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HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE JOHANNESBURG
July: 7: 1902
My venerable Nan
Many thanks for your last letter. I am glad you had a pleasant time at the Enterkin. I have indeed been there – in the company of the unforgotten J.E. We walked from Beattock to Elvanfoot, and then from there to Leadhills, where we bought clay pipes and toffee in a wee sweetie shop. Then we went through the Enterkin and down Dalveen, ending up at the inn at Crawford, John Edgar for the last ten miles having suffered the last mortal pangs of
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fatigue, having lost a slipper out of his knapsack. It was mist & rain most of the day, but I have a very vivid impression of that noble wild country. I am glad you like Dumfriesshire: it is easily one of the finest of Scots counties.
I hope you have all got comfortably settled at home now. Tell Father that he seems to have been speaking unwisely at Port Elizabeth. At any rate I had a letter from a man there, who asked me if I knew that my name was being used by the anti-suspension party, apparently on some connection of my Father's with a man Robb. My
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Father seems to have said that I deplored Lord M's anti-Dutch feeling, & that I thought we had not a leg to stand on. I wrote of course a categorical denial of ever having made any such statements: but I feel relieved that my aged father is "cleared oot o' the country".
John Edgar has been ill and is coming home to his old howff 'the Dumfries Left Luggage Office.' Things are going a little easier with me now. My colonies are getting out on the land, and my Burghers are ceasing to watch by my threshold. I have got a fine Scots colony, in which Tullibardine and I are taking a farm together, to put
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our own men to, who haven't enough capital to take farms of their own. I think the two Biggar posts might do for me to keep T's wild Highlanders company.
I wish everybody in the world didn't want me to get him a billet. The dispensing of patronage is the most miserable game on, for if one bless you, 100 curse you. I am getting pretty fairly unpopular now, and I think I shall adopt Hugh Wyndham's suggestion, and keep a waggon and team of swift mules waiting constantly at Pietersburg, for retreat if necessary to the Zambesi. Lady Leconfield and Miss Wyndham are coming out in October. I wish it was yoursel', my dear Nan
Ever yours
John
