, cither for the settler or the
traveller. I am surj^rised that the Cape Govern-
ment or the Chartered Company do not endeavour
to cope seriously with this malady. Scientific in-
vestigation of the disease, of the grass and water
consumed by the animals, conducted in the locality
by experts, assisted l:)y farmers or transport-riders
of experience, and carried on patiently for a length
of time, would make discoveries of value. The
disease is probably acute blood-poisoning caused by
some iDacillus. This, if discovered, might be
cultivated, and inoculation might give protection.
It might be well if some authority, British or
Colonial, would ofter a large reward for the dis-
covery of a remedy or of a successful treatment.
The Bechuanaland Border Police have been losing,
and are still losing, from 80 to 90 per cent, of
their horses. The losses of the Chartered
Advice to Intending Emigrants. 191
Comi^any have been on a similar scale, and have
been equalled by those of private persons. The
roadside from Tuli hitiier is literally strewed Avitli
dead bodies of horses and mules. I had been ex-
ceptionally fortunate, having only lost four out of
thirteen horses, and nine out of twenty mules
originally purchased. Many other persons had
lost every horse and mule in their possession.
Colonel Ferreira, proceeding up country in charge
of several horses for the Company, had lost every
one. The De Beers Company expedition were in a
similar plight. I met Mr. Hugh Romilly outside
Fort Victoria returning on foot to Tuli to rejoin
his waggons which he had left. He had pro-
ceeded up country in a Cape cart drawn by four
horses. All had died after crossing the Lundi.
Mr. Alfred Beit lost more than half his mules, and
on reachino; Fort Victoria, had to resort to oxen to
draw his carriage and light Avaggons. Many
others had sustained similar large and heavy
losses. I arrived at Fort Charter with a team of
six " unsalted " horses in the " spider," and of
twelve mules in the mule waggon, all in good
health and condition, and J believe I was the first
who had ever brought up so many so far. I
would advise any one at home, who might l)e con-
templating an expedition out here next year, to
send out an ao-ent some months in advance to the
Transvaal to purchase a dozen or more " salted "
horses and a score or more of " salted " mules.
These would cost from QOl. to SOI. a hoi'se, aod
from 20/. to 30/. a nmle. They would sell at a
192 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
large 23rofit in Mashonaland if good animals. But
the agent chosen to purchase must speak Dutch
well, and have a perfect acquaintance with the
ways and habits of Boer farmers. Otherwise he
will not obtain their good animals. The Marico
district is the Ijest part of the Transvaal in
which to 23urcliase horses and mules.
Departure for Fort Salisbury. 193
CHAPTER XIII.
CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY BETWEEN FORTS
VICTORIA AND SALISBURY.
Departure for Fort Salisbury — Our native workmen — "Water in
the desert — A dreary journey — The country between
Fort Victoria and Fort Charter — -Whore is the 'Promised
Land ' 1 — We meet Mr. Colquhoun — The garrison of Fort
Charter — From Fort Charter to Fort Salisbury — Lions in
the way— The Settlement at Fort Salisbury — Signs of
civilization — The gold districts of Manica, Mazoe Kiver,
and Hartley Hill — Reconnoitring after Game
]Major Giles and the waggons reached Fort
, Victoria on the morning of the 5th of August.
As the year was getting on, and as time was
growing short, it was decided tliat I should go
ahead of the waggons to Fort Sahsbury, travelUng
with the " spider " and mule waggon, and arriving
at Fort Salisbury, if all went well, ten days or a
fortnight before the slowly-travelling ox teams.
The morning was occupied in fitting out and pro-
visioning for three weeks this small flying column.
]\Iy three remaining mules were turned over to the
mule waggon, which now possesses a fine team of
fourteen. Six horses were inspanned into the
*' spider," making a most respectable appearance,
and I comforted myself with the idea that, reserv-
ing a little for a final gallop, I would dash up to
Fort Salisbury in imposing style. But I Avas
o
194 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa,
harassed with doubt and anxiety as to whether
this nice fast team ^70ukl not all die before I
reached Fort Charter, and it was with much mis-
giving that I started on my way at two o'clock in
the afternoon of the 6th.
Shortly after we had left
Ave were approached by
three naked savages, who
asked to be allowed to ac-
company us, and to work
for us for one or two months
on condition that they
should at the end of
that time each receive a
1)lanket. We told them
that we could spare them
no food, as we Avere all
closely rationed. This
they thought of no im-
portance, and without any
actual agreement being
come to, they attached
themselves to us, and have
followed us till now.
They are an amusing
and interestino; trio — a bis;
One of oar boys (as he appeared medium-sizpd
with all his household goods). ^'^^''&^' '^ mcaiLim SlZLCl
one, and a small one.
AVhen we arrive at an outsjDan they set off and
collect brushwood for the camp iire, and also take
the barrels and buckets doA\Ti to the neighbouring
pool 01' stream for fresh water, making themselves
An Amusing Trio.
195
in this way very useful. Their loaggage consists
of three dried pumpkin shells, in which they carry
a scanty supply of mealies and water. With a
little old sacking and half an old blanket found
among our odds and
ends, they are now fit
to appear in Rotten
Row. An expression of
anxiety and melancholy
overcasts their counte-
nances, otherwise intelli-
gent ; grave and serious
gestures mark their de-
meanour, not without
grace and dignity. They
seldom smile, and never
lauoii. A dreary and
tedious journey is the
one designated under
the headino- of this
chapter. Five days and
a half were occupied in
getting over the distance
of 125 miles to Fort
Charter, though, if the
road had been at all
decent, less than four
clays would have sufficed
for my horses and mules,
at from a distance at Fort Victoria, seemed so
fair, is an endless and most wearisome tract of
barren sand, covered with dry, cOarse grass, with
2
One of our boj's (ia sackcloth,
drawing water. Round his neck
are two biscuits, gifts mistaken
as intended for use as ornambnt
instead of for food).
The plain which, looked
196 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
stunted trees and bushes. No flowing river
refreshes this expanse. Water there is in
abundance, but of Imd quality, lying in stagnant
pools, slopping about in marshes and in swamps.
Nor is it easy for the traveller to detect from the
road the presence of this essential element ; the
low-lying ground must be carefully searched, or
else the much-wanted jdooI may be passed by.
Between eleven and twelve in the morning, and
between three and four in the afternoon, the
trekker, with mules and horses, must find water if
he desires to keep his animals in health and strength.
On two days we failed so to find it, Avith consequent
great anxiety and inconvenience. It would be
easy for the Chartered Company to cause posts and
notices to be erected along the road at places
where water is near. Mile-posts or stones along
this endless veldt, the maps of which are vague
and inaccurate, would again be of inestimable
advantage and of facile establishment. If the
trekker is to arrange his " scoffs " (that is, journeys
from outspan to outspan) well for his animals, he
must know where he is and how far he has travelled
or has to travel. But this knowledge it is impos-
sible to obtain under j)i'Gsent conditions. The
natives who are met with have no idea of distance.
Asked if a particular place or water is near, they
raise the right arm, pointing it straight out to a
level with the shoulder ; if it is far, the arm is
raised higher ; if it is very far, then almost per-
pendicularly over the head. This does not tell one
much, and even the traveller of experience may
The slow progress of the "Spider." 197
often be a dozen miles or so nearer to or further
from the place he desires to reach than he is at all
aware of. But what makes this stretch of plain
from Fort Victoria to Fort Charter so hopeless is the
character of the soil and the nature of the e'rass.
Almost the whole way the road lies through heavy
sand, in which passing waggons have worn deep ruts,
and on which the animals obtain no tirm foothold.
For long distances the " spider" and mule waggon
could only progress at the rate of two miles and a
half in the hour ; where the incline in the ground
is adverse the mules have to stop to get their
breath every three or four minutes, and they reach
the end of their trek perfectly exhausted. In
addition, the whole veldt on either side of the
road is what is called " sour veldt " (that is, coarse,
hard, dry grass), distasteful to the animals, espe-
cially to oxen, perfectly mmourishing. These two
bad features of so loDg a road render travel along
it all but impossil^le. Water is bad and difficult
to find, brushwood for tire scarce and hard to
obtain. The surrounding scenery is rendered in-
describably dreary at this season of the year by
vast tracts of l)urnt grass, presenting a blackened
and charred appearance ; and day after day the
traveller A'iews with displeasure and dismay his
animals becoming more lean, more lanky, more
fatigued, more weak, less and less able to proceed
with the loads ])chind them, although, to spare
them, the dailv distances accomplished are brought
down to less than six miles. This is the problem
of this part of the route : press your animals and
198 Men, Mines, and Animaxs in South Africa.
they will lie down by dozens, never to rise again ;
rest them, let them graze, reduce your hours of
travel, they derive no benefit from the food or the
repose, and the length of your stay in this horrible
plain becomes perilously long. This is the part of
the road from the south to ]\Iashonaland which is
in my opinion absolutely fatal to the route as a
route for commerce or for supplies to any consider-
able population. The vast tract of country between
Fort Victoria and Fort Charter is unsuitable and
grievous either for man or for domestic beast.
Any profitable cultivation of this sandy soil is
impossible. In a few spots here and there the
natives raise ]:)oor crops of mealies. The climate is
capricious and variable. One day the heat is so
great that it is difficult to support a flannel shirt ;
the next day a cold wind, driving rain, or thick
fog causes you to shiver in a great-coat and muffler.
This cold wind and rain is to be expected at this
time of the year at least twice in the course of a
moon, producing the worst effects on the spans of
oxen.
AVhere, then, I commenced to ask myself, is the
inuch-talked-of fine country of the Mashona V
Where is the " promised land " so desperately
coveted by the Boers ? On the low veldt, where
the soil is of extraordinary fertility, fever and
horse sickness afflict human beings and exterminate
stock ; on the high veldt, whore neither of these
evils extensively prevails, the soil is l^arren and
worthless. I am told that in the neighbourhood,
and in the north and north-Avest of Fort Salisbury,
Where is the Promised Land'? 199
all the couditions arc better, that the hind is good
and the cUmate fairly healthy, and I trust that this
report may turn out to ]3e true, for having now
travelled upwards of two hundred miles througli
Mashonaland, I have, as yet, seen no place suitable
for prosperous European settlements. To one
person only would this country be attractive, to
the sportsman or the hunter. According to nati\'e
reports, on which reliance can be placed, game
abounds. Antelope of all kinds are numerous,
sable, wildebeest, hartebeest, eland, ostriches, all
can be found and chased, though good galloping
horses will be necessary for success, Avhile the
presence of many lions offers an exciting variation
to the l)old and steady shot. I saw from the road
and examined through a telescope, two fine herds
of hartebeest, but could not chase them, as all the
strength of the horses was necessary for the trek.
No incident of any kind marked the hours of our
travel. We passed many ox waggons brought to
a stop owing to the bad road and the bad grass.
Two white men. Englishmen, making the journey
on foot excited our envy and admiration. All the
time they kept up with us, passing with ease in
the daytime our struggling horses and mules. A
couple of blankets and a small bundle of trading
goods to barter for grain with the natives were
all their possessions, a bush or rock on the
veldt their only sleeping accommodation, l)ut a
cheerful heart and a Hght step bore them gaily
on to an unknown goal and unguessed fortunes.
We lost two mules on two successive days from
200 Men, Mines, and Anlmals in South Africa.
sickness, probably contracted in the low country ;
the remainder of the mule team and the six horses,
well fed with as many mealies as they could eat,
kept fairly well and strong, and two days' rest at
Fort Charter com^^letely restored them. About
tive miles south of the fort, on the evening of the
11th August, I met Mr. Colquhoun, tlie chief civil
administrator of Mashonaland, proceeding down
The camp before Fort Charter.
country to meet .Mr. Rhodes. ]Mi'. Cok|idiomi was
good enough to stay and converse for a short time.
He seemed sano-uine as to the future of the
country. The gold findings on the Umfuli River,
near Hartley Hill, he told me Avere expected to
turn out of s'reat excellence, and he had had favour-
able reports about the i)rospecting on the Mazoe
River. Fort Salisbury, he added, was becoming
quite a township, with a regidar street of huts and
Sleighing in Summer.
201
tents, possessing t^u'o auctioneers. We reached
Fort Charter on the followino- mornino-. The
days and nights of the 10th and the 11th had been
wet, cold, and foggy; but on the historic 12th the
sun shone out brightly, and I thought of the moors,
of. the grouse, of the Scotch expresses, of friends
'M^' ^'>k.^,/^'^'
Summer sleighiug in Mashonalaud on the high road during the rainy
season.
pi'oceeding noi'thAvards, Fort Charter is the coun-
terpart of Fort Victoria. It Hes in the centre of a
great pLnin ; as far as the eye can range no hill or
eminence can be seen. Within half-a-mile flows a
rivulet containino; a fair amount of tolerable Avater
at all seasons of the year. Both Fort Charter and
202 AlEN, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Fort Victoria appeared to be miserably weak con-
structioiis, wbicli a few thousand Matabele would
probably rush with ease, attacking, as is their
habit, in the dark just before daybreak. There is
nothing to stop the rush of the savage foe, save a
ditch from 3 to 4 feet deep, a mound from 10 to
12 feet hio-h from the bottom of the ditch, and
two or three strands of barbed wire stretched on
weak posts. I thought that something in the
nature of clievaux de frise — something in the
nature of wire entanglements, would be advan-
tageous and easy of construction, but I was assured
that such ideas were quite wrong and foolish. The
oflSlcers of the police evidently disdain the Matabele,
and have perfect confidence in their Martini-
Henry rifles and their jMaxim gun. I hope they
are right, but the African savage has often proved
himself to be no contemptible foe, even against arms
of precision. The precaution of sinking a well
either within or close by the fort has been taken
neither here nor at Victoria, nor at Fort Salisbury.
Surely this neglect is imprudent. The garrisibn
of Fort Charter consisted of a lieutenant and
twelve troopers, of whom ten were sick with
various ailments. The medical arrangements for
the health of the Company's force appeared to be
altogether inadequate. There was no doctor either
at Fort Tuli, where there are upwards of a
hundred men all told, or at Fort Victoria, where
there are nearly seventy, or at Fort Charter.
Hospital orderlies have to do duty as doctors. For
three months during last rainy season a force of
The Garrison at F'ort Charter. 203
over sixty men at Fort Charter, Avitli many sick,
never saw a doctor. Also, for a long time,
throughout the country there was a total absence
of medicines or medical comforts. Surgeon
Rayner, whose brother died of fever at Fort
Charter last January while serving in the police,
made an exhaustive investigation into this matter.
He came to the conclusion that the medical
arrangements made by the Company for the
occupying force were most unsatisfactory, indeed,
scandalously defective, and that even at the time
of his inquiry they were open to grave criticism.
It is said that the Company will abandon Fort
Charter. The usefulness of the position is not
obvious. Situated some miles from the main road
in a sandy plain, where no one is ever likely to
settle, it commands nothing and offers no protec-
tion. The altitude of the fort is 4700 feet above
the level of the sea ; nevertheless, fever in the rainy
season is common and serious.
From Fort Charter to Fort Salisbury is a dis-
tance of upwards of sixty miles. Leaving the
former j)lace on the evening of the 13th August,
we reached the Upper Umfuli on the morning of
the 15th. The same heavy sandy road, the same
wide tracts of l^urnt grass Avhich impeded our pro-
gress to Fort Charter marked the road to the
Umfuli. Here two of the mules gave out, and had
to be led alongside of the span for the remainder
of the journey. Stories of lions and of their
audacity in attacking cattle outspanned at night
were common along the road. Every waggon
204 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
met witli had had its adventure with these beasts.
One trekker, while journeying, had had his span
attacked by a hon. An ox was kilk'd, and the
remainder broke loose from the yokes, strayed into
the bush, into the darkness of the night, and six
were never recovered, AVe took extra precautions
in the way of lighting and keeping up several
tires all night round our camp, but we never saw,
or even heard, a lion. From the Umfuli to the
Hunyani River bush veldt is traversed, in parts
thick. The road slightly improves in character.
Soon after leaving the Umfuli I went on in the
" spider," the mule waggon proceeding "\\dth its
diminished team at a verv slow ])iice. I reached
Fort Salisbury on the evening of the 1 5tli August,
having accomplished a distance of thirty-tivc miles
between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. This was
good travelling for this part of the world. i\.bout
six miles from Fort Salisbury, after emerging
from the bush on to the open plain, the traveller
passes on his right hand a large and remarkable
native kraal. The small conical-roofed hut and
store -places of the Mashonas dwelling here are
perched on the various jutting and projecting
peaks and points of n large rocky ko])jc. Access
to many of these can only be obtained by means
of long poles and rough ladders. Fear of the
savage Matabele compels the natives thus to dwell.
Lobengula has raided, ravaged, and depopulated
the country. The traveller can procure neither
mealies, cattle, meat, eggs, poultry, nor milk. All
has been taken or destroyed. In a year or two it
Fort Salisbury.
20:
is to be hoped tliat, under the protection of, the
Chartered Company things will be changed, that
the Matabele raids will be occurrences of the past,
and that the poor, starving, hunted, timid Mashona
will grow his mealies and possess his flocks and
herds in peace. For the present, however, the
country gives the traveller no assistance whatever
Native paintings on rocks at Matefi's kraal.
in the way of sustenance either for himself or his
animals. Situated in a wide and stretching plain,
uncovered by bush. Fort Salisbury is not perceived
by one approaching from the south until actually
reached. The settlement lies at the foot of and
around a long kopje about three hundred feet high,
thickly clothed with small trees. About half a
2o6 Mex, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
mile to tlie eastward are the fort and surrounding
liuts, and again, half a mile further on, we find the
civil lines, where reside Dr. Jamieson, the civil
administrator, and the other officials of the Com-
pany. Here I outspanned, and was very kindly
accommodated with a hut by Sir John Willoughby.
In this climate these huts give excellent shelter.
Round, about sixteen feet in diameter, with
sharply-pitched conical roofs, built of poles and
mud, and thatched with grass, they are Avarm at
nio'ht and wondrously cool in the heat of the day.
They can be erected by the natives in a week at a
cost of from lOL to 12/. Quite an imposing
number of these huts, among Avhich are inter-
spersed waggons, carts, tents, shanties of every
conceivable description, compose the settlement of
Fort Salisbury, where resided from 500 to 800
persons. The place had a thriving, rising, healthy
appearance. The settlers, hard at work, occupied
with one business or another from dawn to dusk,
wore an expression of contentment and of confi-
dence. A small river flowing through the plain,
not a mile distant from any part of the settlement,
yields an abundant supply of water. The soil is
dry and stony, all moisture either quickly drying
up or running quickly off ; the altitude is 40 ft.
short of 5000 ft. above the level of the sea, the air
fresh and bracing, and these conditions will
probably guarantee the good sanitary state of the
township and its people, even during the summer
and rainy seasons. In the distance surrounding
the plain, from which here and there project rocky
Signs of Civilization. 207
eminences and hus-e o-ranite boulders, are rano-es
of low hills, among which, to the north, rises Mount
Hampden, conspicuous and solitary. In a walk
round the settlement the next day, I noticed
a hotel where was laid out a table cVhufc with
clean napkins ensconced in glasses on the table,
three auctioneers' offices, several stores, the hut
of a surgeon-dentist, another of a chemist, a third
of a solicitor, and last, but not least among the
many signs of civilization, a tolerably smart
perambulator. But the necessaries of life, whether
of food or raiment, ^vere luxuries at Fort Salisbury,
and costly in the extreme. Bread, meat, butter,
jam had risen to impossible prices.
My first inquiries were naturally directed
towards ascertaining the extent and nature of the
gold discoveries. Little could be learnt. I knew
almost as much before leaving London on this
important matter as I did after a day j)assed at
Fort Salisbur)^ Three gold districts attracted the
prospector: — 1. Manica. — Of this district nothing
was then precisely known. Colonel Pennefather
and Mr. Selous, Avho had been there for some
weeks, were expected to be back at Fort Salisbury
in a few days, and we hoped then to learn some-
thing definite about this territory, which had been
the subject of so much wild rumour and of so
much bitter dispute. 2. The gold reefs on the
Mazoe River. — These lie about twenty-five to
thirty miles distant from Fort Salisbury in a north-
easterly direction. A great many prospectors had
been at work here, but all accounts of their dis-
2o8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
co^■e^ies and of their value were vague and un-
certain ; on the whole, however, not encouraging,
a yield of from 1 oz. to 30 qwts. per ton being as
much as was claimed for the best reefs. Some-
thing very much better than this will be required
liere for a payable mine under present conditions.
No deep shafts have yet been sunk, and the depth
of the ore is unknown. The regulation 30 ft. hole
had been dug on many claims, which of itself gives
little or no information. Water had arrested
deeper sinkings, and sti^ange to say, among all the
minino- plant brought into this country, including
three or four stamp batteries, there was not to be
found one single pump. 3. The Hartley Hill dis-
trict. — This a gold district, wide and scattered,
about thirty or forty miles to the north-westward
of Fort Salisbury. On my arri^-al at Fort Salis-
bury I found quite a '■ boom "' of claims pegged
out on the Umfuli River, flowing near Hartley
Hill. Reports of very rich reefs having been dis-
covered, yielding many ounces to the ton, were
common, and some excitement prevailed. At the
time of writing these pages nothing definite or
precise is known, or can be known, about the
gold deposits of Mashonaland. There had been
no one in the country possessing expert know-
ledge, on which reliance could be placed, and, even
if there had been such persons, no sufficient de-
velopment work had been effected to enable an
opinion of any value to be formed. ]\lany months,
probably a year or two, must elapse before any
certaintv can be arrived at as to whether Mashona-
Thf Gold-fields. 209
land is a gold-producing country or not. Even if
it turns out to be a country possessing gold
deposits, the payable character of these depends
entirely u])on ^vhether cheap and easy access to
them can be gained. Xothing can be more un-
certain than the character of the Pungwe lli\'e]'
route. Accounts are most conflicting, some
persons asserting that this I'oute is quite imprac-
ticable, others that it is extraordinarily easy.
But eyen if the latter assertion be true, nenrly 500
miles of land transit will embarrass the Avorking of
the mines near Hartley Hill. So well aware of
this serious fact were the officials of the Company
that Sir John Willoughby was commissioned to
form a sjoecial expedition to discoyer, first, whether
a road can be made from the Hartley Hill district
to Zumbo on the Zambesi, a distance of about one
hundred and sixty miles, and secondly, to ascertain
whether the Zambesi is nayigable between Zumbo
and Tette. In my opinion, at the present time all
that can be said of ]\Iashonaland from a minino'
point of yiew is that the odds are oyerwhelmingiy
against the making of any i-apid or large fortune
by any indiyidual.
The mule Ayaggon arriyed safely at Fort
Salisbury late on the eyening of the 16th, the
mules being harassed and exhausted. Mr. Henry
C. Perkins, the mining expert, Avho accompanied
me, was desirous of proceeding at once to the
Mazoe Eiyer district, Avhither had repaired a
few days preyiously Mr. Alfred Beit and ■Mr.
Rolker, the mining expert sent out b\' the
p
2IO Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
Chartered Company. I aocordinoly borrowed a
Scotch cart (a light two-wheeled covered Avaggon)
and a span of eight oxen, with which went also
two " salted " horses. Thus equipped and pro-
visioned for more than a fortnight, Mr. Perkins,
Mr. Perkins, the niiuiuf^ expert, on the war-path.
accompanied l^y Captain Williams, started for the
Mazoe on the morning of the 18th August, ex-
pecting to be absent at least a week. ' I had
now nothing to do pending the arrival of my
waggons from Fort Victoria, Avhich would not
occur, at the best, I'or a fortnight ; and hearing
Reconnoitring after Game, 211
good reports of the shoot in a" between tlie Umfuli
and Hiinyani Rivers, and having fortunately
secured Sir John Willoughby as a companion, I
determined on proceeding on another expedition
after buck, and after any other wihl animal that
chance might put in mv wav. On the mornino' of
tlie 18th I had a feM' hours' ride in the comjDany
of Hans Lee in the neighbourhood of Fort Salis-
bury, towards IMount Hampden. We saAvnothing
1)ut a reitbuck, a steinbuck, and a jackal, but
observed spoor of sable antelope. We got no shot,
however. The land round Fort Salisbury in this
direction appears to be of fairly good quality, well
sheltered, well watered, and well wooded. If Fort
Salisbury should ever become an important town-
ship, farms here might be very prohtal^le. I came
across two enterprising pei'sons who had each in
attractive spots marked out the regulation area of
three thousand acres, and were busily eno-ao-ed in
erecting huts. They seemed confident of success,
and were in excellent spirits. One hour before
daybreak on the 19tli I left Fort Salisbury in the
mule waggon for the Hunyani River, expecting
Sir John Willoughby to join me later in the day.
2 12 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER XIV.
SPORT IN MASHONALAND.
Sport in South Africa — Hints to inexperienced sportsmen —
Approximate cost of equipment for a six months' hunting
expedition — Sir Jolin Willoughby arrives at our camp
on the Hunyani lliver — ?Iunting tlie Hartebeest — How
to cook venison — A Slough of Despond — Further hunting
adventures after antelope — A native hunting party — A
cobra in the camp — Metliod of scaring vultures off dead
game — Accident to ]\Iajor Giles — Scarcity of grain and
food in Mashonaland — Keturn to Fort Salisbury.
