MRS. MACKENZIE'S PROTEGES. 319 



not been separated. The mutton they make when fat 

 is excellent, equal, indeed, to any we have at home. 



But here comes an interesting party, although of a 

 different race ; they are five in number, and the oldest 

 is not over seven years of age ; they are black as black 

 can be, with woolly, flat-sided heads, the gauntest of 

 legs and arms, with very protruding stomachs. They 

 are children from the vicinity of Lake N 'garni, purloined 

 from their homes by the Boers, and rescued by Mr. 

 Mackenzie. They are well fed now and taken care of, 

 although it must cost good kind Mrs. Mackenzie no 

 end of time and labour to keep them in clothes. 



They are as merry a lot of young urchins as can 

 well be found. See, there are four of them harnessed 

 to a log of wood in imitation of oxen, while the fifth 

 acts as driver, copying to a nicety their every action, 

 even the absurdly conceited airs these worthies assume. 



But for their protector having saved them they 

 would never have known the joys of childhood. Yet 

 some people say missionaries do no good ; before I came 

 to the interior of South Africa I thought so too, but 

 my belief now is exactly the reverse. 



Aided by Mr. Mackenzie, I have tried everywhere 

 to get a horse, and the only animal obtainable is one of 

 his own, a five-years-old mare, but unfortunately 

 unbroken. This nag is saulted, bred here, her sire 

 and dam being both saulted. But as a horse I must 

 have, for without one there would be no use going 

 farther up the country, I decided to buy her. As I 

 only hunt to keep the pot going one mount will suffice, 

 although I should much have liked to possess two. As 

 Euby, for so I named her on account of her many 

 excellent qualities, figures in all my future exploits, a 



