I. CHAP. may also be instanced. But, in the Transvaal, even after we had taken over the conduct of the Sekukuni war from the Boers, we did not progress satisfactorily until, on the close of the Zulu war, the arrival of an overwhelming force, under Sir Garnet Wolseley, rendered success no longer doubtful. After two and a half years' skirmishing around the position, with but one serious advance on our part to take it, Sekukuni still held out. Finally, in November 1879, Sir Garnet Wolseley deemed it prudent to bring up over 2000 British troops and Colonial levies, and to supplement these with 10,000 Swazis or other natives -finer warriors than those they had opposed to them. Sekukuni's place was then stormed and taken, our loss in killed being 8 Europeans and about 500 Swazis. It is not easy to afford any intelligent explanation, other than that attempted above, of the lamentable mistake made in undervaluing the spirit of the Boers. Are we to suppose that our forefathers' feeling of contempt, and prejudices entertained against all foreigners, in the days when "Dutch courage" was a common proverb, had descended to some of the authorities in South Africa? The Duke of Wellington is said, when asked which nationality produced the bravest men, to have expressed his belief that all men were brave-a true remark, which might have been remembered with advantage at the time we are writing of, for it only requires a common enthusiastic cause to firmly knit together a people, and courage and intrepidity will not be found wanting. Annexa tion gave the required impetus, united the various CHAP. elements, and created such a cause.1 If any one wishes to realise how far enthusiasm, and what is deemed a just cause, can lead a handful of men to cope successfully with overwhelming numbers of disciplined troops, let him read Mrs Bray's most interesting work, published in 1870, 'The Revolt of the Protestants of the Cevennes, with some account of the Huguenots, in the Seventeenth Century.' There he will learn how some 3000 peasants-who may be termed the progenitors of the Jouberts and other descendants of the French Huguenots to be found throughout the Transvaal and other parts of South Africa-were able to hold their own against 60,000 troops, the flower of the French army, under a marshal of France.2 1 Extract from 'De Volksstem'-Report from a special correspondent on Boer meeting, December 10, 1879 - Blue-book (c.—2505), South Africa, page 115: "When I walked back to my tent, and once more cast my eye on that assembled crowd, come together here from far and near, it seemed to me that the annexation, after all, had a beneficial result for the Transvaal people. It called into existence the mass meetings, of which we have now the fifth, and by that very means the various elements of the country were, as it were, securely knit together; and where formerly speaking about the Transvaal, we could only mention a thinly populated country, whose inhabitants were severed by many divergent interests, and, as it were, bound together by no single bond of union, these same inhabitants now come forward as one people, with their own history, and indissolubly bound together by the highest virtuepatriotism. Thus a bad cause sometimes brings forth some good results." 2 An excellent essay on "The Camissards," based on Mrs Bray's and other works, was published in the October number of the 'Quarterly Review' for 1880-too late, unfortunately, for the intelligent reading and education of those who were most concerned on our side in bringing about the Boer revolt. B I. CHAP. I. Characteristics of the Boers. Generations of open-air activity, in one of the finest climates of the world, have made the Boers of the present day, in their physical attributes, one of the most favoured of races. Let any visitor to the Cape, willing to satisfy himself on this point, go into one of the Dutch country districts-say, for convenience, that of the Paarl, near to Cape Townand take note of the splendid physique of the men and women generally met with, and then, on return to England, landing at Plymouth or Southampton, mark the contrast presented by the numerous under-sized, ill-developed English men, and women too, commonly seen. Sir Arthur Cunynghame, early in 1879, in 'My Command in South Africa,' gave to the public a very correct opinion he had formed of the characteristics and qualities of the Boers. He writes at page 208 : "I have often remarked the hardihood of these Boers; and whether for bearing cold, heat, deprivation of food, or for power to continue in the saddle, I look upon them as quite equal to the Cossack of Russia, and very far superior to him in the use of the rifle." And again, at page 241: "There are no finer young men in the world than the young Dutch Boers, who are generally of immense height and size, and very hardy. Their life is spent in the open air by day, and frequently at night they sleep on the veld with no tent or covering. Men more fit for the Grenadier Guards, as to personal appearance, could not be found." The writer of the "Boers at Home," in Blackwood's Magazine' for December 1881, also vividly portrays the chief outward observable points of the Boers. Among other remarks, he says: "Your Boer might pass any day for a small English farmer, perhaps a bit more untidy about the beard, not unlikely evincing a stronger dislike to the wash-tub in more senses than one. The superior class are just substantial gentlemen-farmers, while many of them are strikingly handsome. They are a tall race, six-feet-four being a common stature, and differ from English of the same class only in dress corduroy suits of hideous shades of brown and yellow being worn almost without exception." I. of coming An ominous but disregarded sign was early given Indications of the unfavourable disposition entertained towards storm. us, by the absence of support, co-operation, or even sympathy from the Boers, during the progress of the Zulu and Sekukuni campaigns, 1878-79, notwithstanding that these hostilities may be said to have been in their cause, and advantageous in breaking down the power of native chiefs, who had already occasioned them great troubles and losses. The few followers, under the brave Piet Uys-who were so uselessly sacrificed at the sad affair of Inhloblane1were, notwithstanding the inducements then held out to the Boers to join us, the only party which came forward in the Zulu war; and, later on, not a Boer was present at the taking of Sekukuni's stronghold. 1 See note, p. 3. CHAP. Armed ings The successive mass meetings, attended by upwards of 6000 men, who took their arms with them, were, mass meet- however, sufficient testimony to the disaffected state of feeling throughout the country, and showed the alarming extent of readiness for insurrection. For some time before the rising, fears had been expressed here and there that the Boers, through having lost all hope of the rendition of their country, or of obtaining self-government by means of remonstrances addressed to the imperial authorities, had grown more determined to take active steps, and really intended open resistance. Even the women were said to be urging Boer women urging on the men. 1 Sir Garnet Wolseley, in his despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated 29th October 1879, shows how great were his apprehensions on this head, even at that early date :— "I am compelled to recognise the continuance of grave discontent. I am informed on all sides that it is the intention of the Boers to fight for independence. . . . There is no doubt, I think, that the people are incited to discontent and rebellion by ambitious agitators; but I am compelled also to allow that the timid and wavering, who are awed into taking side against us, are comparatively a small party, and that the main body of the Dutch population are disaffected to our rule." This accurate estimate of the state of disaffection prevailing throughout the country, and danger of insurrection, was, however, most materially modified, six months later. Sir Garnet-being then about to quit South Africa-wrote, on the 10th April 1880: "Reports from all parts of the Transvaal sustain the opinion that the people, being thoroughly weary of the uncertainty and the troubles attendant upon opposition to the Government, and seeing no hope of any successful issue from the dangerous measures in which they have been induced to place confidence, have determined to renounce all further disturbing action, and to return to the peaceful cares of their rural life, which was already beginning to suffer from the continuance of political irritation. "The resolution of a part of the people to deny the trade of their produce to Englishmen failed utterly, and expired with conspicuous lack of vitality before the natural forces that were fated to overpower it. "Taxes are being paid, and the revenue of the country, so long |