86 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



sC'Dplied with water from a strong fountain which 

 bursts from the base of one of these roclcy hillocks above 

 the level of the town, and by which the small gardens 

 adjoining the houses are irrigated. Abundance of 

 water is the only advantage that the situation can 

 boast of. In the town are several large stores, from 

 which the Boers of the surrounding districts can obtain 

 every necessary article in their domestic economy. 

 Numbers of these farmers attend the market weekly 

 with their wagons, bringing in the produce of their 

 farms and gardens; and, on sacramental occasions, 

 which happen four times every year, the town is inun- 

 dated with Boers, who bring in their families in horse- 

 wagons. Owing to the unsettled state of the country, 

 troops were then stationed at Colesberg. The garrison 

 consisted of about two hundred men of the 91st, under 

 command of my cousin. Colonel Campbell, and one com- 

 pany of the Cape Mounted Rifles, commanded by Cap- 

 tain Donovan. Colesberg was in those days a pleasant 

 quarter, as there was not much pipe-clay, and very good 

 shooting could be obtained within a few hours of can- 

 tonment. 



In the forenoon we had some rifle practice at a large 

 granite stone above the town, which the privates of the 

 91st were wont to pepper on ball-practice days. On 

 this occasion I saw some very good shooting by Camp- 

 bell, Yarborough, Bailey, and Paterson, all officers of 

 the 91st, and about the four best shots on the frontier. 

 These four Nimrods had a short time previously boldly 

 challenged any four Dutchmen of the Graaf Reinet or 

 Colesberg districts to shoot against them. The chal- 

 lenge was accepted by four Dutchmen, who, of course, 

 got "jolly well licked." 



A.fter spend 'ng a few days very pleasantly with the 



