edit a mine, until there is no option but to close it. Many of the
mines have been closed through their intrigues. Mine is one of them,
for instance."

PASSING CUSTOMS AT VEREENIGING.

This was my first day's introduction to the moral condition of
Johannesburg. But to begin at the beginning. On arriving at midnight
at the frontier of the Transvaal, near the Vaal River, the train was
stopped in the open veld until daylight, for Boer officials require
daylight to make their conscientious examination of passengers and their
luggage. Half-an-hour after dawn the train moved over the Vaal Bridge,
and we were soon within the grip of the Boer Custom House. I was told
later that the officials were insolent; but I saw nothing uncommon,
except a methodical procedure such as might belong to a people resolved
to make a more than usually thorough search. The officials came in at
the rear end of the carriage, locked the door behind them, and informed
us we were to go out before them. The male passengers were ushered into
one corrugated-iron house, the females with their respective searchers
behind them into another. One burly passenger had diamonds concealed on
his person, but his clothes were only slightly felt. A small pale
clergyman just behind him, however, received marked attention, and was
obliged to take off his boots, and every article of his baggage was
minutely scrutinised. Probably some of the women searchers performed
their duties just as thoroughly. My servant was asked to pay duty on
some of my shirts, but he refused to pay anything, on the ground that
the shirts had been repeatedly worn and washed.

GETTING NEWS FROM THE RAND.

The distance to Johannesburg from the frontier was but an hour and a
half of ordinary running, but from the time we neared the Vaal River it
occupied us eleven hours. A reporter from the _Star_ had come aboard at
the frontier station, and from him we learned a few facts regarding
Johannesburg, such as that the uitlander miners intended to starve the
burghers out by closing the mines, that the Australians were leaving in
crowds, and though there were three Presidential candidates in the
field, Kruger was sure to be returned for a fourth term, as General
Joubert was known to be weak, and Schalk Burger almost unknown.

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE MINES.

The Transvaal veld was much greener, and more rolling, than that of the
Orange Free State. Johannesburg came into view about 9 a.m.