To the young Englishman fond of shooting, of
riding, of a wild hunter's life, active, vigorous,
healthy, and endowed with adequate fortune, those
reo'ions of South Africa Avhich extend from the
Limpopo to the Hunyani River offer a field for
sport not to be equalled in any other part of the
world. During the winter time, from May to
September, the climate of this region is almost per-
fect, the risk of fever slight. The air of the veldt
is invigorating, the scenery and surroundings at-
tractive and various, the life of the hunter tem-
perate and wholesome. This man coming to these
parts of Africa, eager for sport, will experience
little, if any, disappointment. Accompanied and
guided by some good Dutch hunter, such as Hans
Lee, he will see, pursue, probably kill almost
every African wild animal, witli the exception of
I
Sport and Luxury. 213
the elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. These also
may he obtained Avithout difficulty, if one is not
daunted by the remoteness of the districts near the
Zambesi, by the real rough life incident on the
absence of wao-oons and of all beasts of burden,
owing to the existence of the Tsetse fly, or by hard
walking exercise under the heat of a troj^ical sun.
But in the vast territory I have defined above, the
hunter may without difficulty surround and cheer
himself with every species of comfort. Waggons
drawn by oxen or by mules, the former are pre-
ferable, can penetrate to any j)art of the bush veldt ;
tents, bedsteads, provisions of all kinds can be
carried with ease, and even a young Pall j\lall
sybarite would acknowledge that there can be pro-
vided out here an inconceivable combination of
sport and luxury. The soundest sleep at night,
the best of appetites for every meal, the clear head,
the cool nerve, the muscle and wind as perfect as
after an autumn in the Highlands, are pleasures
and delights which can be here experienced, and to
which many of our London jeunesse doree are
almost strangers. All kinds of strange forest sights,
all the beauties and many, cjuaint freaks of nature
will charm the eye and exercise the mind. Xor is the
exciting element of danger by any means altogether
absent. The lion and the leopard are beasts to en-
counter which successfully requires skill, experience,
and courage. Snakes of great venom, some of
great size, may not infrequently be met with ; falls
from the horse Avhen galloping wildly through the
bush or over the plain, such as even Leicestershire
cannot rival, may occur constantly ; and should
214 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
any one imagine that antelope-hunting in Africa is
a tame, safe kind of amusement, three or four
weeks' exi^erience of it will easily undeceive him.
Then the game. Such numbers, such variety, such
size, such beauty. Xothing moi'e wildly lovely can
be imagined than the sight of a herd of roan antelope,
of hartebeest or quagga galloping through the
forest ; nothing more wildly exciting than the
pursuit of such a herd ; sighting the game through
the trees, sometimes obtainino; a fair standino; shot
Tvdthin moderate range, then mounting your horse,
loading as you gallop along, leaving him to pick
his way as best he can among trees, branches, roots,
stones, and holes : comino-aira in within one hundred
or one hundred and fifty yards, not dismounting, but
almost flinging yourself off your horse and firing
both barrels as rapidly and as accurately as you
may; then on again, over hill, river, and dale,
until you and your steed are alike exhausted.
These good chases will not occur every day any
more that a good fox chase or a good day's salmon
fishing comes often in the season. The hunter may
ride for miles and for hours throuofh the most
sporting, " gamey "' kind of country without set-
ting eyes on a living creature ; but ^v^hen they do
occur they are periods of excitement every inci-
dent of Avdiich the memory cannot fail during a life-
time to retaiu. Then the accompaniments, the
framework as it were, of the chase after buck;
the early start, the break of day, the brilliant sun-
rise, the cool morning air, the return to camp,
Avearied, but pleased and excited, the bath, the
A Hint to leisured young Englishmen. 215
evening meal, eaten with an appetite and a zest
such as only an African hunter knows, the camp
fire, the i^ipe, the discussion of the day's sport, the
hunter's stories and expeiiences, the plans for the
morrow, no thoughts of rain or bad weather op-
pressing the mind, all this makes a combination
and a concentration of human joy which Paradise
might with difficulty vixiii. Nor is this limiting
life, when pursued for a few mouths or from time
to time, a useless, a frivolous, or a stupid existence,
especially when it is compared with the sort of idle?
unprofitable passing ol* the time experienced from
year to year by numbers of young Englishmen of
fortune. Xature and all her ways can be observed
and studied with advanta2:e, much knowledo-e of
wild animals and of wild men can be acquired by
the observant, the intelligent sportsman, languages
may be learnt, haljitudes and customs noticed and
written about, interesting persons are met with,
excellent friendships are f(3rmed, the mind and
the body are seasoned, liardened, developed by
travel in a wild country, all its many incidents,
its rough and its smooth, its surprises, its difficul-
ties, its adversities and its perils ; and I hold tlrs
for certain, that in nine cases out of ten a young
Englishman who has had six months of iifrican
hunting life, will be a 10 lb. l)etter fellow all round
than he was l^efore he started.
These reflections occur to me as I sit in the shade
of my mule waggon, encamped Avithin a few miles
of the Upper Umfuli, on the banks of a small river,
passing the evening moments of a bright and warm
2i6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa
African afternoon in writing these pages. I would
not be presumptuous enough to write for the
trained tra^'e^er or the ex])erieiiced hunter ; rather
I ])ut down these following ideas for the possilile
benefit of those who, like myself, without previous
experience or knowledge of this kind of life, are
fond of travel, of sport of all kinds, who desire to
journey and to stay for a while in strange, almost
uninhabited, almost unexplored parts of the earth.
A six months' hunting ex23edition out here need not
be a very costly business, at least when comj^ared
with the cost of London life to many a young man,
and measui-ed bv the amount of real pleasure and
advantage to be derived from eithei'. For the
purchase of a couple of good waggons, and of a
couple of spans of eighteen or tAventy oxen each, of
four or five o-ood shootin"' horses, £100(1 would
probably suffice, and if these requisites ^ye\v pur-
chased with care and skill, much of tliis outlay
Avould l)e recoA'ered at the termination of the ti'ip.
Some £500 for tents and for the j^araphernalia of
a camp, foi' personal wants, for luxuries in the way
of food and drink; and an expenditure of £*100 a
month in wages and food for the boys, grooms, and
native followers would keep the expedition going.
As for personal outfit, little is required, but that
little must be of the best c[uality. Good tanned
buckskin breeches, good strong pigskin gaiters,
good In-OAAm leather-laced A^alking boots, a dozen
flannel shirts, " a couple of Norfolk jackets," an
Inverness cape of warm material, three or four
large thick rugs, and a Terai hat, are all that can
Equipment for a Hunting Expedition. 217
be required in the way of clothes in this part of
the AYorld. But the very greatest care should he
taken in ordering and fitting on all these things
Ijefore leaving London if inconvenience, vexation,
and worry is to be avoided. As for armament,
1 would suggest a couple of douljle-l)arrelled
express breech-loading rifles, with reboiniding
locks, '500 bore, and about a thousand rounds
of ammunition. Solid bullets are greatly to
be preferred to expanding bullets. The latter,
indeed, in my opinion, are not safe to use in a
country where at any moment a lion oi- a leopard
may be met Avith, as they are so extremely uncer-
tain in their eifect upon the animal struck by
them. I have seen them kill a buck on the spot,
breaking up almost the whole of his inside. I
have seen them j)ierce the fore or hind legs of a
— "Hbuck, inflicting a trifling wound, and I have seen
them smash up on the surface of the skin, causing
a frightful wound in appearance, but no immediate
or necessarily fatal injury. Hans Lee, a high
authority and flne marksman, Avill hear of nothing
but the solid bullet. In addition to these rifles, a
couple of smooth bores for feathered game, with
unchoked barrels, so that ball cartridges may be
flred from them, half-a-dozen Martini-Henry rifles
for the boys of the camp will complete the out-
flt in respect of Aveapons of oftence. Hatchets,
knives, saAvs, and any tools should he bought in
Einiiand of the best makers. Li the matter of
provisions much can be obtained and of good
quality at Cape ToAvn, or at Kimberley, or at
2i8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Johannesburg. Ten, coffee, bacon, hams, any
wine or Hqueurs should be brought out from home,
I would strongly recommend that the hunter
should provide himself with some champagne.
After a Ion"- da^''s huntino- in a hot sun this Avine
is the most refreshino- and restorino- of all alcoholic
leverages. So equipped, the fortunate and perse-
vering sportsman will pass many delightful hours
land memorable thiys. Hunting during a period of
some "^veeks or montlis, he ^vdll probably come
across giraffe, hippopotami, ostrich, eland, sable
antelope, roan antelope, koodoo, wildebeest, harte-
beest, waterbuck, quaggM, ^vhicli latter it is almost
a sin to shoot, many kinds of small buck, wild pig,
hyena, and jackal. I was hunting too short a time
to meet with all these animals, and was not for-
tunate enough to see either giraffe, hippopotami,
ostrich, eland, or wildebeest. But the sjjoor of all
these animals, with the exception of the sea cow,
I saw in quantities, often quite fresh,
I left Fort Salisbury at 9 a.m, on the lUth
August, and trekked in the mule Avaggon as far as
the Hunyani River, which was reached at 9 a.m.
There we outspanned. A bath and l^rcakfast oc-
cupied the morning. Sir John Willoughby
arrived about two o'clock in the afternoon, mounted
on a sturdy and well-bred grey pony, which had
been lent him by Dr. Jamieson. Mr. Borrow, of
the firm of Johnson, Heaney, and Borrow, had
most kindly lent me two excellent shooting horses,
both "salted,"' for myself and Lee. I found that
it Avould not be possible to ride better animals.
Hunting the Hartebeest. 219
At three o'clock we went out hunting down the
course of the Hunyani River within about three
or four miles of it. The country here is fiat, the
bush open ; wide grassy plains separated by groves
and belts of trees succeed each other. After some
time Lee descried a solitary hartebeest grazing.
Sir John Willoughby stalked this l^uck, but could
get no nearer than two hundred and hfty yards.
He fired two barrels, and, as I thought, hit the
hartebeest, who circled wildly round and scampered
off, I galloped after him as he made for the bush,
and pursued him for neai'ly two miles, always
hoping to get within range in some open space.
But he always kept a distance between us of three
or four hundred yards and stuck carefully to the
trees, bush, and high grass, so that it was difficult
to keep him in view, and useless to dismount and
fire. These hartebeest are despairing animals to
chase. They appear to be cantering along slowly,
never exerting themselves, but it requires a horse
of great galloping power to overtake them. Their
endurance is equal to their speed ; it is hopeless
work to try and ride them down. They have a
wild, weird look, and ai-e the least attractive of
all the antelope. In size they are similar to the
smaller red deer of the East Coast of Scotland. A
whole herd of them when chased sometimes sret
confused, gallop wildly about, stop to look round,
and scatter, oivino; se^'eral o'ood shots to the
pursuer ; but a solitary one rarely stops or stays,
he goes right away, straight on end. Finding my
horse was oettino- blown, and that the bush g'ot
220 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
thicker, I desisted from the chase, firing a parting
but useless shot. My companions soon rejoined
me, guided by the report of my rifle. We con-
tinued our ride without seeing any more game.
Close by the camp, returning home, Lee got a
shot at and killed a " duiker," a small antelope.
This little beast came in useful, as we had no fresh
meat, with the exception of a sheep which had
been purchased at Fort Salisbury, and which
turned out to be such a wretched, poor animal that
it was handed over to the natives who accompanied
us. These buck, big and little, are all excellent
eating. They are never fat like the park deer of
England, or the forest stag in Scotland, but their
meat when kept for a day or two is tender and
good. The tongue, liver, and kidneys are, in
truth, delicacies. I^othing can be more plain and
simple than the necessary cooking. A good heap
of hot ashes, a couple of baking pans, a little fat,
either bacon or butter, lots of pepper and salt, a
quarter of an hour s jDatience, and the best dinner
Avhich can be eaten awaits the slayer of the African
buck. Roan antelope venison I have found to l^e
most meritorious, but Lee informed me that eland
is superior, and that giraffe venison far exceeds
either. Xor must I omit to mention the marrow
bones of the antelope. Again, the cooking is of
the simplest character. The thigh bones, stripped
of meat, are thrown upon hot ashes and covered
with them. In ten minutes they are ready ; a
hatcliet or a stone serves to break the end of the
bone, and such marrow is poured out on the j^late
A Slough of Despond. 221
as no one in London ever dreamed of. A lucky
hunter in Africa need never wait for his dinner,
and cannot compkin of it. Early on the follow-
ing morning we trekked toAvards " Beale's Camp,"
a locality to which we had been directed, and where
we were informed there was much game. This
spot lies on the Umfuli River, about eighteen
miles south of the Hunyani, between that point of
the Umfuli which is traxoi-sed by the main road to
Fort Victoria and that point which is traversed by
the road to Hartley Hill. Shortly after starting
we got badly stuck in swampy ground. Spades
were used fi-eely to extricate the wheels buried
over their axles, two horses were inspanned, but
to no purpose. There Avas nothing for it but to
" off load," a most tedious and tiring business.
Four thousand pounds weight of load was taken
off the waggon. We were only eight in number
all told, and a lot of time was consumed. Even
then, with the waggon thus lightened, it was all
the mules and horses could do to drag it out of and
across the swamp to firmer ground. Now all the
mass of things " off loaded " have to be carried by
us some three or four hundred yards and replaced
on the wao'p;on. A real bad business this. It was
my first experience of a genuine African stickfast.
At one moment it seemed as if we might have to
remain in this swamp for days, until a team of
oxen could be procured, and as if our hunting trip
would be l^rought to a premature and undignified
end. After this we proceeded without mishap
along a waggon spoor for about ten miles to a
222 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
shady o-rove, overhana'ing a, small rocky river,
which a]:»|)eared to offer an attractive position for
a camp. Here ^ve outspanned at midday. A
kraal was soon constructed of luish and branches
for ourselves, and another for the mules and horses.
In the afternoon we started out liuntino*. Again
we came upon a solitary hartebeest bull. I got a
o'ood shot at this felloA^-. as he A^as facins: me about
one hundred vards off, but did not hit him. Sir
John Willoughliv and Lee galloped after him, but
failed to secure him. Soon after a sable antelope
bull was seen a long way off. Getting oft' my
horse, I crawled to an ant-hill, on looking over the
summit of which I perceived mv friend at least
three hundred vards awav. There was no o-ettino-
nearer to him, so, resting my rifle on the ground,
I fired. He also was lacing me, and offered but a
small mark. Alas ! my bullet Avent but a very few
inches to the right of him, and he scamiDcred off,
hotly pursued by my companions, who got four
shots at him. Lee brought him doA\ii. He was a
fine old bull, with good horns. It was now dusk,
and having " gralloched "" the antelope and covered
him with long grass and branches to preserve him
for a time from the A'ultures and jackals, ^XQ re-
turned to our camp. .Vt davlu-eak we started off
again in the same direction as on the previous
evening. Soon we came upon a herd of about a
dozen hartebeest, and had a right good chase over
two miles or more of varied country. Each of us
got four or five shots. Lee, as usual, killed one, a
cow ; Sir John Willoughby and I wounded one
An Antelope leads me a Dance. 223
apiece. I saw my antelope separate himself from
the herd and make off, and galloped after him.
He led me a fine dance, and never gave me but
one opportunity of getting near him, Avhich I was
too slow to take ad\'antage of. xVfter a two miles'
gallop I pulled up, wondering what had Ijecome of
my companions, and where I ^vas. In about half
an hour I heard a shot, and going in that direction
found Lee anxiously looking for me. In a chase
of this kind it is ^'ery easy for the inexperienced to
lose himself on the veldt. All landmarks get lost ;
the direction of the wind, the position of the sun,
give little assistance when one has been galloping
hard for some distance. I found that all our
galloping and shooting had only resulted in the
death of one hartebeest. It is "w^onderful and vex-
atious in the chase to see how close rifle bullets can
go without hitting the animal fired at, and also
how often the animal may be hit without fatal
effect. After this we rode on for two hours Avith-
out seeing any game, and were getting near oiu'
camp about midday Avhen we observed standing in
a grove a fine herd of fifteen or twenty roan
antelope. These magnificent creatures cantered
ofl"', but soon stopped to look round, giving me a
capital shot, as I happened to be in front of the
others. I fired hot\i barrels, at a distance of some
eighty yards, and knocked down two. One im-
mediately rose again and made ofi'. The uncertain
expanding bullet had smashed up on the surface,
without penetrating. Lee got a shot at this felloAV
and knocked him over, but he again got up and fol-
224 Men, Ml NTEs, AND Animals in South Africa.
lowed the herd. We now thought that we would
o-et a good chase, for we had followed them hard for
a mile, and the buck were getting blown. Unfortu-
nately, they made for a spruit, with high banks
and a muddv bottom, and, while we were search-
ino- for a place to cross the stream, escaped awav
out of our sight. Sir John Willoughby wounded
one badly as the herd galloped down to the spruit,
and on the other side we found a very bloody
spoor, which was followed up for some distance
fruitlessly. Then, returning to look for the animal
which both Lee and I had hit so hard, we found
the place where ho had fallen, but of the antelojDe
not a sio-n. Two natives, who had been following
us at a distance all day, came up and promised to
spoor the wounded beast, and to bring the horns,
which were very fine, into camp. This, however,
they lulled to do. I think if Lee had himself
spoored the animal we should certainly soon have
got him ; but the day was hot, the horses tired,
the camp near, and all seemed to make an imme-
diate dinner necessary. On our way to camp, after
covering up the first antelope shot, ^Ye saw more
hartebeest, l^ut had had enough of chasing for that
day.
On the following morning we moved our camp
ten miles further on towards the locality we were
aiming at. We outspanned under a large and
loftv mao;undi tree. This tree has at this season
of the year leaves of the most vivid green, con-
trasting sharply with the prevailing Avinter hues,
and gives a welcome shade. Daring our morning
A Native Hunting Party. 225
trek a herd of liartebsast wa^ seen, from the wao-o-on,
which Sh' John Willoughby pursued. After a
long chase he succeeded in killing one close to the
spot where we outspanned. lsTow there were in
camp four dead antelope, and much " bill-tong "
was made. Four Mashona had made a little hut
close by our camp, and gladly assisted in cutting
up the meat, of which they received an ample
supply. Little native hunting parties are fre-
quently met with in this veldt. Two or three in
number, with one wretched old musket and two or
three charges of ammunition in common, they
rarely kill anything themselves, but trust to find-
ing the dead or wounded game of others, or to
being fed by some hunting party such cas ours. In
default of these resources they subsist on cater-
pillars, which are found in large quantities on
the topmost branches of certain trees. Towards
evening I went out for a short ride with Lee in the
vicinity of the camp. We got no shot, making
three unsuccessful attempts to stalk successively a
fine old pauw (bustard), an oribi (sort of gazelle),
and two hartebeest cows. Fresh eland spoor were
seen, which kindled my hopes of getting a chase
after this fine antelope on the morrow. ISText day,
accompanied by " the Baboon," we hunted in the
direction of the Umfuli River. It was a morning
of misfortune. Both Sir John Willoughby and I
got good standing shots at two solitary roan
antelope bulls, and both missed without excuse.
Lee also chased and fired at, without result, two
koodoo cows. In the course of our ride we
Q
A_
226 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Aerica.
arrived at " Beale's Camp." This is a cluster of
huts, now for the time deserted, situated on the
slopes descending to the Umfuli, which here flows
through a spacious plain. Here has resided for
some months an enterprising sergeant of the police
force, who imagines that he has discovered a rich
reef, and has pegged out several claims. The soil
differs from the surrounding plain, being of a red
sandstone, and the output of quartz was distinct.
Xone of us, however, Avere able to form any
opinion as to its auriferous qualities. Agriculture
and cattle-grazing in this neighbourhood might be
successful. Lee and I again tried our fortune in
the afternoon over the open plain extending to the
north. We had a good gallop after and several
shots at a herd of hartebeest, of which I succeeded
in killing one, Lee this afternoon shot very
badly. He carried a rifle of mine, a '577 single-
barrel Henry, and missed shot after shot at com-
paratively easy distances, lie was much put out,
and declared that the rifle was a bad one and no
use. As he had been shooting with it Avell on
previous davs, I could not understand how the
weapon could suddenly have become worthless.
()n our wav back to camp as evening was setting
in, we got good shots at two roan antelope, which
hardly troubled to get out of the "svay. They
were perfectly right, as we both missed easy shots,
and Lee was more than ever convinced of the bad-
ness of the rifle. During our ride I found a nice
little stream and grove aljout four miles from our
camp, all round which place was much fresh spoor I
A Dangerous Visitor. 227
of game. To this spot I determined to move the
camp on the following day. While we were
eno-a-o-ed in movino; the next mornins", Sir John
Willonghby hnnted. His grey pony played liim
a nasty trick, galloping ofl' after he liad dismounted
to shoot at a reit-]:)nck, and Sir John had to come
into camp on foot. One of the grooms was sent
out in vain to look for the pony, and '" the
Baboon's" spooring skill had to be called upon to
find the lost animal. He found and brought him
into the camp late in the afternoon. With the
best-trained and most certain horse it is most un-
wise to neglect the precaution of attaching the
bridle to your waist by a string. If all alone on
the veldt, the loss of your horse might be attended
by the most disagreeable and even serious conse-
rpiences. While we were outspanning this morn-
ing my servant observed a large snake close to the
waggon. I quickly got my gun and shot it A\diile
it was wrio'o-lino; off into some bush, AVhen
examined Lee pronounced it to be a col^ra of con-
siderable size. The l)ite of this snake is very
rapidly fatal to man or beast. The snake measured
4 ft. 6 in, in length, and was in thickness equal to
about three fingers. Broad stripes of dull yellow
and grey marked the body, Lee said it was a
very rare occurrence to meet with this snake. In
the afternoon I took the '511 rifle and had a long
I'ide, but no shot. Sir John Willoughby hunted
towards the Umfuli by himself, and shot a roan
antelope bidl, not returning to camp till after
dark. Next day he went oft' with '' the Baboon "
Q 2
228 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
to find and hving in the roan antelope, and I rode
with Lee in an opposite direction. AYe proceeded
for hours, passing at times through a most lovely
land. Groves and bush of every variety, adorned
with every hue of summer, autumn, spring, and
winter ; glades covered with tlie greenest grass,
o-rowino- thick and short from the roots of the
herbao-e which liad been Ijumed some weeks pre-
viously, presented an ideal of forest scenery such
as I would have hardly imagined even Nature
herself could have composed on this planet.
Nothing was wanted save numerous herds of
buck. Not a living creature did we see till noon.
Then Lee fired at a rcit-buck a long way off,
which galloped away. The report of the shot
brought out of a plantation three roan antelope,
Avhich stood looking at us about two hundred
yards away. I dismounted, fired, and away
they went. Galloping as hard as I could over an
open space, I got within a hundred 3^ards, jumped
off, and fired again. This was a lucky bullet. It
struck one of the antelope in the thigh. This
antelope separated himself from the two others
and I made after him. He could not get away
from me, and I soon got another shot which
finished him. Lee galloped after the two others
and shot them both. They Avere all three fine fat
cows, with nice heads. We had now hard work
for about two hours, cleaning and covering up the
three antelopes Avhich lay on the plain more than
a mile apart. Long grass and branches had to be
cut and fetched from a distance, and before we
Scaring the Vultures. 229
liad finished our attentions to the first the vultures
had settled Ijy scores on the other two buck. We
saved these, however, before much hann had l^ceu
done. Vultures and jnckals will not ^'enture, foi"
hours, to approach dead game well covered up
with grass and branches, tearing a trap. It is a
good plan to tie a pocket-handkerchief to a stick
over the heap and leave it fluttering in the wind.
We reached camp al)out two o'clock in the after-
noon, after a tiring but satisfactory morning's work.
"TheBaboon" was immediately despatched with the
mule driver, the two savages, and ten mules to find
andbrino'in the three dead buck. He is unerrino-
in finding dead game on the veldt. Guided only
liy the vaguest directions, he follows the spoor of
the hunter's horse, it may be, for miles, till he
arrives at the locality. When only one buck has
to be brought in he takes Avith him two horses or
donkeys. The animal is half skinned ; half the
l^ody, divided lengthways, with the head, is placed
on one horse ; the other half, with the skin, on the
other. On this occasion, when it was a question of
tliree large buck, it was necessarv to send a team
of mules, and to construct, where the game lay, a
timber sledge on which to place the bodies. '' The
Baboon " and his cortege started oft' about three in
the afternoon, and I hoped that he would have
returned to camp before night. He had some five
miles to travel to the buck. For once " the
Baboon's" skill somewhat failed him. Thinkino-to
make a short cut, he neglected to follow our spoor,
and, misled b)- a white fing, which some prospec-
230 Men, Mines, and Animals in Sol'th Africa.
tor probably bad set up on a mound, and wbicb be
tbouofbt was our mark, did not fiud tbe bodies
of tbe antelope tbat evening. He and bis
party bad to pass a disagreeable niglit on tbe
^'eldt Avitbout food or water. I was somewbat
anxious about tbem, and also feared for tbe
mules. Towards evening a messenger arrived
from Fort Salisbury witb letters for me and for
Sir Jobn AYillougbby. He bad cleverly followed
tlie windings of our waggon spoor, separating it from
old tracks. My letter brougbt me bad news of my
waggons. Tbey bad come to a standstill between
Fort Victoria and Fort Cbarter in tbat bopeless
sandy jDlain wbicli I wrote about in a former cbap-
ter, and tbe oxen, exbausted by tbe beavy roads
and derivino; no nourisbment on tbe wide tracts of
burnt grass or from tbe " sour veldt," were, I was
informed by Mr. Edgell, totally unable to proceed
witb tlieir loads. Furtber, IMajor Giles bad broken
bis collar-bone wbile ridino- a burdle race at Fort
Victoria, and bad bad to be sent back to tbe Fort.
