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The great danger with which the Transvaal was threatened in 1877 was that of a Zulu attack。 Secocoeni had all along been acting more or less under the inspiration and orders of Cetewayo； who； when he saw that this Basuto chief could defeat the Dutch； thought； not unnaturally； that the time was ripe for him to strike。 The Zulus； who had never forgotten their defeat at Blood River in the thirties； had many old scores to settle with the Boers。 Moreover； Cetewayo’s great standing army of fifty or sixty thousand warriors were clamouring to be allowed “to wash their spears；” and as he did not wish to fight the English and we would not allow him to fight the Swazis； only the Boers remained。 In considering the history of the annexation of the Transvaal it should never be forgotten that Shepstone was aware of this fact。 Indeed not long after we reached Pretoria the news came to us that the Zulus were waiting in a chain of “impis；” or armies along the frontier； prepared when the signal was given to sweep in and put man； woman and child to the assegai。 It was his fear that this bloody design would be carried out which pushed on Shepstone to place the land under the protection of the Queen； knowing as he did that in their penniless and utterly disorganised condition； without an effective government； or cannon； or reserves of ammunition； the Boers had not the slightest chance of resisting the Zulu hordes。 They would have been wiped out up to or perhaps beyond Pretoria。
While I am dealing with this subject I a letter which was written to me in November 1906 from Ireland by the late Sir Marshal Clarke a propos of the review which I wrote of Dr。 Leyds’s book； “The First Annexation of the Transvaal；” which appeared in the issue of South Africa published on October 27； 1906。 It is an interesting document and illustrates the statements that I have made above。
Sir Marshall says：
My attention was called some days ago to the article you wrote to South Africa on the 27th ultimo。 I have not read Lloyd’s book。 Brooke ＇our colleague on Shepstone’s staff。 — H。 R。 H。＇ told me that he began it but found it so full of misstatements； which； considering what I know of the author； was natural； he did not care to go on with it。 I am glad that you did read it and were able to expose the falsehood of the charges levelled at Sir Theophilus。 There are few of our party left now and not one with the plete knowledge you have of what took place in Pretoria at the time of the Annexation。 I can of course fully endorse the story you tell of what took place when the joint mission went to Secocoeni； but only on one occasion； so far as my memory serves me； did I hear Sir Theophilus express in unguarded language to a Boer 。 。 。 ＇word illegible＇ his views as to the imminence of the danger that threatened the people of the Transvaal from the Zulus。 I think it was Lyle ＇Dr。 Lyle； the medical officer to the Mission — H。 R。 H。＇； who was with me； thought that what he said might be distorted to his detriment； but on expressing this opinion to Sir Theophilus he said he did not care； as he knew the reality of the danger he had indicated and felt that the responsibility laid on him must override any personal consideration。 Looking back through all that has since occurred one feels all the more strongly the courage and sense of duty that actuated our Chief。 Even had the Boers finally beat back the Zulu onslaught what a loss of life and untold misery must have at first resulted； and no one but Shepstone could have stopped Cetewayo and that only by the act of Annexation 。 。 。 。
I consider that this letter； emanating from so distinguished a public servant as Sir Marshal Clarke； one of the most noble…minded and upright men that I ever knew； is evidence of great value as to the motives which actuated Sir Theophilus at this period。 Moreover it entirely confirms what I have written above。
While the negotiations were going on between Shepstone and the Boers it was suddenly announced in the Volksraad “that peace had been provisionally concluded with Secocoeni’s envoys； according to which Secocoeni and his people became subjects of the State； and that the chief himself had ratified this among other stipulations。”7
7 Sir T。 Shepstone to the Earl of Carnarvon； No。 111； C…1776。
This news of course was very important； since； if the Transvaal Government had really reduced Secocoeni to bee its subject； one of the causes of the proposed British intervention ceased to exist。 Presently； however； there arrived a letter from the Rev。 A。 Merensky； a German missionary at Botsabelo at whose instance negotiations for peace had been begun； which threw the gravest doubt upon the genuineness of this alleged treaty。 The result was that a mission was appointed by President Burgers to investigate the matter； with which were sent two members of Shepstone’s staff to whom I acted as secretary。 The missioners were Mr。 Holtzhausen； a Boer； and Mr。 Van Gorkom； a Hollander； who held some office in the Transvaal Government。 The representatives of H。M。‘s Special missioner were Mr。 Osborn and Captain Clarke。
The journey to Secocoeni’s country was long and rough； dangerous also； as at this season of the year （March） the fever was very bad in that low veld； so bad indeed that even the natives were dying。 At a place called Fort Weber was established a force of irregular troops in the service of the Transvaal Government。 They were in a wretched condition； having for some while received their pay in valueless promissory notes that were known as “Good…fors；” or； at full length； as “Good…for…nothings。” Also out of their niy horses eighty…two were dead of sickness； so that they could scarcely be called an effective body of irregular cavalry。 Still ammunition remained to them； for they received us with much firing of guns and of their two small field…pieces； also with an address。
And now I will tell you a story which shows how valuable a love of scenery may be under certain circumstances。 Among the officers at Fort Weber was one whom I will call Mr。 A。； who was largely responsible for the alleged treaty with Secocoeni。 Also there was a Boer called Deventer； an excellent man who could sit a bucking horse better than anyone I ever knew。 Subsequently he entered the service of the British Government and was killed； how； I forget。
