PREFACE. 



of Zululand, the destruction of Secocomie's tribe, the 

 restrictions placed upon the Swazie race, combined 

 with the recall and disgrace of the true patriot and 

 able statesman, Sir Bartle Frere, have directly been 

 the cause of the difficulties which we now have to 

 face ; and I very much fear that the task before us 

 will be found far more onerous than at present 

 anticipated, for, blink the matter as we will, disloyalty 

 is rampant all over South Africa, not even excepting 

 the Old Colony. 



Gold is to be found in great abundance in 

 Manica and other adjoining parts of the Matabele 

 country ; but care must be taken that the working 

 of these valuable mines do not fall into the hands 

 of unprincipled companies, as much misery will be 

 inevitably entailed upon the natives if such should 

 occur. Only lately I " interviewed " the directors 

 of an embryo company, who coolly informed me 

 that, they were about to work mines of the valuable 

 metal in Manica and Mashoona Land, having ob- 

 tained a permit to do so from the Portuguese 

 Government. Doubtless the new South African 

 Company will be able to deal with such pretenders. 

 If not, I should advise that Lubengulo, King of 

 the Matabeles. be told off to settle with them ; after 



