obinson　＇as　to　an　appointment　he　desired　at　the　time。　—　H。　R。　H。＇；　and　was　asked　to　dinner　at　Hilldrop　with　Rider　and　Louisa。　The　latter　did　not　attend。　Among　the　guests　at　the　table　were　Sir　Henry　de　Villiers　and　President　Brand　of　the　Free　State。

Enclosed　in　this　letter　is　one　from　Sir　Evelyn　Wood　to　my　brother；　in　which　he　states　that　“I　do　not　myself　anticipate　remaining　Governor　of　Natal。”　His　dissent　from　the　report　of　the　Royal　mission　will　suggest　a　reason　why。

I　do　not　remember　much　of　President　Brand；　for　some　reason　he　made　no　great　impression　on　my　mind；　but　Sir　Henry　de　Villiers　I　recall　very　well　indeed；　for　we　rode　together　and　talked　a　good　deal。　He　an；　pleasant　and　able；　but　of　course　Dutch　by　blood；　and　therefore；　although　he　may　not　have　known　it　himself；　naturally　in　sympathy　with　Dutch　aims　and　ambitions。　In　him　the　Boers　had　an　advocate　of　the　best　class。　Sir　Hercules　Robinson　was　a　most　agreeable　Irish　gentleman。　Also　he　was　an　official；　and　not　of　the　strongest　sort。　As　a　Royal　missioner　theoretically　he　was　in　an　independent　position；　but　he　had　a　notable　example　before　his　eyes　in　the　instance　of　Sir　Bartle　Frere　of　what　happened　to　Colonial　Governors　who　dared　to　take　a　line　of　their　own。　Of　this　mission　Sir　Evelyn　Wood　was　the　only　really　independent　member；　and　he　dissented　from　its　most　important　findings。

Never　shall　I　forget　the　scene　on　the　market　square　of　Newcastle　—　it　must　have　been　about　the　21st　or　22nd　of　March