The Curse of Carne's Hold: A Tale of Adventure

  CHAPTER VIII.

  ENLISTED.

  It was in August, 1850. Some newly-arrived emigrants had just landedfrom their ship, and were walking through the streets of Cape Town,watching with great amusement the novel sights, the picturesque groupsof swarthy Malays in huge beehive-shaped hats, with red-and-yellowbandanas round their necks, and their women in dresses of the mostgorgeous colours. Settlers from inland farms rode at a reckless pacethrough the streets, and huge waggons drawn by eight or ten bullockscame creaking along, often at a trot. One of the party stopped before aplacard.

  "Active young men wanted for the Cape Mounted Rifles. For fullparticulars as to service and pay, inquire of the Adjutant at theBarracks of the Corps."

  "I thought they were recruited in England," he muttered to himself. "Iwill go round presently and see about it, but I will look at the papersfirst. If there is any trouble on with the natives it would suit mewell, but I certainly will not enlist merely to dawdle about in thetowns. I would rather carry out my idea of buying a farm and going infor stock-raising." He went into a liquor shop, called for some of thenative wine, and took up a newspaper. It contained numerous letters fromsettlers on the frontier, all saying that the attitude of the nativeshad changed greatly within the last few weeks, and that all sorts ofalarming rumours were current, and it was feared that in spite of thesolemn treaties they had made two years before, the natives were againgoing to take up arms.

  "I think that's good enough," he said to himself. "There are likely tobe stirring times again here. Nothing would suit my case better than anactive life, hard work, and plenty of excitement."

  Having finished his wine, he inquired the way to the barracks of thedetachment of the corps stationed at Cape Town, and being directed toit, entered the gates. He smiled to himself at his momentary feeling ofsurprise at the sentry at the gate neglecting to salute him, and theninquiring for the orderly room, he went across the little barrack-yardand entered. The adjutant looked up from the table at which he waswriting.

  "I see a notice that you want men, sir," the new-comer said.

  "Yes, we are raising two fresh troops. What age are you?"

  "Twenty-eight."

  "You have served before, have you not?" the adjutant said, looking atthe well-knit figure standing before him.

  "'_You have served before, have you not?' the Adjutantsaid._"]

  "Yes, I have served before."

  "Infantry or cavalry?"

  "The infantry; but I can ride."

  "Have you your papers of discharge?"

  "No."

  "Have you any one to speak to your character?"

  "No one here. I only landed this morning by the _Thalia_, which came infrom England last night."

  "That is awkward," the officer said. "You know that as a rule we onlyenlist in England, and only take applicants of good character."

  "I am aware of that, sir; but as just at present you are likely to wantmen who can fight, character is not of so much importance."

  The adjutant smiled, and again scrutinised the applicant closely.

  "The man has been an officer," he said to himself. "Well, that isnothing to me; he has the cut of a soldier all over."

  "Do you know the conditions of service? You provide your own horse anduniform. Government provides arms. In the event of your not being ableto find your horse and uniform, Government will--as it is anxious tofill up the ranks as soon as possible--provide them, and stop the moneyfrom your pay."

  "I can provide horse and uniform."

  "Very well, then, I will take you," the officer said.

  "I enlist as Harry Blunt. I may say, sir, that I should feel verygreatly obliged if, as I know my duty, you would post me to a troopalready up the country instead of to one of those you are raising, andwho will have to learn their drill and how to sit a horse before theycan be sent up on active duty."

  "I can do that," the officer said; "it is only yesterday that we calledfor recruits, and we have only had two or three applications at present;there is a draft going on to Port Elizabeth next week, and if I findthat you are, as you say, up in your drill, I will send you up withthem."

  "Thank you, sir, I am very much obliged to you."

  "The major will be here at four o'clock," the adjutant said; "come in atthat time, and you can be attested and sworn in."

