Commandos and Civil War of 1864 111 



Pretoria to meet him, and they went into an inner 

 chamber. He did not turn up at the dinner, and 

 said they could send some food in to the room for 

 him. He cared nothing for conventional usage. I 

 had occasion (as President of the Land Commission) 

 to settle a dispute as to beacons, between a fine old 

 44 Dopper " Voortrekker, Dolf Holsthuisen, and one 

 Boshoff, and although I felt that the latter had taken 

 advantage of the farmer's simple-mindedness, the 

 evidence of the land inspection and witnesses com- 

 pelled me to give judgment against Holsthuisen. 

 With tears in his eyes, the poor old man thanked me 

 for having done my best to obtain justice for him, 

 but that he saw under the Government of the day, 

 the laws of the land were no good, and he and his 

 family and relations would leave the Transvaal. He 

 organised a trek, his wife and many of his family 

 died en route and the remnant settled at Humpata 

 in Portuguese Angola. The courage and patient 

 endurance of these old Dutch pioneers, in committing 

 themselves with their families to the wilderness and 

 conquering nature, wild beasts and savages to attain 

 a goal has never been surpassed, and it is pathetic 

 to reflect upon their struggles and sacrifices for an 

 ideal. 



