Page:Last Will and Testament of Cecil Rhodes.djvu/177

Rh enemies before, and difficulties with the Portuguese, with the Transvaal, and with the Matabele. As you know, the Matabele difficulty has disappeared; they have incorporated themselves with us. The difficulties with the Portuguese are also over. We had different views as to where our boundaries were situated; but now I may say that our relations with them are on the most friendly footing, and we must always remember, with reference to the Portuguese, that they were the original civilisers of Africa. They had the bad luck, if I may say so, to get only the coast, to be on the fringe, and never to have penetrated to the high healthy plateau at the back. Their power is not what it was; but we must respect them, and we must remember that the man who founded the Portuguese Colonial Empire—that is, Henry the Navigator—was of our own blood. The other day, when we were at Delagoa Bay, they had trouble with the natives, and we offered—Dr. Jameson and I—to assist them, because the natives in rebellion were a portion of the tribe of Gungunhana, to whom we pay tribute, but the Portuguese declined our assistance, and one cannot help respecting their national pride. They would not take help from anyone, and we should do the same. They were very courteous and thanked us, but they declined our proffered assistance, although they knew that we could help them, because these natives who were troubling them were receiving tribute from us. In the same way they refused assistance from the Transvaal Government, and I believe from two foreign Powers. With national pride they are settling their difficulties themselves. It will be our object to work in perfect co-operation with the Portuguese Government and officials.