THE TRANSVAAL TREATY. 9 meaning and kindly, which were made by the British authorities to keep the Dutch farmers in Natal. A large body of them, in March 1848, fled from the country, and joined the western emigrants. Of course there was another war. Sir Harry Smith, with his usual vigour and success, attacked the Boers at a position called Boom Plaats. Lives were lost; and the result, of course, was a still further humiliation of the Dutch and a still stronger reassertion of British authority. Pretorius, the Boer commander, fled to the far Transvaal, still hoping to be let alone. The English Government for a short time ruled over the territory they had conquered between the Vaal and Orange rivers, which they called the Sovereignty. This, however, they afterwards abandoned, when it was found to be a costly and troublesome possession. Earl Grey writes, in 1851, when speaking of this renunciation "The ultimate abandonment of the Orange River Sovereignty must be a settled point of our policy. If you are enabled to effect this object, you will distinctly understand that any wars, however sanguinary, which may afterwards occur between the different tribes and communities which will be left in a state of independence beyond the colonial boundary, are to be considered as affording no ground for your interference. Any inroads upon the colony must be promptly and severely punished; but, after the experience which has been gained as to the effect of British interference in the vain hope of preserving peace amongst the barbarous or semi-civilised inhabitants of these distant regions, I cannot sanction a renewal of similar measures. This statement of rational policy becomes of serious importance when, later on, we have to consider the recent annexation of the Transvaal. It is sufficient for the present to state that the Boers of the Sovereignty thus became free. In 1853, British Special Commissioner Clerk voluntarily proposed to the inhabitants that they should elect representatives to take over from him the government of the country. A convention was subsequently agreed to in explicit words and terms, which still holds good as regards the State called THE ORANGE FREE STATE. A republic was founded under its provisions, and subsequently acknowledged as an independent State by royal proclamation of the 8th April 1854. In the Appendix will be found the text of the convention,1 which mainly consists of a clause declaring the Boers to be a free and independent people; a declaration that her Majesty's Government will not enter into treaty or alliance with natives to the detriment of the new Republic; and the agreements for reciprocations, exchange of prisoners, recognition of marriages, &c., necessary for mutual comfort between states having lengthy conterminous border-lines. While this was in progress, the same policy that dictated the liberation of the Boers of the Orange River Free State had manifested itself in a similar direction with regard to the emigrants north of the Vaal River; and as the tale can be told in no shorter or better form of words than I find in 'Noble's History,' I shall extract his account of the transaction by which was created the late South African or Transvaal Republic:-— "While the Assistant Commissioners were yet at Bloemfontein, making efforts to establish affairs on a footing more in unison with the wishes of the inhabitants, they received, through accredited messengers, a communication from the emigrants north of the Vaal River. The majority of them - Pretorius among the number -- said they were anxious for peace and friendly relations with the Government, in order that their hands might be strengthened in establishing order, and effectually checking the agitation of a few reckless spirits who wished to make another attempt at rebellion in the Sovereignty. The Commissioners considered that the reconciliation of the eniigrants to the Government would doubtless have a favourable effect in checking native hostility, and encouraged the suggested negotiations. They at once made use of the power provisionally intrusted to them by the High Commissioner to rescind the proclamation of outlawry against Pretorius and others. This act of grace paved the way for a meeting with the delegates of the emigrants, headed by Pretorius himself as Commandant-General. The meeting took place near the Sand River on the 17th January 1852, when a convention was entered into on behalf of her Majesty, allowing the community north of the Vaal River to form such government as might seem best to themselves. They were assured of non-interference in the management of their affairs, and non-encroachment on the part of the Government. This boon had been virtually granted by Earl Grey's explicit directions that British dominion should not be extended, but the Commissioners were able to make a favour of what must have soon followed as an inevitable concession. The convention thus concluded was fully approved of by Sir G. Cathcart as High Commissioner. The confirmation of it was one of the first acts of his administration, and in the proclamation ratifying it he expressed his hope that the freedom which the emigrants were now graciously per 1 See Appendix A. THE TRANSVAAL TREATY. 11 mitted to exercise might result in lasting peace amongst themselves, and in fast friendship with the British Government. 