English statesmen. You could feel the heresy in the air--gusts that
brushed your face like a chill.'

The South Africa thus put foot upon by Sir George Grey, was re-created to
him long after, in a cablegram that he received in New Zealand. The South
African railway system, which he tended in its infancy, had crawled north
to Bloemfontein, as it has since gone farther, and still goes on, the
iron-shod tramp. That auspicious day, Bloemfontein remembered the author
of its Grey College, and gripped his hand across the sea. It made him
very happy. Providence had set him to garden three countries of the
Southern Hemisphere in rapid succession. That 'God bless you' from
Bloemfontein, showed, perhaps, that he had not tilled in vain.

'There can be no harm,' said Sir George, 'in relating another incident,
which kept up the kindly link between the Orange Free State and myself.
Before my friend Mr. Reitz accepted its Presidency, he wrote and asked me
would I be willing to consider the offer, provided it were made to me? I
was then, I think, in the quiet of Kawau Island, and I suppose Mr. Reitz
believed I might be more actively employed.

'One did not need to be already a burgher of the Free State, for
President Brand had not been; at all events, that was not an obstacle. I
did not see my way to regard the offer, but the making of it manifested a
beautiful trait in Mr. Reitz's character. How many men, being tendered
the highest post that their country could confer, would have turned to
another, asking, "Will you accept it?"'

The manner in which Sir George tackled the South African embroilment,
appears in his treatment of that mongrel race, the Hottentots. They
recruited largely to the Queen's Colonial service, but had a grievance in
that, on leaving, they did not get, as they had been led to expect, the
pension of white troopers. The 'Totties,' so christened in the Colony,
might be loyal and brave, but they were not whites, and anything was good
enough for them, if only it meant an Imperial saving. The Governor
determined, 'This must be wiped out; its effect has already been
disastrous; the Queen's uniform has but one colour.' He applied to
Downing Street, only to be informed that it was not possible to reward
native troopers, on retirement, as whites were. This did not content him.

'I went to the Cape Parliament, which, recognising the simple justice of
my proposal, adopted it with a wise liberality. There was immediate
sat