an related a true story of a man whose farm was always
spared by the locusts, until one day he caused some to be killed.
His farm was then devastated.

"Mr. Stoop conjured the members not to constitute themselves
terrestrial gods, and oppose the Almighty.

"Mr. Lucas Meyer raised a storm by ridiculing the arguments of the
former speakers, and comparing the locusts to beasts of prey, which
they destroyed.

"Mr. Labuschagne was violent. He said the locusts were different
from beasts of prey. They were a special plague sent by God for
their sinfulness."

[Illustration: SERGEANT and BUGLER, 1st ARGYLE AND SUTHERLAND
HIGHLANDERS.

Photo by Gregory & Co., London.]

Their deliberate unenlightenment, had it not been so tragic for
those who suffered in consequence of it, must have been almost
comical. On one occasion the question of firing at the clouds to
bring down rain was discussed, and declared to be impious.

"_August 5._--A memorial was read from Krugersdorp, praying that the
Raad would pass a law to prohibit the sending up of bombs into the
clouds to bring down rain, as it was a defiance of God, and would
most likely bring down a visitation from the Almighty.

"The Memorial Committee reported that they disapproved of such a
thing, but at the same time they did not consider that they could
make a law on the subject.

"Mr. A. D. Wolmarans said he was astonished at the advice, and he
expected better from the Commission. If one of their children fired
towards the clouds with a revolver they would thrash him. Why should
they permit people to mock at the Almighty in this manner? It was
terrible to contemplate. He hoped that the Raad would take steps to
prevent such things happening.

"The Chairman (who is also a member of the Memorial Commission) said
the Commission thought that such things were only done for a wager.

"Mr. Erasmus said they were not done for a wager, but in real
earnest. People at Johannesburg actually thought that they could
bring down the rain from the clouds by firing cannons at them."

These quotations are not offered in the spirit of ridicule. The
Uitlander question is too serious for joking. They are reproduced to
enable those who have no knowledge of the Boer--his petty tyrannies
and annoying and irritating habits, and the vexatious regulations
from which the Uitlander continually suffered--to form an idea of
the terrible mental gulf which existed between oppressor and
oppressed. As th