114 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



had come down country from a shooting and exploring 

 expedition towards Lake Ngami, and was at Vry- 

 burg, the capital of British Bechuanaland» At that 

 time Mr. F. J. Newton, the Colonial Secretary, had 

 borrowed part of Sir Frederick Carrington's pack of 

 foxhounds from Mafeking, and we were all able to 

 vary the monotony of life in a frontier town with 

 occasional runs in the surrounding country. Vryburg 

 is a primitive little town — village one may rather 

 call it — planted in the midst of rolling, shadeless, 

 grassy plains. Its population, all told, was about 

 1200. The open veldt came right up to the edge 

 of the town, and in a few minutes' walk or ride you 

 could be sure of finding francolins, bustards, stein- 

 boks, duykers, and jackals. We had no trouble 

 whatever in finding our quarry at any time just 

 outside the town. Primmer, a capital man with 

 hounds, formerly, I think, whip to Lord Leconfield's, 

 and of late kennel huntsman and first whip to Sir 

 Frederick Carrington, carried the horn, while Mr. 

 Newton, and an occasional friend, whipped to him. 

 I shall never forget the first meet I attended at 

 Vryburg. It was so totally unlike a similar function 

 in England. I have witnessed, at different times, 

 meets with the Pytchley, Duke of Grafton's, Bicester, 

 Warwickshire, Lord Leconfield's, and other packs. 

 Here was a totally new experience. It was 4.30 p.m. 

 The sun still blazed strongly in the north-western 



