itself is an exceedingly pretty town, situated at the base of
the surrounding hills. There is a continuous, and most abundant supply
of water running through all the principal streets. Here, again, I was
forcibly reminded of the absence of any municipal body--although
Pretoria is the seat of Government--for dealing with the sanitary and
other wants of the town. The dust, every day (as at Johannesburg), was
intolerable, although, with the abundance of water flowing unceasingly
through the streets, it would be the easiest thing in the world to apply
it, as much as could possibly be wanted, to water them, and keep the
dust down. I remained for three weeks at Pretoria. While there I
attended some meetings of the Volksraad, accompanied by a Dutch friend
who kept me _au fait_ of the proceedings by translating to me the
speeches of the various members, on the subjects under discussion.

The debates are held in a very large, somewhat low-pitched apartment.
About fifty members were present. The President of the Volksraad sat at
a table on a platform, covered with green cloth. On one side of him, at
the same table, sat Paul Kruger, the President of the Transvaal
Republic. General Joubert--who defeated the English at Majuba Hill--sat
at a separate table on the left of the chairman.

I was also present, more than once, at the sittings of the High Court of
Justice. The proceedings are conducted both in English and Dutch.

By the courtesy of the Chief Justice, I was introduced by him at a
special interview, which lasted half-an-hour, to Paul Kruger. During our
conversation, which was carried on by my speaking in English, translated
into Dutch by the Chief Justice, I referred to the fact of my having
been introduced to him in England some years ago. I went on to speak of
my having come from England to South Africa to learn. That I had already
learned much, and that I was much pleased with all I had seen,
especially in the Transvaal, which seemed to me a country teeming with
riches and great natural resources. That I was a great friend to
railroads, and that I was never in a country which I thought required
railroads so much as the Transvaal. I expressed a hope, therefore, to
see the day when the country would be penetrated by them in every
direction--east, and south, and west. The President smiled at my
strongly expressed aspiration, but did not give me any other reply.

Like every other town in the Transvaal, Pretoria shows signs