第14部分(第1/7 页)

Shepstone　appointed　Special　missioner　to　Transvaal　—　Wide　powers　—　H。　R。　H。　on　Shepstone’s　staff　—　Umslopogaas　attached　to　mission　—　To　Pretoria　by　ox…waggon　—　Thirty…five　days　—　Melmoth　Osborn　and　Major　Marshal　Clarke　on　mission　—　First　acquaintance　with　Boers　—　“Opsitting”　—　President　Burgers　—　Danger　to　Transvaal　from　Cetewayo’s　Zulus　and　Secocoeni’s　tribe　—　Arrive　Pretoria　—　H。　R。　H。　acpanies　Osborn　and　Clarke　on　Mission　to　Secocoeni　—　Rough　journey　—　Indaba　at　his　kraal　—　Plot　to　murder　English　Mission　—　Frustrated　by　an　accident　—　Safe　return　to　Pretoria。

At　the　end　of　1876　Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone　was　appointed　Special　missioner　to　the　Transvaal。　His　mission　was　a　wide　one；　for；　although　this　was　not　known　at　the　time；　it　gave　him　powers；　if　he　thought　fit；　to　annex　the　country；　“in　order　to　secure　the　peace　and　safety　of　our　said　colonies　and　our　subjects　elsewhere。”　When　the　vastness　of　the　territories　and　the　questions　concerned　are　considered；　this　was　a　great　authority　to　leave　to　the　discretion　of　a　single　man。　But　thus　was　the　British　Empire　made　before　the　days　of　cables；　when　everything　depended　upon　the　judgment　of　the　officers　on　the　spot。

On　his　way　out　to　Natal　from　England　he　was　shipwrecked　on　the　coast　not　very　far　from　Cape　Town；　an　event　that　some　might　have　thought　a　bad　omen。　I　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　while　as　yet　they　did　not　know　whether　they　would　escape。

“I　thought　that　I　should　like　to　die　decent；”　he　answered；　“and　spent　the　time　in　hunting　for　my　trousers。”

Exactly　how　I　came　to　acpany　Sir　Theophilus　on　his　important　and　history…making　Mission　I　cannot　now　recall。　At　any　rate　I　went　as　a　member　of　his　staff。　Here　is　a　list　of　us：

Mr。　Osborn；　afterwards　Sir　Melmoth　Osborn。

Major　Clarke；