TAKEN IN BY A. BOER. 143 



man, a Yankee, or a Blue -nose ; their little dodges you 

 can learn with experience, but the Boer does it and 

 you never learn how he works the oracle. Bah ! I'll 

 think no more about them, if it was not that in my 

 opinion a man born north of the Tweed should never 

 be done by any one. 



We trecked on the following day, and at noon, 

 during the halt, had every blanket out in the sun, and 

 every stitch of raiment removed from our feverish 

 bodies. I rode on in front, and although several shots 

 presented themselves, I was too occupied in thought to 

 avail myself of the opportunities. 



No, I had been taken advantage of ; the enemy had 

 come like a thief in the night, and as a reward had the 

 two gold sovereigns in his pocket. I wished sincerely 

 that he might spend them at the low grog-shop where 

 we halted yesterday, and be suitably punished by 

 the liquor which his ill-gotten gains could purchase. 

 It is no use grieving over spilt milk, not a bit, so I 

 shall make up my mind to think no more of it ; but it 

 is hard to know that there are people who would take 

 advantage of a young man from the (old) country like 

 me, and in the middle of a desolate uninhabited velt, 

 walk your cattle off to Harrismith. Harrismith ! I 

 hate the very name now. 



When we outspanned that evening there was game, 

 spring-buck and bless -buck round us in every direction ; 

 but as it was late and we had made a very long treck, 

 we determined not to trouble them that evening, but be 

 "up in the morning early, before the break of day." 



A cup of cocoa and a biscuit sufficed, when off we 

 started, Morris going one way and I the reverse. Each 

 took an attendant. My gillie was a Kaffir that we 



