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f the fire from that match had fallen through the boards on to the dynamite beneath？ Oh！ thank the Lord God。 Thank the Lord God！”
Now the Boers of that day had a great terror of dynamite； of the properties of which they were quite ignorant。
“Allemagte！” said one of them。 “Allemagte！” echoed the others。
Then they rose in a body； fearing lest we had some devilish scheme to blow them up。 In a few minutes not one of them was to be seen。
Shortly after this dynamite incident I was relieved by my co…lieutenant； a very nice fellow whose name； I think； was Fell。 I returned to Pretoria on a beautiful stallion which I had named Black Billy。 I remember that Black Billy took me from the inn to the town in very little over the hour。 Here with the rest of the corps I was stationed at the Government mule stables； not far from the nek through which I believe the Natal railway now runs。
A few nights later things grew more serious。 Our pickets and scouts； to say nothing of natives； announced that the Boer laager； which； by the way； was now pitched much nearer to the town and practically besieging it； had broken up； and that the Boers to the number of several thousand were marching on Pretoria。 So indeed I believe they were； but something； probably the news that we were more or less prepared to receive them； caused them to change their minds at the last moment； with the result that the attack was never actually delivered。 Of this； however； we knew nothing in our mule…stable。 All we knew was that at any given moment we must expect to bear the first brunt of the onslaught of several thousand men； which would first impinge upon our position。 For some reason which I cannot recollect； my manding officer； Captain Jackson； was away that night； I think that he had been sent on a mission by the Government and taken the other lieutenant with him； leaving me in mand of the corps。
Well； I did my best。 A few candles were all that I allowed； set at intervals on the floor of the long building； that they might not shine through the loopholes and draw the enemy’s fire。 I posted my best shots； Cochrane among them； upon the upper platform； and the rest at the loopholes we had prepared upon the ground floor and upon the little external bastions。 Our extemporised pikes were also laid handy for immediate use。
Till dawn we waited thus； growing rather weary at the last； indeed I never remember a longer night。 Then came the news that the Boers had drawn off； leaving Pretoria unmolested； after which we went to bed feeling as flat as ditch water。
However； all these operations were postponed for two years； for the reason that so many British troops were pouring into South Africa in connection with the Zulu War that the Boers came to the conclusion that the time was not opportune to rebel。 With their usual good sense they waited till； with our usual folly； we had shipped almost all the troops back to England and Sir Gar Wolseley had sent the last cavalry regiment out of the country； and allowed （or perhaps it was Lanyon who allowed it） three hundred volunteers； nearly every man of whom was a loyalist； to be recruited there for service in the Basuto War。 Then their chance came； one of which they made the most。 Then； too； the Pretoria Horse； under a slightly altered name； had its full share of fighting； losing； I think； about a quarter of its number in killed and wounded。 But； alas！ at that time I was no longer there to mand a squadron。 I was on the Natal side of the Berg； listening to the guns thundering at Ingogo and Majuba。
Sir Bartle Frere； after interviews with the Boer leaders in their camp； reached Pretoria in the middle of April 1879； and remained there a fortnight as Colonel Lanyon’s guest at Government House。 I remember that I manded the guard of honour which met him in the veld and escorted him into the town； a duty which gave rise to a good story that I will tell at my own expense。
By this time the Pretoria Horse was a very smart body of mounted men divided into two squadrons。 I regret to say； however； that although I was； I believe； efficient enough in other respects； owing to a lack of military training I was not well acquainted with the ceremonial words of mand。 When the High missioner appeared I ordered the corps to present arms； which they did in fine style。 But arms cannot always be kept at the “present；” and in due course it became necessary that they should be returned to their original position。 Then arose my difficulty。 I had either neglected to provide myself with or had forgotten the exact words that should be used。 Yet the occasion was urgent： something had to be done。 So I shouted in stentorian tones — or so at least my military friends used to swear afterwards when they wanted to chaff me； though to this hour I do not believe them — “Put ’em back again！” Well； it served。 The Pretoria Horse grinned and the arms went back。
I saw Sir Bartle a good many times while he was in Pretoria； being brought in touch with him not only as an official but because he and my mother had been friends when they were young together in India。 He was a tall； refined…looking man of about sixty…five； who always seemed to me to be employed in collecting first…hand information； questioning everyone whom he met on the chance of extracting something of value。 I think that occasionally the Colonial officials and others rather resented his continual cross…examination。 Indeed there is a trace of this in a report that he wrote to the Colonial Office as to Shepstone’s character； dated February 1879； in which document he plained that he could not get as much out of Sir Theophilus as he would have wished。 Now knowing my Chief as well as I did； my conclusion is that he did not altogether like being pumped； especially as he was not sure what use would be made of the information or if it would be correctly assimilated。 Shepstone was always open enough with those whom he thoroughly knew and trusted； but these； I admit； were not very many in number。 Sir Bartle describes him as “a singular type of an Africander Talleyrand； shrewd； observant； silent； self…contained； immobile。” So he may have appeared to him； but I doubt whether he ever really understood the man or with what keys to unlock his heart。
In short； I imagine that when he was in Frere’s pany Shepstone always remained more or less on the defensive。 Whatever may be the truth of this matter； Sir Bartle makes one undoubted mistake in the paper from which I have quoted。 He says that Shepstone had no sort of sympathy with the Boers。 This was not the case； as I know from many talks with him。 He was full of sympathy for the Boers； and understood them as few men did。 Moreover he appreciated all their good points； and most of them admired and were attached to him personally。 Had this not been so he could never have annexed the Transvaal with such parative ease。 Moreover it should be remembered that all the acute troubles with the Boers arose after his departure from that country。
In my opinion； if I may venture to give it； Sir Bartle Frere was a great administrator and almost a great man。 But I do not think he was suited to the position in which he found himself。 Had Lord Carnarvon been a better judge of men and of character； he would not have appointed Frere to the High missionership of South Africa。 Frere imported into South Africa the methods of the great Indian administrators； and attempted to apply to peoples as far apart in all essentials of habit and of character as is the North Pole from the Tropics the policy that he had learned in the training and traditions of the East。
Had he been a younger man he might have adapted himself； and without altering his principles； which were just and good； changed the manner of their application。 But age had already overtaken him when he landed at the Cape。 He looked upon the Zulus as though they had been some Indian clan whom he； the Satrap； had only to lift his hand to sweep away in the interests of the mighty and remote Dominion which he served。 He overlooked the wide divergence of the circumstances of the two lands and of the plications introduced by the existence in South Africa of two white peoples — the English and the Dutch — hereditary foes； who only awaited the removal of a mon danger to spring at each other’s throats。 I do not believe that he ever grasped the problem in its entirety as； for instance； Shepstone did。 He saw the Zulu war cloud looming on the frontier of Natal and determined to burst it even if it should rain blood。 But he did not see that by this act of his； which； after all； might perhaps have been postponed； he was ensuring the rebellion of the Transvaal Dutch。 His Indian traditions came into and dominated his mind。 Yonder was a savage people who threatened the rights of the Crown and the safety of its subjects。 Let them be destroyed！ Fiat justitia ruat coelum！
Even at this distance of time it is difficult to speak of the treatment meted out to this most upright public servant and distinguished man； who； be it remembered； had only accepted his office at the urgent prayer of the British Government； without using words of burning indignation。 By the Liberals he was of course attacked； since his action gave them a convenient stick wherewith to beat the G