Buno's visit to Pretoria is a classic in the Transvaal and shows the
kind of man our old President was. Tuys told Buno that Oom Paul was
too ill to come to visit him and that he begged that the king of
Swaziland honor him by coming to Pretoria. It took much persuasion on
the part of Tuys, for Buno thought he was too important a person to
visit Oom Paul. Finally Tuys soothed his royal dignity and they
started out for Pretoria.
It was a remarkable party. Buno took with him ten thousand of the
picked fighting men of the household troops, and these wore all their
savage finery. Being of the royal impis, they wore the great white
headdresses and carried shields with the king's mark emblazoned
thereon. Their costumes were the last word in savage gorgeousness.
Each man was armed with the knob-kerrie, assegai, knife, and shield.
At this time the railway from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay was under
construction and had already reached Middleburg. The party found a
special train waiting for them at this place and Buno had his own
private car. None of the Swazis had ever seen a train before and their
astonishment at the great "iron horse," as they immediately called the
engine, was almost pathetic. When they first saw the engine, seemingly
breathing smoke and fire, they were terrified, and Tuys had to
reassure them to prevent a panic. Then a number wanted to prostrate
themselves before the engine and worship it, so that it was a most
difficult thing to prevent their being run over. According to the
various accounts of these incidents Tuys had his hands full. Buno,
however, refused to be much impressed with the engine or train and
complained bitterly because he was not given enough gin.
It was a wonderful sight when the train pulled out of Middleburg.
Buno, with Tuys and the royal party, was in the private coach behind
the engine, and the ten thousand warriors were packed in a score of
open trucks behind. Naturally they all stood, and it was extraordinary
to see the thousands of savages in full dress, with wonderment and
fear written on their faces, as the train swept by. The trip lasted
all night, and when morning came the train pulled into Pretoria. At
the station a coach and pair of fine horses waited for King Buno and
Tuys. They got in, and then Tuys's natural deviltry asserted itself.
He slyly poked the driver in the ribs with his revolver and commanded
him to drive as fast as he could. A second later they were off at a
gallop.
[Illustration: THE RESULT OF THE NATIONAL SPORT
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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