6 Recollections of Adventures 



Offie Shepstone and Graham Cloete. What is now 

 the Prince Alfred Club was Judge Cloete's house, 

 and I used often 'to spend my Sundays there. Those 

 old days were happy ones, and I have a warm 

 corner in my heart for Natal, although so changed, 

 and I feel sad when I think of how few of the old 

 friends are left, how many hopes have been unful- 

 filled ! 



When our parents went to the up-country 

 Magistracy we two boys stayed with the Rev. and 

 Mrs. Campbell, and I shall ever remember them with 

 affection. My father's faithful Indian body -servant, 

 who had been with us for fourteen years, returned to 

 Calcutta, as he did not like the Kaffirs. He was a 

 great loss. 



When we went to Ladysmith we had to live in 

 native grass huts, while the house was being built. 

 One night an ox pushed his horn through the grass 

 near my mother's bed and gave her a fright ! 

 Another moonlight night I saw a large hyena 

 prowling in front of the hut door. When the big 

 house was built, we had constant visitors, the 

 Governor with his suite, horses and orderlies, officers 

 on leave, up for shooting, and I was told off to show 

 them game, and do a little on my own account. We 

 often had visitors from Europe and elsewhere. 

 Bishop Colenso was also sometimes our guest. Our 

 house was never empty, and had my father not been 

 in receipt of small sums from Europe, he could never 

 have entertained as he did, on the paltry salary then 

 allowed Colonial Magistrates. 



A Captain Shelley and Dr. Harvey were staying 

 in Ladysmith on their return from a shooting trip to 

 Bamangwato and the Ngami Lake. They were 

 jovial fellows but reckless, and had their travelling 

 wagon and servants. One day for a bet Shelley 



