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HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, JOHANNESBURG
March: 6: 1902
My dear old William
Many thanks for your last letter. I am glad you got on well in your union speech. Are you standing for office this term? How did your Liberal Unionist Dinner go off? Selborne is a dull dog to get up to speak. When you get this I suppose you will have left Oxford and have all the hours of Mods. far behind you, and be squelching through bogs on
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your native hills. Be sure and take a good holiday, before you start work again. I was glad to see that the Tabs [Cambridge] got stuffed in the soccer match; but the poor Scotland XV seem to be having a rocky time.
I had a great budget of letters this week, including one from Lord Rosebery, a very kind letter but very much off the point. He is still harping on Conciliation by means of the snobs in Holland; but any sane Boer
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now fighting in the field against us would brain any one of the said snobs he happened to come across.
That was a great "drive" last week against De Wet, when we nobbled 800 men & 28000 ! head of stock. De Wet himself got through at the one unguarded drift in the Wilge River.
I am going down the Vaal on a trek next Saturday to inspect farms. I trust I do not come back minus my guid grey brecks, which doubtless would come in very useful for the Boers.
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However my S.A.C escort will doubtless keep them off.
The Port Elizabeth people seem in great spirits. They sent me a photograph of the Mhor looking like a West Indian planter. I hope to have some photographs ready this week to send Anna.
I had a comparatively easy week last week, but am very busy again this week.
With much love
ever yours
John
