VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
295 
money out of him by selling him guns, Bibles, drink, a new constitution 
or by getting mining rights. 
I think this contempt is well illustrated by the following story I 
heard from an Englishman who had been on the veldt with a Boer 
wagon. He had received his bundle of English papers, containing news 
of the Nile Expedition and the capture of Dongola. He read extracts 
and explained to the Boer’s wife, a Natal woman. The old Boer 
smoked and listened in silence, finally asking that it should be read 
again. He had evidently mistrusted his hearing for at the close he 
threw up his hands, exclaiming “ Oh God ! what manner of men must 
these Dervishes be ! ” (Laughter.) 
We know too well that Boers can shoot too well, probably as they are 
such good judges of distance. The young generation will deteriorate 
in this respect as game is scarce, and if rinderpest gets a firm hold will 
be ended completely. 
I wish you to draw a distinction between the Hollander and the 
Boer. The Hollander, an educated imported class, rules the land ; the 
Boer supports him, more or less. 
As you know, there is in one part of the country, the Rand, an 
Uitlander or foreign population, and a commission has just commenced 
to sit that will tell you everything about that population and its solid 
grievances. I do not wish to touch on politics, but to talk of Johannes- 
berg and avoid them is hard. Some of the grievances and actions 
consequent on them are so ancient that they now constitute history. I 
may deal with history. 
I have already once referred to Veterinary-Captain Nunn’s lecture. 
He was talking of the Indian countrybred, and he summed it up by 
calling it a “ mixed-up animal.” I should thus also describe the 
Uitlander population. I am safe in saying that they are anti-Boer, but 
I am not quite clear that I can call them Imperial, for consider the flag 
incident. 
More attention to shareholders and less to agitators would suit all 
parties better. Less ‘ take ’ and more ‘ give ’ from a bad and unsym¬ 
pathetic government is imperative ; in fact a policy of conciliation on 
both sides, and no tampering with the Convention. 
There are mines however which have kept entirely aloof from 
politics and confined themselves to business. One such shows a profit 
of £38,000 to £40,000 per month. Here they find no scarcity of labour, 
apparently no too great taxation, and the £1 shares stand to-day at about 
£10 or more. Therefore I say that the mines are used as a political 
lever in many cases. 
I was unfortunate in not meeting a man who really wanted a vote. 
They mostly are but sojourners in the land for amassing wealth, which 
a number of them have managed to do. The Boers point out that they 
fought to maintain their autonomy and that to give votes is to give 
away what they shed their blood for. The solution appears to lie in 
making the Rand a special district, under some form of local self- 
government, without conferring on the Uitlanders powers as affecting 
the Transvaal generally. 
No one visiting the country can fail to feel that the present state of 
affairs is one of great uneasiness. The Boers are undoubtedly 4 too big 
for their boots,’ and the question of war is not infrequently discussed. 
The Boers have made large preparations in case of war. I myself saw a 
European drill instructor in Johannesburg barracks. 
