第1部分(第2/7 頁)

ot　be　diminished　by　the　tragic　nature　of　the　events　which　quickly　followed；　with　which　he　was　closely　connected　—　Isandlwana；　Majuba；　and　the　Retrocession　of　the　Transvaal。

In　consequence　of　the　Retrocession　he　returned　to　England　in　the　autumn　of　1881。　His　African　career　was　ended；　he　had　a　young　wife　and　child；　and　he　still　had　his　way　to　make　in　the　world。　His　six　years　of　Africa　had；　however；　not　only　given　him　a　knowledge　of　the　world　and　a　self…reliance　rare　in　so　young　a　man；　but　had　also　enabled　him　to　acquire　an　intimate　knowledge　of　the　history　and　characteristics　of　the　Native　Races；　which　he　was　subsequently　able　to　turn　to　good　account。

From　the　circumstances　of　his　early　life　he　was　thrown　much　into　the　pany　of　men　older　than　himself；　and　he　had　a　singular　gift　of　winning　not　only　their　confidence；　but　their　love。　The　happy　relations　which　he　was　able　to　establish　with　his　superiors　in　the　Government　service　are　an　example　of　this；　and　it　was　a　faculty　which　never　left　him。

This　autobiography　deals　not　only　with　Haggard’s　life　in　South　Africa；　and　with　his　literary　career；　but　also　with　an　aspect　of　his　many　activities　which　is　less　familiar　to　those　who　knew　him　mainly　as　a　writer　of　romances。　He　was　always　dominated　by　a　strong　sense　of　duty；　and　by　an　ardent　patriotism；　and　the　direction　in　which　he　thought　that　he　could　best　serve　his　country　was　in　an　attempt　to　arrest　the　rapidly　growing　migration　of　population　from　the　country　districts　to　the　slums　of　the　towns。　He　thought　that　a　healthy；　contented；　and　prosperous　rural　population　was　the　greatest　asset　that　a　country　could　possess；　and　this　work　will　show　with　what　ardour　and　energy　he　devoted　himself　to　the　furtherance　of　this　object；　and　to　the　prosperity　of　agriculture　gene