eu of friendly reciprocity the return began to be
rancorous mistrust and revival of hatred.

In the course of our study to account for this sad and unwarrantable
change on the part of the Boers we will be following the trail of the
serpent and track it right up to its Hollander lair and to its at first
unsuspected product, the Afrikaner Bond.

PROSPERITY OF BOERS AND POLITICAL RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND UP TO 1881

A period of about twenty-five years following the establishment of the
Orange Free State and Transvaal Republics was marked with much progress
and prosperity in the Cape Colonies and Natal, both Republics also
having cause to rejoice over similar advancement.

The evil influence which aimed at rending good relations between Boer
and English became more apparent after 1881. During the preceding era
the two races actually had been in a fair way towards friendly
assimilation. Mutual appreciation was further stimulated by the
reciprocal benefits arising from trade and economic relations.
Intermarriages became more frequent under such friendly intercourse, a
respectable Englishman being truly prized in those days as a Boer's
son-in-law. The English language also largely advanced in favour and
prestige not only among the Cape Colonial and Natal Boers, but also in
both Republics, and anti-English sentiments were fast being supplanted
by amity and goodwill.

The principal event in the Orange Free State during that period was a
three years' exhaustive war with the Basuto nation, which ended in the
latter's defeat in 1867. Their chief Moshesh then appealed for British
intervention. The Basutos thus came under England's protection, and a
peace resulted which has ever since continued, through British prestige
and authority as well as good government. The Orange Free State gained a
large tract of the territory conquered by that State, but had to
renounce the rest.

Then, in about 1870, came the discovery of the diamond-fields, situated
on the then still ill-defined western limits of the State. According to
a boundary line claimed by Great Britain, those diamond-fields fell
outside Free State territory. That State received L90,000 compensation
for improvements and expenses incurred during its short occupation of
that disputed strip of diamondiferous ground. The diamond-fields at
Jagersfontein and Koffyfontein were subsequently discovered and lie deep
within the confines of the State. President Brand had proved hi