Tbis was a bad lousiness, but not altogetber un-
expected by me. Wlien I saw wbat sort of countrv
it was wbicb bad to 1)e traversed, I entertained
misgivings as to wbetber any waggons would ever
get across it witbout mucb delay and mucb loss.
I bad passed, moreover, many troops of waggons
utterly unable to proceed. Mr. Edgell begged me
to send down to bim from Fort Salisbury some
fresb spans of oxen. Little did be know wbat sort
of place Fort Salisbury was. Fresb oxen in good!
condition could not be obtained for love or money.
A Land of Famine. 231
Every one was ^ya.nti^o• them, no one had gc^t
them. Even mealies, good supplies of which are
essential for horses and mules, if these are to do
work, could not he ohtained except in scanty quan-
tities, with nuich difficulty and at great prices. I
was asked for a sack of mealies, 200 lb. in weight,
ol. lOy. There had been no oro-anization in this
country during the past season for collecting sup-
plies of grain or food. A little care, forethought,
and enero'v exercised since the close of the rainy
season, would have collected, stored, and economized
great quantities of forage and of food at the forts
and at the various post stations ; l^ut nothing had
been done, and the Company itself, for the feeding
of many animals, depended upon the uncertain and
precarious arrival of a waggon now and then bear-
in o; a few sacks of i>:rain.
Nothing can be more serious than this state
of things in a country where locomotion depends
upon the health and strength of your animals,
and where the health and strength of your
animals depend upon abmidant and regular
supplies of food. The grass over miles and miles
of country had been burnt ; nightly conflagrations
of grass and IdusIi brilliantly illuminate the horizon
in all directions, and day after day the oxen had
to travel further and further afield in search even of
the " sour veldt " which this country throughout
its whole length and breadth alone produces. I
did not expect to be able to send much assistance
to my belated waggons, but determined to give up
shooting and return to Fort Salisbury by easy
232 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. ;
stages. Slow travelling was forced upon me, as I
was without mealies for the mules. Sir John
Willoughby left on the morning of the 26th to
return to Fort Salisbury, in order to superintend
the completion of his preparations for his expedi-
tion to Zumbo, on the Zambesi. " The Baboon,"
with the three roan antelope, did not reach our
camp till long after noon. These fine buck lying
confusedly on the rough sledge, " the Baboon," the
naked savages, and the mules, amid the camp
and forest surroundings, suggested a good sub-
ject for a sketch. Skinning, cpiartering, and
cutting up the meat into strijDS for bill-tong noAv
occupied all hands. Order and some degree of
cleanliness at length restored, Lee and I rode out
for a hunt. We soon started and chased a herd of
hartebeest, one of wliicli Icll to Lee's rifle. Lee
had been shooting to-day and the day before witli
a rifle lent him by Sir John Willoughby, and re-
gained his usual accuracy of aim. I was unfortu-
nate again in wounding another, which escaped,
though Ave followed for some distance his tracks.
Xext morning the " boys " were directed to take
the mule-waggon Ijack to the camp we had
originally occupied, some nine miles from the
Hunyani RiAcr. Lee and I mounted our horses to
make a wide circuit to the same place. A long-
ride we had, from 6 a.m. to middav, seeing nothino;
in the way of game save three wild pigs, which
we endeavoured, without success, to stalk. On
reaching our camp we found that the waggons had
arrived without misha]), and in the al'terncon
Back to Fort Salisbury. 233
again rode out. Five koodoo cows were all we
saw, and these we did not care to pursue. The
game in this country nuist Iiave been recently
much disturlx'd Ijy hunting parties. It was a
great disappointment not seeing any elands, as 1
had been assured they were plentiful. The
Avild, saMifre-lookino;, but harmless wildebeest I was
most anxious to see and shoot, but could not come
across any. The hunter soon tires of the perpetual
hartebeest, and even roan antelope pall upon one
after a time. At dawn next day we trekked to
the Hunyani River, avoiding, by a long detour,
the swamp where we had stuck so Ijadly some days
before. On this river, at the outspan, I met
Captain Co^'entry, who had been sent by ]\Iajor
Giles on horseback to Fort Salisbury to purchase
two spans of fresh oxen. These he had succeeded
in obtaining of moderate quality and at a high price,
ISl. 10s. per ox, and ^vas on his way back with
them to Fort Charter, wliei-e he hoped to find the
waggons. He had had and still had before him a long
and solitary i-ide. Also here 1 found ]\Ir. Alfred
Beit on his way from the ■Mazoe River to Hartley
Hill. We had not met since Tuli, and he had much
of interest to recount concerning the various
troubles, losses, and misfortunes which had beset
his travels in this ver}' odd and difficult part ol' tlie
world.
234 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER XV.
THE GOLD district OF THE MAZOE EIVEK.
Ill (juest of gold — Ex})loration syndicates — Mashonaland as a
field for emigration — The Mazoe gold-fields — Captain
Williams's report — Old workings^ — ^The " Golden Quarry "
mine — Other mines visited in the district — More disap-
pointments.
In the course of the morning I rode on into Fort
Salisbury, a distance of fourteen miles, which I
covered in an hour and a half. Here I found that
^Ir. Henry C. Perkins and Captain Williams had
returned from their expedition to tlie Mazoe River,
having had a very interesting time and some very
rough experiences in respect of food and shelter.
They brought no good report of the gold dis-
coveries in the Mazoe district. l\Ianv mines had been
visited and examined, Init nothing very promising
seen. The reefs appear to be similar in character,
long, thin, and fairly rich (some of them) on the
surface, but in all cases, so far as hitherto Avorked,
either " pinching out " to nothing at a depth of
from t\veuty-fi\'e to fifty feet, or degenerating into
(piartz containing little gold. Both the eminent
experts, Messrs. i^erkins and Rolker, were of
opinion that although here and there were reefs of
comparati\ely limited extent and depth, which
might yield a small profit to the small individual
In Quest of Gold.
235
miner, nothing had }^et heen discovered, nor did
the general formation encourage much hope that
there Avoukl lie discovered in that j)articuhir dis-
trict, any reef of such extent, depth, and quality as
woukl justifv the formation of a svndicate or com-
Mr. Perkins.
Mr. Eolker.
Visit to the Mazoe gold-fields. Experts at work.
pany, and a large expenditure of capital to pur-
chase and to work it. This opinion had become
known when I arrived at Fort Salisbury, and some
disappointment, and even despondency, prevailed.
So many hopes had been raised, so many castles
236 Men, Mines, and Animals tn South Africa.
built on the strength of claims pegged out on
promising-looking reefs, of selected specimens care-
lessly or ignorantly tested, of reports of inex-
perienced and even of designing jorospectors, that
there could not Ijut be a sharp reaction. I was of
opinion that, at any rate, it was a great thing to
know that there was no gold in the district (at
least of any importance), and consoled myself with
the reflection that in all probability Messrs. Perkins
and Rolker liad saved +he British puldic some con-
siderable sums of money. AVhat I have seen since
I commenced my travels in South Africa has led
me to the conclusion that no more unwise or unsafe
speculation exists than the investment of money in
exploration syndicates. There are many of these
at Avoi'k here, or on their way out, and most of those
Avliich have come under mv notice have liad tlieir
moneyfinely wasted, and their business properly mis-
manau'ed. Mainly oAvino; to o-ood foi'tune, g'ood
advice, and to the excellent qualities of those who
are conducting my expedition, I have some antici-
})ation of escaping from this country without any
appreciable loss of capital ; but there are several
shareholders at home in exploration syndicates out
here who will hardly see again a sixpence of their
money. It is, however, far too soon to give any
opinion as to the possible gold production of
Mashonaland. All hopes are now centred in the
Hartley Hill district, and on the Manica temtory,
both of which I hope to be able to visit. Reports
I'rom the former district are bright and alluring,
and even those prospectors and speculators who
Mashonaland as a Field for Emigration. 237
nf;knowle(l_uT'. tlic failin'o of tlio Mazoo o'old rpofs,
(loclai'o confidently tliat tliey ncxci- for a moment
placed those reefs on an equalit}' ^vitli the reefs of
Hartley Hill. Soon we shall be more perfectly in-
formed, for tlie mining experts proceed innne-
diately to this latter locality. Even if disappoint-
ment again awaits 11s, there is still Manica to fall
hack ujDon, of which territory, for reasons which I
cannot precisely define, I pei-sonall}- entertain great
hopes. Still, the non-discovery of alluvial deposits,
the historic certainty of the existence of those
deposits in the past, the quantity of old workings,
all reaching to a- particular depth and then aban-
doned, do suggest disagreeable doubts as to
whether the people of old days have not cleared the
country of its gold wealth.
Nor can I as yet escape from the opinion
that, as a field for emigration, Mashonaland is
a disappointment. The climate, fine in Avinter,
but in very many parts quite unhealthy for
Europeans in summer ; the torrential rains
of January and February, during Avliich all
work has to be suspended and roads become
impassable ; the prevalent malarial fcA'er, the
various animal pestilences, and apparent general
absence of rich deep soil, such as distinguishes
the Transvaal, seem to offer invincible ob-
stacles to large settlements of Avhite peoj^le.
Naturally, if great and rich gold discoveries are
made, those settlements will come, and nature's
obstacles will be mitigated and conquered. But
in the absence of such discoveries I cannot yet
238 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
l^erceive that Maslioiialantl has much to offer to,
much to attract the British emigrant. Here at
Fort Sahsbury, and on some of the higli vehlt, a
few might Hve and thrixe, but the want of any
laro-e market woukl prevent the ^-aininu' of wenhli.
I have been hunting over a ^vide tract of country
from four to five thousand feet a1)ove the level of
the sea, between the Upper Umfuli and Hunyani
Rivers, very beautiful, and fairly dry at this time
uf vear, with apparently rich soil. It Avas, however,
impossible not to detect from many signs and in-
dications that during the whole of the rainy season,
lastinof for three or four months, this wide stretch
of country is nothing but a vast swamp, in all like-
lihood reeking Avith malaria. It is quite possible
that as the work of exploration progresses general
conditions, nuich better in every Avav, may be ob-
served and noted. For the present, however, it
cannot be un-\vise or wrono- to check the formation
of hopes too high as to the value of this most recent
acquisition to the British Fmpire, or of plans for its
development too large and rapid.
I append some extracts from the report of Captain
Williams on his journey to the Mazoe River gold
district : —
Report by Captain G. Williams ox Certain
Mines.
" Early on the morning of August 18th, Mr.
Perkins and myself started for the Mazoe Gold-
fields with six indifferent oxen and a two-wheeled
On the Way to the Mazoe Gold-fields. 239
cart containing our provisions, blankets, etc.
About midday we reached tlie Gweebi River,
Avhich proved, in spite of its insignificant appear-
ance, a rather formidable obstacle to our dejected-
looking team, A^diich seemed quite unable to make
the slight effort necessary to pull us out. How-
ever, by completely unloading the waggon and
dio-o'ino- the o-round from under the wheels, we
enabled them eventually to drag themselves to
the other side, and "witliout further mishap we
reached ]\lount Hampden at nightfall, and were
soon afterwards joined bv ^Ir. Borrow (of the firm
of Johnson, Heaney, and Borrow). He had
followed us in a Cape cart drawn Ijy salted mules,
having very kindly consented to take us to the
best claims, and generally show us Avliat was
most worth examination. Up to this jiioint the
country was fiat, treeless, and occasionally marshy.
Some spoor was to be seen, Ijut no game was
caught sight of except a small buck and some
wild turkeys, although we met a party of pro-
spectors, some of whom iiad just shot an eland,
while the others were still out in pursuit of some
ostrich. We got under weigh next morning by
moonlight, about 5 a.m., and outspanned three
"^ hours afterwards on the Tatag-ora River, whore
Mr. Perkins had an opportunity of looking at
some claims on a neighbouring kopje which had
recently been purchased by the firm mentioned
above. The hill appeared to have been worked
on one side to some considerable extent by the
old miners. Several shafts have been cleared of
240 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
their debris nnd opened up, Init little or no vein
was to be seen in any except one recently sunk by
the present prospector, ^vho had struck a small
'stringer' of quartz, of wliicli Mr. Perkins took
a sample and found it to l)e of a very low grade.
These old workings are of a \'ery singular and per-
sistent character throughout the district, con-
sisting for the most part of circular shafts varying
in depth from t^'enty to eighty feet, and not
more than thirty to thirty-six inches in dia-
meter, which liave been sunk at all sorts of
distances apart, in many cases not more than one
foot, and in others as much as fifty or a hundred.
No outcrop is api^arent at the surface, and nothing
at the bottom of the shafts would seem to suggest
a likelier reason for the stoppage of work than
the gradual deterioration in the grade and size of
the veins. How these rich spots were originally
found, and why the shafts were so irregularly dis-
posed, are questions of which no one has as yet been
able to suggest a satisfactory solution. That they
were abandoned in haste is extremely improbable,
for throughout the whole of this district only two
implements have been found left in the bottom
of the shafts, in one case a rude stone chisel, or
jDick, in the other an earthen pot, similar in shape,
size, and material to those in use by the natives
at the present day. Any attempt to judge of their
age must be the merest guess-work, as for the
most part they might be anything from twenty to
one hundi-ed years, and although in a few cases
it is true that trees of some size are to be seen
Old Workinc;s. 241
actually growing in the old shafts, they are of
those soft-wooded and quick-growing varieties
which require but little time for development.
The country in the midst ol' which we now
found ourselves ^vas of quite a different character
to that previously traversed. From ]Mount Hamp-
den we had descended some 500 feet into the
valley of the Mazoe, and wooded hills and ridges,
grassy vleys, and clear running streams surrounded
us on every side. j^ ^^^^
'' Some of these hills afe of considerable height,
rising to as much as 1000 feet above the level
of the plain, but only in isolated instances was
any outcro}) of sedimentary rock visible, the
greater })ortion of them consisting of granite,
with but few volcanic intrusions. Round our
outsjoan several native kraals could be seen
perched upon the neighbouring crests, and I
believe it is not yet clearly understood whether
they select these steep and inconvenient homes
from the fear of MatalDele raids or upon the score
of health. I am rather inclined to take the last
supposition, as it is said that the Matabele have
not as yet penetrated to this part of the countrv,
and it would take a sharp experience to teach the
indolent ]\Iasliona that the laziest is not also the
best course. On our return to the wao-o-on we
found it surrounded by these natives, who had
brought mealies, milk, and Kaffir corn to barter
with. We were sadly in want of mealies for our
horses, as we had found great difficulty in obtain-
ing them at Fort Salisbury, but all our attempts
242 Men, Mikes, and Animals in South Africa.
at a deal ^vere fruitless. In vain ^Ye oftered calico
or limbo in exchange for their wares, in vain we
tried to seduce them with the glittering blue
bead or the empty cartridge-case. They were
not to be moved. It seems that these fastidious
and pampered barbarians have become nice about
the colour of their adornments, and will take
nothing but red or white limbo and a peculiar
sort of bead known as the red- white-eye. So,
disappointed, we puslied on to the claims next
worthy of attention, and spent an hour or t^vo
examinino- a shallow shaft and nalT0^v vein
which was submitted to our inspection. From
there to the huts of the minino' commissioner occu-
pied the rest of the day, and with tlie evening
came Mr. A. Beit and his partv, among whom Avas
included ^Ir. Rolker, the mining engineer of the
Chartered Coin2:)any. On the following day a
lovely ride of about seven miles took us all to visit
the " YelloAv Jacket ' mine, the j^roperty of Messrs.
Johnson, Heaney, and Borrow, of which Mr. Per-
kins and Mr. Rolker made a careful examination.
This reef extends some 1500 feet in length, and
two shafts have been sunk on it. Here no native
workings were seen, and the attention of the
prospectors was arrested b\^ the outcrop Avhich
extended for some distance and gave very rich
pannings. A specimen of this ore which was
pounded down on tlie spot for us gave roughly
about 60oz. to the ton. Unfortunately the
vein decreases lamentably in size and richness
as it descends, and samples taken at the bottom
The "Golden Quarry" Mine. 243
give very poor results. This was a, great disap-
pointment, as at the tojD the future seemed very
promising and represented a mining venture with
Avhicli any one might have been deceived. While
returning to camp we came upon about twenty
baboons playing at the foot of the hill, some of
them of great size, but they were too shy to allow
us to approacli nearer than about 200 yards. Mr.
Beit and his party left the next morning for Fort
Salisbury, while ^Ir. Perkins and myself, under
the guidance of Mr. Borrow, started on horseback
to visit a series of properties extending to a
distance of about forty miles from the jMining
Commissioner's camp, determining to depend
upon what hosj^itality Ave might hnd lor shelter
and food. AVe saw the ' Jumbo ' and the ' Golden
Quarry,' the last-named being again the property
of the enterprising firm before alluded to. The
former had but little to reconnnend it as far as
present development permitted to judge. The
latter seems to be a large burst of quartz very Avide
on the top, but, like all the rest, rapidly losing
li'rade and thickness as a loAver level is reached.
A spot of very rich ore Avas found on the out-
crop, and to Avork this a small three-stamp battery
has been erected. We found it busily pounding
nearly a ton a day, and getting very fair results,
in proof of which a basin was proudly produced
containing about fifty ounces of amalgam, and re-
presenting, I suppose, the first ' clean up ' as yet
made in Mashonaland. From there Ave rode on
to the camp of Count de la Panouse, Avhere we
K 2
244 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
were very hospitably ^ecei^'ecl, ;ind passed the
night. The folloAving day a ride of thirty miles
brought us to another eamp of this syndicate,
where the same kind reception awaited us ; but,
unfortunately, no realization of the somewhat
irlowinii' accounts we liad I'eceived as to the
valuable prospects of this property. A mass of
old workings surround the camp, and two shafts
have been sunk some considerable depth, but at
present without cutting the \ein at all, so nothing;
remained for us but to depart the next morning
on our long but l^eautiful ride homewards. During
the journey we crossed many bright, clear little
rivers ; but in the opinion of Mr. Perkins there is
not sufficient fall nor enough Avater in them to
justify their employment for anything requiring
the generation of much power. The general
aspect of the countr}' is the same here as was
described above, but the timber is small, and of
a soft quality, unsuitable generally for large
lumber. There is, however, plenty for hrewood,
small mining props, and so Ibrth. From August
26th to the 28tli we examined the property of the
Exploration Company Syndicate, which is large
and scattered. The reefs throughout presented
the same character, and so far as we have seen
appear uniformly superficial, extending longitu-
dinally for considerable distances, but ' pinching '
out and losing their gold as depth is attained.
The shafts which the i)rospectors have sunk are
principally Acrtical, and as little drifting work
has been done a very small portion of the
More Disappointments. 245
vein is exposed in each case, Avliicli of course
makes it difficult to form a very conclusive
opinion. Some of tlie reefs cany gold to a fair
extent, and in ^Ir. Perkins' opinion it would
be possible to make them pav a little profit I'tv
small individual enterprise ; but neither the extent
of the reefs, the quality of the ore, nor the general
formation of the country, so far at least as judg-
ment can be formed on what has been seen, could
justifv the formation of large London companies
for their further de^'elopment."
246 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER XVI.
HUXTIXG THE ANTELOPE OX THE HIGH VELDT.
We start for Hartle}^ Hill — The Mashonas as servants — Mar-
riage in Maslionaland — All alone on the Veldt — Hints to
hnnters when lost on the Veldt — A K'lffir kraal — Barter
with the natives — Dangerously bad shooting — The troubles
of trekking — The country l)et\veen Fort Salisbury and
Hartley Hill — Wild flowers and fruit — Unsuccessful
chase after ostriches — -A fine herd of eland — The bull of
the herd falls to my gun.
The record of iii)' travels continues to l)e niainl}'
occupied witli details of the chase. Saturday,
Auo'ust 21)th, and the followinij: Sundav and
Mondav were busy days Avitli all of us. j\Iessrs.
Perkins and Rolker were at work from dawn to
dusk panning, assaying, and Aveighing the gold
extracted from the numerous samples of rpiartz
Avhich they had l^rought with them from the ^lazoe
district gold-fields ; while Captain A\ illiams and I
had our time taken up with preparations for our
journey to Hartley Hill, such as procuring the
indis]:»ensable mealies and other kinds of provi-
sions, hiring a fresh span of oxen for the Scotch
cart. Two roads lead from Fort Salisbury to
Hartley Hill ; the lower road, said to be about
twenty or twenty-fi\'e miles the sliorter of the two,
follows the main route to the south as far as the
Hunyani River, after crossing which it branches off
We start for Hartley Hill. 247
to the west, traversing some swampy and difficult
ground. The distance by this road to Hartley
Hill is computed at about fifty-three miles. The
upper road, which I calculate to be nearly seventy
miles in length, proceeds first nearly north-west
from Fort Salisbury, afterwards turning to the
Avest and south, and this road also crosses in parts
swam23s and marshy ground. A new road lying
between these two and following higher levels is
noAv in course of construction ; when completed,
communication between these two important
centres ouo'ht to l^e o-peatlv facilitated. It may be
mentioned that in the rainy season the two existing
roads are said to be altogether impassable either
for the lightest vehicles or even for horses alone.
Our arrano-ements were that Messrs. Perkins and
Rolker, accompanied by Captain Williams, were
to proceed as quickly as possible by the loAver road,
whereas Hans Lee and myself preferred to follow
the upper and longer route, along which we were
assured we should find considerable quantities
of o-ame. I left Fort Salisburv in the mule wao-o-on
on the afternoon of August olst, having made
arrangements during the course of the da}^ with a
young and enterprising auctioneer for the sale at
Fort Salisbury, in the early days of October, of the
whole plant of my expedition. This will be an
interestino; sale as the first of its kind which has
taken place in the country. We trekked about
seven miles, encamping for the night in a small
grove. One of the three natives whom I mentioned
in a former letter as joining us on our departure
248 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
from Fort Victoria left my service this evening
without notice. I learnt afterwards that another
of the trio who had remained with C'aptain
Williams also bolted the same evening. These
two were brothers, and had evidently made
arrangements to depart simultaneously. They
M^ere Aery foolish, for they had been kindly treated,
well fed, and their work had been light, and by
bolting thus they lost the l)lankets which they
Avould shortly have received as their wages, which
are so dearly prized by the Mashona. However,
they carried off with them some clothes ^'hich Ave
had bought for them, and a fair quantity of " bil-
tong." All opinions concur as to the utter A\'ortli-
lessness of the Mashona as labourers or as servants.
They rarely stay more than a fortnight "with any
one person, and almost always bolt slioidd any
blankets or clothin"- l)e o-i\en them. One of the
trio, " Tiriki " b}- name, alone remained faithful.
I had a conversation with him the first evening-
out fi-om Fort Salisbury, Hans Lee acting as inter-
preter. He told me he was not related to the two
defaulters, and that he Avas rather glad they had
gone, as they tAvo, being brothers, had conspired
to put all the Avork upon him. I did not person-
ally perceive Iioav their departiu'c Avould lighten
his labours. He also told me that he Avas A-ery
anxious to get married, as, if he Avere lucky, his
A\qfe might have daughters Avhoni he an'ouUI be able
to sell in exchange for goats. It seems that in
j\Iaslionaland boys are perfectl}' Avorthless articles.
I asked him Iioav much it AVould cost to bu)' a A^'ife,
Marriage in Mashonaland. 249
to which he replied that to buy a very pi'etty wife
required seven things, two goats, two blankets,
two spades, and some other article to be specified,
according to the taste or fancy of the vendor.
Tiriki has remained with me till now, and Avill. I
hope, before I lea^'e ^lashonaland, be in a position to
acquire the Avife he longs for, more especially as he
told me he had a girl in his eye who might be bought
up before long by some one richer than himself.
i\_t dawn the next morning I rode out Avith Lee
on to the veldt, having instructed our bovs to
make a short trek, and outspan at the nearest
water and shade. We rode for some three hours
across some fine open veldt, much of Avhich was
well watered, and appeared to be suital~)le either
for grazing or for tillage. A good many farms have
been marked out in this neighbourhood, and some
actually occu])ied. deserving a solitarv kopje in
the distance, we rode towards it, and from the
summit searched the surrounding plain with a
telescope. In a few minutes we descried a herd of
about a dozen hartel^eest, and about half a mile
further to the north a nice herd of roan antelope,
among Avhich was to be ])erceived a fine old bull.
