CHAPTER V

THREE YEARS AFTER--LORD MILNER AT CAPE TOWN BEFORE THE
WAR--MR. CECIL RHODES AT GROOT SCHUURR--OTHER INTERESTING
PERSONAGES

"There are many echoes in the world, but few voices."
GOETHE.


On May 6, 1899, we sailed from Southampton on the S.S. _Norman_. We
purposed to spend a few months in Rhodesia, but such is the frailty of
human plans that eventually we stayed in South Africa for one year and
three months.

Dr. Jameson was our fellow-passenger to Cape Town, and with him we
travelled up to Bulawayo, and passed five weeks there as the guests of
Major Maurice Heaney.[13] Part of this time we spent on the veldt, far
from civilization, sleeping in tents, and using riding ponies and mule
waggons as transport. I can recommend this life as a splendid cure for
any who are run down or overworked. The climate of Rhodesia in the month
of June is perfection; rain is unknown, except as the accompaniment of
occasional thunderstorms; and it is never too hot to be pleasant. Game
was even then practically non-existent in Matabeleland, but our object
was to inspect the mines of Major Heaney's various companies. The
country was pretty and well wooded, and we crossed many river-beds,
amongst them the wide Umzingwani. This stream is a mighty torrent during