Cocks letter diary, 1916-1919 / Verner Cocks - Page 30
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[Page 30]
4
We had a few knocks with the one. The Drawing room is also gorgeous & contains a costly oak Beckstein piano on which I played a tune. We also saw General Botha's room, Lady Botha's room, Cecil Rhodes room & the bathroom all of which are in keeping with the richness of the others. The bath is a huge one carved out of a solid block of granite. There are many old French tables all inlaid with silver and ivory & on one of these was a sword presented to the General by the people at the close of the German West African campaign. It is a beautiful peace of work, enamelled & studded with gold & rubies bearing an enamelled inscription. The handle is a solid ivory tusk finished in gold.
The mansion must have cost a fortune to build & each piece of furniture is in itself a valuable piece of antiquity, French or Dutch. There are a few Dutch paintings & original drawings & maps but apart from their antiquity, are valueless