Cape Town. 221 



and those who went in traps preferred, as a rule, to entrust 

 the reins to a black groom than to steer the conveyance them- 

 selves. To meet them at the City Club, they were a charming 

 set of fellows : hospitable, * good company,' and always ready 

 for a game of pool or poker ; but horses were not much in 

 their line. In my ignorance I imagined Cape Town was the 

 capital of South Africa, and thought it incumbent on me to give 

 a show there, so as to advertise myself for the remaining towns 

 in that part of the continent. But I could not see how I was 

 to make a start. From the date of our arrival in the beginning 

 of December, up to Christmas, the attention of the inhabit- 

 ants was centered by day on the doings of the cricketers, and 

 by night, on the performances of the actors. We sat ' tight ' 

 and 'suffered,' as the jockeys say. When Yuletide arrived, 

 every man and boy gave themselves wholly up to its celebra- 

 tion, which they merged into that of the New Year ; and then 

 took a fortnight's holiday for the effects of the liquor to die 

 out. By the end of that time, our purse was so light that 

 we could brook no more delay. By the kind assistance of 

 H.E. Sir Henry Loch, The Cape Times , Cape Argus, Colonel 

 O'Callaghan of the Gunners, Major Garnet of the York and 

 Lancaster Regiment, and other horse enthusiasts, we got up 

 a class at the Fort and at Wynberg camp. As all the gentle- 

 men who attended came with the idea that they were going 

 to learn a lot about horses, they went away thoroughly satis- 

 fied ; and I feel certain that we left a good impression behind. 

 On one occasion, to enliven the proceedings for Sir Henry 

 Loch and his party from Government House, I let my wife 

 get on a buck -jumping pony that had disposed of all the young 

 men of the place who had been rash enough to mount him. 

 Though the little fellow did his best, he could not stir her 

 in the saddle. This good performance was very warmly 

 applauded. I may remark that if a lady will ride in the way 

 we teach, her seat will be far stronger than that of any man 

 in a hunting saddle, and quite as firm as that of a practised 

 rider in a buck-jumping saddle. 



