the days of my life

第15部分 (第1/7頁)

ality。　How　the　bills　were　paid　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；　but　I　presume　it　must　have　been　in　kind；　for　no　one　had　any　money。　The　position　of　the　Republic　was　desperate；　and　of　it　all　despaired。　Taxes　could　no　longer　be　collected；　and　it　was　said　that　the　postmasters　were　directed　to　pay　themselves　their　own　salaries　—　in　stamps。　The　forces　of　the　country；　or　rather　the　mandoes　of　burghers；　had　been　defeated　by　the　Basuto　chief；　Secocoeni；　with　a　loss　of　seven　thousand　head　of　cattle。　As　a　result　the　war　against　this　potentate　and　his　nine　thousand　warriors　who　lived　in　the　Loolu　Berg；　a　range　of　mountains　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　to　the　north…east　of　Pretoria；　was　then　being　carried　on　by　a　small　force　of　filibusters。　These　men　received　no　pay；　while　they　were　expected　to　provide　for　themselves　out　of　what　they　could　take。　The　upshot　may　be　imagined。

The　President　of　the　Republic　was　a　Cape　Colonist　minister　of　the　Dutch　Reformed　Church　who　was　educated　in　Holland；　of　the　name　of　Burgers；　a　well…meaning；　curious；　and　rather　attractive　man　of　intelligence　and　good　appearance；　but　one　utterly　lacking　in　stability　of　character。　He　had　recently　visited　Europe　in　the　interests　of　the　Republic；　and　had　even　succeeded　in　raising　90；000　pounds　in　Holland　for　the　construction　of　a　railway　to　Delagoa　Bay；　which　money；　I　believe；　was　lost。　Also　he　was　said　to　have　had　certain　nebulous　dealings　with　the　Germans　which　even　in　those　days　were　a　cause　of　some　anxiety　to　this　country。6　I　have　seen　President　Burgers　almost　in　tears　over　the　condition　of　the　Republic；　nor　did　he　veil　his　opinions　of　its　state　in　his　addresses　to　the　Volksraad；　as　anyone　who　cares　to　consult　the　history　of　the　period　can　discover　for　himself。　At　no　time　was　he　an　earnest　opponent　of　the