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I remain； with best love to all；
Ever your most affectionate and dutiful son；
H。 Rider Haggard （or “Waggart” as they put my name
in the paper）。
My mother will pity me when I tell her that I’ve got to get servants。 Where on earth am I to find servants； and who am I to ask about them？
Now before we go on to Natal where the real business of my life began； I will stop for a moment to take stock of myself as I was in those days at the age of nieen。
I was a tall young fellow； quite six feet； and slight； blue…eyed； brown…haired； fresh…plexioned； and not at all bad…looking。 The Zulus gave me the name of “Indanda；” which meant； I believe； one who is tall and pleasant…natured。 Mentally I was impressionable； quick to observe and learn whatever interested me； and could already hold my own in conversation。 Also； if necessary； I could make a public speech。 I was； however； subject to fits of depression and liable to take views of things too serious and gloomy for my age — failings； I may add； that I have never been able to shake off。 Even then I had the habit of looking beneath the surface of characters and events； and of trying to get at their springs and causes。 I liked to understand any country or society in which I found myself。 I despised those who merely floated on the stream of life and never tried to dive into its depths。 Yet in some ways I think I was rather indolent； that is if the task in hand bored me。 I was ambitious and conscious of certain powers； but wanted to climb the tree of success too quickly — a proceeding that generally results in slips。
Further； my eldest sister； Ella （Mrs。 Maddison Green）； informed me only a month or two ago that at this period I was conceited。 Possibly I may have been； for I had been living in a very forcing atmosphere where I was made too much of by some of my elders。
Four or five days’ steaming along the green and beautiful coasts of south…eastern Africa； on which the great rollers break continually； brought us to Port Natal。 At that time the Durban harbour was not sufficiently dredged to admit sea…going vessels； and I think we had some difficulty in landing。 There was a reception mittee which presented an address of wele to the Lieutenant…Governor； and I remember hurriedly copying his answer as the ship rolled off the Point。
Sir Gar Wolseley had been sent to Natal as temporary Governor to settle certain matters connected with its constitution。 I think that at that time he had left the Colony himself； though of this I am not quite sure； as I am unable to remember when I first spoke to him。 In after life I met him on several occasions。 Especially do I remember a long talk with him at a dinner…party at the house of the Bischoffheims in London some time in the eighties。 He was a small； bright…eyed； quick…brained man who expressed his views upon the public matters of the day with a fierceness and a vigour that were quite astonishing。 We sat together at the table after all the other guests had left to join the ladies； and I reflected that he must have had singular confidence in my character to say the things he did to me。 However； it was justified； for of course I never repeated a word。
Those of the Staff whom I recollect are； or were — for I think they are now all dead — Lord Gifford； Colonel （afterwards Sir Henry） Brackenbury； and Major （afterwards Sir William） Butler。 Of these the one who impressed himself most deeply upon my mind was Butler。 He was a most agreeable and sympathetic man； who took the trouble to talk a good deal to me； although I was but a lad。 I recall that with much graphic detail he told me the story of how； when he was suffering from fever； he was nearly thrown overboard as a dead man off the West Coast of Africa； where he had been serving in the Ashanti Expedition。 Recently I have been reading his very interesting and remarkable autobiography； in which I see he describes this incident。
Subsequently — but I think this was at Pietermaritzburg — I became well acquainted with Colonel （afterwards Sir George） Colley。 He stayed with us at Government House and I remember a curious little incident concerning him。
He was leaving Natal and wished to sell a shot…gun which I wished to purchase； though I am not sure whether this was on my account or on that of Sir Henry Bulwer。 We had a difference of opinion as to the price of the article。 Finally I interviewed him one morning when he was taking his bath； and he suggested that we should settle the matter by tossing。 This I did with a half…sovereign； he giving the call； but who won I forget。
Of my last tragic meeting with poor Colley at the time of the first Boer War I may speak later in this book。
After a short stay at Durban we proceeded to Maritzburg； the seat of government； in some kind of a horse conveyance； as； except for a short time on the coast； there was then no railway in Natal。 In those days it was a charming town of the ordinary Dutch character； with wide streets bordered by sluits of running water and planted with gum trees。
Of the year or so that I spent in Natal I have not much to say that is worthy of record。 The country impressed me enormously。 Indeed； on the whole I think it the most beautiful of any that I have seen in the world； parts of Mexico alone excepted。 The great plains rising by steps to the Quathlamba or Drakensberg Mountains； the sparkling torrential rivers； the sweeping thunderstorms； the grass…fires creeping over the veld at night like snakes of living flame； the glorious aspect of the heavens； now of a spotless blue； now charged with the splendid and many…coloured lights of sunset； and now sparkling with a myriad stars； the wine…like taste of the air upon the plains； the beautiful flowers in the bush…clad kloofs or on the black veld in spring — all these things impressed me； so much that were I to live a thousand years I never should forget them。
