e this letter after he had heard what had passed
between Masupha and me. This is not the case, for Sauer, having
let me go to Masupha, changed his mind and wrote the letter, but
this letter had nothing to do with my interview with Masupha."

With this further quotation of Gordon's own words I may conclude the
description of the Basuto mission, which, although deemed a failure at
the time, was eventually the direct cause of the present
administrative arrangement in that important district of South Africa.

"In order you should understand the position of affairs, I recall
to your memory the fact that Scanlan, Merriman, and yourself all
implied to me doubts of Orpen's policy and your desire to remove
him; that I deprecated any such change in my favour; that I
accepted the post of Commandant-General on Merriman's statement
that the Government desired me to eradicate the red-tape system
of the colonial forces; that I made certain reports to the
Government upon the settlement of the Basuto question in May and
July, showing my views; that the Government were aware of the
great difference between my views and those of Orpen, both by
letter and verbally to Merriman; also to my objections to go up.
Sauer was told by me the same thing. I conversed with him _en
route_, and I told him if I visited Masupha I could not
afterwards fight him, for I would not go and spy upon his
defences. Sauer asked me to go to Masupha; he knew my views; yet
when I was there negotiating, he, or rather Orpen, moved
Lerothodi to attack Masupha, who would, I believe, have come to
terms respecting the acceptance of magistrates, a modified
hut-tax, and border police. The reported movement of Lerothodi
prevented my coming to any arrangement. I told Masupha, when he
sent and told me of Lerothodi's advance, not to answer the
Government until the hostile movements had ceased. The Government
sent me up, knowing my views, and against my wish, and knowing I
was not likely to mince matters. There are not more than two
Europeans in Basutoland who believe in Orpen or his policy, while
the natives have lost all confidence in him. Sauer shut his eyes
to all this, and has thrown in his lot with Orpen. Masupha is a
sincere man, and he does not care to have placed with him
magistrates, against whom are complaints,