These latter we preferred to chase. As a rule,
these large antelope allow the hunter to approach,
esiDgciall}^ if he is down wind, within a distance of
three or four hundred yards, standing looking curi-
ously at him, Thev then make aAvay at a slow
pace ; you canter after them quietly, increasing
your proxijnitv to them. After going a few hun-
dred yards they generally stand and look round
250 Men, Mines, and Animaes in South Africa.
ao-aiu. Now is the time for a good shot if you
have got, as you ought to have done, within two
hundred yards of them. After the first shot they
make off at a gallop, and the hunter must ride his
horse to keep up with them, but it is certainly
better, if you desire to kill several of a herd, not
to press them too closely, contenting yourself with
shootino; from time to time at a somewhat lono-er
range, and at the same time not exhausting the
powers of your horse. In this way, under the
guidance of Lee, I have several times chased good
herds of buck for twenty minutes or half an hour,
getting manv shots. With this particular herd
the old ))ull first oftered me a fair chance, l)ut I
missed him; he galloped ofl:'; with my second
barrel I hit hard a bio- cow with fine horns. Seeino'
she was badlv Avounded and could not gallop very
far or fast, I made after her, and soon finished her
with another bullet. Lee in the meantime had
galloped after the herd, and had laid Ioav a nice
young bull, which later turned out to be the most
excellent eating. Having " done the civil " (i.e.
grallocked and covered up with grass and branches)
to our two dead buck, we turned our steps towards
the road. On our way we came across the herd
of hartebeest originally seen from the kopje whicli
had been but slightly disturbed by our cliase after
the roan antelope. I got a longish shot at one of
these, and, noticing that he turned away from the
rest of the herd, galloped after him, thinking that
I had Avounded him. I was soon joined in the
pursuit by Lee, who dismounted and fired three
All alone on the Veldt. 251
pilots without effect. I continued to chase the
l)uck, who did not seem to be able to get very far
away from me. He held c^n, howeyer, for a long
distance, sometimes being as iar away as fiye or
six liunchTd yards, sometimes allowing me to come
much closer, when I dismounted and fired. With
my sixth shot I hit him in the haunch, and re-
mounting soon had the pleasure of seeing his pace
get slo^ver and slower from a canter into a. trot,
from a trot into a walk, finall}" sinking on to the
ground. I rode up to him and otf-saddlcd my
panting and dripping horse, now completely blo^Ti
by a gallop of upwards of three miles oyer the most
varied country, through swamp^^ ground, groves of
trees and bush, and o^'er rocky koj^jes. This was
the first hartebeest I had managed to ride dovra
and shoot by myself, and I was proportionately
delighted. I found myself all alone on the veldt,
I^ec having for some reason or other discontinued
the chase. While I was engaged in opening the
buck I was startled by a voice behind me. Look-
ing round, I perceived three natives with the usual
amount of clothing and assegai. Xot knowing
quite what the intentions of these barbarians might
be, I immediately, with very dignified and lofty
signs, ordered them to complete'the disembowelling
of the buck, and to cut l)ranches and grass with
which to cover it up. This they most meekly did,
upon which I graciously permitted them to carry
away the entrails. I ^vas now somewhat in a
quandary, not knowing where I was, being totally
unable to discover the way I had come, and Lee
252 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
beino; nowhere in sight. However, I knew the
road ran west, and tliat if I took a southerly course
I must soon cut it. It may be well for the inex-
l^erienced in the chase on the South African veldt
to remember an elementary fact, that at middav in
the Southern Hemisphere the sun is always in the
north, and that to go due south you have only to
keep the sun shining on the back of your neck.
One or two other little useful facts may l)e here
set down. If lost at night on the veldt on a bright
starry evening, four times and a half the lengtli
of the Southern Cross, measured from the summit
to the base, in the direction of the base indicates
the position of the South Pole. The direction of
the wind is apt to be misleading, as it generally
follows the sun in the course of the day. It is
M'ell fur a hunter lea vino- his wago-ons on the
O Co
" trek " to make these latter drag a chain between
the rear wheels. When in returning from the
chase you reach the I'oad, you can easily discover
from the presence or absence of the marks of the
chain in the dust, among innuinei'able other spoor,
whether your waggons are before or liehind you.
Sir Frederick Carrington taught me this simple
little dodge, which, fortunately for its efficacy, is
hardly at all resorted to. It is very imprudent
for anv one to go huntino- on the veldt without a
small supply of biscuits and whisky. Chocolate is
an excellent thing to carry, and a box of matches
is essential. If the hunter towai'ds the evening
finds himself really lost, and is a great distance
from his camp, it is much better to reahze the
Lost at Nightfall. 253
fact while some daylight remains, and to make
timely preparations for passing the night on the
A'eldt, such as choosin2: a o^ood tree to A\'hich to
attach vour horse, and collecting an jimple stock
of tire wood to last through the night. If these
preparations are postponed too long, darkness super-
venes, and the hunter is helpless. Also, if being-
lost on the veldt you happen to kill a buck, choose
your resting-jDlace for the night some distance
away from the dead game, Avliich is likely to
attract either wohes oi' lions, in whose Aicinity at
night it is well not to l^e. I found my way to the
road, and shortly afterwards to the waggons, without
much difficulty, and despatched the ''Baboon" to
search for and bring in the two dead buck, A\diicli
task he successfully accomplished l)efore dark.
At sundown I was surprised l^y the arri\'al of
Messrs. Perkins and Rolker, A^'llo I thought had
gone with Captain Williams along the loAver road.
Thev brought the somewhat gloomy intelligence
that the span of oxen which had been hired for
the Scotch cart had strayed and been lost, oAving
to the carelessness ol' our lioys, and that Captain
Williams had remained behind to try and recover
them. L^p to this moment nothing had been heard
of these lost oxen, although parties Avere sent in
all directions to search for them, and Captain
AVilliams eA^entually arrived at Hartley Hill with
another span, AAdiich had been kindly lent him by
the officials of the Chartered Company. On the
foUoAvino; mornino- 3Iessrs. Perkins and Piolker
proceeded on their A\'ay, Avhile I contented mA'sell'
254 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa
with ;i four miles' trek to a Kaffir kraal of some
size, picturesquely perched on the peaks of a rocky
kopje, similar to the one near Fort Salisl3ury,
which I described in a former chapter. Here, under
the ample shade of a laro-e " makoona " tree, I
made a comfortable camp. We AYere soon sur-
rounded by a score of natives, old and young, male
and female, who, in exchange for the fresh meat
-svith which we were provided, gave us large sup-
plies of mealies and of Kaffir corn. I tried in vain
to purchase a goat, as also milk and eggs, but none
of these commodities would they produce. About
noon, the sun Ijeing very hot, Lee and I rode out
on our daily hunt. Soon ^ve saw a solitary harte-
beest standing under a tree looking at us, at Avhich
I fired at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards.
After the shot he moved a lew paces to the right,
and still remained gazing at us intently. Seeing
that he was not disposed to make off, and thinking
I had missed him, I sat down on the ground, and,
resting my ritle on my knees, took steady aim.
This bullet hit him in the chest, and he staggered
away a few yards and fell. On going up to him I
found that my first ballet had broken the lower
jaw. This wound must have stupefied him, and
probal)ly accounted for his immobility after my
first shot. Groing on, we again ascend a kopje to
spy the plain. As usual, we j^ei'ceive liartebeest
and roan antelope in difierent directions, and, as
usual, prefer to pursue the latter. These were
two cows, which, on being chased for a short way,
led us on to a herd of seven other roan antelope.
Dangerously bad Shooting. 25^
We had a iine gallop of nearly three miles after
this herd, getting many shots. I knocked down
the old bnll, to Avhicli in passing, Lee gave what
he thought to be a finishing shot. I made after a
cow which seemed to be wounded, and rode her
to a standstill. I finished her off with a shot hred
from the horse's back, and returned to look for
the bull. The old fellow, as soon as he saAv me
approaching, rose to his feet and staggered away
for some distance, and then stood and looked at
me. Dismountinii- within a rani2e of less than lOU
yards, and sitting down, resting my rifle on my
knees, I fired four bullets at him, thi-ee of which
missed him clean, the fourth penetrating the head
and putting an end to his sufferings. This was
dano'erouslv bad shootino; if a lion had been the
object instead of a roan antelope, but along gallop
over the veldt under a hot sun makes the eye and
the hand alike unsteady. On the morning of the
3rd of September, " tlie Baboon " having been
sent awav to fetch the antelope killed the day
before, Lee and I I'ode in a westerly direction to
another Kaffir kraal. Here the natives ^vere
making Avhat was evidenth' a new installation. I
noticed that their huts, Avitli conical roofs, and
their small circular store-houses constructed of
clay and wattle, were erected with marvellous
neatness, and even symmetry. I tried to purchase
a cow, but the owner declared he would not part
with her unless he received two Martini-Henry
rifles Avith sufficient nmmunition. One of the
natives offered to a'uide us back, so we foUoAved
256 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
him. After going for more than four miles, he
led us right on to a splendid herd of about forty
sable antelope, among which could be easily per-
ceived a regular old patriarch of a bull Avitli long-
upstanding black mane and wide arching horns.
I had always been longing to come across such a
herd, but till to-day had only been successful in
meeting with single specimens. Nothing more
beautiful can be imagined than the sight of this
great lot of antelope careering over the plain from
two to three hundred yards ahead of us. For
some reason or other I shot terribly badly this
morning. In a gallop of upwards of three miles I
fired twenty-seven cartridges and only actually
killed one, although I wounded another whicli Lee
hnished. Lee killed three, among which Avas the
old bull, whom I found, on examination, to possess
a pair of horns of surpassing excellence. These
hve antelope lay dead on the ground over a dis-
tance of about two miles. I would have pursued
the herd further than I did but tliat a nastA'
spruit intervened, in crossing whicli the antelo])e
gained an immense start, and my horse, becoming
utterly blown, was unable to make up the lost
ground. ]\Iy last shot, fired at a distance of moi-e
than 400 yards right at the herd, brought down a
nice young bull, which Lee managed to gallop
after and secure. In the afternoon we trekked
five miles towards the ground where the sable
antelope lay dead, and on the following morning
Lee set out at dawn with four horses to find the
old bull and the two cows, while " the Baboon '"
I
The Troubles oe Trekking. 257
with ten mules started off to bring in tlie other
cow and bull, which lay at some distance away.
" The Baboon " brought in his two animals safe
and untouched. Lee was only successful in finding
the old bull, the natives having probably carried
oft' entire the t\Y0 dead cows. In the afternoon
numbers of natives came in from a kraal in the
vicinity. In the short space of two hours the
three big buck had been cut up and bartered away
and distributed in return for mealies, Kaffir corn,
some milk, and a few eggs. The natives are
passionately fond of fresh meat, and will give more
in exchange for it than for " limbo," wire, or
beads. The two following days we occupied in
trekking, as time was getting on and Hartley Hill
>was still distant. During the trek, Lee saw,
chased, and killed a good sable antelope bull.
During these two days we had to cross a series of
swampy places, and three times we stuck fast
hopelessly. The tedious and fatiguing process of
oft-loading, of carrying the goods for a considerable
distance, and of aoain unloadino- had to be con-
stantly gone through, to our inexj)ressible annoy-
ance and disgust. I think on the whole it is better
when the wao-o-on first buries its wheels in the mud
and sticks to outsi3an your team and to attach it
to the rear of the waggon and to draw this back,
than to attempt to drag it forward, when spades,
pickaxes, and even off-loading are apt to become
unavailing, and you have to wait till some chance
passing waggon gives you the assistance of it!:^
team, and extricates you from the morass.
s
258 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
The whole of the country which lies between
Fort Salisbury and Hartley Hill consists of wide
undulating plains, dotted here and there with
ko]3Jes and intersected by groves and by lono- belts
of thick bush. In many parts the veldt is covered
with a quantity of green plants of many varieties,
and with a profusion of wild flowers in full bloom.
The petunia grows wild all over this veldt. In
the frequent hollo's vs of the plains water is always
to be found, and swampy, marshy ground em-
barrasses and delays your waggon. On the evening
of the 6th we encamped on the banks of the Saroe
ri^'er. Here Lee observed some comparatively
recent traces of hippopotami, and early the next
morning he and I set off up the ri\'er in search of
these creatures. But we were unsuccessful, and
saw no hippo. This morning I came across a wild
fig tree, with much ripe fruit. This fruit is of a
soft rose colour, much smaller tlian the ijarden fio-
at home, quite as sweet, with the seeds inside small
and dry. These are often much infested by ants,
so that one has to be careful in eatino- these fios.
This curious tree seems to have a habit of j^ro-
ducing ripe fruit at any season of the year. The
only other incident of the day's ride was the a]?-
pearance of an immense quantity of baboons, the
first that I had happened to see since I had landed
in Africa. These were very wild, and fled long
before we got at all near them. In the afternoon
we trekked fourteen miles to the Zimboe river.
Here I found outspanned a small party of three
men with donkeys, who were in a great state of
Wild Flowers and Fruit. 259
excitement at having seen close by the road a hii-ge
herd of elands, as they said, some fifty in nnmber.
Next morning Lee and " the Baboon " foniid the
spoor of these elands, and tried for a couple of
hours unsuccessfally to follow it. I then again
trekked, but had not proceeded far before I over-
took one of my friends of the previous evening,
who had been out shooting, and had killed a roan
anteloj^e, had seen the elands in the distance, as
also some ostrich, neither of which, being on foot,
had he been able to pursue. On receiving this
intellio'ence, Lee and I immediately mounted our
horses, and, leaving the waggon to trek on to
Hartley Hill, rode on toA^'ards the spot where the
elands were supposed to be. On this day I saw a
greater quantity and variety of game than I had
seen on any other since I began hunting in Africa.
AVe first sighted some large buck, which we took
to be elands ; getting near them, they turned out
to be a herd of seven fine koodoo bulls. I took a
shot at one of them at a distance of over 200
yards, but was not successful, the herd galloping
off just as I pulled the trigger. We did not j^ursue
them, as eland was the game we were after. We
soon came upon the s^^oor of the eland, quite fresh,
indicating their proximity. While we were
following it up through a grove of trees ^ye dis-
cerned about half a mile out on the plain five
ostriches. It Av^as now a question which to go
after, the ostrich or the eland, and after much
hesitation and discussion we determined to chase
the ostrich. We had a good gallop after these for
s 2
26o Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
more than a quarter of an hour. They took a
circular course, and as we occupied the inside of
the circle, both Lee and I obtained half-a-dozen
good shots each. Alas ! we both shot very badly,
not one was brought down, but I expect an
ostrich going full tilt is not an easy object to hit.
Galloping after the ostrich, my horse, putting his
foot in a hole, came heavily to the ground. I did
not lose my seat, but lost my ]4fle, which was
thrown some yards away. Tliis incident caused
delay, and allowed the ostrich to get too far from
us, so we abandoned the chase, chagrined at our
bad shooting and at not having secured the cock
bird, which was in fine plumage. The appear-
ance, however, of these great l)irds skimming
along over the plain Avith their somewhat grotesque
action had been very pleasant and exciting. While
we were dismounted, watching the disappearing
ostrich tlirough a telescope, three sable antelope
approached us and stood looking, aljout 400 }'ards
away. They seemed to be aware that we had no
intention of molesting them, for tliey kept near us
for some time after Ave had mounted and Avei'c
riding along, showing no signs of alarm even Avlien
they had our Avind. The day Avas very hot, and I
liaA^e noticed that at mid-day, AAdien the heat is
great, and Avhen there is little wind, the antelope
are often singularly tame. Xoav again, being on
an eminence, we spied the plain, the sable antelope
also spying us close by. To our joy the elands
Avere made out grazing along the edge of some
bush about a mile oil". The herd Avas sloAvly
A Herd of Elands. 261
approachecl, and was seen to be a large one,
nnniliering nearly tliirty, with several young
calves. At last I liacl come across these big-
creatures about which I had heard so much, whicli
I had hoped for so many days and dreamed of so
many nights. The herd looked splendid ; con-
spicuous among them stood the old bull, in
appearance almost twice as big as the cows, and
very majestic. Oft' they trotted into the bush as
we came within 500 yards ; after them we cantered,
and were soon close on their heels. The eland is
not speedy like the roan antelope, hartebeest, or
sable antelope ; he hardly ever goes out of a trot,
but when he is alarmed this trot keeps a horse at
a good hand canter to remain Avithin shootino*
distance. I went after the old bull, who soon left
the herd, and, accompanied by a single cow, took
over the plain. In a patch of bush this cow
abandoned him, and he trotted along all alone, a
great, fine beast. Three times I missed him. My
fourth l^uUet hit him high in the haunch, near the
tail, when he was al)out 150 yards away, as he was
crossing a s^Druit. Then I saw he could go no
longer, and rode up slowly within twenty yards of
him. I shall never forget the sight of this noble
and commanding luill eland looking at me most
reproachfully, and from time to time moving away
a i'ew paces very slowly. There was nothing un-
gainly or convulsive about his attitude or action,
as is often the case with other wounded buck
when the hunter draws near. AVlien dismounting
I gave him a bullet behind the shoulder, he
262 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
moved away a few more paces, and lay down quite
o-racefully on the ground, sighing. Then turning
on his side, stretching out wide apart his fore and
liind legs, and again relaxing them, he expired in
a position of complete repose. In weight he must
have exceeded a thousand pounds ; his horns were
long, straight, thick at the base, with a spiral
twist in them. Lee came up, and we had hard
work to cut branches and grass sufficient to cover
and hide so large a beast. From twenty to thirty
pounds of the meat, taken from the back and
breast, we cut off at once, and attached to our
saddles ; and when mounted must have looked
like a peram1)ulatiiig l)utclierV shop. It Avas well
that we carried off so much meat with us, as a
grass fire Iilazing in the vicinity, impelled by the
Avind, after our departure enveloped and consumed
our fine eland bull, and on the morrow "the
Baboon"' found l:)iit a cliarred carcase, the horns
being the onlv portion of the remains which tlie
flames had been unable to destroy or spoil. A
long ride of ten or twelve miles lay before us to
Hartley Hill, which we reached about four o'clock
in the afternoon, seeing on our Avay many buck
of various sorts, Avhich Ave disdained to chase.
Hartley Hill. 263
CHxVPTER XVII.
WEALTH OE MASHONALAND. DOUBT AND DISAP-
POINTMENT.
Hartley Hill — Our party again i;nited — The Tsetse-fly pest —
jNlr. Perkins joins me in a clay's shooting — Surgeon
Eayner's adventure with a lion — Contemplating the return
journey — Making a clean V)reast of it — Deceptive appear-
ances — Reefs in the Eiffel district — What is to become of
the country 1 — Mr. Perkins and the leopard.
Hartley Hill is a low two-peaked kopje, rising
out of a plain covered with thick bush. At the
foot of the koj^je runs the Zimboe, a fresh stream
floAving in a rocky bed, which, within a distance
of half a mile, joins the Umfuli. This latter river
is here a line piece of water. It was quite re-
freshing after so long a travel in q, comparatively
waterless land to find one's self gazing at the long,
broad, deep flats which distinguish the Umfuli
as a real river from among such a number of
capricious and scantily supplied water-courses.
Tliere is little of attraction in Hartley Hill itself.
The kopje has an unhealthy, stuffy appearance,
and its sanitary character corresponds with its
appearance. The soil has been much tainted with
numerous " outspans." A veritable plague of
common black flies persecutes one from morning
till evenino". For some reason or other the fresh
264 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
breezes which daily sweep over the veldt scarceh^
seem to penetrate to, or in any way relieve the
oppressive atmosphere of Hartley Hill. On the
higher peat of the kopje Messrs. Johnson, Heaney,
and Borrow have, with their usual enterprise,
erected huts and store-houses. On the other and
lower peak, Mr. G-raham, the Alining Commissioner,
has his offices and abode. Manv stories of adven-
The miaing settlein9nt at Hartley Hill.
tares with lions were current when I arrived at
Hartley Hill. On the first night I was there a
lion broke into the kraal of the firm mentioned
above, situated close to where I was outspanned,
killed, and carried oiF a donkey. This lion on Uvo
successive evenings returned to his prey, and shots
were fired at him Avithout eftect. One of the
prospectors in the ser^nce of Sir John Willoughby,
I
Our 1'artv again United. 265
hearing a noise, went out in the dusk of the
morning, and seeing three large animals, hred at
them witli his rifle and hiid them all low. Snnrise
revealed to him that he had slain three of his
master's donkeys. I foimd on getting to Hartley
Hill that Mr. Alfred Beit, accompanied by Messrs.
Perkins and Rolker, had gone into tsetse-flv
country to inspect some reefs about the wealth of
which rumour had been active, situated in the
" Eiffel district," and were not expected back for
two or three days. On the following morning, to
my great relief. Major Giles turned up with a
Avaggon laden ^vitli stores and other things of
which I was much in want. He brouo-ht re-
assuring news of my waggons and oxen, which he
had left outsi:)anned on the Hunyani river, twelve
miles from Fort Salisbury. The difficulties and
distresses of the expedition had not in reality been
so great as had been represented to me in the
letter I received three weeks before, while hunting
on the Upi^er Umfuh. The oxen had now found
good veldt, where they were picking up strength
and putting on flesh rapidly. Captain Williams
arrived in the evening from Fort Salisbury,
accomj^anied by Sir John AVillough1)y, the latter
on his way to the Zambesi. On the following day
Surgeon Rayner, Captain Coventry, and Mr.
Mackay came into camp. Our party then was
again united, with the exception of i\Ir. Edgell,
left in charge of the waggons and oxen on the
Hunyani river, A month and two days had
elapsed since we separated at Fort Victoria, and it
266 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
was j^leasant and cheering being once more to-
gether, all of us having experienced various
troubles and adventures, none of us having suffered
from any illness or real misfortune. Time passed
rapidly in recounting to each other our different
narratives, in making plans and arrangements for
future operations. Soon Major Giles returned to
Fort Salisbury to prepare for the sale of the outfit.
Mr. Mackay, with a prosjDector of some experience,
was despatched to the Umswezi river to examine
certain reefs which were reported to be rich.
This district is infested by the tsetse fly ; neither
horses, mules, nor oxen can be taken there. The
miner travels on foot, with donkeys carrying his
baggage. Donkeys do not enjoy any real im-
munity from the effects of the bite of the tsetse
fly, but as they appear to resist the poison for a
nuich longer period than any other animal, and as
they are of small value, thev are found to be of
great use for transport in tlie " fly " country.
A certain time having to l^e passed while reefs
were being examined and reports made, I resolved
upon another shooting ex|)edition to the locality
where I had seen the elands, the ostriches, and
many other buck. Mr. Henry C. Perkins, who
had had no good shooting, managed to steal a day
from his mining business and came with me. We
trekked on to the veldt, some ten miles from
Hartley Hill, and went hunting on the following
morning. A good many liuck were seen and shot
at, hartebeest, waterbuck, duiker. Mr. Perkins
Avas successful in securing a fine sable antelope
bull, after a regular Highland stalk, and an old
The King of the Forest. 267
ram reitbuck. We also chased a large herd of
roan antelope, which led us along some terribly
rocky and stony ground, where galloping was
almost impossible. We managed, however, to kill
the old bull of the herd. I remained in this camp
for two days after Mr. Perkins had returned to his
mines and his reefs, but got little sport. The buck
lind been too much chased, and had mostly
abandoned the locality. On one morning my
hopes were excited by coming across a large out-
crop of apparently good-looking quartz. This,
liowever, when panned was found not to contain
any gold,
T^\'o davs after my return to Hartley Hill,
Surgeon Rayner and Hans Lee ^vent out to try
and get a buck or two, as the camp wns in
want of fi-esh meat. Anol:)ler game awaited them.
Two lions were seen stalking a herd of roan
nntelope. The former Avere at once pursued, and
one of the couple soon had three bullets in his
hind quarters. Retreating into some high grass,
he afterwards charged and chased his hunters,
getting rather too close to the doctor to be quite
pleasant. This was his last effort, for he was badly
wounded, and a bullet in his head terminated his
wicked career. As fine a specimen of a lion as
could be seen, he measured twelve feet three
inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his
tail, his skin was in perfect condition, his mane
Ijushy and dark coloured. The doctor returned to
camp greatly pleased with his exciting and fortu-
nate adventure. The indefatigable Lee rode out
again in the evening and killed a sable antelope
268 Men, Mines, and Animals in South xAfrica.
and a hartebeest, so that we were not deprived of
fresh meat on account of the lion.
An exjDedition in this country is ahnost entirely
dependent for fresh meat on the buck which are
killed. The natives will not part with their sheep
and goats. While I was at Hartley Hill a trader
came in from Buluroyo, with slaughter oxen,
bouo-ht from Lobens-ula from the Chartered
Company. I procured from him two good sheep
and a goat. The fat mutton was found l^y all to
be a real luxury. I also purchased from this man
tT70 milch cows. These tiny creatures are with
difhculty prevailed upon to yield about three
bottles of milk a day between them, keeping tlie
rest for their calves, from which the natives never
separate them. However, even this scanty quantitv
of fresh milk was another luxury which had not
been enjoyed for weeks or months, and on which
we set great store. AYhile at Hartley Hill the
increasing heat of the sun indicated the close of
the South African winter. Heavy masses of clouds
gathering in the afternoon, a sultry and oppressive
air, foretold the near commencement of the early
rains and storms. Surgeon Rayner ascertained
that at midday the thermometer in the shade
marked eighty-five degrees. The nights remain
cool and fresh, the mercurv ranoino- from fortv-
' .,00 I
five to fifty degrees. Many signs and appearances,
however, continue to tell us that our return
journey must soon occupy our thoughts. A
troublesome prospect this return journey. Eight
thousand miles nearly have to be traversed before
Making a Clean Breast of it. 269
we see England again. The choice of route also
perplexes ; whether to retread the weary and
monotonous 2:>ath to Victoria and Tuli, or whether
to attempt to reach the coast vw the Pungwe,
hraving the " fly," the fever, and the discomfort of
being deprived of all wheeled vehicles, furnishes
matter for frequent and anxious deliberation. The
gold district of Manica has still to l^e visited,
but exjDectation is lowered and hope no longer
glows. For now I arrive at the most unsatis-
factory portion of my narrative, and have to make
a melancholy and mortifying confession.
