Governor was giving a ball and supper in honour of her Majesty Queen Victoria, and all well-disposed people within the colony were bidden to the feast. At nine o'clock A. and myself set off to Government House, and after various hairbreadth escapes from tumbling into the many sloots which intersect the town-as the night was pitch dark and lamps and carriages are unknown-we arrived at the gates, where men of the 13th were in attendance to take charge of the coats and hats, and usher the visitors into a large reception-room, at one end of which stood the Governor; it was not until we had paid our respects to him that we had time to look about us. The large room we were in had been formed from the gravel carriage-ground in front of the house, by extending canvas from the top of the house verandah to the other side and putting cloth on the ground; in the drawing-room thus formed were orange-trees bearing fruit, and various kinds of flowering shrubs, all naturally growing; and from the trunks and branches of several large trees which reached the ceiling, were suspended rows of Chinese lanterns and other illuminations, while a natural hedge of shrubs shut off from the room, like a huge screen, the table where tea, coffee, etc., were being served. Opening out of the drawing-room was the supper-room, likewise formed of canvas, and with the same natural decorations. The ground-floor rooms, with good boards, were thus left open for the dancing, already in full swing to the music of the 13th band, who, placed in the verandah, were equally well heard in all the three

The Governor's Ball.

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dancing-rooms. But nothing struck me as more remarkable about the whole ball, than the ladies' toilettes.

So far away from either milliners or dressmakers, I had expected to see the most extraordinary attempts at ball-dresses; but, on the contrary, the dresses were as good as at any ordinary English county ball; and while most of the ladies had on really tasteful as well as well-made dresses, there were not half-a-dozen in the room who were not good to look upon. The gentlemen were not equally happy in their costumes, and a London tailor would have gone into convulsions on the spot at the dress-coats and waistcoats there displayed; but frock and cut-away black cloth coats were far in preponderance of the orthodox evening cut. The various military uniforms gave a bright colouring to the scene; and on the way home at two o'clock in the morning, we all agreed that there had never been seen a prettier ball or been one more thoroughly enjoyed than that on her Majesty's birthday, 1878, at Pretoria.

K

CHAPTER XVI.

Final Preparations-A Dinner-party on the Road-A Jackal Hunt -The Boys are troublesome-Francis has a lucky EscapePoaching Fish-Spring-bôk-Vultures-Kaffirs and Spirits -Middelburg-Herr Marensky.

We spent the next week in overhauling our stores and laying in fresh supplies of those articles of which we had either run short, or which experience had shown us were most useful and appropriate. A large stock of "rims," as lengths of prepared hide are called, and which entirely take the place of rope throughout the whole of South Africa; forslat, thin strips of skin used for the whip-lashes, and which drivers wear out every two or three days; and rimpey, a sort of skin string; two or three thick coats for the boys, who had been feeling the cold rather severely the last few nights; more preserved milk, a luxury none can appreciate who have not been obliged to depend for days together upon coffee and meal as the staple article of food; another sack of onions, without which the continual stews soon become insipid; a fresh supply of spirits and tobacco for the boys; and a few additional tools and cooking utensils. We also procured two more horses of a better class than our others, and also some saddlery, both of which we had to pay through

the nose for, as the Government were buying up every horse and saddle they could lay their hands on, for the use of the volunteers serving against Secocoeni.

Every day made us more anxious to leave the town, for the boys were becoming less inclined to go with us each hour, as they heard reports of the fighting in various parts; and as there was a great demand for labour, they knew that they would easily obtain work at high wages, without the possible risk they ran in accompanying us. It was only the certainty of losing the wages they had already earned-and which, following the invariable colonial habit, we were not to pay them until the conclusion of their engagements that prevented them deserting in a body. It was not until the 3rd of June that we at last fairly got the waggon under weigh, and set our backs on Pretoria. One thing and another, however, had delayed our start till so late in the day, that darkness came on fast as we reached the suburbs of the town, and we were obliged to there outspan for the night. Next day we made an early start; but before we had gone a mile a big dog we had brought for the double purpose of watchdog, and for running down game, etc., which had shown a strong disinclination to leave the town ever since the previous day, broke the rim he was tied by to the waggon, and made off back to his master's house. I mounted a horse and gave hot chase after him; but all in vain, for he was not to be seen when I appeared; so not caring to delay our journey for a beast which would probably have been more trouble

than he was worth, I gave him up, and rode back to the waggon, firmly resolved to buy no more dogs, but with a very shrewd suspicion that I had been done successfully.

On the way we outspanned at a stream, where there was a splendid orange grove; and the liberal owner gave us as many as we had the face to carry away in a large sack, utterly refusing to take any payment except a pouch of tobacco, of which he had run short. While we were in the garden we spied a covered cart drawn by mules coming along the road towards us, and in it were Colonel Rolands and Captain Carrington, who were returning from a tour of inspection round the various forts and encampments against Secocoeni. As their mules were tired, and night fast coming on, we persuaded them to stay the night and have dinner with us. Luckily we had a large piece of salt beef, which we at once put into the pot, and our dinner-party was quite a success as the beef was undeniable, and devilled sardines made as good an entrée as could be desired. From our guests we received much necessary information as to the safety of the road we intended to take; and it was not until midnight that, with a farewell glass of squareface, we said Good-night and Good-bye.

We felt the loss of F. more of a morning than any other time, as the boys were very loth to leave their warm blankets, and his energetic measures used to hasten them wonderfully. The morning after our dinner I roused them up at six o'clock, but they were so slow and lazy in bringing the oxen and