The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-19

b. dy could foresee the time a few years
later when the production OF gold in the
Transvaal would amount to nearly Noo.-
0e,ep per annum. and the Dutehmen, who
were then so DESTROYS of getting away.
would be fighting to keep the Outlanders
out of their country. But such are the in
eyitable consequences OF the curse Of
gold
Founding New Province.
Along the border Of the Transvaal
where some OF the hottest skirmishins
may be expected In case OF war between
the British and the Boers-since the rail-
way line between Cape Town and Rho
desia must be kept open by the British.
and the Beers will naturally make their
first rush to break 1.-THE pioneers made
their way. They were now in the enemy's
country. for Lobenguela. after grsciOusly
giving his consent to an undertaking
which he thought would never be carried
out, sent word warning them to keep out,
as his tribesnen were rising. Accordingly
the strictest precautions were observed.
stockade camp or ''iaageF," after the fash
ion OF our Western wagon trains in pio-
neer times. being formed nightly, while
scouts guarded the train night and day.
Indeed. the progress across country was
a strong "Reminiscences of Western pioneer
proceedings. with some differences in de-
tail. For instance, Mr.. Brown details the
South African method OF branding cattle.
which is clumsy and awkward in the ex-
treme, requiring dozen men TO capture
one cow which trick would be done by
one American cowboy in iiify But
throwing the ,asso is an Srt which has
never been cultivated among the Beers.
unless OF recent years.
Mr. Brown was detailed on scout duty
most of the time while the others were
taking turns at cutting the road through
the wilderness and guarding the baggage
train. The natives. who were 4 cowardiy
and useless lot, although protesting Chris
tiarity and holding long pTayer-meetings.
were found almost useless for work. so
white men did most of IL. Browns duties
also Included supplying the camp with
fresh meat, and he found big game in the
abundance described by Livingstone and
Stanley. OF course, this is all changed
nowadays.
New Forts Naw Cities.
on the way the expedition founded Fort
Tuli lust TO the northwest of the Trans
~.
toria. near the present city of Victoria;
Fort Charter. the nearest station to the
rich Hartley Hills, and finally, Fort Sal
isbury. which has since grown into the
city OF Salisbury, the capital of Rhodesla.
There the pioneers disbsnded, and rs each
member was entitled TO a farm and GER
tain number of mining claims, most of
them took to prospecting. MIR. Brown for
a time stuck 10 his work as a naturalist
and collector. but becoming imbued with
the gold fever, laid out his claims in the
Hartley Hills and went to work with pick
and shovel
About this time the Matabele troubles
broke out, and he took an active part in
the campaigns against King Lobenguela,
which are described with dramatic detail
in the book. All this is, to a certain eX-
tent, history at the present day, out it
has considerable bearing on the Transyaai
troubles, the causes of which are not gen.
orally understood in this country. Be-
tween the Orange Free State and Cape
Colony, both British possessions, and the
great If only partly developed province of
Rhodesia. lies the little South African re-
public of the Transvaal. which forms an
obstacle to the shortest path of communal
cation. The exclusive policy of the Beers
hOUDtItoS NSNtiu4iE Nttt IibSttSS Ol
South Africa. and although one may sym
pathize with the theoretical right to in
dependence and exclusiveness, there is no
doubt that a federation OF the South AZ
rican States, after the fashion of the
United States, would be the greatest boon
that could happen TO that country Still,
the Beers will never accept the idea, in
all probability, until it is hammered into
Them
Cape to Cairo Railway.
Mr.. Brown shows himself throughout :,
partisan of Cecil Rhodes under whom ne
served most of the time, anC he throws
some interesting sidelights on the charac-
ter of Cecil Africanus." the man who,
few yeais ago. was deprived of his colonial
offices and solemnly. censured by com
mittee of parliament, put who is to-day
the greatest power in South Africa. The
schemes and enterprises of this man seem
boundless. When he projected the Cape
to Cairo telegraph line, aow nearly com
pleted, he was considered half crazy, and
the capitalists of London declined to IN
vest in the scheme. Thereupon Rhodes.
with neyer-failing resourcafu!ness. Dro-
vided nearly so per cent. of the funds
himself, and ne pushed The enterprise re-
gardless of the predictions that. even
should he succeed in getting his line to
Lake Tangayika, he could never cross the
mahdfs country in the Egyptian SOudan.
The breaking of the mahdis power by
Lord Kitchener leaves the right Of way
open, and the intervening distance be
tween the northern and southern ends of
the line is rapidly being filled.
Now Rhodes has in mind nothing less
than continuous line Of railway from,
the Cape TO Cairo, an enterprise even
greater than the Trans-Siberian Railroad
of Russia. This will be The first railroad
TO span a continent north ana south. ,he
proposed Pan-American Railway to con-
meet North and South America having ev-
identity fallen through. The enterprise js
much greater and more difficult than the
telegraph line, and from present prus-
poets promises 10 pay less, so IL is DOUBT
ful If Rhodes will live 40 see his drCaya
realized. But in case Of wa, who knows
what chestnuts he may rake oul OF tue
nre. lie mas already won many fo-l0rn
hopes, and the chances are that h. NAV
inuuce others To carry Out his scheme.
even If he does not himself. He is trG!y
The Colossus OF Africa, whatever his
methods.
THERE WAS MONEY IN The AIR.
Remarkable Result OF Tornado In the