New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
A STRANGE LAND.
EPISODES OF SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY.

zsmbe.i BY George NJ Thea Of the G ,I
Coonia, Civil Service Pp Ky" Ssi: :" T. ""
MANS Sons. (Story Of the Nalons)
Aside from the more prosaic facts of colonial
dcyelopment there are two phases Of South ATT
can history which Will always possess rohan''c
interest. These are the subjugation OF IN" native
races ard the growth Of the Dutch free states
I, Is the study Of these two processes 'hat gives
unity to Nh Theais narrative. To any one WHO
imagines that in the early history OF Ensh'"
colonies in America or Australia there Is c'ose
likeness to affairs in South Africa some chap'e''
In this book will come with the force OF re'eia
ton In the first place questions or enhgrauo"
and settlement at the Cape OF Good hope "''e
never complicated by the problem of dealing with
convict labor The only ship ever sent there Win
criminals was so reigiously Stunned tha' at
last II was ordered TO Tasmania. The emigrants
were from first TO last persons VINO chose 'heA
new homes of their own free WILL Only the Eng
Nsh Roundheads the New-Engand fHgrlms
and Purtans could furnish a parallel to the re-
uyions force that helped 10 mould the life OF the
Dutch Beers. Even in this case tho comparison
falls short for the Dutch on the whole mad
clearer ideas on the subject Of give and take IN
the matter of religious liberty than the most
rebellious Englishmen OF the seventeenth century.
federation was the rule. though at hrst IL was
hardly thought of, since the colonsts Tor a iohs
time were Of one mind in the matter OF rehsion.
Apparently the most extreme step in the way OF
oppression was taken when Moravan mission
aries were forbidden to baptize Hottentot con-
verts lest strife might be occasioned by puohc
rivalry between churches. But this prohibition
was soon revoked. In later times the only article
of faith required Of citizen was belief in the
existence Of God. But this complaisance toward
the opinions Of others was not coupled with any
lack OF certainty IN the faith Of the people them
selves Like the New-Enganders they saw the
hand Of Diety IN every even that occurred. 1his
simple creed they retain still with vital energy
that makes think OF the times long past In
other parts of the civilized word.
Mr.. Theal illustrates this point In his narrative
OF the last bitter struggle between English SOL
diers and Boer rlnemen. On the face Of things
there was reason 20 suppose that the Engish
would have an easy conquest over the militia OF
the South African Republic. for only short
time before the Doors lad scattered In wild dis
NAV after failure to subdue some native In
sureents Now II seems that in this earlier a.
fair they had leader OF a character most I'M
usual among them. The famous President Pre-
torius had fallen into disfavor because he was
,outwitted by the English commissioner from
Cape Town and thus deprived the Republic OF the
diamond bearing region on the lower Naai River
The public clamored for The election OF clever
man. capable Of conducting business with the
Queens representative Upon this issue lhoinas
Francois Burgers was elected president. lie hao
displayed remarkable adroitnqss In managing
some difficult cases at law in Cape Town. But 1t
did not at first occur to the farmers that II they
had to go to they needed President VINO
had not denied the God Of Battles. MI Burgers
had the reputation Of being an Agnostc FIRST
a clergyman in the Orthodox Church ne hau
Withdrawn on account Of a change OF views 30
alarmed were the country folk to see such man
at the head Of affairs that many families lett
the Repubc to make a new home for themselves
beyond the Kaahari Desert. They finally settled
IN the Portuguese Province of Benguela. and the
earnestness Of their religious feeling was proven
BY the miseries they underwent and by the line
NJ graves n at now marks the road they travelled
in their flight from apostasy. But the main
bodv Of the people was content with President
Burgers until the Bapedi tribe OF natives rebelled
under the lead Of a chieftain named Sekukuni
A large force called in South Africa COM
mando" was summoned TO suppress the insur-
srection but the r,femen gathered with rear ana
trembling They feared much that the blessing
of God could not rest upon the enterprise ohe
native stronghold was taken. but when the MILL
tia came to the second they gave way TO hopeiess-
ness The assault failed, and the army Ned IN
panic to Pretoria. In the light OF this per-
formance Sir Theophilus Shepstone might nave
thought himself warranted in declaring the Ke-
public a British possession, on the ground that
the inhabitants could not defend It, But the
forecast was wrong. No sooner were the people
certain that they must fight for their hoerues
than the whole country rose in arms The
shave always had great influence In public az
fairs and on this occasion their voice was de-
cidedly for war. Mothers encouraged their
sons wives their husbands, TO act as men. and II
thew were beaten they could die the death OF pa
triots or move away to the unknown north. as
their fathers had done before them. The result
NJ the conflict is we'll known. 1t was OF par
t,cular interest to men interested In military az
fairs because the Dutch victories were wholly
due TO skill in shooting. But to the military
critics who say this. the farmers reply mat
Providence was on their side. The same men
who fed trembling before mob OF natives
turned with Spartan courage against seasoned
rno,,sb troops "In one instance" says the
author, "they believed that the Almighty was
AGAINST them because their leader was not OF the
trc faith; In the other. they believed most thor-
ouehly that the Almighty was with them' guid-
ing and strengthening them In the unequal fsh''
7, was this and this alone, that turned the fugi-
,,ves from steelpoort INFO the men OF Ma)uoa
HILL"
II ;s impossible TO comprehend the history OF
&,a Dutch in South Africa without estimating
at its proper value this naive faith which In
most civilized nations seems only reminis-
cence. 1t worked among them again and again
wonders OF devotion and self-sacrifce with mo-
lives that seemed trivial 1t Is sometimes said
that relkson does not get into mems affairs
where 1t ought On the other hand, 1t is curious
10 sec how 1t is mixed with things where it was
east TO be expected. Worship should be as