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we stayed for about a week with Lady Barkly。
Government House is； or was； a large； quaint old place — I have not seen it from that day to this — which had the reputation of being haunted by a certain Grey Lady who had lived there generations before in the old Dutch days。
Since these chapters were written some letters of mind have been found at Bradenham。 From one of these； dealing with my arrival in South Africa； I e passages：
Government House
Cape Town： August 18； 1875。
My dear Father； — You will see from the heading of my letter that I have arrived all safe at Cape Town。 We have not made a very quick passage； nor yet a very slow one。 。 。 。 Among other things we got up a sort of penny reading on board； for which I wrote the Prologue。 I also had a good deal of work to do； getting up all the Langalibalele case and extracting the pith from a mass of blue…books。 It is not easy to get at the truth when it is hedged round by such a mass of contradictory evidence。 However the whole affair is rather interesting； inasmuch as it gives you an idea of the tremendous state of ferment and excitement the Colony was and still is in 。 。 。 。
We arrived here early yesterday morning； expecting to find Sir Gar Wolseley waiting for us； but he has not yet returned from Natal； which is very awkward； as we do not know whether to wait for him or to go on and meet him there。 。 。 。
I am getting on all right； though my position is not an easy one。 I find myself responsible for everything； and everybody es and bothers me。 However it all es in the day’s work。 I don’t know yet if I am private secretary； but I suppose I am as nobody else has appeared。 I make a good many blunders； but still I think I get on very well on the whole。 I expect I shall have a tremendous lot of work at Natal as the Chief told me that he was going to entertain a good deal； and all that will fall on my shoulders in addition to business。 We are very good friends and shall； I think； continue to be so； as he is not a captious or changeable man。 。 。 。 Beaumont； who was secretary to Pine （the late Governor of Natal）； puts me up to a lot of things； he is an excessively nice fellow and we are great allies 。 。 。 。
The merchants of Cape Town give a ball tomorrow night to which I am invited。 It will be a good opportunity of studying the Cape Town aristocracy。 I have just returned from calling on the Bishop。 The Barklys have a first…rate four…inhand and we went through a beautiful country； so our drive was a pleasant one。 I like the Bishop very much。 He is a thorough specimen of muscular Christianity。 。 。 。 This continual influx of strangers has a very depressing effect。 There is another big dinner on to…night； and there won’t be a soul I know among them unless Beaumont es； which I devoutly hope he will。 All these new faces that you don’t know make you think of the old ones that you do know。 。 。 。 I hope that you are quite well now； my dear Father； and that you do not miss me as much as I do you。
I remain； with best love to all；
Ever your most affectionate and dutiful son；
H。 Rider Haggard （or “Waggart” as they put my name
in the paper）。
My mother will pity me when I tell her that I’ve got to get servants。 Where on earth am I to find servants； and who am I to ask about them？
Now before we go on to Natal where the real business of my life began； I will stop for a moment to take stock of myself as I was in those days at the age of nieen。
I was a tall young fellow； quite six feet； and slight； blue…eyed； brown…haired； fresh…plexioned； and not at all bad…looking。 The Zulus gave me the name of “Indanda；” which meant； I believe； one who is tall and pleasant…natured。 Mentally I was impressionable； quick to observe and learn whatever interested me； and could already hold my own in conversation。 Also； if necessary； I could make a public speech。 I was； however； subject to fits of depression and liable to take views of things too serious and gloomy for my age — failings； I may add； that I have never been able to shake off。 Even then I had the habit of looking beneath the surface of characters and events； and of trying to get at their springs and causes。 I liked to understand any country or society in which I found myself。 I despised those who merely floated on the stream of life and never tried to dive into its depths。 Yet in some ways I think I was rather indolent； that is if the task in hand bored me。 I was ambitious and conscious of certain powers； but wanted to climb the tree of success too quickly — a proceeding that generally results in slips。
Further； my eldest sister； Ella （Mrs。 Maddison Green）； informed me only a month or two ago that at this period I was conceited。 Possibly I may have been； for I had been living in a very forcing atmosphere where I was made too much of by some of my elders。
Four or five days’ steaming along the green and beautiful coasts of south…eastern Africa； on which the great rollers break continually； brought us to Port Natal。 At that time the Durban harbour was not sufficiently dredged to admit sea…going vessels； and I think we had some difficulty in landing。 There was a reception mittee which presented an address of wele to the Lieutenant…Governor； and I remember hurriedly copying his answer as the ship rolled off the Point。
Sir Gar Wolseley had been sent to Natal as temporary Governor to settle certain matters connected with its constitution。 I think that at that time he had left the Colony himself； though of this I am not quite sure； as I am unable to remember when I first spoke to him。 In after life I met him on several occasions。 Especially do I remember a long talk with him at a dinner…party at the house of the Bischoffheims in London some time in the eighties。 He was a small； bright…eyed； quick…brained man who expressed his views upon the public matters of the day with a fierceness and a vigour that were quite astonishing。 We sat together at the table after all the other guests had left to join the ladies； and I reflected that he must have had singular confidence in my character to say the things he did to me。 However； it was justified； for of course I never repeated a word。
Those of the Staff whom I recollect are； or were — for I think they are now all dead — Lord Gifford； Colonel （afterwards Sir Henry） Brackenbury； and Major （afterwards Sir William） Butler。 Of these the one who impressed himself most deeply upon my mind was Butler。 He was a most agreeable and sympathetic man； who took the trouble to talk a good deal to me； although I was but a lad。 I recall that with much graphic detail he told me the story of how； when he was suffering from fever； he was nearly thrown overboard as a dead man off the West Coast of Africa； where he had been serving in the Ashanti Expedition。 Recently I have been reading his very interesting and remarkable autobiography； in which I see he describes this incident。
Subsequently — but I think this was at Pietermaritzburg — I became well acquainted with Colonel （afterwards Sir George） Colley。 He stayed with us at Government House and I remember a curious little incident concerning him。
He was leaving Natal and wished to sell a shot…gun which I wished to purchase； though I am not sure whether this was on my account or on that of Sir Henry Bulwer。 We had a difference of opinion as to the price of the article。 Finally I interviewed him one morning when he was taking his bath； and he suggested that we should settle the matter by tossing。 This I did with a half…sovereign； he giving the call； but who won I forget。
Of my last tragic meeting with poor Colley at the time of the first Boer War I may speak later in this book。
After a short stay at Durban we proceeded to Maritzburg； the seat of government； in some kind of a horse conveyance； as； except for a short time on the coast； there was then no railway in Natal。 In those days it was a charming town of the ordinary Dutch character； with wide streets bordered by sluits of running water and planted with gum trees。
Of the year or so that I spent in Natal I have not much to say that is worthy of record。 The country impressed me enormously。 Indeed； on the whole I think it the most beautiful of any that I have seen in the world； parts of Mexico alone excepted。 The