er wished to accept, but it will be clearer to the reader to
follow to the end the course of his Basuto mission, which was the
essential cause of his presence in South Africa.

On the 18th July the Ministers requested Gordon to go up to
Basutoland. At that moment, and indeed for more than three weeks
later, Gordon had received no reply to the detailed memorandum already
quoted. He responded to this request with the draft of a convention
that would "save the susceptibilities of Mr Orpen between whom and
Masupha any _entente_ would seem impossible." The basis of that
convention was to be the semi-independence of the Basutos, but its
full text must be given in order to show the consistency, as well as
the simplicity, of Gordon's proposed remedy of a question that had
gone on for years without any prospect of termination.

CONVENTION BETWEEN COLONY, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, AND THE CHIEF AND
PEOPLE OF BASUTOLAND.

"The Colonial Government having nominated as their
representatives, Colonel C. Griffiths and Dr J. W. Matthews, the
Basuto nation having nominated the Chief Letsea Moshesh and
Masupha Moshesh as their representatives, the following
convention has been agreed upon between these representatives:--

"Art. 1. There shall be a complete amnesty on both sides to all
who have taken part in the late hostilities.

"Art. 2. The question of the succession to Molappo Moshesh's
chieftainship shall be decided by the Chief of the Basuto Nation.

"Art. 3. The Colonial Government engages to respect the integrity
of the Basuto nation within the limits to be hereafter decided
upon, and also to use its best endeavours to have these limits
respected by the Orange Free State.

"Art. 4. The Colonial Government will appoint a Resident to the
Basuto nation, with two sub-residents. The Resident will consult
with the leading Chief of the Basuto Nation on all measures
concerning the welfare of that country, but the government of the
Basutos in all internal affairs will remain under the
jurisdiction of the chiefs.

"Art. 5. The Supreme Council of Basutoland will consist of the
leading chiefs and the Resident; the minor chiefs of Basutoland
will form a council with the sub-residents. These minor councils
can be appealed against by any non-content to the Supreme
Council.

"Art. 6. A hu