66 The following were the articles of the Convention : "1. The Assistant Commissioners guarantee in the fullest manner, on the part of the British Government, to the emigrant farmers beyond the Vaal River the right to manage their own affairs, and to govern themselves according to their own laws, without any interference on the part of the British Government; and that no encroachment shall be made by the said Government on the territory beyond, to the north of the Vaal River; with the further assurance that the warmest wish of the British Government is to promote peace, free trade, and friendly intercourse with the emigrant farmers now inhabiting, or who hereafter may inhabit, that country; it being understood that this system of noninterference is binding upon both parties. 66 2. Should any misunderstanding hereafter arise as to the true meaning of the words "The Vaal River," this question, in so far as regards the line from the source of that river over the Drakensberg, shall be settled and adjusted by commissioners chosen by both parties. "3. Her Majesty's Assistant Commissioners hereby disclaim all alliances whatever and with whomsoever of the coloured nations to the north of the Vaal River. "4. It is agreed that no slavery is or shall be permitted or practised in the country to the north of the Vaal River by the emigrant farmers. "5. Mutual facilities and liberty shall be afforded to traders and travellers on both sides of the Vaal River; it being understood that every waggon containing ammunition and firearms, coming from the south side of the Vaal River, shall produce a certificate signed by a British magistrate or other functionary duly authorised to grant such, and which shall state the quantities of such articles contained in said waggon, to the nearest magistrate north of the Vaal River, who shall act in the case as the regulations of the emigrant farmers direct. It is agreed that no objection shall be made by any British authority against the emigrant Boers purchasing their supplies of ammunition in any of the British colonies and possessions of South Africa; it being mutually understood that all trade in ammunition with the native tribes is prohibited both by the British Government and the emigrant farmers, on both sides of the Vaal River. 666 "6. It is agreed that, so far as possible, all criminals and other guilty parties who may fly from justice either way across the Vaal River, shall be mutually delivered up, if such should be required; and that the British Courts, as well as those of the emigrant farmers, shall be mutually open to each other for all legitimate processes, and that summonses for witnesses sent either way across the Vaal River shall be backed by the magistrates on each side of the same respectively, to compel the attendance of such witnesses when required. "7. It is agreed that certificates of marriage issued by the proper authorities of the emigrant farmers, shall be held valid and sufficient to entitle children of such marriages to receive portions accruing to them in any British colony or possession in South Africa. 666 8. It is agreed that any and every person now in possession of land and residing in British territory, shall have free right and power to sell his said property and remove unmolested across the Vaal River, and vice versa; it being distinctly understood that this arrangement does not comprehend criminals, or debtors, without providing for the payment of their just and lawful debts.'"' In 1854 the Voortrekkers had thus at length won their independence, and set up government on their own account. CHAPTER II. THE BOER OF TO-DAY. The “trek ”—Unprofitable occupation-Material successes-A race of peasants-Domestic habits-Mission work-The Mountain of Sorrow-Heroic women-Hospitality-Paying for his plunder-Our girls. THE Free State having little to do with this work now drops out of my narrative, except so far as I may require to illustrate some phase of Boer character by reference to it or its inhabitants. Omitting the history of the struggles of the Transvaal Boers with nature, and their natural enemies the Kafirs, during the earlier days of their independence, I come now to the men themselves, and their habits and customs as I found them. One indelible feature has by their long and continuous wanderings been impressed upon their character - that is, an unsettled and vagrant disposition. Having been on "trek" for forty-four years, the "trek" has eaten itself into their hearts. They are still on "trek; and few, indeed, are there who are not ready at a moment's notice to hurl themselves once more into the desert in search of brighter and happier homes. This "trek" feeling had led them, in the earlier days of the Transvaal, to overdo their occupation, to spread themselves too far out into the wilds around them. The Boers coming from the Cape Colony naturally sought in their new homes the peculiar features that had made the old ones pleasant; wood and water, easily worked ground, and rich runs for their cattle were the chief objects of their search. These the Voorloop ers 1 did not find on the Highveld, as the large, bare, but 1 Every team of bullocks has a leader-generally a native boy-who holds a tow-line fastened to the horns of the front oxen, hence the word |