SOUTH AFRICA 37 



direct conflict with the Boers on one side, and 

 with the various tribes of aboriginals on the 

 other. The most southern races, the Zulus, the 

 Pongos, the Basutos, etc., had already been dealt 

 with. It remained only to deal with the Matabele 

 and various independent races farther north. The 

 Bechuanas, with their chief, Khama, had already 

 given their support and allegiance to the British. 

 In the year of grace 1891 the chiefs of our execu- 

 tive — including Cecil Rhodes and Lord Randolph 

 Churchill — decided on a tour of inspection — 

 viz. a trip from Cape Town to Fort Salisbury, 

 comprising a distance of some 2000 miles. The 

 principal antagonists to British occupation were 

 the Boers. Colonel Pennefather was leading an 

 expedition through Mashonaland which practically 

 forestalled the intention of the Boers. According 

 to Lord Randolph Churchill, " in men, mines and 

 animals in South Africa," the main object of the 

 threatened trek into Mashonaland by the Boers 

 was to put pressure upon the High Commissioner 

 in the matter of Swaziland. "If you will redeem 

 your promise of giving us Swaziland, we will drop 

 the trek" — so said the Boers. Lord Randolph 

 Churchill on his travels northwards had journeyed 

 through the Transvaal, and his wonderful power 

 of observation and discernment is trenchantly ex- 

 pressed thus : "I speak of the nation of Transvaal 



