of
rapidly-growing prosperity. Public buildings and private dwelling-houses
are springing up in every direction. The Post Office, recently finished,
is capacious and commodious; and the new Government buildings for the
accommodation of the Volksraad and the Courts of Justice, already
commenced, but, as yet, only a few feet from the ground, and which cover
a very large space, promise to be very fine and imposing. While at
Pretoria I had ample opportunity for observing many of the prevalent
features of both political and social life, and especially of the
condition of the large native population of the town.

The Pretoria winter races took place during my stay there. The races
were very good and well-conducted. There was a large and orderly crowd
who appeared thoroughly to enjoy themselves, and their outing in that
fine and sunny climate. The Racecourse seemed a good one, though rather
hard owing to the dry weather. It is in a very pretty spot with
picturesque surroundings.

The Kafirs, who are employed in great numbers, and who are earning high
wages at their various occupations, are always to be seen, either
working hard, or, after the hours of labour are over, amusing
themselves cheerfully, chatting at street corners, walking, gossiping,
and talking, and gratifying themselves by giving vent to their very
voluble tongues. Here also, as at Johannesburg, at Potchefstroom, and at
Klerksdorp, I was forcibly struck with the large amount of English
spoken, as well as of the number of English names over the various shops
in the Transvaal towns. This is an interesting and important fact, which
marks the tendency of the direction of future development. The country
must certainly become more and more anglicised, in spite of the
political efforts made to oppose it.

[Illustration: Decorative]

[Illustration: Decorative]

WATERBURG.

I left Pretoria on July the 17th in a wagon with eight horses,
accompanied by two friends, for an excursion into the Waterburg district
of the Transvaal. On this occasion we travelled about one hundred and
fifty miles north of Pretoria in the course of a fortnight, returning
about the same distance back again. We had a half-breed servant named
Sole with us, who made himself generally useful during our journey. All
this time we camped out day and night, sleeping always in the open
veldt, in true gipsy fashion.

We went by the Van der Vroom Poort, having the Maalieburg range of
mountain