In the earlier pages of this book I more
than once wrote about the wealth and fertility
of Mashonaland as of a fact about which there
could be neither doubt nor question. An ex-
traordinary concurrence of opinion on the part
of many travellers, confirmed largely by his-
torical record and by the traditions of gene-
rations, altogether misled me. But the truth
has to be told. jMashonaland, so far as is at
present known, and much is known, is neither an
Arcadia nor an El Dorado. The discovery that
the Mazoe river gold district Avas a disappointment,
and that no expectations of fortune could be
derived from it, was borne with comparative
equanimity, for all were assured, those who had
been resident in the country for some time and
those who had recently arrived, that the mineral
wealth in the district of Hartley Hill would more
than compensate for the deficiencies of Mazoe. It
seemed impossible that such a mass of apparently
2/0 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
substantiated report and of rumour could turn out
to be altogether valueless and misleading. I
speedily found out, however, that this was the
case. Mr. A. Beit with his j^arty returned from
their examination of the much talked about
'• Eiffel " district much disappointed. These reefs
are somewhat typical ; a considerable outcrop,
much of which when broken up shows a wonder-
ful appearance of visible gold ; this, however, when
extracted by crushing and panning, is found to be
of the hnest and thinnest character. It seems to
have been deposited in small flakes by Avater filter-
ing through the cracks and crevices of the quartz ;
so much so that ore, which at first sight might
lead even the experienced to hope that it would
yield three or four, or even more, ounces to the ton,
actually results in the 23roduction of from half-a-
dozen to a dozen pennyweights. As Avitli " The
Eiffel " reefs so with very many others. Again,
where the gold is of a coarser and better quality
firmly amalgamated Avith the quartz itself, then
the reef is foiuid either to have no apprecialjle
depth, or else at any appreciable depth to yield
little appreciable gold. Hardly an exception to
these general characteristics has as yet been dis-
covered. A large amount of rumour had Ibmid
its way to Hartley Hill as to the richness of the
reefs on the Umswezi river. Mr. Mackay returned
from an expedition there extending over some
days, but reported that he had found nothing
of promise, and the specimens he brought back
v/ith him, Avhen crushed, gave but poor pros-
Deceptive Appearances. 271
pects. Another district some fifty miles from
here do^uTi the Umfuli river, Avhere is situated the
Mammoth river about which much talk had been
made (as also the Lo Magundi district), is, I expect,
of no better character than those I have already
written about. j\Iauy prospectors, some working
for syndicates, some on their own account, many of
Australian and American ex^^erience, have no"\v
been occupied in these districts for some time.
Not one, although they are all sufficiently com-
mimicative, appears to be able to claim, or to be
desirous even of claiming, that he has discovered
anything of value or promise. Day by day I see
them abandoning the country with the usual ex-
pression that "it is not good enough for them."
Mr. Henry C. Perkins tells me that he was never
yet in any gold district where so few rich sj)ecimens
of quartz were brought for inspection. The gold
reefs of the country are of an exasperating char-
acter. When first seen and cursorily examined
the general appearance is promising, and hopes are
high ; l)ut the more they are developed, and the
more work is done upon them, the more un-
promising and valueless do they become. Such are
the facts as at j^resent kno^vn about the auriferous
Avealth of Hartley Hill and the surrounding district.
It is, of course, 2)ossible that in course of time
some fortunate band of prospectors may light
upon a really valuable reef, but no consideration or
iirgument that I know of leads me to the expecta-
tion that this will be the case any more than the
absence of gold in Middlesex would lead me to the
272 -Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
expectation that a gold mine would be discovered
in Grosvenor Square. I may, however, quaUfy the
unfavourable opinion of the gold-producing capacity
of this district expressed above, by the mention of
the fact that I have, in conjunction with ]\Ir. Alfred
Beit, pui'chased half the property in one of the
At Hartley Hill. Panning for gold at Mr. Borrow's hut.
mines belonging to Messrs. Johnson, Heaney, and
BorroAv. The pm-chase-money is to be expended
on the immediate development of the reef on
which, up to now, little or no work liJis been done.
If the reef is fomid on examination to go down,
some hundred feet or so — to be three or four feet
wide at thai depth, and to }-ield at that depth the
What is to bfxome of this Country ? 273
same amount of gold which it yields at the surface,
then the mine ^\dll be one of some value. But
looking to the general character of the other reefs
in this district I have little expectation that this
will be the case. If these general conclusions of
mine are correct, and I fear they may be, the
question presents itself, and is found to be almost
unanswerable, What is to be done with this country?
Agriculture on a large scale, cattle-ranching or
sheep-farming, except for the feeding of a large
mining population, would be a wild and ruinous
enterprise. The climate seems to be altogether
adverse to colonization and settlement by small
emigrants. Moreover, if this region of Africa so
exceptionally favoured in some ways by nature is
found to be of little value, how infinitely worthless
for all European pur^Doses must be the great district
of the Central Lakes, the wide possessions of the
East African Company, and the much-vaunted
Congo State ! Sometimes when thinking of Africa
as a whole, of Egypt, Tunis, and ]\Iorocco, of the
Soudan, and of Abyssinia, of the Congo and of the
Zambesi, of the many fruitless attempts made by
many nations to discover, conquer, and civilize, of
the many hopes which have been raised and
dashed, of the many expectations which have been
formed and falsified, it occurs to me that there
must be upon this great continent some awful curse,
some witherino; bli2:ht, and that to delude and to
mock at the explorer, the gold-hunter, the
merchant, the speculator, and even at ministers
and monarchs, is its dark fortune and its desperate
T
274 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
fate. It is possible, even probable, that these are
views too gloomy, formed and set down as they
occur to me under the influence of the disappoint-
ment occasioned by the discovery that, as in the
Mazoe so in the Hartley Hill district, there are
probably no gold reefs of value to be acquired.
Manica has yet to be visited, and the chai^acter of
that country may altogether change the colour of
my expectations.
On the 25th September I left Hartley Hill
to return to Fort Salisbury, and thence to
travel towards Manica. Soon I hoped we should
be in a position to know, or at any rate to
form a tolerably accurate judgment, as to whether
Mashonaland is destined to become a prosperous
British colony or to remain until the end of
time a barren and desolate African expanse.
A curious adventure befell Mr. Henry C. Perkins
the other day, in which he had a narrow escape
from serious personal injury. He and his fi'iends
were examining a reef, along which a trench had
been cut. At one part of this trench a narrow
shaft had been sunk some six feet in depth, at the
bottom of which a small tunnelling had been made.
Mr. Perkins was on the point of jumping down
the shaft to examine the reef, when it fortunately
occurred to him that as the sides were steep he
might have some difficulty in getting out again.
It was decided to wait before descending until a
rope could be procured. AVhile Mr. Perkins and
his friends were conversino- on the edo;e of the
shaft a roar and a rush was heard, and out bounded
Mr. Perkins and the Leopard. 275
amid the startled party a big leopard, which dashed
through their legs and disappeared into the bush.
This animal had evidently taken up its abode in
the little tunnelling at the bottom of the shaft, and
if Mr. Perkins had jumped down, as he intended
to do, perfectly unarmed, a terrible conflict would
probably have taken place between him and the
leo^^ard, in a small confined space, from which
escape was impossible, and Mr. Perkins ^7ould have
been very seriously, if not fatally clawed. Snakes
and scorpions are constantly found in these old
workings and shafts, and explorations and examina-
tions of mines are not without their o^vn special
dangers.
T jJ
2/6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
CHAPTER XYIIL
LIFE AT FORT SALISBURY.
Mineral wealth of Mashonaland — Reefs in tlie Mazoe Eiver
Valley — The '^ Matchless " Mine— Good news from Fort
Victoria — A personal statement — Enterprise at Fort Salis-
Ij^^ry — A model Ranche — Farms leased by the Chartered
Company — An interesting auction — Indignation meeting
against the Chartered Company — Horse-racing at Fort
Salisbury — Organizing the administration of Mashonaland
— Mr. Cecil Rhodes's views of the country.
The formation of any definite and precise opinion
about this country, its resources, and its prospects
I found to be a matter of difficulty. It cannot
be denied that the high hopes which were enter-
tained by so many and various competent
authorities as to the great mineral and agricultural
wealth of IMashonaland have not hitherto been
justified or nearly justified. This much is j)rob-
ably true : that agriculture, while it might be a
profitable enterprise for the feeding of a large
resident mining j^opulation, for purposes of ex-
port could not succeed. The soil, which in no
part, so far as I have seen or can learn, is of
any considerable- depth or richness, which over
vast tracks is of the most rocky and stony
character, which, over other vast tracks is
swampy, requiring difficult and costly drainage,
does not j^romise the cheap and easy production
of abundant crops of grain. The great length of
Mineral Wealth of Mashonaland. 277
the communications with the coast and the many
obstacles of one kind and another which em-
barrass those communications, forbid the export
of stock, alive or dead. If Mashonaland, there-
fore, has to rely for its prosperity upon its
agricultural capacity alone, it is a country with-
out a future. There remains the question. Is
Mashonaland a good gold country ? High pro-
fessional opinion is certainly inclined to answer
this in the negative, and to discourage the outlay
of capital. Without douljt numerous reefs, which
have been found in certain parts of the county,
which have been to some extent developed, and
from which fair samples have been taken and
most carefully assayed, have turned out to be of
little or no value. On the other hand, it may be
urged that, as the presence of auriferous quartz
all over the country, so far as yet exj^lored, is
constant, it is not unreasonable to exjDect that in
certain localities yet to be found the quartz will be
sufficiently auriferous to ensure profitable working.
Hitherto comparatively little j^^'^specting has
been done, and much of what has been done has
been pei'functorily and ignorantly conducted.
Many parties of .soi-disant prospectors have been
fitted out and maintained by syndicates, whose
ideas of their duty appear to be that they are to
stick to the main routes, lie under their waggons
most of the day smoking or sleeping, shoot an
occasional buck, and from time to time offer a
blanket to some native who will guide them to an
old working, where claims can be pegged out, and
2/8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
possibly the regulation thirty-foot shaft sunk. I
have seen that a great quantity of money has been
frittered away by parties of this kind, and pros-
jDecting such as this cannot be taken into account.
Some few honest, intelligent, laborious prospectors
there are out here, most of them working for
themselves, but as yet these men have been able to
examine but a small portion of the country.
Mashonaland in area is probably larger than the
United Kingdom ; it has only been occuj^ied for
the space of one year, of which less than six
months have been available for exploration and
prospecting efforts. Obviously it would be
hazardous and jDremature to assert that, because
the first gold discoveries are unsatisfactory, no
satisfactory discoveries will be made. Many
persons who came out here last year and this year
supposed that fortunes would be made with great
facility, that gold would be found lying about
only waiting to be picked up, and such arc
retiring from the country discontented, and 23ro-
nouncing the country to be a delusion and a snare.
But nature is not prodigal of her gold. In most
cases, long sustained efforts, much patience and
perseverance are required to win it from her, and
sometimes she conceals it so carefully that only
the merest chance or accident leads to its dis-
covery. History, tradition, the narratives of many
travellers, strongly support the theory that
Mashonaland is rich in gold, and the probabilities
are that at some time or other these authorities
will be borne out. Another year, at least, of care-
Reefs in the Mazoe River Valley. 279
fully conducted and scientific exploration must
elapse before any opinion altogether condenniing
the mineral resources of j\Iashonaland could l)e
given with any prudence or justification. In the
Mazoe River Valley there are many reefs which,
while not large enough or rich enough to justify
the erection of extensive and elaborate machinery,
would certainly, in the opinion of experts, yield
a fair profit to a miner with a small capital, or
to a group of such men, working cheaply by
their o^Yll industry and labour. It is probable
that by next year the route to Mashonaland
l)y the Pungwe River may Ije open and easy,
in which case the cost of carriage of small stamp
batteries Avould be enormously diminished. As
for the Hartley Hill district, at the present
moment I can say nothing in its favour. Most
of the reefs there were visited by the experts,
and fair samjoles taken from many parts of them.
The assays of these samples show that these reefs
contain but little gold, and that they are of small
depth and extent. To this there is hardly an ex-
ception, and I regret to write that the assay of the
samples taken from the " Matchless " mine, in which
I am personally interested, are at present much
below the mark. This district, however, is only
a tiny corner of Mashonaland. Up to the time
of my return to Fort Salisbury prospects looked
gloomy enough, and disappointment and discourage-
ment were prevalent. An improvement, however,
occurred. From the Umswezi River district and
from the district of Lo-Magundi, persons upon
28o Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
whose opinion a certain amount of reliance can be
jDlaced liave sent in promising reports, Xot such
reports as woukl justify the assumption that im-
portant gokl discoveries have been made, but
which seem to demand the thorough and elaborate
prospecting of those districts. From Fort Victoria
more important news arrived. Two or three
large and promising reefs were discovered by
]3rospectors known to be experienced, whose good
opinion of their discoveries had been confirmed by
a liigh authority. Personally I attributed so much
importance to this latest find that I altered m}'
plans for the return journey to the coast. Instead
of travelling to Manica, inspecting the gold-fields
there, and thence to Beira, it became my intention
to 23roceed at once to Fort Victoria, and to reach
Cape Colony by the route through Bechuanaland.
This plan prevented me from seeing the Manica
district, in many -s^'ays so interesting, the raiin'
season being within measurable distance and the
journey long. I the less regretted this for the
reason that at that time no very good reports of
the Manica district had arrived, nor had any good
specimens of quartz been brought in. In the face
of unfavourable expert opinion of the uncertainty
as to the existence of any important gold-field, I
clung to the idea that the country would yet reward
its possessors and its earlier settlers. On this
opinion, or fancy, as some would call it, I acted.
Unable to remain in Mashonaland through the
rainy season until next year, I established
Captain Williams and Mr. Mackay at Fort Salis-
A Personal Statement. 281
bury for a further period to watch and take what
part they could in the development of the country.
j\Ior cover, I made arrangements for a prospecting
expedition to the Lo-Magundi district. In these
pages I am aware I have laid myself open to the
reproach of writing much about myself ; I advance
as an excuse — (1) that the personal proceedings of
the traveller must form a considerable part of any
narrative of travel ; (2) speculation in gold mines is
attractive and risky. I imagine that very many
persons at home are greatly interested in this
country, and may possibly be influenced one way
or another by reading accounts given by one
actually in the land. I fear by the expression of
unwarranted hope to excite speculation which may
be attended with loss ; I fear by setting forth tin-
hivourable opinions to deter speculation which
may be attended with gain. I prefer rather to
suggest than to pronounce opinion, to recount one's
own personal action, and those, be they few or
many, who trouble to peruse this record of travel
will attribute as much or as little value as they
please to my suggestions of oj^inion, perhaps
slightly increasing the value attributed when action
and the general tendencv of opinion are found to
coincide.
The community settled at Fort Salisbury is re-
inarkable for activity and enterprise. Since my
first arrival, now two months ao-o, I observed a
noteworthv increase in the size and a marked im-
provement in the character of the to^Amship.
Tents and waggon dwellings had rapidly given
282 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
place to well-coustructed liuts, and these latter also
were being to a considerable extent supplanted by
buildings of brick, of ^vliicli material a fair quality
is beino- manufactured here. Over three hundred
building stands had been taken uj) from the
Chartered Company. A building stand measures
100 ft. by 40 ft. ; it is Hable to a tax of 1/. a
month. In the first days of the settlement the
company granted away these stands without ask-
ing for the payment of any premium. As the
demand for them increased, the prudent policy was
adopted of putting them up to auction, and about
one-third of the total number at this time occupied
were sold at prices per stand ranging from 11. to
100/. A well-situated building stand conunanded
a good price. I heard of one such, on which had
been erected two single-roomed huts and a shed,
l^eino- sold for 500/. The enclosure belonoino- to
Messrs. Johnson, Heaney, and Borrow is the most
important and conspicuous in the settlement.
Situated on the northern slope of " the kopje,"
some ten acres in extent, surrounded by a Ioav but
massiA'e dry stone wall, it contains large store-
houses, stables, and sheds for cattle, a Avorkshop,
and a smithy, and is dotted at one end with roAvs
of wheeled vehicles rano-ino- iu size and character
from the " buck waggon " to the buggy. Higher
up " the kopje," among shady trees, is the dwell-
ing-house, mainly constructed of brick, to which
leads a broad and well-kept gravel path. Here
also is the commencement of a promising garden,
the only one in the settlement. The whole place
Farming at Fort Salisbury.
283
is maintained in a condition of extreme cleanliness
and order, and may truthfully be described as a
homestead which would be respectable in England
and princely in Ireland. The settlement in this
country of the three acute and enterprising partners
Avho compose the firm alluded to above has been a
fortunate circumstance for the Chartered Company.
Whatever they have done has been well done.
Their homesteads at Hartley Hill and at Unitala,
in Manica, are similar in scale and character to the
Messrs. Johnson, Heaaey, and Borrow"s rauche at Fort Salidbury,
one here which I have described. Much mining
work has been effected by them on many reefs in
the various known gold districts, and all of it has
been carried out in the best possible manner. I
cannot refrain from the observation that in a new
country such as this, Avhere one is compelled at
times to notice overmuch apathy, sluggishness, un-
reasonable discontent, and scandalous waste of
money, this firm has set a bright example of active
perseverance, of intelligent and economical outlay,
which encourages the formation of hopeful views
284 Men, Mines, and Animals in Sou fh Africa.
on the future of J\Iushonalaucl. Agriculture was
not being neglected. One hundred and twenty-
three farms, mostly in the neighbourhood, of 3000
acres each in extent, had been applied for and
marked out. These are leased by the Chartered
Company at a rent of 5/. a year on the condition
that within three months the tenant shall have
commenced a beneficial occupation, which means
a certain amount of ploughing and sowing of stock
and of building. This completed, the farm is in-
spected by the Surveyor-General of the Company,
surveyed, and the title registered in the Company's
books. Of this number of farms about twenty had
been taken up by Boers. Last week at Fort
Salisbury I found sj)ecially interesting, as on four
days of the week the surplus stock and stores of
the expedition which I had brought into the
country were being sold off. Messrs. Hopley and
Papenfu, assisted by ]\Ir. Slater, the leading auc-
tioneers here, conducted the sale, the result of
which was to me very satisfactory. The total sum
realized amounted to 2551/. The j^rices fetched
by some of the articles are, perhaj^s, worthy of
mention. Timber, deals, and rafters sold at tlie
rate of 16s. Sd. a foot, showins: the scarcitv of and
demand for o-ood buildino- material ; ten o-allons of
paraffin oil fetched 201., two gallons of methylated
spirits 5/., sporting Martini-Henry and Winchester
rifles went from 10/. to 15/., two dozen pint bottles
of English ale and stout were sold at Ss. 6c/. a
bottle, and immediately afterwards retailed at
6.S. 6(/. a bottle, common unsifted Boer meal
An interesting Auction.
28s
fetched from 8/. to 9/. a bag weighing 200 lb.,
common brown sugar (very common) sokl at
upwards of 35. a pound; butter at lis. a pound,
jam at 4s. a pot, dried snook (a fish costing about
2fJ. a pound at the Cape) sold at 8.9. and 9s. a
A restaurant at Fort Salisbury.
pound, tinned hams fetched 21. a-piece, a bottle of
eau-de-cologne 20s., cotton shirts (price in London
9.y. Qd.) were here secured at 33.s., a new pair of
boots fetched 4/., an old shooting jacket 25.y. This
enumeration of prices will show that life at Fort
Salisbury was somewhat costly. Eighty oxen sold at
286 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa
about 11. lO.s'. a-liead, donkeys at about 3/. lO.s.,
and five waggons at about 50/. a-piece, or half their
orio'inal cost. Money seemed to be plentiful, and
the biddings were sustained with great spirit over
four days by a sm^dl crowd without coats or waist-
coats, and with shirt-sleeves rolled up (the regular
Mashonaland morning and evening dress), and en-
livened by constant chaff", joking, and general good
humour. There was great competition for red
white-eyed beads, which the savage fashion of
Mashonaland prescribed for native attire. Of
these I fortunately possessed a good quantity, and
there were none and had been none for some time
in the settlement ; accordingly they went for 12s.
a pound, their original cost price at Kimberley
being about Qd. for the same quantity. " Limbo,"
the coarsest cotton material, manufactured at about
l^d. a yard at home, here sold for upwards of a
shilling. During this sale I realized with some
reo;ret that a laro;e and well-conducted tradino- ex-
pedition into this country would have been a far
more profitable speculation than gold prospecting.
The public life of the young and interesting com-
munity of Fort Salisbury had early commenced.
Some weeks before my arrival a meeting was sum-
moned for the purpose of considering the past
action and the policy of the Chartered Company.
The meeting was largely attended, and the pro-
ceedings were animated, at times stormy. Dis-
content had arisen mainly owing to the high cost
of living, and to some extent presumably to the
non-discovery of rich reefs. This smouldering
NEARING THE END. — THE SALE Oi^ THE SURPLUS STOCK AND STORES OF THE
EXPEDITION AT FORT SALISBURY.
Pasre 2S3.
An Indignation Meeting. 287
discontent a few persons eonsiclei^ed wise and pro-
fitable to attempt to fan into a flame. Very strong
speeches were made in denunciation of the Com-
pany, and of certain of its chief officials, for that
they had not brought into the country sufficient
supplies of food. These speeches were adorned
with the most highly colloquial expressions and
interjections. Their authors forgot that the
Chartered Company was not responsible for the
feeding of other than its own employes, and that
if private individuals embarked on the long journey
to Mashonaland Avith insufficient supplies, they
had no one but themselves to blame. The mining-
experts, Messrs. Perkins and Rolker, were also
considered by some of the speakers to be responsi-
ble for the poverty of the gold discoveries ; Sir
John Willoughby, for some equally illogical reason,
was sharply censured, and the author of these
pages held up to odium on the supposition that he
had enjoyed certain special privileges with respect
to the importation of alcoholic liquor, unjustly
withheld from the general body of settlers. The
case for the company was courageously and effectu-
ally set out by one of its representatives ; contra-
dictions on questions of fact were briskly exchanged,
and the lie was freely given by one or the qther
party. The proceedings of this meeting termi-
nated in an orderly manner with the apj^ointment
of a vigilance committee with unlimited and
unknown powers. This popular commotion was
followed by great tranquility. The " vigilance
committee " contented themselves with one inter-
288 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
view with Dr. Rutherford Harris, the secretary of
the company, at which they experienced much
difficulty in sustaining their allegations. Since
the interview, this formidably - named body
neo-lected their duties, or were afraid to exercise
The first horse race at Fort Salisburv.
their vast powers. One or more of the leaders left
the settlement and went down country, curiously
enough, just previous to the arrival of Mr. Rhodes,
before whom one would have thought they ^N^ould
have been eager to set forth their grievances, dis-
Horse- RACING at Fort Salisbury. 289
play their authority, and who would certainly
have been immediately intimidated into compliance
^vith all their demands. But this great oppor-
tunity of gaining glory and power the " vigilance
committee " pusillanimously allowed to pass ; and
the population of the settlement I saw growing,
progressing, and even prospering under the des-
potic and grinding tyranny of less than a dozen
policemen, whose military duties kept them all
day employed at the Fort.
Horse-racins: was inau"'urated here, but under
circumstances which to mc, at least, did not appear
to be very promising. I had matched a horse
which I had sold a few days previously to beat at
even weights, over a distance of five furlongs, a
horse belonoino; to Dr. Rutherford Harris. Mr.
Slater, the oAvner of the horse I had nominated,
gave his consent to the match. This horse was
three-parts bred, and I knew him to possess a good
turn of speed, as more than once I had galloped
after buck on him. Dr. R. Harris's horse was a
good-looking, thick-set brown cob, pig fat. I had
little doubt as to the result of the match. In the
afternoon, at four o'clock, three-fourths of the
population of Fort Salisbury turned out to see the
race. The betting varied from six to four to tAvo
to one on my opponent's horse. This somewhat
alarmed me. Mr. Giftard, the manager of the
Bechuanaland Exploration Company's exjiedition,
was to ride Dr. Harris's horse. Sergeant-Major
Montgomery rode for me. To my horror the horse
which I had nominated appeared on the ground
u
290 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
■with drooping head and ears, glassy eyes and
tucked-up flanks. The other horse looked iDloom-
ing. Things were getting very " hot." The
riders, having weighed out, were started off, and
the unfortunate animal which I had matched to
be a flyer, tried in vain to canter for fifty yards,
and then relapsed into a slow trot, out of which no
efforts of his rider could move him. Dr. Harris's
horse cantered past the winning post alone. I
believe a good lot of money changed hands over
this odd business. If Lord Durham or Mr. James
Lowther could pay a flying visit here, horse-racing
prospects might improve. OtherAvise there are
three or four jockeys out of employment in England,
to whom I can confidently recommend Mashona-
land as a congenial sphere for the exercise of their
jDeculiar talents.
The work of organizing the administration of
the country proceeds apace. Magistrates have
been appointed for the districts of Manica, Victoria,
Fort Salisbury, and Hartley Hill. I believe these
gentlemen are invested with all the power and
authority in civil and criminal cases which is
exercised by a judge of the High Court in Cape
Colony. A municipal council will soon be elected
for the government of the settlement at Fort
Salisbury. Its duties will be to frame and enforce
sanitary laws and regulations and to maintain the
local highways and streets. Half the building-
stand tax and a doo:-tax are amono- the sources of
revenue to be assigned to this council. The police
force has been reduced during the last two months
Communications with the Outer World. 291
fifty per cent. It now numbers 330 all told. As
each policeman costs the company about 200/. a
year, a very notable economy has been efi'ected.
The j)resent strength of the force is probably still
much in excess of Avhat will ultimately be found
necessary for the peace and order of the country.
Postal communication is very slow, irregular, and
badly managed. The mails are despatched from
Fort Tuli in two-wheeled waggons, drawn by four
oxen. These cover a distance of about four
hundred miles to Fort Salisbury, at a rate of some
twelve miles a day. The drivers, taken from the
police force, are under no supervision, and loiter
and dawdle along the road to their heart's content.
