Fifty Years in South Africa. By G. Nicholson. (W. W.
Greener.)—Mr. Nicholson, who has ventured to make this con- siderable addition to the already formidable total of literature dealing with South Africa, describes it as "some recollections and reflections of a veteran pioneer." The description is quite accurate, but on the whole we prefer his " recollections " of sport and tiger-hunting to his political "reflections," especially when the latter take the form of a characterisation of President Kruger as "destitute of any of the refined or generous instincts of an ordinary civilised Christian." It was in 1844 that Mr. Nicholson set foot in Cape Colony, and he is therefore able, by means of a retrospect of more than half a century, to say very effectually, "Look upon this picture and upon this." He had his fair share of exciting pioneer adventures, and he tells the story of a hunt after a man-eating lion or tiger with a gusto which communicates itself to his style. Of course a great deal of what Mr. Nicholson has to say about ostriches and lions, diamond fields and gems- buck, has been anticipated, but what he does say is nevertheless very fresh and readable. His thinking and writing are as direct as we imagine his shooting is ; his chapter on "The Great Thirst Land" is almost a model of what a narrative of such adventures as it contains ought to be. Speaking of shooting, it is worth noting that Mr. NichoLson's opinion of Boer shooting is by no means high. "I can see no reason why any man with the necessary physique should not be able to attain to their average
standard in this respect after, say, a fortnight's practice at varying objects at reasonable distances."
Previous page
