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My dear Haggard； — I am very much obliged to you for your most valuable and interesting letter of June 6th； which contains one of the best accounts I have read of the present miserable state of affairs in the Transvaal。 I have done my best to make the truth known publicly and privately and have not yet given up hopes that the terrible evils of England forsaking her children may be averted。 But how I hardly see。 At present Mr。 Gladstone is practically supreme in such matters； and his one idea seems to be to reverse all that has been done hitherto by his predecessors。 I shall be very glad if you can find time to let me hear from you from time to time； giving your own observations and opinions exactly as you do in your letter of June 6th。
There is a very strong and growing feeling of dissatisfaction with the way in which Transvaal affairs have been mismanaged by the present Government； and the expression of this dissatisfaction would probably have been far stronger had not the Irish Land Bill so entirely absorbed public attention and the whole time of Parliament。 Let me hear also about yourself； what you are doing and how you are prospering； and
Believe me；
Sincerely yours；
H。 B。 E。 Frere。
The next letter in order of date that I find is one from Sir Theophilus Shepstone； headed Pietermaritzburg； June 16； 1881。
My dear Haggard； — One of the little Schwikkard girls wrote me the news of the advent of your son and heir the morning of his birth and told me of the well…being of both mother and child； so that she prevented any anxiety as far as we are concerned with regard to this important event。 I congratulate you most heartily and wish every prosperity to all concerned in this little life； including the little life itself。 Fortunately everything that is born in a stable is not a horse； or your boy would be either a Boer or a Royal missioner； the latter he may bee； but the former never。 I suppose you will call him “Joubert” or “Jorissen；” but “Bok” would make a shorter signature； for shortness I think that I should prefer “Juhan” ＇a great Zulu chieftain。 — H。 R。 H。＇； and for respectability “Cetewayo。” ＇Of course all this was Shepstone’s playful satire。 — H。 R。 H。＇
I quite agree with you about Sir Hercules Robinson； from the little I saw of him I thought him straightforward； I fancy； however； that he did not like his job。
There is nothing to be said about the Transvaal that would have the slightest effect just now； the humiliation is determined upon and must be endured： natural causes and natural processes are all that can now be looked for to bring about amelioration。 The next thing to look forward to is the effect that this humiliation of the British flag will produce at the Cape。 The Transvaal rebellion was not a Transvaal question； at the next general election in the Cape Colony the Dutch element will predominate in their Parliament； they will adopt the Dutch as the official language； and they will ask England to withdraw； and threaten vaguely if she does not。 I can see no escape from the logic of facts which she has created； she must withdraw； and if from the Cape why not from Ireland or Canada or anywhere else？
I am glad to hear that your farm is going well。 I hope you will make hay while the sun shines； for I suspect that the troops or the greater portion of them will soon be withdrawn。 。 。 。 Believe me； my dear Haggard；
Yours always sincerely；
T。 Shepstone。
The following extract from a letter written by my late brother John to my father； which has e into my hands with the others； shows the date of the departure of the Royal mission； and what we thought of that body individually。 It is headed Hilldrop； Newcastle； June 3； 1881：
My dear Father； — You will have heard from Rider ere you receive this of the birth of his boy； so I will not enlarge on that subject。
The Royal mission left this house for the Transvaal yesterday； so we left the tents in the garden and took repossession of the building。 I think most of them were sorry to go； and for many things we were sorry to lose them； they were a remarkably nice set of men； from Sir Hercules Robinson downwards。 。 。 。 I next tackled Sir Hercules Robinson ＇as to an appointment he desired at the time。 — H。 R。 H。＇； and was asked to dinner at Hilldrop with Rider and Louisa。 The latter did not attend。 Among the guests at the table were Sir Henry de Villiers and President Brand of the Free State。
Enclosed in this letter is one from Sir Evelyn Wood to my brother； in which he states that “I do not myself anticipate remaining Governor of Natal。” His dissent from the report of the Royal mission will suggest a reason why。
I do not remember much of President Brand； for some reason he made no great impression on my mind； but Sir Henry de Villiers I recall very well indeed； for we rode together and talked a good deal。 He an； pleasant and able； but of course Dutch by blood； and therefore； although he may not have known it himself； naturally in sympathy with Dutch aims and ambitions。 In him the Boers had an advocate of the best class。 Sir Hercules Robinson was a most agreeable Irish gentleman。 Also he was an official； and not of the strongest sort。 As a Royal missioner theoretically he was in an independent position； but he had a notable example before his eyes in the instance of Sir Bartle Frere of what happened to Colonial Governors who dared to take a line of their own。 Of this mission Sir Evelyn Wood was the only really independent member； and he dissented from its most important findings。
Never shall I forget the scene on the market square of Newcastle — it must have been about the 21st or 22nd of March — when it became known that peace had been declared as a corollary of our defeats； and that the restoration of the Transvaal was practically guaranteed within six months。 Some thousands of people were gathered there； many of them refugees； among whom were a number of loyal Boers； and with these soldiers； townsfolk； and natives。 I saw strong men weeping like children； and heard English…born people crying aloud that they were “b —— y Englishmen” no more。 Soldiers were raging and cursing； and no one tried to stop them； natives stood stupefied； staring before t