POSTSCRIPT. 257 



The re-election itself was a foregone conclusion, 

 and merely the natural result of the utter absence 

 of public opinion on political and social exigencies 

 among the ignorant and superstitious majority of 

 the miserable little electorate. Those who know 

 the inner workings of the Boer mind (such as it is) 

 are well aware of the fact that although Paul 

 Kruger is by no means so popular among them 

 as he is generally supposed to be by outsiders, they 

 have been drilled to attach to his name a sort of 

 loyalty as representing a personage specially 

 appointed by Providence as one to be obeyed, and 

 that disobedience to this mandate would simply 

 mean sin and its punishment. The small section 

 of the electorate who are more or less sceptical 

 on this point is, of course, easily dealt with by 

 such a man as Dr. Leyds at the helm of the 

 state's ship, and the humble helot Uitlander, in the 

 absence of efficient recognition by representatives 

 of his national government, as easily made to pay 

 the piper. 



It has been said that nothing short of a surgical 

 operation is effective to enable a Scot to appre- 

 ciate a joke, and it is clear to my mind at least 

 that, whatever may be the truth as regards the 



S 



