th Africa for the
Africanders." The Rev. Adrian Hoffmeyer of the Dutch Reformed Church
freely admits that the watchword of the Western Boers was "Tafelburg
toc," that is, "To Table Mountain"; and that their commandant said to
him, "We will not rest till our flag floats there."

Similarly on the eastern side it was their confident boast that
presently they would be "eating fish and drinking coffee at sea-side
Durban." There would thus be one flag floating over all South Africa;
and that flag not the Union Jack but its supplanter.

[Sidenote: _Two notable Dreamers._]

Now the Dutch have undoubtedly as absolute a right to dream dreams of
wide dominion as we ourselves have; and this particular dream had no
less undeniably been the chief delight of some among them for more
than a decade twice told.

Even PRESIDENT BRAND, of the Orange Free State, referring to Lord
Carnarvon's pet idea of a federated South Africa, said: "His great
scheme is a united South Africa _under the British Flag_. He dreams of
it and so do I; but _under the flag of South Africa_." Much in the
same strain PRESIDENT BURGERS, of the Transvaal Republic, when
addressing a meeting of his countrymen in Holland, said: "In that
far-off country the inhabitants dream of a future in which the people
of Holland will recover their former greatness." He was convinced that
within half a century there would be in South Africa a population of
eight millions; all speaking the Dutch language; a _second_ Holland,
as energetic and liberty-loving as the first; but greater in extent,
and greater in power.

[Sidenote: _A Bankrupt Republic._]

Nevertheless, in this far-seeing President's day, the Transvaal, after
fourteen years of doubtful independence, reached in 1877 its lowest
depths of financial and political impotency. Its valiant burghers were
vanquished in one serious conflict with the natives; and, emboldened
thereby, the Zulus were audaciously threatening to eat them up, when
Shepstone appeared upon the scene. "I thank my father Shepstone for
his restraining message," said Cetewayo. "The Dutch have tired me out;
and I intended to fight with them once, _only once_, and to drive them
over the Vaal." The jails were thrown open because food was no longer
obtainable for the prisoners. The State officials, including the
President, knew not where to secure their stipends, and were
hopelessly at variance among themselves. The Transvaal one-pound notes
were selling for