Frequently during our journey we outspanned just outside the Kafir kraals, and often entered into them; one of my companions speaking the native, as well as the Dutch languages very fluently.  We were always received by both Boers, and Kafirs, very kindly.  Sometimes we were accompanied by a large number of Kafirs for days.  I remember once, counting as many as forty Kafirs sitting round our camp fire, clothed and unclothed, and in every variety of costume, from the old British Artillery tunic to the equally ancient pea coat, the bright-coloured blue morning jacket, and the cloak of Jackall skins.  On this occasion they remained all night with us, keeping up the fire and indulging in endless and cheerful talk among themselves.  When I wrapped myself in my kaross and turned into the wagon at night I left them talking.  When I awoke in the early morning I found them talking still.

The country I saw in the Northern part of the Transvaal is very different, and far more picturesque than it is in the South-West or South-East, which have a close resemblance to one another, in their bare, barren, treeless, and dreary character.  I saw some parts which were really beautiful.  One day we drove for several miles through quite lovely scenery.  In passing along the road I was forcibly reminded of the road between Braemar and Mar Lodge, in Aberdeenshire, which it strongly resembles.  The road runs on the side of the hill, sloping down to the rivulet at the bottom, exactly like the river Dee, and the Rooiburg, or red tinted, Mountain, exactly resembles the heather on the Scottish hills.  It is altogether a charming spot, and a perfect picture of fine scenery.  There is a large quantity of excellent and valuable timber in this district, as well as abundant evidence of mineral-bearing quartz.  I believe that, some day, other Johannesburgs are destined to rise in the Northern part of the Transvaal, rivalling, or perhaps even eclipsing, the treasures already discovered in the Randt.

At the spot I have described, which is called Hartebeestepoort, not far from the banks of the Zand River, where there is a good quantity of excellent and valuable timber, there was quite a romantic scene one night.  We were discussing, as usual, our evening meal round our camp fire.  It was starlight, but otherwise we were in total darkness.  In addition to ourselves, there were nine Kafirs, making a party of a dozen altogether.  It was an intensely interesting and remarkable scene to me, to find myself surrounded by these wild fellows in perfectly friendly fashion, in the midst of the vast veldt, the silence and stillness only broken every now and then by the cry of the jackals howling in the distance.  On leaving here we travelled north towards Grouthoek, which is situated in the midst of the Rhynoster range of mountains, being drawn by oxen, our horses following us, in order to give them rest, and so keep them fresher.