238 DELAGOA BAY. 



coffee, the bath, changing my boots when the 

 day's work is over, as they are generally full 

 of sand, and the first stretch in bed, though 

 sometimes I am so fatigued that this can 

 hardly be called a pleasure. 



I had an alarm of fire one day during my 

 Kafirless condition. I was busy soldering up a 

 hole in a water-can when I heard the well-known 

 crackling sound of a grass fire very much nearer 

 than I liked, and looking up found that the 

 field at the back of my cottage was in flames, 

 the wind setting in my direction. Bush after 

 bush caught fire with an extra loud crackle, and 

 I could see no one. At last a Kafir came in 

 sight, and answered to my shout, and worked 

 hard for an hour beating out the flames with wet 

 mealie sacks supplied by me as fast as possible, 

 finishing the task just as my pretty green fence 

 was getting scorched. I asked this man if he 

 wanted regular employment, but he shook his 

 head. 



At last in despair I went to the kraal of my 

 washerwoman, " Didini," and promised her a 