Then there were the Zulu Kaffirs living in their kraals filled with round beehive…like huts； bronze…coloured； noble…looking men and women clad only in their moochas； whose herds of cattle wandered hither and thither in charge of a little lad。 From the beginning I was attracted to these Zulus； and soon began to study their character and their history。
I a letter to my mother dated Government House； Natal； September 15； 1875。
My dearest Mother； — 。 。 。 You will by this time have got my letters from Durban and the Cape。 We left Durban at 10 A。M。 on the morning of the 1st September and came up the fifty…four miles over most tremendous hills in five and a half hours； going at full gallop all the way； in a four…horse wagote。 There were five of us； the Chief； Mr。 Shepstone （Secretary for Native Affairs）； Napier Broome （Colonial Secretary）； Beaumont and myself。 Some of the scenery was very fine； but we were so choked by the dust； which was so thick that you could not see the road beneath you； that we did not much enjoy it。 Our guard of honour did not improve matters。
When we got near Maritzburg crowds of people rode out to meet us； and we entered in grand style amidst loud hurrahs。 We galloped up to Government House； where the regiment was drawn up on the lawn； and as soon as the carriage stopped the band struck up “God save the Queen” and salutes were fired from the fort。 Then all the grandees of Maritzburg came forward and paid their respects to the Governor； and at last we were left alone to clean ourselves as best we could。
The Government House is a very pretty building； not nearly so large as the Cape Government House； but far from small。 I； who have to look after it； find it too large。 I have a large bedroom upstairs and my office in the Executive Council chamber。 The day after we arrived the swearing…in ceremony was held； in a room where the Legislative Council sit in the Public Offices building。 It was a very swell ceremony indeed； and I had to go through an extraordinary amount of scraping and bowing； presenting and pocketing； or trying to pocket； enormous addresses； missions； etc。； etc。 After it followed a levee； which tried my patience considerably； for these people came so thick and fast that I had no time to decipher their； for the most part； infamously written cards； so I had to shout out their names at haphazard。 However； that came to an end too at last； and we drove off amidst loud hurrahs。
I am at last clear on one point： I am not private secretary。 The Chief was talking the other night to Beaumont about me and told him he had a very good opinion of me and thought I should do very well； but that he had always intended to have an older man to help him at first； though who it is going to be does not seem clear。 He wants somebody who can go and talk to all these people as a man of their own standing； which I cannot do。 He also wants someone who has some experience of this sort of work。 I am not in the least disappointed； indeed now that I see something of the place； and of the turbulent character of its inhabitants； I should have much wondered if he had made a fellow young as I am private secretary。 Putting the money out of the question I would infinitely rather be rid of the responsibility； at any rate at present。 I am sorry； very sorry； still to be dependent on my father； but you may be sure； my dear Mother； that I will be as moderate as I can。 At any rate I shall cost less than if I had been at home。 I have now learnt Sir Henry’s character pretty well。 I know him to be a man of his word； therefore I am pretty well convinced that I shall be his private secretary sooner or later。 。 。 。 I continue to get on very well with him； indeed we are the best of friends； and I have many friendly jaws with him。 I should rather like to know who No。 1 is going to be； but I don’t think he knows himself； he is very reserved on these matters 。 。 。 。
Of work I have plenty here； but my chief trouble is my housekeeping。 I have all this large house entirely under me； and being new to it find it difficult work。 I have often seen with amusement the look of anxiety on a hostess’ face at a dinner…party； but； by Jove； I find it far from amusing now。 Dinner days are black Mondays to me。 Imagine my dismay the other day when the fish did not appear and when； on whispering a furious inquiry； I was told the cook had forgotten it！ Servants are very difficult to get here； and one has to pay 5 pounds a month at the lowest。
The next surviving letter is dated February 14； 1876。 It gives an account of a buck hunt which is perhaps worth transcribing。
To begin with； I am getting on all right and have quite got over all signs of liver since I got a horse。 This place； if only you take exercise； is as healthy as England； but exercise is a sina qua non。 I got out for a day’s buck…hunting the other day to a place about twelve miles off； a farm of fertile plain （about 12；000 acres）。 The owner of it； a very good fellow； is one of the few people who preserve their buck。
The way you shoot is this： three or four guns on good horses ride over the plain about fifty yards apart。 If an oribe gets up； you have to pull up and shoot off your horse’s back； which is not very easy till you get used to it。 Sometimes you run them as I did； but it wants a very swift horse。 I had dropped a little behind the others； when in galloping up to join them my horse put its foot into a hole and came to the