2110-1-8-3

Office for the High Commissioner for South Africa, Johannesburg,

Oct:13::1901

My dear Aunt Agnes

I had letters from Anna and Uncle Willie yesterday and heard the sad news of my dear grandmother. I suppose it was inevitable, but somehow during my long travels & without any news for a month I had got to believe that she was going to recover. The news made me very sad. There was nobody I liked better or who was kinder to me. Since ever I was a very little boy [Broughton crossed out] I have liked Broughton better than any other place in the world, and she was always the chief part of Broughton. However she has gone, if anybody ever

went, "safe intil the Promised Land," as the hymn says. Few of us at the end of our lives will be able to look back one one so well-spent and, on the whole, so happy. She died with all her children around her. My only regret is that I was not there too. It will be a terrible blow for you, and I am afraid you will feel very 'baffled.' But you must try to be brave and get on. It is not as if you were alone, for you have all your brothers with you, and my mother is not far off. I want you to do me a favour. I want to be allowed to put up the tombstone. I am her eldest grandchild, and I think the one she liked best, and [crossed out] I should be very grateful if you would allow me this privilege. I feel very sorry for my mother just now, and I

hope she will keep strong and bear up.

I got here last week after travelling 8000 miles in 3 weeks. I have now got settled to my work, and very confidential and responsible it is. The town is very new and curious, but I like it - the climate is wonderful, and the country around very pretty, with fir wood and grassy hills not unlike Peeblesshire. We are going to live about two miles out. We have an English housekeeper & English servants, and a lot of niggers to attend to the horses and the gardens. We have got a cow & hens, for it is the only way to get fresh milk & eggs. Milk, when it can be got, fetches 9d a pint; eggs are 6d each, but we think this rather good, for a little while ago they were 30/ a dozen.

Now that I am out here, I feel a good deal more hopeful about the country. I think it has great agricultural possibilities, once the irrigation questions are properly tackled, and of course its

mineral riches are enormous. I have no fear for the settlement of the Transvaal & the Orange River Colony. Everybody is heartily sick of war, and already they are 3/4 English. The Cape Colony is a more difficult matter, for it is full of rich & discontented Dutch, who have never felt the hardships of war. Still I think time is on our side, it is a great and rich country with the finest climate in the world, and with wise & careful handling may be made a great nation. Lord Milner is the kindest & most considerate person one could find to work under.

The place is full of Scotch people. One hears every variety of accent from Aberdeen to Hawick. I met Marshall of Rachan's manager the other day, and our new house is next to his farm.

I shall try to write to Broughton or Bamflat every month. With love to you & Eben, & James & John

Your affectionate nephew

John Buchan.