Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Hillier ya shafe yawancin rayuwarsa a Afirka ta Kudu, inda ya koma yana da shekara 16. Ya sami digiri na farko na digiri a Jami'ar Cape of Good Hope, kuma ya yi aiki a matsayin soja a lokacin Yakin Xhosa na Tara.
na 1877 zuwa 1879.