The herald., 1896-01-07
THE BOERS' COUNTRY
sSSS<SSSSSe3HHS&eHG~GoSS3Se<e
BY BRANSCOMBE ASHLEY

BY BRANSCOMBE ASHLEY
The excitement aroused by the recent
, events in the Transvaal is of such import
ance as to overshadow for the moment the
dispute between this country and Great
Britain about the Venezuela boundary
Who are the Beers? where is their re-
public situated? what is the cause of the
/ trouble? are questions he trd on all sides
and few seem 10 be able to give the nfor-
nation required. To Americans, not less
/ than TO Englishmen, the present dispute is
/ OF paramount importance, the former hav-
! ing enormous sums invested in the 10.
| hannesburg mines, and from their long ex-
perlence in gold mining are usually the
chef operators of the most prosperous
mining properties.
The word "b oer'' is Dutch for peasant
Before the Ne herlands lost its maritime
d oW er and prestige small settlements were
made at the cape, in the beginning of the
seventeenth century, and prospered mar
vellously. One hundred years later the ad-
venturous spirit of the Netherlanders died
out; new blood, new races of Europeans
came i'll, until curious blending OF the
phlegm of the Dutchman and the sanguine,
iilpulS'Nc tesilpti stflltnl OF tDe lIlnaDltaUtS
OF the lberian peninsula evolved the Boer
of today.
At the close of the Napoleonic wars in
Isl ii Cape Colony became British terrific
ry, but ever since its transference there has
been logged resistance to Angliciziug the
colony, which was eXacerbated by the
the lenlent policy the }ritish adopted to-
ward the Katfirs, and finally the overthrow
of slavery in 1888, which was particularly
dis asteful 10 the Beers, as it threatened TO
overthrow his love of polygamy aud concu-
blnage. Then, on top of this. the British
government retroceded to the Katfirs a
large territory, hitherto neutral, on the
eastern frontier OF Cape Colony.
This led the Beers to emigrate further
north. where they could practice their pc
cular customs. Two large bands left the
parent colony as early as 1885, and both
were soon destroyed by the malignant coast
fevers. A third band was almost destroyed
by the Matabeles. Finally reinforced by
other emigrants. the Mata5eies were de-
feated, and on January z. Is SO. a patri-
archal colony was established in the Or
ange river district under Peter Retief. In
1887 the few survivors of an English colo
ny at Port Natal, founded by Captain
Gardner. united with the Dutch, pushed
still further north, and were almost ami
hilated by Zooloos. Retief icing among the
slain. The small remnant turned south
and founded the now prosperous colony of
Pletro Mautzburg. In 1910 a proclama-
ton by Governor Napier. on the part of
Great Britain, denied the Beers the
right to form an independent
small British "'u force |" was s0fT landed.
the Beers were driven from the coast and
compelled to accept the amnesty offered
them in exchange for the recognition of
British sovereignty. Many, however. re-
fused these terms, crossed the mountains
and settled in the Vaal region. The fol-
lowing eight years was succession Of
petty squlbbles, but in 1850, on the out
break of the Kafiir war. it became evident
thai the Europeans must coalesce for the
sake OF common safety. On February %,
1851, the Grange River republic was form
ally recognized by England. Since then
the two republics of Orange River and
Transvaal nave rapidly gained in power
and wealth. III 1854 gold was discovered
on the Caledon river in the Orange River
republic. The topography OF the Orange
River republic and that of the Transvaal
are much the same. Both are elevated
table lands (about 5000 feet above sea
leveD. The climate is delightful, dry, tenn
perate and abundantly watered. The total
area of the two republics is about 1876 ,013
square miles, the Transvaal being the larg-
est, containing close on to 10000 square
miles. Only white men are entitled to
vote, and each one is entitled to a home
stead of 5000 acres from the public lands.
Slavery, properly speaking. is not legally
recognized, but the Beers keep large
number of half-civiized Hottentots as prac-
tlcal slaves, and despite their ostentatious
show OF piety and hospitality they have
very loose notions as to chastity. Olive
Schreiner's startling romance. An African
Farm, gives truthful pen picture of Boer
home life.
A recent visitor to the Transvaal says:
Few thoughtful persons will deny that the
South African question is so knotty in it's
nature and demands so much experience
for its solution that a newcomer attempt
ing to give comprehensive verdict on the
subject would be acting with pernicious
folly. Petermaritzburg, the seat of the
government and headquar ers of the Brit
lsh troops, is beautifully situated and full
OF cheerful prosperity, notwithstanding the
prolongatlon of the railway to the north is
dragging much of its riches with it. Here
is no talk so common in British colonial
possessions of 1.-THE damned nigger.n No
sign of cutting or bullying, the ma ives are
treated with the same justice and Impair
tiallty as Europeans-a principle which ex-
cites the Is )ers to fury. 1t is a pleasant
sight to see Z 'glshfnen and KatIirs assem-
bled in the public park listening with Il
common pleasure TO the military band
They would look even dignified but for
their extraordinary costume Here is
big black fellow whose entire costume con-
sists of a lancers tunic buttoned tigh ly
across his otherwise naked body and leav-
ing visible a splendid pair of legs OF a
shining mahogany color, which in "A dining
room table would be quite beautiful. An
other is ccatless, but has on a pair of
trews, another an artilleryman's trailing
overcoat, another has on nothing partic-
ular at all. Their wives, for their plurality
is on the Mormon prnclpie, would
be, on the contrary, displeasngiy ugly,
with their repulsive busts, their coarse.
oiled horse-har locks, and their skewered
ears and noses. were it not that this is re-
deemed by their dignity and by the grace
of their walk. Driven in single file in
front of their lords, they bear heavy pitch
ers on their heads with classic graceful
ness that is very striking.
Even as pasturage, the country is Croesus-