EMIGRATION TO SOUTH AFRICA. 235 



mostly the outcome of traditional education and 

 by the influence of a narrow-minded, essentially 

 bigoted, and self-seeking hierarchy acute enough 

 to take every advantage of the superstitious 

 elements so naturally resulting from ignorance and 

 isolation in the grim solitudes of African surround- 

 ings and scenery, and to exploit them for its own 

 peculiar benefit. The Boers have been accused 

 en masse of invincible laziness and want of enter- 

 prise by those of our countrymen who have 

 gathered ideas of them during flying visits, and 

 failed to estimate the distinction between causes 

 and effects. It is true enough that the Boer is 

 devoid of that bustling and restless activity so 

 remarkable in the Briton ; it is also true that when 

 his experience of the nature of things he has to 

 deal with permits him to hope for reward he is as 

 industrious as anybody else, and so thrifty by 

 nature, or habit, as to make the most of the very 

 moderate success which an adverse nature allows 

 on the Dark Continent The year 1897 has been 

 one of frightful suffering to the poor Boers, 

 thousands of whom have lost their all from 

 rinderpest, locusts, and drought. 



Hundreds of these poor people have died of sheer 



