Return to South Africa 173 



In January 1883 the Boers went to war with 

 Mapoch ; and the Field Cornet took all my working 

 oxen out of the ploughs on " The Willows " to pull 

 their guns ; and all my native servants as camp 

 followers, so that all farm working was stopped. 

 Being an English individual I had to supply as 

 much to a commando, as any dozen of my Boer 

 neighbours. 



For fear that by any possibility there might be 

 a term of peace and industry in the Transvaal, the 

 Boers declared Republics in Stellaland and Rooigrond 

 and one, styling himself President Van Niekerk 

 issued bloodthirsty proclamations and for some time 

 kept the western border in a state of anarchy. 



