ASTONISHMENT AT PIANO. 63 



liave been on my feet about thirteen or fourteen 

 hours without a break, for I seldom sit down 

 even to my breakfast, as I find I can do so many 

 things whilst eating it. 



After dinner I either play or read a little, and 

 often cannot help falling asleep over my book ; or 

 perhaps I have a visit from a neighbour or two, 

 and then the piano is sure to be put into requi- 

 sition ; but there is not much visiting up on the 

 hill during the hot season, and I often do not 

 even see a white face for more than a fortnight. 



My piano is a never-failing source of wonder 

 to the raw Kafirs, and whenever my boys have 

 a friend from afar to visit them they always come 

 and ask me to allow the visitor to see and hear 

 the white man's instrument. I once played a 

 lively tune to a very little, shrivelled-up old 

 woman, eighty years old at the very least, and, 

 to my astonishment, she became so excited that 

 she began to sing, and danced all over the room. 



Ladies are very scarce. I believe there are now 

 two or three Portuguese ladies living in town ; 

 but as I speak very little Portuguese and they 



