onists. The action at once consolidated the Premier's position. I
doubt if in all political history you can uncover a series of events
more paradoxical or perplexing or find a solution arrived at with
greater skill and strategy. It was a revelation of Smuts with his ripe
statesmanship put to the test, and not found wanting.

At the election held four months later Smuts scored a brilliant triumph.
The South African Party increased its representation by eighteen seats,
while the Nationalists lost heavily. The Labour Party was almost lost in
the wreckage. The net result was that the Premier obtained a working
majority of twenty-two, which guarantees a stable and loyal Government
for at least five years.

It only remains to speculate on what the future holds for this
remarkable man. South Africa has a tragic habit of prematurely
destroying its big men. Rhodes was broken on the wheel at forty-nine,
and Botha succumbed in the prime of life. Will Smuts share the same
fate?

No one need be told in the face of the Smuts performance that he is a
world asset. The question is, how far will he go? A Cabinet Minister at
twenty-eight, a General at thirty, a factor in international affairs
before he was well into the forties, he unites those rare elements of
greatness which seem to be so sparsely apportioned these disturbing
days. That he will reconstruct South Africa there is no doubt. What
larger responsibilities may devolve upon him can only be guessed.

Just before I sailed from England I talked with a high-placed British
official. He is in the councils of Empire and he knows Smuts and South
Africa. I asked him to indicate what in his opinion would be the next
great milepost of Smuts' progress. He replied:

"The destiny of Smuts is interwoven with the destiny of the whole
British Empire. The Great War bound the Colonies together with bonds of
blood. Out of this common peril and sacrifice has been knit a closer
Imperial kinship. During the war we had an Imperial War Cabinet composed
of overseas Premiers, which sat in London. Its logical successor will be
a United British Empire, federated in policy but not in administration.
Smuts will be the Prime Minister of these United States of Great
Britain."

It is the high goal of a high career.

[Illustration: THE HEAVY LINE INDICATES MR. MARCOSSON'S ROUTE IN
AFRICA]

CHAPTER II--"CAPE-TO-CAIRO"

I

When you take the train for the North at Capetown you start on the firs