  "After all," Ronald Mervyn said to himself, as he strode away, "there'snothing like soldiering. I know I should have fretted for the old workif I had settled down on a farm, or even if I had gone in, as I halfthought of doing, for shooting for a year or so before settling down. Ifthese natives really mean to make trouble, we shall have an excitingtime of it, for the men I have talked with who fought in the last warhere say that they have any amount of pluck, and are enemies not to bedespised. Now I will be off and look for a horse. I'd better not ordermy uniform until I am sworn in; the major may, perhaps, refuse me on theground of want of character." He went up to two or three young farmerswho were standing talking in the street.

  "I am a stranger, gentlemen, and have just landed. I want to buy a goodhorse; can you tell me what is the best way to set about it?"

  "You will have no difficulty about that," one of them replied, "forthere's been a notice up that Government wants to buy horses, and at twoo'clock this afternoon, those who have animals to dispose of fit forcavalry service are to bring them into the parade ground in front of theinfantry barracks. Government has only asked for fifty horses, and therewill probably be two or three times that number brought in. We haveeach brought in a horse or two, but they are rather expensive animals. Ibelieve the horses are intended for mounts for staff-officers. They wantmore bone and strength than is general in the horses here."

  "I don't much mind what I pay," Ronald said, carelessly. "However,gentlemen, I may see you down there, and if Government does not takeyour horses, perhaps I may make a deal with one of you."

  At the appointed hour Ronald strolled down to the parade. There were agood many officers assembled there, and a large number of young Boerfarmers, each with one or more horses, led by natives. The major andadjutant of the Cape Mounted Rifles were examining the horses, whichwere ridden up and down before them by their owners, the adjutanthimself sometimes mounting and taking them a turn. Presently his eyesfell upon Ronald, who was closely scrutinising the horses.

  "That is the young fellow I was speaking to you about, major, the man inthe tweed suit examining that horse's mouth."

  "Yes, I have no doubt you are right, Lawson; he has the cut of amilitary man all over, and beyond all question a gentleman. Out-ran theconstable at home, I suppose. Well, we will take him anyhow; for roughwork men of that stamp make the very best soldiers. I fancy we have morethan one in our ranks now. No, you need not bring that horse up," hebroke off, addressing the young farmer, whose horse Ronald had just beenexamining. "He's got some vice about him, or you would not be offeringhim at our prices."

  "He's as good a horse as there is in the colony," the young Dutchmansaid; "but I am not offering him at your price. I thought that someyoung officer might be inclined to buy him, and I have brought him downto show. There is no vice about him that I know of, but he has only beenmounted twice, and as he has never been off the farm before he is a bitfidgety."

  "What do you want for him?" the major asked, examining the horseclosely.

  "I want a hundred and twenty pounds for him."

  "A hundred and twenty fiddlesticks," the major said. "Why, man, thereare not ten horses in the colony worth a hundred and twenty pounds."

  "Perhaps not," the young Dutchman said, coolly, "but this is one of theten."

  Several of the other officers now came up and examined the horse, andthey were unanimous in their approval of him.

  "He would be worth three hundred as a hunter at home," one of themremarked, "but nobody's going to give such a price as that out here,when you can get a decent runner for twenty; but he is certainly thehandsomest horse I have seen since I have been in the colony, and I havese
en some good ones, too."

  The farmer moved off with the horse. As he left the ground, Ronald againwalked up to him.

  "I like your horse," he said, "and if you will take a hundred pounds forhim, I will give it you."

  "Very well," the Dutchman said, "I will take it, but I wouldn't take apenny under. Have you the money here?"

  "I have not got it in my pocket," Ronald replied, "but I have letters ofcredit on the bank. Walk round with me there, and I will give you thecash."

  In ten minutes the money was obtained and handed to the farmer, who gaveRonald a receipt for it. Ronald took the halter from the hands of thenative, and at once led the horse to the stable of the hotel at whichhe had already left his luggage. Then he ordered one of the cases to beopened, and took out a saddle and bridle which he had brought out withhim in view of rough colonial work.