No fine or censure is inflicted when they arrive
behind their time. It Avas reported that the tele-
graph wire had been laid into Fort Victoria. This
work had been carried out with great energy and
at considerable cost. The contracts for extending
the telegraph to Fort Salisbury are now being-
carried out, and probably, in about six months'
time, Fort Salisbury will be in telegraphic com-
munication with London.^ A very large and
adequate supply of provisions had either been
accumulated here by the com^jany or was well on
its way up. No fears of scarcity of food or of
high prices during the rainy season need be
entertained. Already the prices of all neces-
saries had considerably fallen from the high
level of a month or six weeks ago. Stores
had been erected by the company at the various
^ The work was completed in February, 1892.
u 2
292 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
mining centres, where j^rovisions could be pur-
cliased at comparatively moderate cost. The
financial resources of the company are respectable.
The monthly taxes on the building-stands in the
townships of Fort Salisbury, Umtala, and Hartley
Hill, and of the farming rents may exceed 3000/.
in the coming year. A nice amount may also be
expected from stamps. Licences, moreover, will
be a fruitful source of revenue. A general trading
licence costs 10/. ; a hotel licence for the sale of
liquor in retail lOOZ., a bottle licence costs the
same. Only three liquor licences have been
granted in Fort SalislDury, and it is to be hoped
that the company will curtail, as far as possible,
this source of profit. I may mention that till
within the last few days whisky and brandy were
selling at from 50s. to 60s. a bottle. Regular
hours of opening and closing the liquor shops are
effectually enforced, and the sale of liquor to
natives or coloured men is prohibited under heavy
penalties. Speaking generally of the revenue, it
is anticipated, and probably on substantial grounds,
that, without taking into account any profit from
gold mining, the cost of the administration of the
country during the coming year will be more than
covered. Thus, as I looked all round on the eve of
my departure on my journey south, I thought that
I could see much that was bright and smiling in
the present condition of Mashonaland. The ad-
ministration in competent hands. The bulk of
the settlers who intend to remain on through the
rainy season vigorous, confident, and full of enter-
Mr. Cecil Rhodks's Views.
293
prise. The one thing needful for the sure pros-
perity of the hand is the discovery of some rich
gokl-iield, and probably the only requisites for the
securing of this auspicious event, if it has not been
already attained, are patience and hard work.
Mr. Cecil Rhodes arrived from Manica before
y>t. nnitXiS Stcjsac
FORT SftLiSBUR^
my departure south. His arrival, long expected
and long delayed, liis presence in the capital
settlement, the knowledge that he was engaged in
mastering all the facts and details of the adminis-
tration, condition, and development of Mashona-
land served to stimulate the action of authority,
strengthen general confidence, reanimate men's
294 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
minds. Mr. Rhodes formed a high opinion of
the farming capacity of a large district of high
veklt lying between this place and Umtala. No
physical difficulties of importance, he reported,
need obstruct the construction of a railway from
the coast to Manica, the ascent from the low to the
high land lieing gradual and easy. Sportsmen at
home may like to know that a prodigious quantity
of game, big and little, swarms on either side of
the Pungwe Eiver. Possibly after next June,
July, and August these buffalo, hippo, rhino, and
buck of every kind, now neither wild nor wary,
will have been frightened away into remote and
inaccessil^le swamps and thickets ; possil^ly before
another year is over the silence of the bush between
Manica and the coast will l)e disturbed 1)\' the
wliistle of the steam-engine, by the axe or the pick
of the navvy, rather than by the baying of the
hound or the crack of the hunter's rifle.
^=-s.
C«pr •T.n*T,5oK
Of MfiJEHi-CJ CLUB FAn£,
Wrrn HiSPftTENI- nC»mt]«c,£
\.(ir,P ftTEfiCH COR«eR OP
J
Second Visit to the Mazoe Valley. 295
CHAPTER XIX.
ON THE ROAD HOME.
Second visit to the mines in the Mazoe Valley — Good-bye to
Fort Salisbury — Bad roads — The officials of the Chartered
Company — Fort Victoria once more — Climate and weather
in Mashonaland — Gold discoveries ronnd Fort Victoria —
My faithful savage " Tiriki " — We telegraph home from
Fort Victoria— Long's Mine — The Lundi Eiver — Bad
roads again — Death of a " salted horse " — The journey to
Fort Tali a record "trek."
Before leaving Fort Salisbury I made, in the
company of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, an excursion to the
Mazoe Valley. We accomplished the distance of
thirty miles to the abode of the mining com-
missioner in the course of the day. The road
going north passes at the foot of Mount Hampden
about twelve miles from Fort Salisbury. Mount
Hampden is an isolated kopje a thousand yards or
so in leno-th, and some five hundred feet hio-h.
This " celebrated eminence " left behind, the road
quits the plain and descends into broken and pic-
turesque country, where hills are covered with tree
and bush, putting the traveller in mind of the low-
lands of Bavaria. Following the valley of the
Mazoe river for some distance, we arrived at the
" Alice and Susanna " reefs, situated on the right of
the road about one hundred feet up the hillside^
Here the quartz reef, which is being worked by a
296 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
syndicate of the Exploration Company, of London,
is found to be of a width of two feet and a half at
a depth of fifty feet. Samples taken at this depth
were assayed to yield, from the Alice shaft, twenty-
one pennyweights to the ton ; from the Susanna,
thirty- three pennyweights. The reef is probabl}^
too narrow to supply any large stamp battery, but
in view of the fact that nearly every reef in this
part of Mashonaland has " pinched out " or become
poor in quality on going down, it was satisfactory
and encouraging to come across one reef which at
a respectable depth held its ovm. On the follow-
ins; mornino; at daybreak Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Borrow,
and I, rode eight miles through some very beautiful
hill country, to inspect the " Yellow Jacket " reef.
This reef is very characteristic of the auriferous
deposits in ]\Iashonaland vet discovered. The out-
crop is seen to ascend, run along the top of, and
descend a long kopje with the utmost regularity,
and this, tested along a length of fifteen hundred
feet, gave samples of the most promising quality.
These were assayed to yield from two ounces up to
as much as sixty ounces to the ton. It was as fine
a gold mining prospect as could be found. Alas !
the sinking of two shafts disclosed the mortifying-
fact that at a very small depth the quartz became
poor, and seriously diminished in c[uantity. A
comparatively large sum of money had been put
down for the purchase of this reef, and the dis-
appointment of the investor, who reasonably
supposed that he had secured one of the finest gold
mines in the world, was as great as can be imagined.
Good-bye to Fort Salisbury. 297
A similar ill-fortune pursued the same party in
respect of another quartz deposit in the Mazoe
district, by name " The Golden Quarry." Here
the actual crushing, by a small three-stamp
battery, of t^venty tons of ore, gave the excellent
result of ninety-five ounces of gold. The " Golden
Quarry," however, was soon found to be no reef at
all, but only a " blow out," or, in other words, a
large bunch of quartz which would be rapidly
worked out. I should doubt whether, in the
history of gold -mining, two more attractive, more
deceiving, more disappointing reefs have ever been
found than these two which I have written about.
We visited also two other mines, the " Warrigal "
and the " Mary Pioneer," which at a depth of
thirty feet are of a good width and reported to be
of good quality, but of these reefs no assays have
yet been made on which reliance can be placed.
We returned to Fort Salisbury in the evening,
thoroughly fatigued by riding for some hours and
by jolting in a Cape cart for more hours on a very
hot day, but having accomplished an enjoyable and
instructive expedition.
On Tuesday, the 20th of October, in the after-
noon, I said good-bye to Fort Salisbury. Two
months and a week had elapsed since I arrived
there. My recollections of the place will be very
pleasant and lasting. They will he recollections of
good friends, of new and agreeable acquaintances,
of a promising community, of a healthy, bright,
and breezy locality, of quickly fleeting hours of
amusement, of constant and varying interest.
2q8 Men, Mtnes, and Animals in South Africa.
Though valueless, I cannot refrain fr^om an expres-
sion of my earnest wishes for the prosperity of the
place and of the country of which it is the centre,
and while I cannot expect, I rashly allow myself
to hope, that hj these Avi'itings I may rouse
in the minds of people at home some amount of
active and abiding sympathy for the fortunes of
this infant British settlement. My party on leav-
ing was a small one compared witli that ^vith which
I arrived. Mr. Henry C. Perkins and Surgeon
Raynor had preceded me by some days on the road
south, travelling in the "spider" with a team of eight
horses. In the company of Major Giles and of Mr.
Borrow, I travelled in a large covered vnn or coacli
on springs, which had been expressly constructed
by tliat firm for passenger traffic along the Pungwe
route to Massikessi. This coach, by extraordinar}'
efforts and at a great sacrifice of mules and oxen,
liad l:)een brought along the route from Beira to
Fort Salisbury ; but the experiment had convinced
Messrs. Johnson and Co. that passenger traffic
along the Pungwe river can only be carried on
with the aid of steam, and that the tsetse fly and the
many poisonous grasses and herbs which infest the
low country are rapidly fatal to oxen, mules, and
horses. Consequently they were glad to sell this
coach, Avhich just suited me for my long trek of
nine hundred miles down through Mashonaland
and Bechuanaland. We found that, in this vehicle
drawn by twelve mules, we could cover a distance
of thirty miles a day, without at all overtasking
the strength of the team. The coach held eight
The Officials of the Chartered Company. 299
persons, including drivers, servants, and about
three thousand pounds weight of baggage and pro-
visions. Between Fort Charter and Fort Victoria
the road is in a shocking condition, much worse
than was the case when I travelled up. The heavy
sand, which extends for scores of weary miles, had
been terribly cut into by the passage of numerous
waggons, and progress over this was hopelessly
slow. Where the soil was harder, the protruding
stumps of felled trees, huge boulders of rock, and
ant-heaps were a constant source of danger to a
vehicle on springs. It is certainly a great disgrace
to the administration of the country that no efforts
liave been made by it to put this important high-
way in decent order. Tlie sand, it is true, is
incurable, but nothing would be easier than to
remove the stumps and rocks and level the ant-
heaps. The presence of these results in an immense
and unnecessary wear and tear of ^vaggons, and of
injury and of loss of draft animals. The officials
of the Chartered Company had ready to their
hands, in their police, a force well qualified to make
and repair the roads. But this force has, since the
occupation of the country last year, been main-
tained in a condition of complete and utter idleness.
The men are not even made to keep the forts and
the military lines decently clean. The works
which have been constructed by them, whether of
fortification or of dwelling, are pitiable, showing
neither design, skill, nor solidity. The force was
offered tracts of crround round the huts for o-ardens,
but these they have neglected even to mark out.
300 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
They have no military drill or training, no shoot-
ing instruction. Riding post employs a small
number of police, but, with this exception, while I
was in the country, I was wondering what this
most costly force had done, what it was doing, or
what it was going to do. It is true that some
thirty of the company's police rendered a great
service in routing the Portuguese near Massikessi,
but the spasmodic energy of a few does not excuse
the normal sluggishness and uselessness of the
many. Formed of much the same material as
the Bechuanaland Border Police, this force in
proper hands would have been actively and bene-
ficially employed on public works all over
Mashonaland, but I am constrained to remark that
the contrast between the police force of the
Chartered Company and the Bechuanaland Border
Police is startling and deplorable, the latter being
as smart, as efficient, and as thoroughly to be de-
pended upon as the former is the reverse. The
company have wisely reduced their police from a
strength of upwards of six hundred to one of about
three hundred men. If they persevere in this
policy and abolish the whole force, their financial
resources will be largely added to, and no one in
Mashonaland one whit the worse. ^
We reached Fort Victoria after many naiTow
escapes from smash and overset, at midday on the
26th October. The Aveather had become very un-
settled. On one night the horizon all round was
^ The police force has recently been almost entirely
aLolished.
Climate and Weather in Mashonaland. 301
loaded with thunder clouds. The flashes of light-
ning were scarcely even intermittent, so numerous,
constant, and dazzling were they, and the thunder
at times appalling. Fortunately for us, the place
of our encampment was not within the radius of
the storm. I found the climate and weather of
Mashonaland from the middle of July to the middle
of September to be almost perfect. Two or three
rainy days were experienced in August, but as a
rule the weather resembled fine, warm summer
weather in England. The nights were^cool and
refreshing, the morning and evening air delightful.
After the middle of September the midday heat
became oppressive and sultry. I'he thermometer
would mark from eighty-five to ninety degrees in
the shade. Every afternoon clouds would gradu-
ally cover the sky, and somewhere or other in your
neighbourhood, if not actually over you, a heavy
thunderstorm would come down. These thunder-
storms are disagreeable and even alarming. One
of them came over the plain of Fort Victoria on
the evening of our arrival. Accompanied by but
slight rain, the lightning effects were awful. It
lasted the best part of four hours, and was followed
by two days of raw damp wind and mist. Camj)
life under such circumstances is far from pleasant.
The regular rainy season of Mashonaland does not
usually commence till January, but a sort of fore-
taste of the regular rains is generally experienced
for two or three weeks at this time of year, after
which the weather settles again for a time.
Travellers going south now become anxious as to
302 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
the size of the rivers and the condition of the drifts.
A heavy flood on the Lnndi, Tokwe, or Wanetze
might cause a delay of many days in the journey.
The vicinity of the road to Fort Victoria has been
quite deserted by game and by lions ; we neither
heard these latter brutes at night nor any stories of
them. Our journey to Fort Victoria was without
incident. Three score waggons or more, laden with
meal and other supplies, were passed on their way
up to Fort Salisbury, and there could be no doubt
that this year ample provision of food of all kinds
for those who remain in the country during the
rainy season had been made by the company.
The large agricultural expedition conducted by
Mr. Van der Byl was met. All seemed in good
heart and order, though the sorrow had been
experienced of losing two of their number by
death. Good reports of the gold discoveries round
Fort Victoria abounded along the road, which
turned out to be somewhat fallacious. Four reefs
we found had been worked upon, two of which
had developed some quartz of a rich character.
Not enough work had been yet done on these to
determine whether they will turn out mines of
great value. The locality abounds in massive
outcrops of quartz, most of which rather reseinl)le
" blow outs " than regular reefs. Comparing this
district with others in northern Mashonaland, the
quartz here produced is considered to be of a
superior quality, and this district has Avhat is now
held to be an advantage, that of j)ossessing no
old workings. In the earlier days of the occupation
A Faithful Savage.
303
the one great object with everyone m the country
Avas to find an old working, as it was supposed
that the ancient miners Avere unable to work at
any depth, or to deal with quartz of great hard-
ness. This theory is probably erroneous. The
ancient miners in all likelihood knew more about
their business than tliev are credited with knowing,
Tiriki.
and the abandonment by them of reefs where old
workinas are now found was due less to their
Avant of skill or knowledge than to the fact that
they had worked out the best of the ore.
On the morning of the 30th October I con-
tinued my journey south. " Tiriki," the ftiithful
savage about whom I wrote in a former chapter,
now departed, the kraal of his tribe being near.
He was as good a specimen of the savage as could
304 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
be met with, quite intelligent, always cheerful,
and willing to Avork. He entered my service stark
naked, but at his departure had accumulated an
extraordinary varied Avardrobe. Every cast-ofF
pair of trousers, drawers,
boots, and shoes, every
coat and waistcoat
thrown aside
had been
carefully col-
1 e c t e d by
him, and all
that he could
not actually
wear on his
oAvn person
was accumu-
lated in an
old sack ; in
were also many
e r treasure s,
smashed pipebowls
and stems, empty
provision tins, ex-
ploded cartridge
cases, and every ima-
ginable odd and end. In addition he took with
him two blankets, two spades, and two golden
sovereigns in lieu of the goats which I had pro-
mised him, but could not procure. These two
latter he concealed away in alternate and numerous
coverings of bags, cases, and again bags and wrap-
As he arrived.
"TiRiKi" AND HIS Wardrobe.
505
pings. His figure and appearance when he de-
parted were inconceivably grotesque. He is now
probably a millionaire in his kraal, has married
the girl whom he has long had in his eye, and as
years go by he will add
to his wealth by selling
his daughters, should for-
tune still attend him and
give him female progeny,
Mr. Cecil Rhodes arrived
at Fort Victoria a week
after our
party, on the
morning of
our departure,
and almost
immediately
rode out to
the telegraph
wire which
had that morn-
ing only been
bi'ought with-
in two miles
of the fort.
As it was all
on my way I
joined him. The scene was peculiar and very
African. Amid waggons, oxen, mules, and horses,
piles of telegraph poles, coils of wire, boxes of
insulators, and odds and ends of baggage and
provisions could be seen meandering a little
X
As lie departed.
3o6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
green string communicating with the waggon,
which it entered, the elevated wire being some
yards off. The operator was seated in the waggon,
where he had installed his apj^aratus ; the
disselboom of the waggon served as a desk for
the sender to write out his despatches. So we
all sent off messages, some to Cape To^vn, some to
London, happy at finding ourselves once more in
actual contact with home and with friends. At
midday I finally got off, and a distance of twenty
miles was accomplished before outspanning for
the night. Fern Spruit was passed — of evil
memory to me, as the place where three of our
horses had died on the way up, and where our
camp was nearly destroyed by fire. Here we
picked up Major Giles, with the ox- waggon,
which was to accompany us as far as Tuli.
Hard by Fern Spruit is situated " Long's "
Mine, from which specimens of quartz of extra-
ordinary richness in gold have been taken. There
is, however, some doubt as to whether the quartz
nowbeing worked is a legitimate reef or is notrather
a " blow out." The discoverer and projDrietor had
dug down to a depth of only eighteen inches, and
seemed to be unwilling to risk the prospect of his
property by prying deeper into the earth. I
expect he wanted to part with his claims for a
good round sum of money to some syndicate or
speculator, and take his profit at once. The
specimens of quartz were sufficiently remarkable
to seduce even the cautious, but with the re-
collection of the " Yellow Jacket " and " Golden
A Pleasant Prospect.
307
Quarry " still fresh in my mind I passed on, not
even going two miles out of my way to view the
mine, which had been thoroughly examined by
Mr. H. Perkins. The weather for the first two
days of our journey was most agreeable. The
air had been cooled, the summer heat moderated
The outspan ou the Tokwe River.
by recent heavy thunderstorms, the sky was over-
cast y/ith clouds, and travelling even at midday
was easy for the teams and pleasant to ourselves.
In appearance the bush had greatly changed since
I travelled up the road. Kow the vast tracts
of charred and blackened ground, the result of
X 2 '
3o8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa
the bush fires, were all covered with the freshest
and the greenest o-rass. Almost all the trees were
iu leaf, some in flower, and the lights and shado^vs
on the hills, on the rocky kopjes, and on the plain
were of wonderful beauty and variety. We
reached the Lundi on the evening of the 22nd.
This stream we found greatly diminished in
volume, and its passage oflJ'ered no difficulty. The
dano-erous rocky drift of the AVanctse had been
much improved by the relno^'al of many boulders
from the bed of the livcr, and this obstacle to
travellers was traversed ^Wthout mishap at sundown
on the third day of the j ourney . From Fort Victoria
to the Wanetse some effort has been made to im-
prove the condition of the road. But a distance
of eighty miles exhausted the energies of the
Chartered Company's i^olice. iVfter the Wanetse
the road relapses into a shocking condition, and
stumps, rocks, deep ruts everyAvhere offer a pro-
fusion of danger and discomfort to the traveller.
Our progress was also impeded by a marked change
in the temperature. The heat became excessive ;
no rain had fallen south of the hills near theAVanetse
river, dust enveloped the carriages in stifling
clouds, and the myriads of flies almost amounted
to a plague. The poor mules and horses soon
showed the eflect of the change, but their sufter-
ings were added to by a total absence of young
grass on which to graze during the day, and by
the long distances they had often to tra^'el in the
great heat from water to water. Most of the spruits
were altogether dry. One of my horses succumbed
A Waggon come To Grief. 309^
to the horse sickness. This Avas a horse I had
purchased three months before at Victoria for a
comparatively large sum, as he Avas reputed to be
a " salted horse," and a guarantee against horse
sickness was given me in his case.^ I was noAV
entitled to the return of the purchase-money. On
the fifth day the heat became so great that we
had to wait till dusk to accomplish our daily
distance. No moon assisted us, and j^rogress with
" voreloj)ers " carrying lanterns was Aery slow. To
an ox waggon stones and stumps and steep spruits
offer little danger ; it plunges along, defying all
jolts and shocks. But Avith carriages on springs
the greatest care has to be exercised, as the
smashing of a wheel, or of a spring, or of a clissel-
boom is as easy as it is irreparable. I should
mention that between the Lundi and Wanetse the
Avaggon on springs, Avliich Avas draAvn by oxen, and
in Avhich Major Giles A\'as travelling, came to
aAvful grief. OAving to careless driving in the
dark across a nasty spruit the Avaggon Avas alloAved
to run U23 a high bank on one side of the passage,
Avdiich toppled it OA'er, the team draAving the fore-
Avheels and underbody of the Avaggon I'ight away
from the hind part. It took six or scA'en hours to
repair the damage caused by this accident. Our
night trek brought us to the Umzingwane, the ox
Avaggon being noAV left far behind. A fcAv scanty
pools of brackish water in a vast bed of dry sand
alone serA^ed to indicate what is at certain seasons
a large and rushing river. Half-way between this
^ This was most promptly repaid by the former owner.
3io Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
river and Fort Tuli a well-filled and well-served
" wink el " told us that we had re-entered regions
of comparative civilization. In spite of the heat,
now very great, and of the fatigued condition of
our animals, we pressed on, impatient again to
reach Fort Tuli, and also to accomplish a " best on
record " in the way of a trek. This latter feat we
did easily, and it will he long before any traveller
compasses the distance between Forts Tuli and
Victoria (197 miles) in a shorter or in as short a
period as five days and a half, the time occupied
by us.
Getting to Fort Tuli seemed like coming home
ao-ain. The trek into and about Mashonaland, to
Avhicli, on the 14th July, Avdien leaving Tuli, I had
looked forward with much hope and some anxiety,
had been done. The truth about the country
from many points of view had been fairly ascei-
tained. AVonderful good fortune had attended us.
Hardly a moment of misfortune or real trouble.
Not a sino-le moment of sickness or ill-health had
been experienced by any of oui* large party. Day
after day had glided by smoothly and 23leasantly,
the gipsy kind of camp life had become very
fascinating, and we had had, Avhat Avith sjDort and
mining explorations, many hours full of pleasur-
able excitement. Nevertheless, this fact stamped
itself somewhat disappointingly and sourly on my
mind, that the great gold mine had not been dis-
covered either by ourselves or by any other of the
numerous exploring parties, and that the existence
of any great gold mine in Mashonaland Avas still
A Record "Trek." 311
j^roblematical. The Tuli river Avas now a vast
expanse of burning sand, over which the breeze
came nj)on you as if from the mouth of a furnace.
Little threads and tiny pools of water might here
and there with difficulty be detected. Fort Tuli
itself and the suiTOunding settlement appeared in
exactly the same condition as when I left it two
months before. No new huts had been erected,
no alterations or improvements made. No one
stays at Fort Tuli who can help it ; everybody
passes on northwards. The strong force of
Bechuanaland Border Police, under Sir F. Car-
rington and his officers, who made the f)lace
rather lively three months before, had retired to
Macloutsie, in their own territory. Some 200
men of the Chartered Company's |)olice are now
here, but it would be difficult to determine what
useful occupation they are engaged in. ]\Iajor
Giles brought his ox waggon into Tuli in the early
morning of the 6th November. He had accom-
plished a still more remarkable "best on record "
in the way of a trek than mine had been with
mules ; for with oxen he had covered the distance
in exactly seven days, or, in other words, had
travelled at the rate of twenty-nine miles a day.
So well were the oxen looking, so little exhausted
by their work, that I sold the whole span of
eighteen on the day of their arrival at Tuli for 8/.
a head. I write about these treks, for trekking is
a subject of great interest in South Africa, much
rivalry and emulation exists among trekkers, and
rapid journeys are announced, described, disputed.
312 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South x-^frica
canvassed, and criticized with infinite freedom
and fnlness. From this place I was to proceed to
Macloutsie, and from thence to Pahipye, where
resides Khama, the redoubtable Bechuana chief.
From Palapye a few days' drive Avould bring me
through Mafeking to Yryburgh, where waggons,
tents, " boys," naked savages, will be all forsaken
for comfortable railway carriages, civilized hotels,
daily newspapers, and other similar inestimable
blessings which the traveller in wild parts of the
earth gets on so well without, and yet is always
for a time glad to return to.
Our Method of Travelling.
5^6
1
CHAPTER XX.
Oar mctlioel of travelliug — Welcome and entertainment by tlie
Bechuanaland Border Police at Macloutsio — Palapyc, the
capital town of Cliief Kliaraa — LoLengaela, King of the
Matabele — Meditated flight of all his tribe and belongings
— The Bcoliuanaland Exploration Company — Conversa-
tion with Khania, Paramount Chief in the Protectorate —
Palla Camp— The journey to Mafcking — With INIr. Rhodes
at Kimberley — The Agricultural and Mineral Resources of
the Transvaal — i\Iy advice to young Englishmen.
The journey from Tuli to Kiml^erlcy was per-
formed by our party rapidly from a South
African point of view. Mules and horses, some-
what refreshed by a rest of two days, were in-
spanned an hour before daybreak on the Ttli
November. Macloutsie ^vas reached at midday on
the 9th after a pleasant drive in fine vveathcr
through an attractive country along a compara-
tively decent road. Our method of travelling
was as follows. Aroused at about half-past three
in the morning, the preparation of the coffee and
the packing of the coach and " spider " occupied
the best part of an hour. After trekking for two
hours and a half, an outspan of an hour was
necessary for the animals, and a light brcakftist for
ourselves was generally a welcome. Then another
^ This chapter was written two months after the author's
return to England. Hence its title.
