the days of my life

第15部分 (第4/7頁)

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　countr