My life now became one of comparative monotony. I worked with my uncle, and after a time succeeded him in his business. Money was plentiful: my wife possessed a good fortune, and my uncle at his death left me all his property, which was considerable.
I owned a house in London and also one in the country; in the vicinity of the latter there is what is called in England good sport – partridges, pheasants, hares, and rabbits being numerous. But such sport was to me dull and uninteresting; I was always remembering my sport in Africa, and had a longing for again roaming through an African forest in search of large game; but civilisation had advanced in South Africa, and I heard that where I had followed the tracks of elephants, sugar plantations and corn-fields now existed, and that even the Caffres had lost their simplicity, and were now in that disagreeable condition of being half-civilised.
My father had retired from the Indian service, and had taken a pretty house in the country near me, but was often complaining of the climate and habits of England. To him India was the most charming country in the world, and the servants in India were the very best. Still he managed to enjoy himself and passed much of his time with me, listening to my account of the incidents that had happened to me in Africa.
I had missed in my early youth the training usually given to gentlemen’s sons: I knew but little Greek or Latin; of history I was ignorant; of mathematics I had but a superficial knowledge. Yet my early training had been of a very practical kind, and was of benefit to me in after-life. I had learned to rough it in my youth, and to do everything for myself. Although I kept many servants, yet I was not dependent on these, as most people are in civilised countries. I could, if required, light my own fire and cook my own meals, and I should have felt it no hardship to do either.
Although I fully appreciated the advantage of a large and well-furnished house, yet I could have been quite happy in a hut no bigger than a Caffre kraal. And I had learned the great secret, that if we curtail our wants, we arrive at the same result, as though we increased our income. My wants were few, and these I had ample means of supplying. Instead of working on at my late uncle’s business till I became too old to enjoy freedom, I gave up the business whilst I was still comparatively young, and devoted my attention to various subjects in which I was interested; so that, although my early education had been very different from that of most boys, it had been of a thoroughly practical kind. I had learned self-dependence and could help myself, and envied no man. I watched with interest the changes that took place in South Africa, and my only regret was, in seeing how affairs were managed out there by those who seemed utterly ignorant of everything connected with the country and the people. I sometimes offered suggestions when it appealed that catastrophes must occur if matters went on as they were going. My opinions were ignored, and the disasters occurred, but such results are not unusual. My career as a White Chief of the Caffres was not without its charms to me, both during its existence and now as a reminiscence; and I trust it may have afforded amusement to my young readers.