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ny other Boer officials had received appointments。 Thereon Osborn answered with great rigour； “Damn it！ Mr。 A。 — you know why。”
The man attempted no answer； and a moment later I saw him walk out of the house with a very crestfallen air； after which I think Osborn came into my room and expressed his feelings on the whole subject with the utmost freedom。
That is the story； of which the reader； if there ever should be such a person； can form his own opinion。 Of course it rests upon Deventer’s word supported only by certain corroborative evidence of a circumstantial sort； such as the sudden departure of the Boer mission； leaving us alone in Secocoeni’s Town without guides； the behaviour of the two Basuto lads； and of the individual inculpated on the occasion that I have just mentioned。 Deventer may have lied； but I see no reason why he should have done so； and it was not in keeping with his character； nor did any of us at the time find cause to doubt the truth of his statement。 On the other hand our disappearance from this mortal sphere might have been convenient to Mr。 A。； who knew that when we saw Secocoeni we should discover that the alleged treaty with that chief which he had negotiated had been forged as regards its most important clause。 If we were all dead we could not municate our knowledge to the Special missioner； Sir Theophilus Shepstone； and through him to the British Government； in which event his credit would have been saved and the South African Republic； which he served； would have been freed from a great embarrassment。 It is not probable that any more will ever be known of this matter； which； so to speak； now rests between Mr。 A。 — whose name I refrain from mentioning — and God。 Of the Englishmen concerned I alone survive； and if any of the others still live they must be very old men。
At Fort Weber I think we separated from the Boer mission； also that Clarke left us to attend to business elsewhere。 Osborn and I trekked day and night in an ox…waggon to Middelburg — trekked till the oxen fell down in the yokes。 It was a fearful and a sleepless journey。 At some period in it we were left quite without food。 Only a single pot of jam remained。 We opened the tin and helped ourselves to the jam with our knives； sitting one on either side of it in the vasty veld； till we could eat no more of the sickly stuff； hungry though we were。
While we were thus engaged an eagle sailed over us with a koran or small bustard in its claws。 I shouted and it dropped the koran； which； thinking that it would serve for supper； I secured and tied to my saddle； unfortunately by its head； not by its feet。 We rode on and I noticed that the eagle and its mate followed us。 In the end the jerking of the horse separated the koran’s head from its body； so that the bird fell to the ground。 In a moment the eagle had it again and sailed away in triumph。
By the way； I still possess that knife with which I ate the jam。 It was given to me by my brother Andrew when I was about twelve and； except for a month or two when it was lost upon the veld； from that day to this it has been in my pocket。 It is wonderful that an article in daily use should have lasted so long； but I hope that it may remain to the end of the chapter。
Chapter 5 THE ANNEXATION
Doubtful attitude of Boers towards Mission — H。 R。 H。 attends debates in Volksraad — Paul Kruger — H。 R。 H。‘s projected journey home — Which was given up — Transvaal annexed — H。 R。 H。 delivers copies of Proclamation and hoists British flag with Colonel Brooke。
Life at Pretoria was very gay during this Annexation period。 We gave a ball； followed on the next evening by a children’s party； the President entertained us to lunch。 The English in the town gave us a great dinner in the Volksraad Zaal at which “God save the Queen” was sung with enthusiasm； and there were many other entertainments。
But underneath all these festivities grave issues were maturing。 Shortly after our arrival four hundred and fifty Boers rode into the town with the object of putting us back over the border。 They were unarmed； but we discovered that they had left their rifles hidden in waggons not far away and guarded by a hundred and fifty men。 If they really had any such intention； however； it evaporated after they had proceeded to the Government offices to ask what the English were doing in Pretoria and hoisted their flag in the Market Square。 Then they talked a while and went away。 One man； I remember； either on this or another occasion came and stood before the English flag which marked our camp； and shouted； “O Father； O Grandfather； O Great…grandfather； rise from the dead and drive away those red…handed wretches who have e to take our land from us； the land which we took from the Swartzels （black creatures）！”
Then he made a somewhat feeble rush for the said flag； but was collared by his friends and taken off； still apostrophising his ancestors。 It all sounds very mock…heroic and absurd； and yet I repeat that there was much to justify this attitude of the Boers。 After all they had taken the land and lived there nearly forty years； and the British Government had more or less guaranteed their independence。 Of course circumstances alter cases； and； as they could not govern themselves and were about to plunge South Africa into a bloody war； our intervention was necessary； but this the more ignorant of them could scarcely be expected to understand； at any rate at first。
Many threats were uttered against us。 Says Sir Theophilus Shepstone in one of his despatches of that day to Lord Carnarvon： “Every effort had been made during the previous fortnight by； it is said； educated Hollanders who had but lately arrived in the country； to rouse the fanaticism of the Boers and to induce them to offer ‘bloody’ resistance to what it was known I intended to do。 The Boers were appealed to in the most inflammatory language by printed manifestos and memorials 。 。 。 it was urged that I had but a small escort which could easily be overpowered。”
Indeed there is no doubt that at times during these months we went in considerable risk。 I will not set down all the stories that came to our ears； of how we were to be waylaid and shot on this occasion or on that； but an incident that I remember shows me that Shepstone at any rate thought there was something in them。 One night I and another member of the staff — I think it was Mor — were at work late； copying despatches in a room of the building which afterwards became Government House。 This room had large windows opening on to a verandah； and over these we had not drawn the curtains。 Sir Theophilus came in and scolded us； saying that we ought to remember that we made a very easy target against that lighted background。 Then he drew the curtains with his own hand。
The Volksraad met and discussed all kinds of matters； but nothing came of their labours； except the appointment of a mission to examine into the state of the country and confer with H。M。‘s Special missioner。 I attended some of their debates and remember the scene well。 They were held in a long； low room down the centre of which stood a deal table。 Round this table sat some thirty members； most of them Boers。 At the head of the room sat the Chairman at a little raised desk； by the side of which stood a chair for the use of the President of the State when he visited the Volksraad。 Among the members was Paul Kruger； then a middle…aged man with a stern； thick face and a squat figure。 At one of these sittings I obtained his autograph； a curious piece of calligraphy which I am sorry to say I have lost。 We saw a good deal of “Oom Paul” in those days； for on several occasions he visited the Special missioner。 Generally I showed him in and out； and I recollect that the man impressed me more than did any of the other Boers。
In after days I knew that Volksraad Zaal well enough； for when I became Master and Registrar of the High Court I used to sit in it just beneath the judge。
Doubtless I wrote a good many letters home at this time； but I imagine that they were destroyed either on receipt or perhaps after my mother’s death。 Four or five of them； however； my father preserved； apparently because they refer to money matters。 A little while ago