

A HAPPY REUNION. 179 



e following couplet. Both laughed much over 

 it at the time, so I committed it to paper. So 

 here it is 



To tell the truth, without any gammon, 



The grime on her knees was like scales on a salmon. 



Without exception the Boers are the filthiest 

 people in the world ; the heathen are nothing to 

 them in this respect. I have often heard one of 

 the he creatures boast that he had not had his 

 trousers off for six months. 



But let us hurry on, for the knee is bandaged, 

 and a bottle of arnica has been promised to use 

 as a dressing. 



So much time had been lost, that it was nearly 

 nightfall before the cortege was overtaken, and then 

 it was about entering the kraal that formed its desti- 

 nation. There was a crowd assembled to bid us 

 welcome ; out of its ranks rushed a coloured man ; 

 in a moment he seized me by the hand, and kissed 

 it a dozen times. Who was it ? Who could it be ? 

 Who tendered me so warm and genuine a welcome ? 

 Who do you think, patient reader, it was ? My 

 well-tried, faithful, and much-loved Cigar, the 

 Hottentot ! 



Poor fellow ! He had been all over the country 

 in search for me, misled at one place, misdirected 

 at another, so had been more than a month in 

 accomplishing what should have taken him less 

 than a week. However, all's well that ends well ; 



