SOUTH AFRICA FIFTY YEARS AGO 59 



sently felt a hand placed very gently, lovingly, on my left 

 foot. John stood by my stirrup, his face a picture of affec- 

 tionate triumph at having caught me again. He had taken 

 service with an officer of the 6oth. We threw ourselves 

 d ~>wn under a bush and renewed old memories. The Major, 

 near whose tent we were, called John, and, finding from him 

 who I was, most courteously entreated me, telling me how 

 beloved John was by the regiment, and how well, through 

 him, they knew my name. I had letters to deliver at Con- 

 stantinople, and went on. John, I believe, sickened, and was 

 invalided to England ; but for two or three years I heard no 

 more of him, for I was away in South America and elsewhere. 

 Shortly after my return home a letter came to me, asking if I 

 could recommend a black man named ' John Thomas ' as a 

 butler ! He had referred the writer to me. I was obliged to say 

 I knew nothing of his capabilities in this line, but added that, 

 as a staunch ally in a fight with an elephant and an absolutely 

 trustworthy man in ail the relations of life (save that of a 

 butler, in which I had not tried him), I could most highly 

 recommend him. My friend engaged him, and had an 

 excellent servant, for such was John's power of adapting him- 

 self to circumstances that nothing ever came amiss to him. 

 But the dark day was coming on ; and, in the midst of his affec- 

 tionate service, beloved from the head of the house to the 

 youngest child, trusted and never found wanting, always ready 

 and always willing, this fine, noble fellow died. I heard of 

 his sickness too late to see him alive on earth, but I trust 

 that master and man may hereafter meet as brothers in 

 Heaven. 



We had been shooting in this Ba-Wangketsi country for a 

 fortnight, and the work had been very hard. One morning 

 after breakfast, my companion, who was busy cleaning the 

 head of a koodoo, said he would have a day of rest, and finish 

 what he was about. His laziness was catching. I ordered my 

 horses to be unsaddled, and was idling about the camp when 

 our head man told me there was no food for the twelve or 