314 Men, Mines, and Aniimals in South Africa
tAvo or three hours' trek brought us to our
midday halt. This lasted three, four, or five
hours, according to the heat of the day. If the
temperature Avas moderate, we generally contrived
to manage three afternoon treks ; but often on
the road south, the heat at midday was so great
and the sand so heavy that only two treks, and
sometimes only one, could be accomplished. The
midday outspan was occupied with bathing,
toilette and ^preparation of dinner. Our cook had
been dismissed at Tuli, and the kitchen depart-
ment had fallen into my hands. No very great
variety in our repast was obtainable. Mutton
boiled, baked, or curried, tinned soups, excellent
when flavoured with Harvey or Worcester sauce,
"bully beef," preserved vegetables, compose the
daily meal. Fresh vegetables and fresh bread
Avere sadly missed, but the former were not to be
procured, and none of us had acquired the art of
baking break. At times these midday halts were
enjoyable when we were fortunate enough to hit
upon a pleasant locality on the banks of a river
and under shady trees. But when, as was often
the case, water and shade were conspicuous l)y
their absence, when one was melted by the heat
and persecuted by the flies, passing the hours was
weary work, and the cool of the evening was
anxiously longed for. Between eight and nine
p.m. the day's journey terminated, thirty to forty
miles having been generally accomplished. A
rough supper hastily bolted, a still more hurried
retirement to bed, five brief hours of slumber
Welcome at Macloutsie. 315
jDrepared lis for another day's journey. So for the
best part of three weeks we travelled, and hard
travelling I found it to be. Sleep during the day-
time the flies never for an instant permitted. Our
two servants were worked to death ; the constant
unloading of the carriages for food or dressing for
the nitrht, the constant hllinir and rcfillinii of the
waterbuckets, sometimes from half a mile to a mile
having to be traversed for this purpose, made the
day's toil A'ery heavy for them. Moreover at
every outspan the horses and mules were a subject
of anxious care and observation. If, on being re-
leased from the harness, they at once rubbed them-
selves heartily in the dust or sand and commenced
to graze, then all ^vas well, but if they stood about
or lay down, and were disinclined to feed, then
well-grounded fears of a breakdown without a
chance of assistance prevented us from lieing at all
happy or cheerful. Before our arrival at Palla
camp we had several bad half hours on this
account.
At Macloutsie we experienced the most hospi-
table welcome and entertainment from the officers
of the Bechuanaland Border Police who have their
headquarters here. The situation has been skil-
fully selected both as regards strategic or sanitary
conditions. The camjD occupies a small elevated
plateau, and overlooks and commands the surround-
ing bush. No traveller can fail to be struck by
the exceeding cleanliness and order, as well as by
the excellent construction of the quarters of the
officers and men. It would be difficult to speak
3i6 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
too highly of this force. Xo drinking, no idleness,
no slovenliness can be detected ; in this lonely
spot, fiir away from civilization, day after day,
throughout the long year, the members of this
force manage to occupy all their time and to keep
themselves in an irreproachable condition of
efficiency and smartness. ]^o duty or errand is
repugnant to the Bechuanaland Border Police. A
j)rivatc will start off to ride two or three hundred
miles through the bush with nothing' but a haver-
sack containing biscuit tea and coffee, and a small
patrol tin. So the whole force Avould march, if
necessary, Avithout tents, baggage or impedimenta
of any sort or kind. A wonderful esprit de corps
animates them. Two of the officers had just re-
turned when I arrived, from a ten days' prowl all
by themselves right into Lobengula's country,
entered upon 23artly for survey ^^urposes, partly
for the obtaining of information : a service by no
means devoid of peril performed in the most
light-hearted but effectual manner. Here we
tarried a night and a day, lodged in comfort-
able huts and cheered by the comparative luxury
of a well-kept mess. Major Gould Adams, the
commanding officer, was in hospital, recovering,
we were happy to learn, from a serious and pro-
tracted attack of fever, contracted proljably when
guarding the drifts of the Limpopo against the
Boer trekkers. Captain Sitwell displayed the
efficiency of his force in a field-day performance
specially ordered for our benefit and instruction.
Some two hundred and fifty men, mounted on small
II
A Field Day. 317
wiry horses in first-rate condition, scoured the bush
at a gallop, to detect the j^resence of an enemy re-
jDorted to be advancing from the north. Flying
across the country in open order, they yet in
obedience to bugle calls from time to time with
marvellous rapidity contracted their line of
advance. A small infantry detachment, drao-o-inn-
with it a Gatling or a jMaxini gun, hurried along-
after the mounted men at their best speed over
very rough ground. At length from an eminence
the foe was descried. The men dismounting, fire
repeated volleys, the ]\Iaxim and Gatling pour out
a destructive torrent of projectiles, and now comes
up at a gallop a 7 lbs. field-piece drawn by six
horses, which quickly unlimbered looses ofi" round
after round of shell and shrapnell. The targets
which represent the foe afterwards examined betray
the skill and accuracy of riflemen and gunners
alike. I doubted not, after witnessing this per-
formance, that should Lobengula take it into his
head to make a raid into the Protectorate, he
will encounter from the Bechuanaland Border
Police an uncomfortably "svarm rece^^tion. We
were sorry to say good-bye to our hospitable
hosts of the Bechuanaland Border Police at
Macloutsie ; but having still OA'cr four hundred
miles before us, we were compelled to hurry on.
Major Gould Adams most kindly lent me six
fresh mules, which replaced three horses and three
mules which I was obliged to leave here. Two of
these horses so left, died of horse sickness almost
immediately after our departure. I never heard
3i8 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa.
what became of tlie other animals. The journey
from Macloutsie to Palapye occupied four days.
The country traversed was in parts most attractive,
but the mid-day heat, the swarms of flies, and the
heavy sand through which we had to labour were
found exhausting to the teams as well as to the
travellers. The last thirty miles of road into
Palapye is mostly of a temble character. The
wheels of the carriages sink into the sand up to
the axles, while the road is obstructed by boulders
and rocks of every description and size, many of
which, concealed by the sand, cannot be avoided,
and the consequent jolting and straining, and peril
to springs and wheels, is great. Some hours of
this journeying on a very hot day took it out of
us all. When Palapye was reached about five
o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th Novemlier,
the mules in the teams of either carriage could
scarcely stir a limb. A twenty-foui* hours' rest
was imperative. Palapye, the capital of Kliama,
chief of the Bangmangwato, and paramount chief
in the Protectorate, stands on an elevated plateau.
It is probably the most thickly populated native
to^vn in South Africa. Groups of native huts,
closely packed, built without order or alignment,
sheltering upwards of thirty-five thousand souls,
straggle away in every direction as far as the eye
can reach. A large patch of gi'een sward, sur-
rounded by lofty trees and covered with animals,
poultry and children, reminds one strangely of an
English village green. The inhabitants are all
well-clothed, ^A-ear a prosperous appearance, and
1
A Powerful Chief. 319
pay but little attention to the white traveller or
})assing ox-waggons. No alcoholic drink is per-
mitted by Khama to iind its way into his territoi'ies
or under any circumstances to be sold in his towns.
The penalties for violating this law are most severe,
and are severely enforced. Constant raids by
Ivhama's police, sometimes led by Khama in
person, swoop down upon all prostitutes and
immoral persons, who are forthwith banished from
the to^vn. Khama governs justly and severely, but
without cruelty. Human life is, I believe, never
taken. His authority is purely despotic, undis-
puted, unrestrained, but exercised with wisdom
has secured for him the affectionate respect of his
people. He is the most powerful chief in South
Africa with the exception of Lobengula, King of
the Matabele, nor would it be possible to predict
w4th any assurance the result of a conflict between
these two potentates. The soldiers of the Matabele
army are possibly more brave and ferocious tlian
the Bangmangwato, but the latter possess a con-
siderable advantage in their numbers of mounted
warriors, of which the Matabele are entirely
destitute. In the event of Lobengula attacking
the British settlers in ]\Iashonaland, Khama could
almost certainly be persuaded to go at him and to
effect a powerful diversion. Khama and the
British Government have reciprocally benefited
each other. The Protectorate was submitted to
and English authority acknowledged without
resistance, mainly owing to the friendly attitude
of Khama. On the other hand, his authority has
320 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
been strengthened by British assistance and good
offices, and, confident in British support, he no
longer fears his enemy Lobengula. As to the
probable conduct of Lobengula in the future,
I procured some interesting information from
an English gentleman long resident at Pala-
pye, whose father dwells at Baluwyo. In his
opinion Lobengula has long meditated a flitting
with all his tribe and belongings, into the country
north of the Zambesi, uhere he calculates to carry
on with ease an unrestrained and exterminating
war of conquest. The great difficulty in the way
of this policy is the transportation of the immense
herds of cattle and sheep, the property of the
monarch and his people, across the broad and rapid
Zambesi. But my informant thought that, as
white settlers and merchants multiplied, and as
British influence and domination increased, Loben-
gula would get more and more uneasy, more bent
and resolute on his policy of migration towards the
north. But my informant felt certain that before
any such migration actually took place, Loben-
gula would make himself, or would alloAv his young
men to make, a last dying effort as it were against
the white people, when much bloodshed and
massacre might occur. It is not, however, likely
that the British authorities will not obtain ample
notice beforehand of the imminence of any such
attack. Khama possesses in his rival's city many
and various channels of sure information. Nor are
the Administrator of Bechuanaland or the police
force by any means poorly provided for in this
The Bechuanaland Exploration Company. ^21
respect. But I expect that for a long time yet it
will be necessary for the British settlers in
Mashonalancl and north of the Crocodile river to
exercise the utmost caution, not only as to their
conduct towards the Matabele, but also as to the
preparation of measures for concentrated resistance
in the event of an outbreak of savage fury.
The Bechuanaland Exploration Company, whicli
does a large and profital)le trading business
throughout these parts of Africa, has its northern
headquarters at Palapye. From their agents we
experienced the utmost kindness ; nor among the
least of the luxuries they offered was a brandy and
soda, Avliich, besides Ijeing the first I had been able
to get for many weeks, Avas, to a traveller suffocated
by heat and choked by dust, sweeter than any
heavenly nectar. I must add that the brandy
bottle was produced from a recess under the bed,
in one of tlie huts occupied by the agent, where,
in deference to Khama's teetotal proclivities, it was
carefully concealed. Xor can I omit to mention
another great luxury here enjoyed for the first
time for more than fixe months, to ^vit, a night's
repose between a pair of sheets. The Bechuana-
land Exploi'ation Company have here a large and
Avell supplied store, Avhere we procured many
articles of which we stood in need. In the morninir
I witnessed a curious spectacle. Many lumdreds
of Khama's people who had been employed by the
Soutli African Chartered Company during a period
of four months in laying the telegraph wire through
Mashonaland were now paid off. A large quantity
y
322 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
of gold and silver coin had been brought up by an
officer of the Bechuanaland Border Police Irom
Mafeking, and was by him distributed to this
immense crowd with the utmost order, accuracy,
and (general content. Some of the sub-chiefs
receiyed yery considerable sums of money irom
their jDcople, ranging as high as 150/. The store did
a roaring trade, and till eyening the natives kept
passing our encampment on their way home, laden
with blankets and beadh, and very many I noticed
carrying brand-new Martini-Henry I'ifles. Palapye
is a great emporium for horns, skins, karrosses, and
native curios, and I added some fine specimens of
these former articles to the collection I had already
formed in Mashonaland. In the evening of the
14th November, aljout liall' an hour prior to our
departure, my servant came to inform me that the
chief Khama had come to visit our encampment.
I hurried to welcome him, and found myself in the
presence of a tall, slight man of apjDarently about
forty years of age. Khama is, I believe, a good deal
older. He was dressed in a suit of woollen stuff of
English make, and looked like a coloured manager
of a factory in India, or of a cotton i:>lantation. A
very intellio-ent countenance, an a"'reeable and
kind expression, an erect attitude and dignified
manners mark the monarch, the minister and the
father of the people. Oiu' conversation on com-
monplace topics, lasting about a quarter of an hour,
was carried on by the interpretation of Mr. Seeker,
agent of the Bechuanaland Exploration Com-
pany. At the close Khama o-raciously intimated
1
Conversation with Khama. 323
that lie Avoiild like to make me a present, ami
inquired if I would accept one. I replied that
any memorial of him would be most welcome and
^'aluable to me ; he then took his leave, galloping off
on a fine bay horse which he rode with grace, fol-
lowed by his equerry, and looking, I thought, in
that position a king all over. Shortly after a
messeno-er arrived, bi'inoinii" me from the chief a
large karross, made oi' leopard skins of a quality and
fineness such as a great chief would alone possess
or be able to procure. I sent Khama in return a
large silver flask, which I told him was my " water
bottle," and which I hoped he might sometimes use
in his hunting expeditions, as a souvenir of an
English traveller and friend. Then we departed
for Palla Camp. The road leaving Palapye for the
South is even w^orse on account of deep sand and
rocks than the approach before mentioned. To
save our mules during a trek of twenty miles through
this ground, we had inspanned into the "spider" and
coach two teams of oxen. All through the night
we travelled, our mules driven along slowly behind
at their ease. At daybi-eak, after an outsijan, we
resorted to our mules, now much rested and
refreshed, and made good progress through some
beautiful bush country, until at noon on the ITtli
November Ave reached Palla Camp. Here is a
telegraph station, a small police detachment and a
good store. Leaving Palla early the next moiiiing,
about 10 a.m. we met the up-country mail, in which
was Mr. Hai-ber, the mail superintendent of the
Bechuanaland Exploration Company, who had
Y 2
324 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
been very kindly sent by the agents of the com-
pany, to take charge of our party from here, and
to supply us with fresh relays of mules. At first
when reaching the post stations, Mr. Harber could
only provide an occasional fresh mule, and we toiled
along rather wearily and very slowly, oAving to the
heavy sanrl, to Machudi's Kraal or Lcnchwe, as it
is sometimes called. On the day l)efore reaching
this place, Mv. Harber and I saw from the " spider "
ahead of us a large snake lying in the I'oad. Out
we jumped, I with my revolver he with a fui'mid-
able '' sjamljok " to sla\' the I'cptile. This snake
made oft' into the ])ush, with such celerity and such
twistinu's that 1 discharued all tlie barrels of mv
revolver at it in Aaiii. Mr. Hai'ber, however,
arrested its progress with a bloAv from the thong oi"
the sjaiiil)()k. It i-eared up. opening wide its
mouth at us and hissing, a gi'aiid object. Fortu-
nately, owing to the length of the sjambok, it could
not reach Mr. Harbei'. Avho almost immedi-
atel)' hiid it h)\v -with a Avell-directed blow,
the thoijg catching it tight round the neck.
A bite IVum this most Aenomous of African
snakes M^ould lune been certainh' fatal in less
than an hour. It Avas a putt-adder of innnense
size, measuring seven feet, Avith a 1)ody thicker
than my wrist. At ^Machudi's a native kraal, in-
habited by a tribe only second to Khamas in in-
fluence and numbers, and governed l)y a chief of
evil I'cputation, our tra\-el ti-onl)les terminate(h
Here our heavy coach Avas to l)c left. ]\rajo]" Giles
and the doctor Avoidd travel in a smaller and
II
Arrival at Mafeking.
lighter vehicle, which, together with the " spider,"
was to he taken along from here entirely l)y the
company's teams. AVe reached Machudi's not a
moment too soon ; our own animals could nothavc^
gone another yard without a rest of sevei-al days.
But it seemed as if fote was against us. Tlie river
Kotwani here to l)e traversed was found hio-h in
flood and j^erfectly impassable, in which state it
might remain for a week or more. I went to hed
with a heavy heart, anxious about the future of
our journey south. In the morning I was cheered
by the news that the river had rapidly subsided,
and that Mr. Rhodes and liis party, also l:)eing con-
veyed ])y the Bechuanaland Exploration Compan}-,
had passed us, crossed the river, and gone on in the
night. From here we proceeded rapidly and gaily,
finding fresh teams of mules every two or three
hours, passing through Ga1)erones, a station of the
Bechuanaland Border l?olice, where we received
the; usual most l^ountiful hospitality, through
Ramoutsa, an important post statiou, across
beautiful green pastures, through succeeding forest
wood and bush, everytliing looking bright and
verdant aud glistening, owing to recent heavy
rains, through Ramatlabama on to our goal,
Mafeking, Avliich we reached in the afternoon of
Monday, the 23rd Xo^'ember.
At ]\Iafeking, Dixon s Hotel, an establishment of
the greatest merit, soon enabled us to forget the
troubles and fatigues of our long journey of a
thousand miles from Fort Salisbury. The railway
will soon be extended to this pleasant and atti'activc
326 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
settlement. • It lies in the centre ut a boundless
grassy plain, at tins time of year (Xo\'eml)er) very
green and fertile. Beclnianaland is destined, I
imao'ine, in time to become the iz'reat ranchino-
ground of South Africa. Skilful engineering in
the placing and making of dams, A\'()uld hy storage
overcome the only ohstacle, ^'iz. the scarcity of
water. We had to remain at Mafeking two days.
A dri^•e of one hundred mih's still separated us
from yj-\'l)urg, the railway terminus. Thej)assage
of Mr. Khodes and his part)' had absorbed the
coaching resources of the Bechuanidand Explora-
tion Company. The mail service u]) country as
far as Tuli is excellently carried on l)y this company.
Passengers are also conveyed by them, the distance
from Vryburg to Tuli, upwards of five hundred
miles, being comj)assed 1)}' the mail coach in less
than eight days. The company have large
numbers of mules, all kept in first-rate condition,
and ha\'e constructed post stations at intervals of
tAventy miles along the I'oad, where are wells and
stores of foraa'e. If I were li'oinfi: airain to Foi't
Salisbury, I should make arrangements with this
comjjany for ni}' journey, instead of resorting to
the large, very costly and cumbrous expedition
which ignorance of the country let me in for. A
traveller, by making use of tlie present mail
service and by prociuing fi'om the company a
special service north of Fort Tuli, could journey
from London toFort Salisl)nry and back in a period
of four months. Of course il" the Beira l^ungwe
railway were constructed the journey could be
With Mr. Riiodf,s at Kimrerlev.
y^j
accoinj^lislied in half that time. The distance
betAveen Mafeking- and Vrylnirg Avarf covered in
a day. Starting at 3.30 p.m., the rekys and mail
teams taking ns along with nnusual rapidity, we
reached Vryburg at 8.30 in the evening. Oh !
the comfort and luxury of the railway, after
seven months of travellino; in coaches and
waggons. \. week was pleasantly passed at
Kimberley, where I was the guest of Mr. Rhodes.
N^o change could be noted here. The concen-
tration of the diamond industry into the hands
of a single comj^any has cramped the develop-
ment of this town. But there is there a hospi-
table and amiable society, and the most comfortable
and well-manao'ed club I have ever come across
in my numerous travels. Captain Tyson, the
secretary of this club, is a perfect jDrovidence to the
English visitor; So once more in Capetown, where
I whiled away three weeks waiting for Mr. Perkins,
the mining expert, to rejoin me from Johannesburg
where he had been eno-ao;ed in a second minute
examination of the gold-field of Witwatersrand.
The rest and the comparative idleness after so
many weeks of hard and rough travel, and above
all the gracious hospitality extended to me by his
Excellency the High Commissioner and Governor,
were enjoyable beyond description. Time was
now ample for reflection and retrospect, nor were
materials for such wanting. The following problem
continually presented itself to me : How could the
paucity of British population in the Cape Colony,
and in South Africa generally, be accounted for ?
328 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa.
Soil and climate equal to that of Australia, vastly
superior to that of Canada, should have attracted a
constant stream of emigrants, either to the Cape,
Bechuanaland, to the Transvaal or to Xatal.
Such for some reason or other has not been the
case. Possibly the Dutch element so predominant
throua'hout South Africa is unfavourable to rai^id
enterprise, possibly the large amount of cliea])
native labour conflicts witli the attainment of a
very liigh standard of colonial prosperity and
strength. Whether it be so or not, the question
presents itself for study. In Australia and Canada
many millions of populatiou, mainly drawn from
British sources ; in South Africa from the Cape
to the Zambesi, a territory of vast expanse, "witli
miles of fertile pastures most suitable to cattle and
sheep, with acres of land capable of pi'oducing
abundant crops of grain, with forests giving most
valuable and excellent timber, Avith mines of every
metal, and with large deposits of coal, is inhabited
at present l)y about half a million of white people,
not more than two-thirds oi" which are of Britisli
origin.
The most sanguine di'camer can hardly over-
estimate the agricultural and mineral resources of
the Transvaal. Before the end of the year the
railway will have sui^erseded the ox waggon,
Johannesburg and Pretoria will be connected
with the railway systems of Cape Colony and of
Xatal. This should produce a rapid and large
increase of population and of mining industry.
Probably in the history of mining, no gold-field more
Agricultural and Mineral Resources, 329
important than the Witwatersrand has ever been
discovered. When I passed through Johannesburg
in June, 1891, the monthly output of gold from its
mines was 54,000 ounces. At the time of wi'itino-
this has risen to 86,000 ounces. Three causes will
contribute to sustain and swell this remarkable
development. The general introduction into the
mines of the compressed air rock-drilling
machinery, and a consequent large increase in the
amount of auriferous ore, extracted together with
a saving in the charge for labour. 2. The marked
success of the chemical 23rocesses, for treating
tailings with a consequent large increase in the
amount of gold actually won. 3. The construction
of the railway to Johannesl^urg, with a consequent
large decrease in Avorking expenses, and in the
cost of li^ano-. There is now before manv if not
all of the WitA\'atorsrand mines an amount of
auriferous ore practically in sight which can
exhaust the energies of at least another generation
of men. Of the silver deposits near Johannesburg
no absolutelv definite and precise allegation can be
made. Their j^romise is good, and almost warrants
the speculation that some day the silver mining-
industry will rival if not surpass in importance the
gold-mining industry of the Randt. It is to the
Transvaal wealth that I look for the attraction
which may ere long thickly populate South Africa.
It is impossible not to regret that a policy as some
say of prudence, as others say of cowardice, com-
pelled Great Britain to give up her direct
authoritv over this land, but the riches of the
330 Men, Mines, and Animals -in South Africa.
world arc tlioro in {il)imclaiice, nor is it in t\\v.
power of a feeble, corrupt and almost insolvent
Boer Government to j^re^'ent or to delay for long
these riches being largely distrilnited among man-
kind. Pages I could write in praise of South
Africa, but fortunately want of space arrests me.
To the young, vigorous and versatile British
emigrant, I can recommend tlie country as a place
where the means of ease and affluence can be
acquired rapidly, if only fortime smiles ; to the
ti'aveller in search of health, distraction, amuse-
ment, sport, beauty of scenery, excellence of
climate, I can recommend it as being the region of
the "world most favoured l)y nature, either for the
residence or the industry, or the wanderings of
man.
THE EM).
J
INDEX.
Adderley Street, Cape Town, 19.
Africa, coaching in, 53-4 : equip-
ment of an expedition for, 117-
121; hunting the lion in, lGl-2;
cost of a six niontlis' hunting
expedition in, 216-S ; a genuine
stickfast in, 221-2, 2o7.
Agriculture in Mashonaland, 27G-7 ;
at Hartley Hill, 281 ; in Transvaal,
328-9.
Alcohol in the Transvaal 92 ; at
Palapye, 319.
" Alice " reef, Mazoe Valley, 295-6.
Amatongaland, 27.
Amusements on the Grantalhj Castle,
11, 12.
Antelope, 150-5, 158, 1G5-170, 185,
199, 211, 214, 218, 220-6, 228, 233,
249-262, 267 ; see also llesbok,
buck, harte-beest, gazelle, koodoos,
springbol:, &c..
Armament required for hunting ex-
pedition in South Africa, 217.
Athletic sports on the GrantuUy
Castle, 12, 13.
Auction at Fort Salisbury, 247, 284-6.
"Baboon," the (Lee's bov), 147,
150, 153-9, 2:^5-9, 232, 253-9, 262.
Baboons, 243, 258.
Bads-loop, 98.
Balwyo, 320.
Bangmangwato tribe, 318, 319.
Basutoland, government of, 27.
Beale's Camp, 221, 226.
Bechuanaland, government of, 27,
326 ; native reserve in, 50-52 ;
Border Police of, 105-8, 12 + , 129,
132, 136, 142, 144, 190, 300, 311,
315-7, 322 ; Sir Charles Warren
and, 124.
Bechuanaland Exploration Com-
pany, 321-6.
Beit, Mr. Alfred, 142, 191, 209, 233,
242-3, 265, 270, 272.
Benett-Stanford, Mr., 7-9.
Benkes, Mr., 86-7.
" Birthday" mine, the, 99.
Blar.dy and Co., Madeira, 9.
Blesbok, 75, 76.
" Bless," horse named, 184, 186, 188.
Blue ground extracted at Kimberlev,
41.
Boers in the Transvaal, 22-25; at
Johannesburg:, 60-64, 72 ; and
game, 75 ; the Transvaal Parlia-
ment, 81-f'8; idea of justice, 88-
92 ; trek by, into Mashonaland,
88-6, 93, lOS-110 ; and Swazifand,
92-4 ; as farmers, 94-5 ; and wells,
102.
Borrow, Mr., 218, 239, 243, 296, 298 ;
see also Johnson, Heaney and
Borroiv.
Botanical Gardens at Lisbon, 7; at
Cape Town, 18.
Botany, garden at Madeira, 8-9 :
the petuna, 258.
Bread a luxury in the bush, 180.
Breakwater at Cape Town, 19.
British Chartered South African
Company, 22, 25, 104, 105, 108;
police of, 111-112, li4; at Fort
Victoria, 189-192; 196-7, 205, 231;
huts of, 206; at Fort Salisbury,
282-9 ; police of, 299, 300.
Bubjane lliver, 156, 175, 176.
