In writing this volume my aim has been to present an unvarnished tale of the circumstances—extending over nearly half a century—which have brought about the present crisis in South Africa. Consequently, it has been necessary to collate the opinions of the best authorities on the subject. My acknowledgments are due to the distinguished authors herein quoted for much valuable information, throwing light on the complications that have been accumulating so long, and that owe their origin to political blundering and cosmopolitan scheming rather than to the racial antagonism between Briton and Boer.

L. C.

CONTENTS—VOL. I.

PAGE
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE[ix]
INTRODUCTION[1]
CHAPTER I
PAGE
The Growth of the Transvaal[13]
The Boer Character[15]
Some Domestic Traits[18]
CHAPTER II
PAGE
The Orange Free State[24]
The Grondwet[26]
Transvaal Dissensions[29]
Zulu Disturbances[30]
The Political Web[33]
The Web Thickening[36]
The Zulu War[38]
Isandlwana[40]
Affairs at Home[43]
Towards Ulundi[49]
The Victory[57]
CHAPTER III
PAGE
Sir Garnet Wolseley at Pretoria[62]
Gladstone out of Office and in Office[65]
Commencement of Rebellion[69]
The Fate of Captain Elliot[73]
Laing's Nek[77]
Ingogo[84]
Majuba[86]
The Siege of Pretoria[95]
Retrocession[99]
The Betrayed Loyalists[101]
CHAPTER IV
PAGE
The Conventions[106]
Mr. Kruger[110]
Germans and Uitlanders[114]
CHAPTER V
PAGE
Mr. Rhodes[118]
Rhodesia—Uncivilised[120]
Rhodesia—Civilised[124]
Gold[127]
Diamonds[131]
CHAPTER VI
PAGE
The Transvaal of To-day[136]
Accumulated Aggravations[138]
Monopolies and Abuses[143]
The Franchise[146]
The Reform Movement[149]
The Critical Moment[153]
The Raid[156]
After Doornkop[172]
The Fate of the Miscreants[177]
The Ultimatum[178]
APPENDIX—Conventions of 1881 and 1884[191], [197]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Vol. I.

1. COLOURED PLATES
PAGE
Dying to Save the Queen's Colours.An Incident of the Battle of Isandlwana. By C. E. Fripp[Frontispiece]
Colonel of the 10th Hussars (H.R.H. the Prince of Wales)[16]
2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)[32]
Officer of the 16th Lancers[64]
Drum-Major and Drummers, Coldstream Guards[80]
Colour-Sergeant and Private, the Scots Guards[104]
Sergeant and Bugler, 1st Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders[140]
Colour-Sergeant and Private (in khaki), Gloucester Regiment[172]
2. FULL-PAGE PLATES
PAGE
Cape Town, Devil's Peak, Table Mountain, and Lion's Head, from Table Bay[10]
A Kaffir Kraal in the Transvaal[20]
Bloemfontein, from the South[26]
The Defence of Rorke's Drift. By Alphonse de Neuville[42]
The Battle of Ulundi: the Final Rush of the Zulus. By R. Caton Woodville[58]
The Orange River at Norval's Pont[74]
The Battle of Majuba Hill. By R. Caton Woodville[90]
Where Colley Fell. Rough Cairn of Stones on Majuba Hill[92]
The Matabele War—Defending a Laager. By R. Caton Woodville[118]
"To the Memory of Brave Men." The Last Stand of Major Wilson on the Shangani River, 1893. By Allan Stewart[124]
A Matabele Raid in Mashonaland By W. Small[128]
Kimberley, as seen from the Rock Shaft[132]
Pretoria, from the East[138]
South African Natives—Bound for the Goldfields[148]
Jameson's Last Stand—the Battle of Doornkop, 2nd January 1896. By R. Caton Woodville[160]
Johannesburg, from the North[166]
3. FULL-PAGE PORTRAITS
PAGE
Sir Henry Bartle Frere, Bart[48]
General Sir Evelyn Wood, G.C.B., V.C.[96]
Paul Kruger, President of the Transvaal Republic[112]
Right Hon. Cecil John Rhodes, P.C.[144]
Dr. Leander Starr Jameson[152]
Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., Secretary for the Colonies[176]
Sir Alfred Milner, K.C.B., High Commissioner for South Africa[184]
Viscount Wolseley, Commander-in-chief of the British Army[188]
4. MAPS
PAGE
Map of British South Africa[At Front]
Map of the Boer Republics["]
Map of Zululand and the Adjoining Portions of Natal[41]
Map of Country round Laing's Nek and Majuba Hill[81]
Plan of Disposition of Forces on Top of Majuba Hill[89]
Map of Matabeleland[121]
Map Illustrating the Jameson Raid[163]