Shortly after the Annexation Deventer told the following tale to Osborn； and at the time we satisfied ourselves that this tale was true。 A night or two before our arrival at Fort Weber； when it was known that we were ing； Makurupiji； Secocoeni’s “Tongue” or prime minister； visited the place in connection with the peace negotiations。 Whether he was still there when we arrived I am not quite certain。 During his stay Mr。 A。 — who； I should add； was not of pure Boer blood — in Deventer’s hearing assured Makurupiji that if the Boers had scourged Secocoeni with whips； the English would scourge him with scorpions。 He said that they would take all the women and cattle and make slaves or soldiers of the men。 So earnest were his protestations that at length Makurupiji； who knew nothing about the English； was persuaded to believe him and asked what could be done to prevent these calamities。
Mr。 A。 answered that there was but one way out of the danger； namely to kill the British envoys。 To this plan Makurupiji at length consented； and it was arranged that on our way back from Secocoeni’s town we three were to be ambushed and murdered by the Basutos。 I should add that we never learned whether or not Secocoeni himself had any part in this scheme； or whether all the credit of it must be given to Makurupiji； a very cunning and villainous…looking person； who； I believe； ultimately mitted suicide after the destruction of the tribe； preferring death to imprisonment。 If Secocoeni was concerned in it retribution overtook him when； a year or two later； Sir Gar Wolseley stormed his town with the help of the Swazis and wiped out his people。 I think that he himself died in jail in Pretoria。
After the plot had been settled in all its details Mr。 A。 and Makurupiji separated。 During the night； however； Deventer； who was horrified at the whole business； crept to where Makurupiji was sleeping； woke him up and implored him to have nothing to do with so foul a crime。 Makurupiji listened to his arguments and in the end answered； “My words are my words。 What I have said I have said。”
We arrived and； according to my original pencilled notes which I have before me； started for Secocoeni’s on March 27th。 All that day we rode through wild and most beautiful country； now across valleys and now over mountains。 Indeed I never saw any more lovely in its own savage way； backed as it was by the splendid Blueberg range rising like a titanic wall； its jagged pinnacles aglow with the fires of the setting sun。 At length； scrambling down the path； in which one of our horses was seized with the dreaded sickness and left to die； we entered the fever…trap known as Secocoeni’s Town and rode on past the celebrated fortified kopje to the beautiful hut that had been prepared for us。
Here we were received by Swasi； Secocoeni’s uncle and guest…master。 All the population flocked out to look at us； clad in the sweet simplicity of a little strip of skin tied round the middle。 Even here； however； the female love of ornament was in evidence； for the hair of the women was elaborately arranged and powdered with some metal that caused it to glitter and gave it a blue tinge。 Our hut was very superior to that built by the Zulus。 It stood in a reed…hedged courtyard which was floored with limestone concrete。 Also it had a verandah round it。 The interior walls were painted with red ochre in lines and spirals something after the old Greek fashion。 Indeed； these Basutos gave me the idea that they were sprung from some race with a considerable knowledge of civilisation and its arts。 In other ways； however； they had quite relapsed into barbarism。 Thus； as we entered the town about a hundred women returned from labouring in the fields； stripped themselves stark naked before us； and proceeded to wash in a stream — though I observe that they did this “in a modest kind of way。” I should add that at this time very few white men had ever passed the gates of Secocoeni’s Town。
It was an uncanny kind of place。 If you got up at night； if you moved anywhere； you became aware that dozens or hundreds of eyes were watching you。 Privacy was impossible。 You ate； too； in public。 The chief sent down a sheep。 You saw it living； next you saw it more or less cooked and held before you in quarters on sticks by kneeling natives。 You cut off chunks with your knife； ate what you liked or； rather； what you must； and threw the rest to other natives who stood round staring； among them the heir…apparent to the chieftainship。 These caught the pieces as a dog does； and gobbled them down like a dog。
On the morning following our arrival； after a night so hot that sleep was almost impossible — for at that season the place； surrounded as it was by hills； was like a stewpan — we rose and； quite unwashed； since water was unobtainable； ate more chunks of half…cooked sheep； which we flavoured with quinine。 Then after bating demands for brandy； whereof the fame had spread even to this remote place； we surrendered ourselves into the charge of the astute…faced Makurupiji； the fat Swasi； and of the general of the forces； an obese person called Galock； with a countenance resembling that of a pig。 These eminent officers conducted us for nearly a mile； through a heat so burning that we grew quite exhausted； to the place of the indaba； or talk。 Here； under a rough shed open on all sides； sat about a hundred of the headmen who had e “to witness。” Beyond this was the chief’s private enclosure； where he was seated on the hide of a bull under a shady tree； clothed in a tiger…skin kaross and a cotton blanket； and wearing on his head a huge old felt hat。 He rose and shook hands with us through the gateway。 He was a man of middle age with twinkling black eyes and a flat nose； very repulsive to look on。 After this he retired to his bull…hide； where he sat chewing handfuls of some intoxicating green leaf； and took no further active part in the proceedings。 All the conversation was carried on through Makuru