Now that miserable hour is with us, and we are called upon to suppress by arms a small, but sullen and obstinate people, whom we have taught to believe themselves our equals, if not our superiors. Unless they will yield at the last moment, which seems impossible seeing that the war is of their own choosing, the new settlement of South Africa must be celebrated by a mighty sacrifice of their blood and our blood. Not to dwell upon other griefs and dangers, when, I ask, will the smoke and the smell of it depart from the eyes and nostrils of the dwellers in that unhappy land? As they troop back merrily to their mines and workshops the money-spinners of Johannesburg may forget a past of which, in many instances at least, their chief impression will be that it was unpleasant and unprofitable. But after the Rand is worked out, when the stamps cease to fall heavily by day and night, when the great heaps of tailings no longer increase from month to month, when the broker's voice is quiet in the Exchange, and the promoter inhabits some new city, still the Boer women in the farmhouses will tell their children how the "damned English soldiers" shot their grandfathers and took the land. In South Africa. new Irelands will arise, and from the dragon's teeth that we are forced to sow the harvest of hate will spring, and spring again. Thus must we eat of the bitter bread which we have baked, and thus the ill fowl that we reared have come home to roost, bringing their broods with them. Again and again we have blundered in our treatment of the Dutch. For instance, with kinder and fairer management they would never have trekked from the Cape sixty years ago. Also, had the promises which were made to them at the annexation in 1877 been kept, and had not Sir Theophilus Shepstone, who grew up amongst them and to whom they were attached, been removed in favour of a military martinet, there would have been no rebellion, let the Cape wire-pullers working under a cloak of loyalty to the Crown strive as they might. But the rebellion came and the defeats, and after these that surrender whereof this country is called upon to pluck the fruit to-day, which, by the Boers, is attributed to those defeats with the fear of their prowess and to nothing else." And now, in due season, the war comes; an inevitable war which cannot be escaped, and must be fought out to the end. There is only room for one paramount power in Southern Africa! How all these things happened is told briefly, but I trust clearly, in the following pages. My excuse for reprinting them must be the desire which, it is said, exists among some readers to become better acquainted with the facts that engendered the present fateful crisis. 9th October 1899. H. RIDER HAGGARD. CONTENTS. Invasion by Mosilikatzi-Arrival of the emigrant Boers-Estab- lishment of the South African Republic-The Sand River Convention-Growth of the territory of the republic-The native tribes surrounding it-Capabilities of the country- Its climate-Its inhabitants-The Boers-Their peculiarities and mode of life-Their abhorrence of settled government and payment of taxes-The Dutch patriotic party-Form of government previous to the annexation-Courts of law- PAGES EVENTS PRECEDING THE ANNEXATION. Mr. Burgers elected president-His character and aspirations— His pension from the English Government-His visit to England—The railway loan-Relations of the republic with native tribes-The pass laws-Its quarrel with Cetywayo -Confiscation of native territory in the Keate Award- Treaty with the Swazi king-The Secocoeni war-Capture of Johannes' stronghold by the Swazi allies-Attack on Secocœni's mountain-Defeat and dispersion of the Boers -Elation of the natives-Von Schlickmann's volunteers- Cruelties perpetrated-Abel Erasmus-Treatment of natives by Boers-Public meeting at Potchefstroom in 1868-The slavery question-Some evidence on the subject-Pecuniary position of the Transvaal prior to the annexation-Internal Anxiety of Lord Carnarvon-Despatch of Sir T. Shepstone as Special Commissioner to the Transvaal-Sir T. Shepstone, his great experience and ability-His progress to Pretoria, and reception there-Feelings excited by the arrival of the mission-The annexation not a foregone conclusion-Charge brought against Sir T. Shepstone of having called up the Zulu army to sweep the Transvaal-Its complete false- hood-Cety wayo's message to Sir T. Shepstone—Evidence on the matter summed up-General desire of the natives for English rule-Habitual disregard of their interests- Assembly of the Volksraad-Rejection of Lord Carnarvon's Confederation Bill and of President Burgers' new con- stitution-President Burgers' speeches to the Raad-His posthumous statement-Communication to the Raad of Sir T. Shepstone's intention to annex the country-Despatch of Commission to inquire into the alleged peace with Secocœni -Its fraudulent character discovered-Progress of affairs in the Transvaal-Paul Kruger and his party-Restlessness of Reception of the annexation-Major Clarke and the Volunteers |