32 A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL. 



The Boers are trained irregular troops from their 

 birth. A lad is first taught to ride a calf, and then a 

 horse. At a certain age he has a rifle given to him, and 

 two cartridges at a time. After a few occasions he must 

 not return empty handed, even if he only brings a bird, 

 or punishment ensues. A Boer in a fight stands behind 

 his horse if in the open, like a dragoon ; only the dragoon 

 is taught late in life, and the Boer and horse have 

 grown up together and are one. In a campaign he only 

 requires some dried meat beltong attached to his 

 saddle, and a bottle of hollands or water ; his rifle and 

 cartridges are secured around his body ; his horse will 

 live on the grass of the veld : thus he is fully equipped, 

 and baggage and commissariat unrequired and unknown. 

 Whether in future years they will maintain their 

 wonderful proficiency as marksmen, now that the big 

 game is almost exterminated, is at least open to much 

 doubt ; and in after years it is probable that the Boer 

 (not the Hollander), with all his weaknesses, prejudices, 

 and undoubtedly fine qualities, will be but a story that 

 is told. It must always be remembered that not nearly 

 all the Boers were called up in the late war ; while 

 some of the richer combatants had two or three young 

 Kafirs behind them with spare rifles, which they loaded 

 and passed to them. 



Another cause of the war was the question of the 

 official language. The convention clearly stated that 

 English and Dutch were to be used ; but English soon 

 became dominant, and thus a grievance arose. English 

 residents in the Transvaal at the present time must not 

 therefore complain overmuch that Dutch has been made 

 the official tongue. 



The President lives in a homely style, and receives 

 no company. His house is not situated in the best 

 part of Pretoria, and there is nothing to denote the 

 abode of the chief of the executive, save a flag-staff and 

 a lounging sentinel. I advisedly use the word lounging, 

 for I passed daily, and have seen these sentinels looking 

 perfect victims of ennui and assuming such positions 

 as would drive a European drill-sergeant to despair. 



