"PAR NOBILE FRATRUM." 201 



this instance, for Jacob and Umganey never fail to give 

 him a sly kick when opportunity offers. I wish sincerely 

 I had not become his owner, for I do not like beasts I 

 possess to be abused ; so I must try and put a stop to 

 the stray knocks the unfortunate receives on the slightest 

 provocation. 



A few miles along the road I was overtaken by two 

 Boers. A greater contrast to each other in appearance 

 than these men it would be difficult to imagine. The 

 principal was a well-made, powerful man of about eight- 

 and- twenty; although stout, he was not fat, and was 

 mounted on one of the finest and best-conditioned horses 

 I had seen in the country ; indeed, his horse-gear and 

 his own clothing were of a superior description to what 

 the visitor usually observes in this part of the world. 

 The companion, on the other hand, was a most filthy 

 little wretch, with an enormous shock head of hair ; both 

 his legs and feet were much deformed, so much so, that 

 when dismounted he could scarcely walk. His steed 

 was a white donkey, as miserable in appearance as 

 himself. His filthiness he could assuredly remedy, his 

 deformity not ; and much as I objected to the former, 

 I could not help pitying him for the other. They drew 

 up, and courteously saluted me, the horseman speaking 

 English well, the cuddyman but indifferently. 



As always happens with Boers, they subjected me 

 to a severe cross-examination about my intentions, views, 

 country, relatives, &c. In return I followed their 

 example, and found them wonderfully communicative. 

 The young man acknowledged without hesitation that 

 he had been on a courting expedition, that he was not 

 likely to be long single now, and that his friend accom- 

 panied him to talk to the parents while he paid his 



