Personal Impressions of the Transvaal. 33 



Pretoria is quite unlike Johannesburg, and presents a great 

 contrast to it, being a quiet little country town, rather pretty, 

 and surrounded by hills— upon the summit of each a fort. 

 The only fine building in Pretoria is the Raad Zaal or Parlia- 

 ment House which cost ^200,000. 



The Orange Free State is almost entirely a stock raising 

 country. Farming and shop-keeping are the only industries. 

 Bloemfontein is a small country town, with nothing to claim 

 attention. The chmate of the Orange Free State, like that of 

 the Transvaal, is" almost perfect for consumptives. It is, 

 however, like the rest of South Africa, subject to violent 

 thunderstorms. While travelling in the Orange Free State 

 I experienced one of the most tremendous thunderstorms it is 

 possible to imagine, which raged for many hours. About 6 

 p.m. the sky clouded over, the rain fell in torrents and for 

 hours the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed. Forked 

 lightning, sheet lightning, and balls of fire followed each other 

 in quick succession so that the illumination of the landscape 

 was practically continuous. My friends and myself endeavoured 

 to count the flashes per minute, but as they were coming in all 

 directions we had to fall back on an estimate of 30 or 40 

 flashes. 



In concludmg, may I express the pleasure I have had in 

 helping any one to-night to understand, even if faintly, the 

 main features of our future Great Dominion in South Africa 

 and the conditions which, until recently, obtained in one 

 portion of it more particularly. 