  "I did not expect to be suited so soon," he said to himself, "andcertainly did not expect to find such a mount here. I like him betterthan either of my old hunters, and will back him, after a couple ofmonths' good handling, to win any military steeplechase. That's moneywell laid out; when a man may have to ride for his life, money inhorseflesh is a good investment."

  He went down at four o'clock, and was attested and sworn in.

  "I saw you down on the parade ground, Blunt," the adjutant said. "Wehave bought a score of horses for the use of recruits. You can have oneof them at the Government price if you choose."

  "I am much obliged to you, sir," Ronald replied, "but I picked one upmyself."

  "He will have to pass inspection, you know, Blunt?"

  "I think he's good enough to pass, sir," Ronald said, quietly. "I amconsidered a pretty good judge of a horse."

  "There is the address of a tailor," the adjutant said, handing him acard; "he has got a supply of the right cloth, and has contracted tosupply uniforms at a very reasonable price. You need not come intobarracks until to-morrow, unless you choose."

  "I thank you, sir. I have a few things to get, and I would rather notreport myself until to-morrow afternoon, if you will give me leave."

  "Very well, then, I will not ration you to-morrow. Report yourself toSergeant Menzies any time before nine o'clock in the evening."

  Ronald gave the military salute, turned on his heel, and went out ofthe barracks. He went straight to the tailor whose card had been givento him. "I want to be measured for a uniform for the Mounted Rifles," hesaid. "How much do you charge?"

  "We supply tunic, jacket, and two pairs of breeches, and cap, for ninepounds."

  "When can you let me have them?"

  "In three days."

  "I must have them by to-morrow afternoon, by six o'clock, and I will payyou two pounds extra to get them done by then. But mind, I wantgood-fitting clothes. Do you understand?"

  "You will pay eleven pounds for them if I get them ready by six o'clock.Very well, then, I will try and do them."

  "Of course you can do them, if you choose," Ronald said. "If you getthem cut out and stitched together, I will come in at nine o'clock inthe morning to try them on. Now where can I get jack-boots?"

  "The last shop down the end of this street. Moens is the name. He alwayskeeps a lot by him, and the Mounted Rifles here mostly deal with him."

  Ronald was fortunate enough to obtain a pair of boots that fitted himwell, and he now strolled back to his hotel. The next morning, aftertrying on his uniform, which was of dark green, he went to the stablesand saddled his new purchase. The horse was fidgety and nervous from itsnew surroundings, and refused for some time to let him mount; but hepatted and soothed it, and then putting one hand on the saddle, spranginto it at a bound. He rode at a walk through the streets, and when hegot beyond the limits of the town touched the horse with his spurs. Theanimal reared up, lashed out behind once or twice, and then went off ata gallop. Ronald kept along the road until he was beyond the patches ofland cultivated by the natives. When once in the open country, he leftthe road, and allowed the horse to gallop across country until its speedabated, by which time he was nearly ten miles from Cape Town; then heturned its head, and at a quiet pace rode back to the town.

  "A month's schooling," he said, "and it will be an almost perfect horse;its pace is very easy, and there's no doubt about its strength and wind.You are a beauty, old boy," he went on, as he patted the animal's neck,"we shall soon be capital friends."

  The uniform was delivered punctually, and after saying good-bye to hisfellow-passengers who were staying at the hotel, Ronald put on hisuniform, filled the valise, he had that afternoon purchased, with auseful kit, took out an excellent sporting rifle that would carryGovernment ammunition, and a brace of revolvers, and, packing up hisother clothes and ordering all the baggage to be put away in a storeuntil required, he mounted and rode into barracks.

  "Where shall I find Sergeant Menzies?" he asked one of the men at theguardroom.

  "His quarters are over there, the last door in that corner."

  Ronald rode over to the point indicated, and then dismounted. He enteredthe passage. The sergeant's name was written on a piece of paperfastened on the first door. He came out when Ronald knocked. "I wasordered by the adjutant to report myself to you, sergeant," Ronald said,saluting.

