Everything of interest that has happened to me in life chances to have been in connection with South Africa. In that land, where some of my happiest days have been spent, I have also experienced long periods of intense excitement and anxiety; there I have made acquaintance with all the charm of the veldt, in the vast country north of the great Zambesi River, hearing the roar of the lions at night, and following their "spoor" by day; and last, but not least, I have there made some very good frien

FIRST VOYAGE TO SOUTH AFRICA—CAPE TOWN. "Oh that mine adversary had written a book!"—JOB xxxi. 35. The above words, written by one of the greatest philosophers of olden time, have often impressed me, and I have frequently quoted them when asked why I did not write an account of the interesting travels and adventures I have had in my life. It has therefore required a great deal of courage to take up my pen and record a few recollections of South Africa. I felt that, were they ever to be written a

KIMBERLEY AND THE JAMESON RAID "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi." In the last week of the old year we started on our journey to Kimberley, then a matter of thirty-six hours. The whole of one day we dawdled over the Great Karroo in pelting rain and mist, which reminded one of Scotland. This sandy desert was at that season covered with brown scrub, for it was yet too early for the rains to have made it green, and the only signs of life were a few ostriches, wild white goats, and, very rarely, a wagg

THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS OF THE RAID—THE RAIDERS THEMSELVES "The fly sat on the axle-tree of the chariot-wheel, and said, 'What a dust do I raise!'"—Æsop. Oom Paul was in the proud position of this fly in the weeks immediately following the Raid, as well as during many years to come. When we returned to Cape Town early in January, 1896, we found everything in a turmoil. Mr. Rhodes had resigned the premiership and had left for Kimberley, where he had met with a most enthusiastic reception, and Mr. B

JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN 1896 "Little white mice of chance, Coats of wool and corduroy pants, Gold and wine, women and sin, I'll give to you, if you let me in To the glittering house of chance." American Dice Incantation . At Johannesburg we were the guests of Mr. Abe Bailey at Clewer Lodge. Our host, however, was unfortunately absent, "detained" in the precincts of the gaol at Pretoria, although allowed out on bail. In the same house he had entertained in 1891 my brother Randolph [9] and hi

THREE YEARS AFTER—LORD MILNER AT CAPE TOWN BEFORE THE WAR—MR. CECIL RHODES AT GROOT SCHUURR—OTHER INTERESTING PERSONAGES "There are many echoes in the world, but few voices." GOETHE. On May 6, 1899, we sailed from Southampton on the S.S. Norman . We purposed to spend a few months in Rhodesia, but such is the frailty of human plans that eventually we stayed in South Africa for one year and three months. Dr. Jameson was our fellow-passenger to Cape Town, and with him we travelled up to Bulawayo, a

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR—MAFEKING, AND DEPARTURE THEREFROM "War seldom enters, but where wealth allures." DRYDEN. In August we left Cape Town, and I went to Bulawayo, where I spent two months. Gordon [15] had been appointed A.D.C. to Colonel Baden-Powell, and during this time was with his chief on the western borders. The latter was engaged in raising two regiments of irregular horse, which were later known as the Protectorate Regiments, and were recruited principally from the district between Mafek

IN A REBELLIOUS COLONY—VISIT TO VRYBURG DURING THE BOER OCCUPATION—I PASS OFF AS A DUTCHMAN'S SISTER "The days are so long, and there are so many of them." DU MAURIER. During the weeks I remained at Mosita, the only book I had to read was "Trilby," which I perused many times, and the lament of the heroine in the line quoted above seemed to re-echo my sentiments. For days and days we were absolutely without news. It is impossible after a lapse of time to realize exactly what that short sentence r

BETRAYED BY A PIGEON—THE BOERS COME AT LAST "For a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter."—ECCLES. x. 20. The day after my arrival at Setlagoli some natives came in with apparently well-authenticated news of an English victory near Vryburg. They also asserted that the line was already being relaid to Maribogo, and that the railway servants had returned to that station. I drove over at once to prove the truth of their statements; of course, I found

HOW I WAS MADE A PRISONER—IN A BOER LAAGER "Ah, there, Piet! be'ind 'is stony kop, With 'is Boer bread an' biltong, an' 'is flask of awful dop; 'Is mauser for amusement an' 'is pony for retreat, I've known a lot o' fellers shoot a dam' sight worse than Piet."—KIPLING. Provisions at Setlagoli and in the surrounding districts were now fast running out, and Mrs. Fraser announced to me one morning she had only full allowance of meal for another week. In that colony no meal meant no bread, and it was

EXCHANGED FOR A HORSE-THIEF—BACK TO MAFEKING AFTER TWO MONTHS' WANDERINGS "Hail, fellow! well met!"—SWIFT. Next morning I was awakened at 6 a.m. by Mr. Drake knocking at my door, and telling me I was to be ready in half an hour, as Colonel Baden-Powell had consented to exchange me for Petrus Viljoen. This exchange had placed our Commanding Officer in an awkward position. The prisoner was, as I stated before, a criminal, and under the jurisdiction of the civil authorities, who would not take upon

