g, the openly-declared enemies of the
Imperial Government, and of peace and order in Bechuanaland, had been at
their appropriate work elsewhere within the Protectorate. Before sunset
the same evening, I was surprised to hear the Bechuana war cry sounded
in Montsioa's Town, and shortly afterwards I saw the old chief
approaching my waggon, followed by a large body of men.

"'Monare Makence!' (Mr. Mackenzie), 'the cattle have been lifted by the
Boers,' was his first announcement. I shall never forget the scene at
that moment. The excitement of the men, some of whom were reduced to
poverty by what had taken place, and also their curiosity as to what
step I should take, were plainly enough revealed on the faces of the
crowd who, with their chief, now stood before me.

"'Mr. Mackenzie,' said Montsioa, 'you are master now, you must say what
is to be done. We shall be obedient to your orders.' 'We have put our
names on your paper, but the Boers have our cattle all the same,' said
one man.

Another shouted out with vehemence, 'please don't tell us to go on
respecting the boundary line. Why should we do so when the Boers don't?'

'Who speaks about a boundary line?' said another speaker, probably a
heavy loser. 'Is it a thing that a man can eat? Where are our cattle?'

"As I have already said, I shall never forget the scene in which these
and similar speeches were made at my waggon as the sun went down
peacefully--the sun which had witnessed the treaty-signing and the
rejoicings at Mafeking. Its departing rays now saw the cattle of the
Barolong safe in the Transvaal, and the Barolong owners and Her
Majesty's Deputy Commissioner looking at one another, at Mafeking."[32]

Mr. Mackenzie then resolved what to do, and announced that he would at
once cross the boundary and go himself to the nearest Transvaal town to
demand redress. There was a hum of approval, with a sharp enquiry from
Montsioa,--did he really mean to go himself? "Having no one to send, I
must go myself," Mackenzie replied. The old Chief, in a generous way,
half dissuaded him from the attempt. "The Boers cannot be trusted. What
shall I say if you do not return?" "All right, Montsioa," replied
Mackenzie, "say I went of my own accord. I will leave my wife under your
care."

"Poor old fellow," writes Mackenzie, "brave-hearted, though 'only a
native,' he went away full of heaviness, promising me his cart and
harness, and an athletic herd as a driver, to start early n