I　was　sick。　。　。　。　There　is　somewhat　stirring　news　from　the　Transvaal　telling　of　the　first　skirmish　between　the　Boers　and　Secocoeni；　a　native　chief　of　very　considerable　power。　If　the　Boers　have　to　deal　with　him　alone　they　will　be　all　right；　though　there　will　very　likely　be　a　good　deal　of　bloodshed。　But　Secocoeni　is　a　tributary　of　and　allied　to　Cetewayo　the　Zulu　king；　who　has　of　late　been　on　the　worst　of　terms　with　the　Boers；　so　that　it　is　more　than　probable　that　he　and　his　thirty　thousand　armed　men　supposed　to　be　hovering　like　a　thunder…cloud　on　the　borders　of　Natal；　will　take　an　opportunity　to　have　a　shot　at　them　too：　if　he　doesn’t　he　is　a　greater　fool　than　“Cetewayo　the　Silent”　is　generally　supposed　to　be。

On　the　other　side　of　them；　too；　are　the　Amaswazi；　numerically　as　strong　as　the　Zulus　and　their　nominal　tributaries。　These　have　hitherto　been　friendly　with　the　Boers；　not　from　any　natural　affection　but　to　protect　themselves　from　the　Zulus　who　are　braver　and　more　warlike　than　they。　But　that　friendly　feeling　has　been　shaken　and　I　hear　that　the　Amaswazi　contingent　counted　on　by　the　Boers　to　help　them　in　the　Secocoeni　business　has　not　arrived。　If　they　patch　up　their　differences　with　the　Zulus　and　a　united　attack　is　made　by　this　threefold　power；　Lord　help　the　Dutch！　War　here　between　white　and　black　is　a　terrible　thing。　No　quarter　is　given　and　none　is　asked。　But　I　shall　know　more　about　the　business　tomorrow　when　the　Transvaal　mail　arrives　。　。　。　。

In　my　next　letter；　dated　6th　October；　I　talk　of　articles　which　I　am　writing；　and　add　in　a　solemn　postscript：　“Don’t　say　anything　to　anybody　about　my　having　written　things　in　magazines。”　Evidently　the　cacoethes　scribendi　had　already　taken　hold　of　me。　Also　I　say：

The　war　in　the　Transvaal　is　at　a　dead　stop　for　the