HI MYNHEER JAN VILJOEN 37 



replied, " Oh ! you may go wherever you like ; you 

 are only a boy," My friend Dorehill now accepted 

 a situation with Mr. Kisch (a gentleman lately 

 auditor-general of the Transvaal, and at that time 

 trading in the Matabele country), and Sadlier and I 

 prepared to go in hunting alone. It happened that 

 just at this time two Boers, Mynheer Jan Viljoen and 

 one ot his sons, had come out of the hunting veldt 

 on horseback, to lay complaints against some Kafirs 

 in their employ before the king, and as they were on 

 the point of returning, they said that if I would wait 

 a day they would travel with me to where their 

 waggons were encamped on the river Gwenia, and 

 then take Sadlier and myself in hunting with them. 

 As Jan Viljoen was one of the oldest and most 

 experienced hunters in South Africa, of course I 

 jumped at the proposal. Although even then over 

 sixty years of age, Jan Viljoen was still, when I last 

 saw him, in 1879, as strong and active as a young 

 man, and has doubtless been taking an active part in 

 the recent troubles in the Transvaal. For a Boer, 

 he is of small stature, though very tough and wiry, 

 with a quick vivacious manner, and keen dark eyes, 

 which betray his French descent. Although hating 

 the British Government with a bitterness that can 

 only be understood by those who know the cruel, 

 mean, and unmanly policy pursued by many of our 

 Cape Colonial Governors towards the Boers, he is noted 

 for the warm hospitality which he is ever ready to 

 extend to any stranger, British or otherwise. He told 

 me he was among the foremost of the " voer trekkers " 

 who, out of detestation of the British rule, left their 

 homes and fled into the wilderness rather than submit 

 to uncongenial laws ; he took part in the fight at 

 Boomplaats, and, having been caught by Sir Harry 