LIFE IN A BESIEGED TOWN "There is a reaper whose name is Death."—LONGFELLOW. We celebrated Christmas Day, 1899, by a festive luncheon-party to which Colonel Baden-Powell and all his Staff were invited. By a strange and fortunate coincidence, a turkey had been overlooked by Mr. Weil when the Government commandeered all live-stock and food-stuffs at the commencement of the siege, and, in spite of the grilling heat, we completed our Christmas dinner by a real English plum-pudding. In the afternoon

LIFE IN A BESIEGED TOWN ( continued ) "And so we sat tight."— Despatch from Mafeking to War Office. February came and went without producing very much change in our circumstances, and yet, somehow, there was a difference observable as the weeks passed. People looked graver; a tired expression was to be noted on many hitherto jovial countenances; the children were paler and more pinched. Apart from the constant dangers of shells and stray bullets, and the knowledge that, when we were taking leave

ELOFF'S DETERMINED ATTACK ON MAFEKING, AND THE RELIEF OF THE TOWN—THE MAFEKING FUND "War, war is still the cry—war even to the knife!"—BYRON. "The Boers are in the stadt!" Such was the ominous message that was quickly passed round from mouth to mouth on Saturday morning, May 12, 1900, as day was breaking. One had to be well acquainted with the labyrinth of rocks, trees, huts, and cover generally, of the locality aforementioned, all within a stone's-throw of our dwelling, to realize the dread imp

ACROSS THE TRANSVAAL TO PRETORIA DURING THE WAR "There never was a good war or a bad peace."—BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. On Sunday morning, June 4, we packed into a Cape cart, with four siege horses in fair condition, and started to drive to Zeerust. It was a glorious day of blue skies and bright sun, with just enough breeze to prevent the noonday from being too hot. As we left Mafeking and its outworks behind, I had a curious feeling of regret and of gratitude to the gallant little town and its stout ci

PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG UNDER LORD ROBERTS AND MILITARY LAW "With malice to none ... with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in."—ABRAHAM LINCOLN. At Pretoria Mrs. Godley and I found accommodation, not without some difficulty, at the Grand Hotel. Turned for the moment into a sort of huge barrack, this was crowded to its utmost capacity. The polite manager, in his endeavour to find us suitable rooms, conducted us all over the spacious building

MY RETURN TO CIVILIZATION ONCE MORE—THE MAFEKING FUND—LETTERS FROM THE KING AND QUEEN "Let us admit it fairly, As business people should, We have had no end of a lesson: It will do us no end of good." KIPLING. On June 27 I left Johannesburg under the escort of Major Bobby White, who had kindly promised to see me safely as far as Cape Town. We travelled in a shabby third-class carriage, the only one on the train, which was merely composed of open trucks. Our first long delay was at Elandsfontein,

THE WORK OF LADY GEORGIANA CURZON, LADY CHESHAM, AND THE YEOMANRY HOSPITAL, DURING THE WAR—THIRD VOYAGE TO THE CAPE, 1902 "Fight the good fight." On the pages of history is recorded in golden letters the name and deeds of Florence Nightingale, who, as the pioneer of scientific hospital nursing, did so much to mitigate the horrors of war. Her example was nobly followed half a century later by two other English ladies, who, although they had not to encounter the desperate odds connected with ignor

FOURTH VOYAGE TO THE CAPE—THE VICTORIA FALLS AND SIX WEEKS NORTH OF THE ZAMBESI [44] "We propose now to go on and cross the Zambesi just below the Victoria Falls. I should like to have the spray of the water over the carriages."— Letter from the Right Hon. C.J. Rhodes to E.S. Grogan, Esq., September 7, 1900. [45] These words came to my mind as I sat under the verandah of one of the newly thatched huts which formed the camp of the Native Commissioner at Livingstone, Victoria Falls, on a glorious

MAFEKING RELIEF FUND Distribution Committee . LIEUTENANT-COLONEL C.B. VYVYAN, Commandant of Mafeking. MR. C.G. BELL, Resident Magistrate. MR. A.H. FREND, Mayor. Total amount made available for distribution    £29,267 Of which the Committee allotted to:              £ Widows and orphans                              6,536 Refugees                                        4,630 Town relief                                    3,741 Seaside Fund                                    2,900 Churches, convent

IMPERIAL YEOMANRY HOSPITALS, 1900-1902. December 29, appeal signed by Lady Georgiana Curzon and Lady Chesham sent from Blenheim Palace. President : THE QUEEN. Vice-Presidents : THE PRINCESS OF WALES and DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT. Chairman of Committee : COUNTESS HOWE. Vice-Chairmen of Committee : COUNTESS OF WARWICK and VISCOUNTESS VALENTIA. Hon. Secretary : EARL HOWE. Treasurer : LUDWIG NEUMANN, ESQ. Military Adviser : MAJOR-GENERAL LORD CHEYLESMORE. Hon. Civilian Director and Treasurer in South Afr