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e slightest knowledge of my work； a good deal of which is of course technical； and what is more there were no records； no books； indeed nothing from which I could form an idea of it； nor had I anyone to teach me。 In addition I had to deal with a lot of gentlemen whose paths were the paths of self…seeking； who did their utmost to throw obstacles in my way。 These difficulties I have； I am glad to say； to a great extent overe； and I intend to make myself thoroughly master of my position。 Of course the very fact of my rapid rise will make me additional enemies； especially the five or six disappointed candidates； but I don’t mind that 。 。 。 。
Pretoria； Transvaal： June 2； 1878。
My dear Father； — 。 。 。 I could not help being a little amused at the alarm everybody seems to be in at home about us here。 The crisis which frightened you and which was really alarming at the time has long since passed； and I remain unhung。 ＇I cannot remember to what crisis this refers。 — H。 R。 H。＇ There is however a still blacker cloud over us now。 Sir Gar’s famous thunder…cloud of thirty thousand armed Zulus is； I think； really going to burst at last。 It must e some time； so I think it may as well e now。 We shall have to fight like rats in a corner； but we shall lick them and there will be an end of it。 I do not think a Zulu war will be a long one： they will not hide in kloofs and mountains； but e into the open and fight it out。
In a letter I got from you nearly a year ago you said that if I wanted 500 pounds and the trustees would consent； you thought it might be advanced to me。 If you still think so； and it could be done without inconvenience to anybody； it would be useful to me now to invest。 I would guarantee 6 per cent。 on it。 Of course I only ask for it if it can be done without hampering you or my mother。 I am going； as I told you； to build a nice house with Cochrane。 In a place of this sort it is a great thing to have a pleasant home； and it will also be a very sound investment。 I have bought two acres at the top end of the town for this purpose； where land will soon bee very valuable 。 。 。 。
H。 Rider Haggard。
This house I built。 We named it “The Palatial；” and it has since bee well known as “Jess’s Cottage。” It was a funny little place consisting of two rooms； a kitchen； etc。； and having a tin roof。 I remember how tiny it looked when the foundations were dug out。 I believe that it still stands in Pretoria。 At any rate an illustration of it was published in the issue of South Africa dated February 4； 1911； but if it is really the same building it has been much added to and altered。 The blue gums in the picture are undoubtedly those we planted； they are very big trees now； I am told。 I suppose the vineyard we made in front of the house has vanished long ago； and indeed that streets run across its site。
The Cochrane alluded to in the letter is Mr。 Arthur H。 D。 Cochrane； who came to the Transvaal with Mr。 （afterwards Sir William） Sergeaunt； one of the Crown Agents； who was sent out by the Home Government to investigate its finances。 We struck up a close friendship which has endured unimpaired through all the succeeding years。 I am thankful to say he is still living； a man of almost exactly my own age。
During the period covered by these letters home I was overtaken by a very sore trouble。 The love affair to which I have alluded earlier in this book unexpectedly developed； not at my instance； with the result that for some little space of time I imagined myself to be engaged and was proportionately happy。 Then one day the mail cart arrived and all was over。 It was a crushing blow； so crushing that at the time I should not have been sorry if I could have departed from the world。 Its effects upon me also were very bad indeed； for it left me utterly reckless and unsettled。 I cared not what I did or what became of me。 Here I will leave this subject of which even now I find it painful to write； especially after a morning spent in the perusal of old letters； some of them indited by the dead。
In the autumn of 1878 Sir Bartle Frere； the High missioner for South Africa； had arrived in Natal； and towards the end of the year — I think it was in November — he issued his famous ultimatum to the Zulus。
Respecting Sir Bartle as I do； and agreeing with him generally as I do； and sympathising with him from the bottom of my heart as to the shameless treatment which he received from the British party politicians after his policy seemed to have failed and the British arms had suffered defeat； I still think； perhaps erroneously； that this ultimatum was a mistake。 Although the argument is all on his side； I incline to the view that it would have been wiser to remonstrate with the Zulus and trust to the doctrine of chances — for this reason： neither Cetewayo nor his people wished to fight the English； had Cetewayo wished it he would have swept Natal from end to end after our defeat at Isandhlwana。 But what I heard he said at the time was to this effect： “The English are attacking me in my country； and I will defend myself in my country。 I will not send my impis to kill them in Natal； because I and those who went before me have always been good friends with the English。” So it came about that he forbade his generals to cross the boundary of Natal。
Whichever view may be right； the fact remains that the ultimatum was issued and from that moment war became inevitable。 Our generals and soldiers entered on it with the lightest hearts； notwithstanding the difficulties and scarcity of transport they even took with them their cricketing outfit into Zululand。 This I know； since I was missioned to bring home a wicket that was found on the field of Isandhlwana； and return it to the headquarters of the regiment to which it belonged； to be kept as a relic。 The disaster at Isandhlwana I for one expected。 Indeed I remember writing to friends prophesying that it would occur； and their great astonishment when on the same day that they received the letter the telegraph brought the news of that great destruction。 This far…sightedness； however； was not due to my own perspicacity； but to the training that I had received under those who knew the Zulus better than any other me