  "He told me that a recruit was coming, but how did you get your uniform?Why, you only enlisted yesterday."

  "I hurried them up a bit," Ronald said. "Where shall I put my horse?"

  The sergeant went into his quarters and came out with a lantern. Heheld it up and examined the horse.

  "Well, lad, you have got a bonny beast, a downright beauty. You willhave to get the regulation bridle, and then you will be complete. Let melook at you." He held up the lantern. "You will do, lad," he said, "ifyou make as good a soldier as you look. You only want the sword and beltto be complete. You will have them served you out in the morning. Now,come along and I will show you the stable." He made his way to thestable, where there was a vacant stall, and stood by while Ronaldremoved the saddle and bridle and put on the head-stall. "You can takean armful of hay from that rack yonder. I can't get him a ration ofgrain to-night, it's too late."

  "He's just had a good feed," Ronald said, "and will not want any more,but I may as well give him the hay to amuse himself with. It willaccustom him to his new quarters. What shall I do with my rifle andpistols?"

  "Bring them with you, lad; but there was no occasion for you to havebrought them. Government finds arms."

  "I happened to have them with me," Ronald said, "and as the riflecarries Government ammunition, I thought they would let me use it."

  "If it's about the right length I have no doubt they will be glad to doso, for we have no very great store of arms, and we are not quite soparticular about having everything exactly uniform as they are in acrack corps at home. As for the pistols, there is no doubt about them,as being in the holsters they don't show. Several of the men have gotthem, and most of the officers. Now, I will take you up to yourquarters." The room to which he led Ronald contained about a dozen men.Some had already gone to bed, others were rubbing up bits andaccoutrements; one or two were reading. "Here's a new comrade, lads,"the sergeant said; "Blunt's his name. He is a new arrival from home, andyou won't find him a greenhorn, for he has served already."

  Ronald had the knack of making himself at home, and was, before heturned in an hour later, on terms of good fellowship with his comrades.

  In the morning, after grooming his horse, he went into the barrack-yard,when the troop formed up for dismounted drill.

  "Will you take your place at once in the ranks?" Sergeant Menzies asked."Do you feel equal to it?"

  "Yes; I have not grown rusty," Ronald replied, as he fell in.

  An hour's work sufficed to show Sergeant Menzies, who was drilling thetroop, that the new recruit needed no instructions on that score, andthat he was as perfect in his drill as any one in the troop.

  "Are you as well up in your cavalry drill as in the infantry?" he askedRonald as the troop fell out.

  "
No," Ronald said, "but when one knows one, he soon gets well at home inthe other. At any rate, for simple work the system is exactly the same,and I think with two or three drills I shall be able to keep my place."

  After breakfast the troop formed up again in their saddles, and theofficers took their places in the ranks. As the sergeant handed to theadjutant some returns he had been compiling, the latter asked:

  "By the way, sergeant, did the recruit Blunt join last night?"

  "Yes, sir, and he is in his place now in the rear rank. He was in hisuniform when he came, and I found this morning that he is thoroughlywell up in his drill. A smart soldier all over, I should say. I don'tknow that he will do so well mounted, but I don't think you will see himmake many blunders. He is evidently a sharp fellow."

  "He ought not to have taken his place until I had passed his horse,sergeant. Still I can do that after parade drill is over."

  The adjutant then proceeded to put the troop through a number of easymovements, such as forming from line to column, and back into line, andwheeling. There was no room for anything else in the barrack-yard, whichwas a small one, as the barracks would only hold a single troop. Beforethe movements were completed, the major came out. When the troop wasdismissed Sergeant Menzies brought Ronald up to the two officers. He hadin the morning furnished him with the regulation bridle, belt, andsword. Ronald drew up his horse at a short distance from the twoofficers and saluted.