Babye River, 150.
Bucks, 142, 144, 145, 173, 211, 214,
217, 218, 220, 228, 250, 266, 294.
Bufflesdorn Mine, 57.
Buildings at Fort Salisbury, 282.
Ballock-vehicle, Madeira, 9.
Bultfontein Mine, see Be Beers Co.
Bulnroyo, 268.
Bush fires, 187-8, 307-8.
ByL Mr. Van der, 302.
Cameron, General, 28-31.
Camp by moonlight, our, 144.
Index.
Camp fire concert at Fort Tuli, 124-5.
Cape de Verde, 9.
Cape Town, arrival at, 15-17 ; build-
ings in, 17-19 ; quietness of, 19,
20 ; environs of, 21 ; as a coaling
station, 28; defences of, 29-30;
garrison at, 31 ; departure from,
32-33.
Cupper, Captain, and the new
magazine rifle, 113-5.
Carbolic oil, usefulness of, 102.
Carrington, Sir Frederick, lOu-8,
110-112, 125, 142, 144, 252, 311.
Cattle disease, 51.
Cattle of Boers, 94; at Fort Vic-
toria, 190.
" Charlie," shooting pony, 158, 18G.
Chimpanzees, 7.
Chlorination process, the, 66-70.
Churchill, Lord R., journey to
Cape Town, 1-16 ; Cape Colony
17-33 ; at Kimberley, 34-49 ; at
Johannesburg, 50-78 ; and the
Transvaal, 79-95 ; the journey to
Fort Tuli, 96-125 ; and the lions,
158-174; the journey to Fort Vic-
toria, 175-192 ; from Fort Victoria
to Fort Salisbury, 193-211 ; sport
in Mashonaland, 212-233, 246-
262; the Mazoe Valley gold dis-
trict, 234-245; and wealth of
Mashonaland, 263-275 ; at Fort
Salisbury, 276-294 ; the journey
home, 295-327; advice to emi-
grants, 328-330.
Climate of Cape Town, 17, 21; of
the Karroo plain, 35-6 ; of Trans-
vaal, 68, 72, 81, 124 ; of Pretoria.
82; at Fort Tuli, 124 ; of Mashona-
land, 198-9; at Fort Salisbury,
206; of Mashonaland, 293, 301.
Coaches and coaching in South
Africa, 52-5, 298-9.
Coal mines near .Johannesburg, 74.
Coaling station. Cape Town as a, 28,
29.
Colquhoun, Mr., 200.
Concerts at Fort Tuli, 124-5 ; at
Palla Camp, 130.
Concessions in the Transvaal, 64.
Cooking of venison, the, 220-1.
Corruption in the Transvaal, 64.
Cost of a six months' hunting ex-
pedition in South Africa, 216^8.
Coventry, Honourable Charles, 119
153, 233, 265.
Crocodile River, see Limpopo River.
Crocodiles, 130.
Cruelty of Boers, 88-92.
Cyanide of potassium process, 66,
69, 70.
Damaraland, 27, 52.
Dartmouth, 1, 5.
De Beer, Mr., 86-7.
De Beers' Company, the, at Kim-
berley, 38-48,»191.
Deer, preservation of, 76,
Defences of Cape Town, the, 28-31.
Desolation, a time of, 138-9.
Diamond industry at Kimberley, 36-
49.
Docks at Cape Town, 19.
Doctors, lack of, in Mashonaland,
202-3.
Dogs, advice about, for South Africa,
102 ; our, 160, 168.
Donkeys, 266.
Dutch in Cape Town, the English
and, 22-25, 328.
Dutch Parliament, the, at Pretoria,
83-88.
Du Toits Pan mine, see De Beers
Co.
Dynamite, a monopoly, 64.
KoGELL, Mb.,116, 117, 13t, 136, 143,
230, 265.
" Eiflel" district, the, 265, 270.
Elands, 199, 218, 225, 233, 239, 259-
262.
Elebi, 134.
Electric light
Mine, 48; in
Jline, 65.
Elephants, 147.
Emigrant, Mashonaland for the ,237-8;
South Africa for the, 330.
English and Dutch in Cape Town,
the, 22-25.
Exploration Company Syndicate,
244-5.
Expedition, the, composition and
equipment, 116-121 ; sale of etiects
of, 284-6.
Eytings, 99.
Fairyland, a veritable, 103.
Farmer, the Boer as a, 94-.5, 192.
Feathered game in the Transvaal,
76.
Fern Spruit, 184, 186-8, 306.
Ferreira, Col., 109, 191.
Ferroira Mine, the, 69.
Fever at Palla Camp, 129 ; at Lnndi
River Camp, 181-3 : at Fort Vic-
in the De Beers
the Robinson Gold
Index.
1 -» 5
000
toria, 190 ; in Mashonaland, 203,
237-8.
Fire on board the Lirantulhj Castle,
13-15.
Fires, Veldt, 187-8, 230, 307-8.
" Fly " (grey gelding), loss of, 182.
Flying fish, 10.
Footpads in Johannesburg, 60.
Fort Charter, 191, 195-8, 200-203.
Fort Salisbury, 193, 200, 203-8, 211,
218, 230-6, 238, 246, 258, 274, 281-
298.
Fort Tuli, 96, 109, 110-116, 142, 291,
310-311, 313.
Fort Victoria, 189, 193, 201-3, 280,
291, 300-310.
Fort Wynyard, 30.
Fraser, Messrs., rifle made bv, 118.
Frere, Sir Bai tie, 23.
Funchal Bay, 7.
Gaberones Station, 325.
Game ia Transvaal, 102 ; on vSouth
Africa veldt, 150-2.
Garrison at Cape Town, the, 31 ; at
Fort Charter, 202.
Gascoigne, Major, 103.
Gazelles, 225.
Gideon (boy), 119.
GiHard, Mr., 289.
Giles, Major George, 3, 4, 116-7,
130-132, 136, 145, 153, 170,'174, 176,
181, 186, 193, 265, 266, 298, 306,
309, 311, 324 ; accident to, 230 ; and
the horse sickness, 121-3.
Giraffe, 133, 173,218. ■^
Gladstone, Mr., 5, and the Trausvaa
War, 23-25.
Gold near Hartley Hill, 200; in
Mashonaland, 207-211, 236, 271,
277-281 ; see also Mazoe, Ac; round
Fort Victoria, 302-3.
Gold-field of Witwatersrand, 327-9.
Gold mines in Johannesburg, 59, 63-
73, 79-81.
"Golden Quarry" mine, 243, 297,
306-7.
Goold-Adams, Major, 108-10, 316,
317.
Government House, Cape Town, 18.
Government buildings at Pretoria,
83.
Governments in South Africa,
various forms of, 25-28.
Graham, Mr., 264.
Grabanistown Mine, the, 71.
Gruntulhj Castle, voyage in the, 5-
16.
Guns, breech-loading at Cape Town'
28-31.
Gvveebi River, 239.
Hampden, Mount, 207, 211, 239 211
295.
Harber, Mr., 323, 324.
Harris, Dr. Rutherford, 288-290.
Harrebeests, 139, 140, 155, 199 214
219, 222-6, 232, 233, 250-4, 266,
268.
Hartley Hill, gold district of, 200,
208, 209, 236, 237, 246-7, 253, 258,
262, 263-274, 279.
Hex River, 34 ; Pass, 34-5.
Hippopotami, 258, 294.
Honev bird, the, 147.
Hopley, Mr., 284.
Horse-racing at Fort Salisburv, 289.
290. ^
Horse sickness in Africa, 51 121,
127-8. 136, 176-7, 181, 183, 186, 190
2, 308-9, 315.
Hotel accommodation, iu the Trans-
vaal, 55-6; at the Warm Baths,
Pretoria, 98, at Pietersburg, 101.
Hot springs near Worcester, 34 ;
near Pretoria, 98.
House-breakers iu Johannesburg
60.
Hunting in South Africa, 212-8.
Hunyani River, 204, 211, 212,218-9,
233, 238, 265.
Huts of the B.S.A.C.C, 20(i ; of
Kaffirs, 255.
Hyteuas, 133, 160, 218,
Ipaci Hiver, 145.
Iddesleigb, Lord, 20,
Illicit diamond buying in South
Africa, 45-7.
2».sed.s'. Ants, 258; Black flies,
plague of, 263 ; tsetze fly, the,
160,213. 265, 266, 298 ; caterpillars,
225.
Inspanning, the business of, 143.
Invalids, South Africa and, 15, 16.
Irish Land Question Bill, 2.
Jackals, 160,211, 218, 229.
Jahshaan, 102.
Jamioson, Dr., 206, 218.
Jiintje, a native, 89-91.
Johiiunesburg, 49; the journey to,
53-7 ; description of, 58-60 ;
taxation iu, 61-2 ; government at,
()3-4 ; mines at, 65-75, 79-83,
328-9.
334
Index.
Johnson, Heanev and Barrow,
Messrs., 218, 239, 242, 264, 272,
282-3, 298.
Joubert, General, 81, 88, 109, 110.
" Jumbo " mine, the, 243.
" Jumpers " G-old .Mine, 70.
Justice, the Boer's idea of, 88-92.
Kaffie, maltreatment of a, 88-91.
Kaffirs, 103; women, 128-9; waggons,
137 ; kraals, 2.55 ;
Karroo, plain of the, 35-G.
Kenilworth, model village, at Kim-
berley, 47.
Khama, Chief, 145, 312, 318-323.
Kimberley, 119, 313,327-8; diamond
industry at, 36-49.
Kimberley mine, see De Beers Co.
Klerksdorp, 56-S.
Knollys, Colonel, 28.
Koertze, Mr., 76.
Koodoos, 133, 143-8, I.jO, 1-55, 160,
164, 172, 176, 218, 22-5, 232, 259 ;
see also antelopes.
" Koijjes," rocky, 179, 205, 249.
Kraals of natives iu Mashonaland,
204,241,254.
Kruger, President, 84-88, 93, 110.
Lange, Mr. A. E. de,cruelty of, 88-91.
Langlaate Estate, the, 68.
Lanyon, Sir Owen, 23.
Laurie, Captain, 96, 105, 107.
Lee, Mr. Hans, the hunter, 119, 144-
8, 150-160, 176; 182-5, 211,212,
217, 233, 248-251, 254-262, 267;
and the lions, 161-174.
Leonard, Captain, 110.
Leopards, 36, 213, 275.
Library, Public, at Cape Town, IS, 19.
Licenses in Fort Salisbury, 292.
Limpopo Eiver, 103, 105-108, 129,
131, 132, 135, 142, 212, 316.
Lion Camp, 158-174.
Lions, 132, 155, 157, 160-172, 199,
203-4, 213, 217, 264, 267, 302.
Lipokwe River, 137.
Liquor traffic at Fort Salisbury, 292.
Lisbon, 6-7.
Livestock iu the Transvaal. 51.
Lobengula, Chief, 125, 14-5,' 204, 268,
316-320, see also Matabe/e.
Loch, Sir Henry, 2.
Logan, Mr. J. D., 35-6.
Lo-Maguudi district, 271, 279, 281.
Long's Mine, 306.
Lost in the veldt, 137-141, 252-3.
Lotsani River, 134, 135.
Lottery on board Granttdbj Castle,
11.
Lundi River, 174, 176, 179, 181, 184,
302, 308-9.
McArthor-Forrest process, the,
6G-70.
Machudi's Kraal, 324-5.
Mackay, Mr., 116, 117, 122, 131, 134,
1 6, 143, 153, 265, 266, 270, 280.
Macloutsie, 136, 311-318.
iladeira, 7-9.
Mafeking, 49, 126, 312, 325-6.
Magazine rifle, the new, 112115.
Magistrates in Mashonaland, 290.
Mahalopsie River, 131.
MajubaHill, 23, 21.
Makala tribe, 153.
Malarial fever, see Fever.
Mammoth River, 271.
Manicaland, 104- ; gold district, 207,
236-7, 269, 274, 280, 294.
Mariko River, 128.
Marico district, the, 192.
Maripi, 128.
Marks & Co., estnte of, 76-8.
Marriage in Mashonaland, 218-9.
Martini-Henry riHe, the, compared
to the new magazine rifle, 113-5.
Mary Pioneer mine, the, 297.
Mashonaland, 2, 4 ; and the Boers,
85-6, 93 ; wealth of, 175 ; the best
part of, 182-3; climate and soil
of, 198-9 ; from a mining point of
view, 209, 293 ; emigration in,
237-8 ; wealth and fertility of, 2(i9,
271, 276-281; natives' dress, 286;
postal communication iu, 290.
Massi Kessi, skirmish near, 104-5,
300.
Matabele, raids of the, 202, 204, 205,
241, 321 ; see also Lohenqxda.
Matabeleland, 25, 26, 28. 52, 86, 110 ;
womtn, 128-9; tree in, 160.
^latchless mine, the, 279.
Matjesfoutein, 35.
Matlaputta River, 136.
Maunde, Mr., 179, 180.
Maxim gun at Fort Tuli, 109, 112 ;
at Macloutsie, 317.
Mazoe River gold district, 200, 207-
9, 233, 23i, 237-246, 269, 274, 279,
295-7.
Menu at hotel in Transvaal, 55-6.
Mineral resources, of Matabeleland,
25; of Transvaal, 100, 328-9; of
Mashonaland, 278-281.
Index.
335
Mines, see De Beers Co., RoUnson Co.,
Kimherley, &c.
Mines near Kimberlej, 57 ; in
Johannesburg, 58-60, 65-75.
Mining in the Zoutspaabnrg
district, 99, 100.
Mockell, Mr., 117.
Monkeys, 7; see also hahoons, chint-
panzeet^.
Montgomery, Sergeant-Major, 289.
Morier, Mr. Victor, 103-5.
Morrison's store, 105.
Mountains, some miniature, 179-80.
Mount Marias mine, 99.
Mules, driving a team of, 53.
Mules, our, 143, 1.56, 176-7 ; habits of,
148-9, 182, 191-2, 199, 203, 30:f,
315, 317.
Murchison district, 99.
Myburgh. Mr., 117, 149, 157, 166-9,
179, 182, 184.
Natal, Government of, 26.
Native market, 153-4.
Native reserve iu Bechuanaland, 51.
Natives as servants, 194-5, 247-S.
Natural History Museum, Cape
Town, 18, 19.
Nelmapius, Mr., 100.
Notorious diamond thief, a, 46-7.
Notwaui River, 325.
Nyistrom, 98.
Orange Free State, 27.
Ornithology ~
Bittern, 77.
Bustards, 36, 76, 225.
Cranes, 76, 78.
Doves, 101.
Duck, 78, 127, 130.
Eagle, 77.
Guinea fowls, 101-2, 137, 139.
Honey-bird, the, 147.
Koran. 36, 55, 77, 78.
Partridcres, 36, 55, 77, 78, 101.
Pheasants, 101, 137, 138, 142,
144.
Pigeons, 77.
Plovers, 55, 77-8.
Quails, 36, 77-8,
Snipe, 77-8.
Teal, 130.
Vultures, 55, 75, 229.
Wild fowl, 77.
Wild turkey, 78, 239.
Ostriches, 183-1, 199, 2 IT,, 239, 259,
260.
Outfit necessary for hunting expe-
dition, 216-7.
Oxen, loss of, 63 ; our, at Tuli, 123
143, 146, 184, 230; habits of,'
148-9.
Paarl, old town of French origin
33-4. ° '
Paddington Station, 1, 5.
Paddiugton man, a, 35.
Palapye, 312, 318-323.
Palla Camp, 129, 315, 323.
Palmitsfontein mine, the, 99.
Panouse, Count de la, 243.
Papenfu, Mr., 284.
Paris Exhibition, diamond exhibited
at, 42.
Paritj, estate near, 76.
Pelajjswe, 136.
Pennefather, Colonel, 104, 207.
Perkius, Mr. H. C. 4, 97, 209-10, 234
235, 238-247, 253, 265-7, 271, 274-5,
287, 298, 307, 327.
Personnel of Expedition, 116-121.
Pietersburg, 99-101.
Plains in Africa, see T'eldf.
Police, at Johanue.sburg, 60; at Fore
Salisbury, 290; the Bechuanaland
Border, 105-8, 124, 129, 136, 142,
144, 300 ; of the B.S. A.C. Co., 299,
303.
Politics in England, 2; in South
Africa, 25-28.
Poll tax in the Transvaal, 62.
Pondolaud, 27.
Port Elizabeth, 19.
Portuguese, skirmish with, near
]\rassi Kessi, 104-5, 110, 300.
Postal Communication in Mashona-
land, 290.
Potchefstrom, 57.
Power of President Kruger, 87-8.
Preservation of deer, 76.
Pretoria, 82, 97, 328; taxation in,
61-2 ; Dutch Parliament at, 83-88.
Prospecting Mashonaland, 278.
Providence Gorge, 189.
Provisions required for a six months'
hunting expedition, 217-8.
PuUen's " Winkel " in the Transvaal,
55-6.
"Pulsator" machine, De Beers
Mine, 42.
Puugwe River and route, 104-5, 201),
279, 294, 2^8.
Qlaugas, 147, 150, 165-171, 214,218.
53^
Index.
Railways in the Transvaal, 49, 50,
63, 73, 80, 328-9.
Rains, heavy, 145, 177, 237-8, 300 ;
scarcity of, 136.
Ramatlabaiia, 126, 325.
Ramoutsa, 325.
Randt gold-field, the, 71, 72, 74.
liayner, Surgeon Hugh, 4, 126, 144,
ISH, 203, 265 8, 298, 324.
Reptiles, see Snakes.
Reserve for Natives in Bechiiaua-
land, 51.
Rhinoceros, 294.
Rhodes, Mr. Cecil, 2, 22-4, 95-7 ; 200,
288, 293-7, 305, 325-7; and the
De Beers Co., 38.
Rhodes's Drift, 105, 107.
Rifle, the nev? magazine, 112-5.
Roads, in the Transvaal, 54, 63-4 ;
between Fort Victoria and Fort
Charter, 299, 300.
Robinson Gold Mine, the, 65-9.
Rolker, Mr. 209, 234-5, 242, 216,
247, 253, 265, 287.
Romilly, Mr. Hugh, 191.
"Ruby," horse named, 186.
Rustemburg Goal, 88-91.
Rylands and Fry, Messrs., 173, 176.
Salary of members of Dutch Parlia-
ment, 87.
Salisbury, Lord, 28.
Salisbury Gold Miue, the, 70.
Sandpits, 127.
Sanitary Board at Jolianuesbnrg,
61-2.
Sapte, Major, 103-4.
b'aroe River, 258.
Saur, Dr., 132-134.
Search room at Kimberley diamond
mines, 45.
Seeker, Mr., 322.
Selous, Mr., the hunter, 18, 207.
Semalali River, 137.
Sequana, 128.
Servants, our native, 194-5, 247-8.
Shave by a Hindoo barber, 134.
Sheep in the Transvaal, 51 ; sheep
scab, 51.
ShepBtone, Sir T., 23.
Shippard, Sir Sydney, 52.
Shooting in South Africa, 212-8.
Silika, 132.
" Simmer and Jack " gold mine, 70.
Simon, Dr., 69, 70.
Simon's Bay, defence of, 29, 30.
Sinclair, Mr., 127.
Sitwell, Captain, 316.
" SkofiF," 132, 134.
Slater, Mr., 284, 289.
Smitsdorp, 99.
Snakes, 213; a cobx-a, 227; scor-
pions, 275 ; a puff adder, 324.
Soil, in the Transvaal, 80-81; of
Pretoria, 83 ; of Mashonaland,
198-9, 238, 276-7; at Fort Salis-
bury, 206 ; at Hartley Hill, 263.
South Africa for invalids, 15, 16;
trekking in, 311-2 ; for emigrant,
330.
" South Africa," a number of. 128-9.
South African Republic, 22, 24.
Speculation in gold mines, 281.
"Spider," the, travelling by, 100,
105, 176-8, 182.
Sport on the Karroo plain, 36 ; in
the Transvaal, 75-8 ; v?ith Sir F.
Carrington, 142-4 ; on the veldt,
147-152 ; see also Zooloiji/, &c.
Sjjringbok, 36, 75. 76, 78.
Stanhope, Mr. (Secretary of State
for War), 30, 31; and the new
magazine rifle, 112-115.
Stickfast, a genuine African, 221-2,
257.
Stock Exchange, London, and Johan-
nesburg gold mines, 59.
Suchi River, 135.
Sugar Loaf Mountain, 179, 180.
"Susanna" reef, Mazoe valley,
295-6.
Swallows, 10.
Swaziland, government of, 27 ; the
Boers and, 92-4, 110.
Table Bay, 15 ; defences of, 29.
Table Mountain and Bay, 15, 17.
Tagus Kiver, 6, 7.
Tatagora River, 239.
Taxation in the Transvaal, 61-2.
Tati gold-fields, 49, 50.
Taxes in Fort Salisbury, 292.
Telegraph wire at Macloutsie, 136 ;
to Fort Victoria, 145, 305-6 ; at
Fort Salisbury, 291.
Telephones fixed in the De Beers
Mine, 48.
Temperature at Fort Tuli, 124 ; at
night, 126 ; at Hartley Hill, 264,
26S.
Terra Santa, Island of, 7.
Theft of diamonds at Kinib(>rley,
44-7.
Thief, a notorious diamond, 46-7.
Thorns, 130.
Ticks, dogs and, 102.
Index.
337
Tiriki(Fervaut), 248-9, 303-5.
Tokwe River, 302.
Towln Mount, 155, 157.
Tiansvaa], the, 26, 50, 52, 81-2; hotel
accommodation in, 55-6 ; Silver
Wines Co., 74 ; deer and feathered
game in, 76-8 ; government at
Pretoria, 83-88 ; Boer justice,
88-91; nativfs in, 92; Boer
farmers in, 1*4-5 ; mineral re-
sources of. 100, 328-9.
Transvaal War, the, 22-25.
Trees, at Madeira, 8, 9, 130; in
Transvaal, 73, 81, 97; a. in Mata-
beleland, 160; in Mashonaland,
240-1; "Cream of Tartar" tree,
103; elephant fruit tree, 147;
mahogany tree, 1£5 ; snake tree,
159; mogundi tree, 224 ; makoona
tree, 254 ; wild fig-tree, 258.
Trek by Boers into Mashonaland,
85-6, 93, 108-110; from Vrvburg
to Tuli, 121-2; through the "bush.
156, a record, 310. 311. 314.
Tuli River, 96, 143 ; see also Fort
Tuli.
Turner, Captain, 189.
Tye, Major, 110.
Tyson, Captain, 327.
Ujifuli River, 290, 208, 221, 225
263, 271.
Umfuli River, the upper, 203, 204
215, 238.
Umjinge River, 153, 156.
Umsajbetsi River, 148.
Umsavre River, 177.
Umshlane River, 150.
Umswezi River, 266, 270, 279.
Umtala, 283, 294.
Umzingwani River, 145, 148, 309.
L'shant, ofij 5.
Vaal River, 76.
Vehicle drawn by bullocks in,
Madeira, 9.
Vehicles for African Expedition, 120.
Veldt, the, from Kimberley 'to Vry-
burg, 50-51 ; round Fretox-ia, 93,
97 ; round Pietersburg, 101-2 ;
lost in the, 137-141, 150-2, 157,
251-3 ; bush veldt, 179 ; fire, 187-8,
204, 212, 249; between Fort
Salisbury and Hartley-Hill, 258.
Viandt, a Boer named, 183-4.
Victoria Falls of the Zambesi, 50.
Vigilance Committee at Fort Salis-
bury, 287-9.
Vryburg, 49-52. 121, 312, 326-7.
Wages at De Beers Mine, 39 ; at
Robinson Mine, 68.
Walden (servant), 166-7.
Wanetse River, 177-9, 302, 308-9.
Warm Baths near Pretoria, 98.
War Office, the, 30, 31.
Warren, Sir Charles, and Bechuana-
land, 124.
" Warrigal " mine, the, 297.
Water on the plain, 196-8.
Water rates in Transvaal, 62.
Wegdraai, 132.
Wellington, town of. Cape Colony
34.
Wells, 202. the Boers and, 102.
Wilderness, lofct in the, 137-141
252-3.
Wildebeest, 75, 76, 135, 199, 218.
Wild pig, 147, 218, 232.
Williams, Mr. Gardner, 40, 132-4.
Williams, Captain G., 4, 97, 148,
153-9, 166, 169-173, 176, 185, 210,
234, 238-248, 253, 265, 280.
Willoughbv. Sir John, 206, 209, 211,
2I8-233,'2G4-5, 287.
Wines of the Paarl, 34.
Wiuslow, Mr.. 130.
Winton, Sir Francis de, 93.
Witwatersrand, gold-field of, 327-9.
Worcester, town of. Cape Colony,
34.
Workings, old mine, in IMashona-
land,2-10, 303.
Wyuberg, near Cape Town, 21.
Yellow Jacket Mine, the, 242-3,
296, 306-7.
Zambesia, 22.
Zambesi River, 209, 213, 320.
Zambili, Queen, 27, 28.
Zimboe River, 258, 263.
Zoological Gardens at Lisbon, 6-7.
Zoology : see anttlopes, haboons,
bleskok, lucks, chimijanzees, croco-
diles, elands, elephants, gazelles,
gio-affes, harteheest, hippopotatiii,
hycenas, jackals, koodoos, leo-
pards, Iwns, monkeys, ijiiaci'jas,
rhinoceros, pringhok, v:ildbeest,
v.-ild piio^-
Zoutspanburg, mining district of,
99, 100, 159.
Zulnlaud, the government of, 26.
Zumbo, 209, 232.
Z
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