own, but these
were mostly charged with the delivery of delusive messages invented
for special purposes by the Boers. There was an ever-present
difficulty--that of keeping the natives in check. Many examples of
Boer cruelty to these poor blacks are recorded, and they naturally
shuddered at the prospect of once more being delivered over to the
rule of the sjambok.

Mr. H. Shepstone, the Secretary for native affairs, took immense
pains to keep things quiet among the various chiefs. He said he had
but to lift his little finger, and the Boers would not hold the
field for a couple of days. Almost every native he knew would be in
arms, and by sheer weight of numbers would overpower the Boers.
Several of the chiefs sheltered refugees, and Montsiwe gathered his
force in the hope that he would be allowed to come to the relief of
Potchefstroom. Government reports regarding the loyalty of the
natives were numerous, and the natives' longing to come to the
assistance of the British in fighting their ancient oppressors was
obvious. The subsequent desertion of these people whom Great Britain
had taken under her wing, is one of the most grievous of the many
grievous things that accrued from the exercise of British
"magnanimity." Sir Morrison Barlow and Sir Evelyn Wood both agreed
that the natives were "British to a man!" They were thoroughly sick
of Boer cruelty, and the Kaffirs and Basutos had learnt to look to
Great Britain for a reign of peace. Rather than again be ruled by
the Boer despots, they were ready to spill the last drop of their
blood, and only the high principled, almost quixotic action of the
British officials prevented the utilisation in extremity of this
massive and effective weapon of defence. Besides the garrison in
Pretoria there were other forts defended by soldiers and loyalists,
forts which were none of them taken by the enemy. These were
Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Sydenburg, Marabastad, and Wakkerstroom.
The fort of Potchefstroom was surrendered during the armistice by
fraudulent representations on the part of the Boers.

The absorbing topic of the time was naturally the future of the
Transvaal. Hope warmed all hearts and helped every one to keep up a
fictitious air of cheerfulness. All thought that the rebellion would
serve to strengthen the British in their determination to establish
an effectual Government in the country and promote an enduring
peace. The suspicion that the territory would be given back wo