  "There's no doubt about his horse," the major said, "that is if he issound. What a good-looking beast!"

  "That it is, major. By Jove, I believe it's the very animal that youngBoer asked us one hundred and twenty pounds for yesterday; 'pon my word,I believe it's the same."

  "I believe it is," the major agreed. "What a soldierly-looking youngfellow he is! I thought he was the right stamp yesterday, but I hardlyexpected to see him turn out so well at first."

  The two officers walked up to Ronald, examined his horse, saddle, anduniform.

  "That's not a regulation rifle you have got there," the major said.

  "No, sir, it is one I brought from England with me. I have beenaccustomed to its use, and as it is the regulation bore, I thoughtperhaps I might carry it."

  "It's a trifle long, isn't it?" the adjutant asked.

  "Yes, sir, it's just two inches too long, but I can have that cut off bya gunsmith."

  "Very well; if you do that you can carry it," the major said. "Of courseit's much better finished than the regulation one, but not muchdifferent in appearance. Very well, we pass the horse." Ronald salutedand rode off to the stables.

  "He hasn't come out penniless, anyhow," the major laughed.

  "No, that's quite evident," the adjutant agreed. "I dare say his friendsgave him a hundred or two to start on a farm, and when he decided tojoin us he thought he might as well spend it, and have a final piece ofextravagance."

  "I dare say that's it," the major agreed; "anyhow I think we have gothold of a good recruit this time."

  "I wish they were all like him," the adjutant sighed, thinking of thetrouble he often had with newly-joined recruits.

  "By the way," the major said, "I have got word this morning that thedraft is to be embarked to-morrow instead of next week. They took up aship for them yesterday; it seems our men there are worked off theirlegs, for the Kaffirs are stealing cattle and horses in all directions,and the colonists have sent in such a strong letter of complaint to theGovernor that even he thinks the police force on the frontier ought tobe strengthened. Not, of course, that he admits in the slightest thatthere is any ground for alarm, or believes for a moment that the Kaffirshave any evil intentions whatever; still, to reassure the minds of thesettlers, he thinks the troops may as well go forward at once."

  "I wish to goodness," the adjutant said, bitterly, "that Sir Harry Smithwould take a cottage for two or three months close to the frontier; itwould not be long before his eyes were opened a little as to thecharacter and intentions of the Kaffirs."

  "It would be a good thing," the major agreed, "but I doubt if even thatwould do it till he heard the Kaffirs breaking in his doors; then theenlightenment would come too late to be of any service to the colony.By-the-bye, the colonel told me yesterday he should send me forward nextweek to see after things. He says that of course if there is any serioustrouble he shall go forward himself."

  The following morning the draft of Cape Mounted Rifles embarked on boarda steamer and were taken down to Algoa Bay, and landed at PortElizabeth, drenched to the skin by the passage through the tremendoussurf that beats upon the coast, and were marched to some tents which hadbeen erected for them on a bare sandhill behind the town.

  Ronald Mervyn was amused at the variety of the crowd in the stragglingstreets of Port Elizabeth. Boer farmers, Hottentots, Malays, andFingoes, with complexions varying through every shade of yellow andbrown up to black; some gaily dressed in light cottons, some wrapped ina simple cowhide or a dirty blanket, many with but little clothingbeyond their brass and copper ornaments.

  The country round was most monotonous. As far as the eye could see itwas nothing but a succession of bare, sandy flats, and, beyond these,hills sprinkled with bush and occasional clumps of aloes and elephanttrees. Upon the following morning the troop marched, followed by awaggon containing their baggage and provisions, drawn by ten oxen. Alittle naked boy marched at the head of the oxen as their guide, andthey were driven by a Hottentot, armed with a tremendous whip of immenselength, made of plaited hide fastened to the top of a bamboo pole. Aftera fourteen miles' march the troop reached the Zwart Kop river, and,crossing the ford, encamped among the scattered mimosas and numerouswait-a-bit thorns. The horses were then knee-haltered, and they and theoxen were turned out to feed till night. The next day's march was a verylong one, and for the most part across a sandy desert, to the SundayRiver, a sluggish stream in which, as soon as the tents were pitched,the whole party enjoyed a bath.

  "To-morrow we shall reach the Addoo Bush, Blunt," one of his comrades,who knew the country well, remarked. "This is near the boundary of whatyou may call the Kaffir country, although I don't think they have theirkraals as far south as this, though there was fighting here in the lastwar, and may be again."

  "But I thought our territory extended as far as the Kei River?"

  "So it does nominally," the other said. "All the country as far as thatwas declared to be forfeited; but in point of fact the Kaffirs remainedin possession of their lands on condition that they declared theirallegiance to the Crown, and that each chief was made responsible forany cattle or other robberies, the spoor of which could be traced to hiskraal. Of course they agreed to this, as, in fact, they would agree toanything, resolving, naturally, to break the conditions as soon as itsuited them. Local magistrates and commissioners are scattered aboutamong them, and there have been a lot of schools and missionary stationsstarted. They say that they are having great success. Well, we shall seeabout that. In the last war the so-called Christian natives were amongthe first to turn against us, and I expect it will be the same here, forit's just the laziest and worst of the natives who pretend to becomeChristians. They get patches of land given them, and help in buildingtheir huts, and all sorts of privileges. By about half-a-day's work eachweek they can raise enough food to live upon, and all that is reallyrequired of them is to attend services on a Sunday. The businessexactly suits them, but as a rule there are a great many more Hottentotsthan Kaffirs among the converts. I can give you a specimen of the sortof men they are. Not long since a gentleman was coming down with awaggon and a lot of bullocks from King Williamstown. The drivers alltook it into their head to desert one day--it's a way these fellowshave, one of them thinks he will go, and then the whole lot go, and asettler wakes up in the morning and finds that there isn't a single handleft on his place, and he has perhaps four or five hundred cows to bemilked, and twice as many oxen and horses to look after. Well, thishappened within a mile or so of the missionary station, so the gentlemanrode over there and asked if some of the men would
go with him down toBeaufort, a couple of days' march. Nobody would go; he raised hisoffers, and at last offered five times the usual rate of pay, but notone of the lazy brutes would move, and he had at last to drive the wholelot down himself, with the aid of a native or two he picked up on theway. However, there has been pretty good order along the frontier forthe last two years, partly due to the chiefs having to pay for allcattle traced to their kraals, partly to the fact that we have got fourhundred Kaffir police--and an uncommon smart lot of fellows theyare--scattered all along the frontier, instead of being, like us, keptprincipally in towns. You see, we are considered more as a militarybody. Of course, we have a much easier time of it than if we wereknocking about in small parties among the border settlements; but thereis a lot more excitement in that sort of life, and I hope that if thereis trouble they will send us out to protect the settlements."

  "I hope so," Ronald said, cordially. "Barrack life at a dull little townis the slowest thing in the world. I would never have enlisted for thatsort of thing."

  "Well, if what the settlers say turns out right, you will have plenty ofexcitement, I can tell you. I was in the last war, and I don't know thatI want to go through another, for these beggars fight a great deal toowell for it to be pleasant, I can tell you. The job of carryingdespatches or escorting waggons through a bush where these fellows areknown to be lurking, is about as nasty a one as a man can wish. At anymoment, without the least notice, you may have half-a-dozen assegaisstuck in your body. And they can shoot straight, too; their guns arelong and clumsy, but they carry long distances--quite as far as ourrifles, while, as for the line muskets, they haven't a chance withthem."

  Two more days' marching and the troop arrived at Grahamstown. Here theyencamped near Fort England, where a wing of the 91st Regiment wasquartered, and the next fortnight was spent in constant drills. Therifles were then ordered forward to King Williamstown, where two dayslater they were joined by the infantry.

  Before starting, the adjutant had specially called the attention ofCaptain Twentyman, who commanded the troop, to his last joined recruit.

  "You will find that man Blunt, who joined us yesterday, a good soldier,Twentyman. It may be he has been an officer, and has got into some rowat home and been obliged to leave the service. Of course you noticed hishorse on parade this morning; we have nothing like it in the Corps. Thefarmer who owned it offered it to us yesterday afternoon, and wanted ahundred and twenty pounds for it. He said that both his sire and damwere English hunters, the sire he had bought from an English officer,and the grandsire was a thoroughbred horse. The man has a large farm,about twenty-five miles from Cape Town, and goes in for horse-breeding;but I have seen nothing before of his as good as that. I expect theyoung fellow has spent his last penny in buying it. Of course I don'tknow what he will turn out in the way of conduct; but you will find, ifhe is all right in that respect, that he will make a first-ratenon-commissioned officer, and mounted as he is, will, at any rate, be amost useful man for carrying despatches and that sort of thing. Iconfess I am very much taken with him. He has a steady, resolute sort offace; looks pleasant and good-tempered, too. Keep your eye upon him."

  Captain Twentyman had done so during the voyage and on the line ofmarch, and Ronald's quickness, alacrity, and acquaintance with his dutyconvinced him that the adjutant's supposition was a correct one.

  "By Jove, Twentyman," an officer of the 91st said as he was standingbeside him when Ronald rode up and delivered a message, "that fellow ofyours is wonderfully well mounted. He's a fine soldierly-looking fellow,too, and I don't know why, but his face seems quite familiar to me."

  "I fancy he has been an officer," Captain Twentyman replied, "we haveseveral in the corps--men who have been obliged for some reason or otherto sell out, and who, finding nothing else to do, have enlisted with us.You see the pay is a good deal higher than it is in the regular cavalry,and the men as a whole are a superior class, for you see they find theirown horses and uniforms, so the life is altogether more pleasant thanthe regular service for a man of that kind. Almost all the men are ofrespectable family."

  "I certainly seem to know his face," said the officer, thoughtfully,"although where I saw it I have not the least idea. What is his name?"

  "He enlisted as Harry Blunt, but no doubt that's not his real name.Very few men of his kind, who enlist in the army, do so under their ownnames."

  "I don't know any one of that name," the officer said, "but I certainlyfancy I have seen your man before; however, I don't suppose in any casehe would like being recognised; men who are under a cloud don't careabout meeting former acquaintances."

  A week later, to Ronald's great satisfaction, a party of twenty men, ofwhom he was one, under Troop-Lieutenant Daniels, were ordered to marchthe next morning to the Kabousie River, whence the settlers had writtenpraying that a force might be sent for their protection, as the Kaffirsin the neighbourhood were becoming more and more insolent in theirmanner. Many of their cattle had been driven off, and they were in dailyexpectation of an attack. No waggons accompanied the party, as theywould erect huts if they remained in one place, and would have nodifficulty in obtaining provisions from the farmers. The men chosen forthe service were all in high glee at the prospect of a change from thedulness of the life at King Williamstown, and were the objects of envyto their comrades.

  The start was made at daybreak, and after two days' long marching theyreached their destination. The country was a fertile one, the farmhouseswere frequent, most of them embedded in orchards and vineyards, showingsigns of comfort and prosperity.

  "This is the first place that I have seen since I reached the colony,"Ronald said to the trooper riding next to him, "where I should careabout settling."

  "There are a good many similar spots in this part of the country," theman said, "and I believe the folks here are everywhere doing well, andwould do better if it were not for these native troubles. They suffereda lot in the last war, and will, of course, bear the brunt of it if thenatives break out again. There are a good many English and Scotchsettlers in this part. There are, of course, some Dutch, but as a rulethey go in more for cattle-farming on a big scale. Besides, they do notcare about English neighbours; they are an unsociable set of brutes, theDutch, and keep themselves to themselves as much as possible."