92 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



even of perfect strangers who may happen to require a 

 mount or a lift. For the colonist is as hospitable with 

 his horses and his vehicles as he is with everything else 

 that he possesses ; and the arrival of an invited guest 

 in a hired conveyance, though no unfrequent event at 

 English country homes, is a thing quite unheard-of on 

 Cape farms. 



Although in many parts of South Africa horses do 

 not require shoeing at all, they need it in the Karroo, 

 where the ground is particularly stony. When a horse's 

 shoes are worn out, he is worked for some time unshod, 

 until the hoof, which had grown considerably, has worn 

 down, and the animal begins to be a little tender-footed ; 

 then fresh shoes are put on. This plan renders it un- 

 necessary for the blacksmith to use his knife, and 

 ensures that the hoof is worn evenly ; thus avoiding the 

 lameness which in England is so often caused by the 

 hoof not being pared straight. 



And in the meanwhile the two horses have been 



saddled, and off go T and Mr. B on a tour of 



inspection round the farm ; first of all making a bee- 

 line for the opposite range of hills, where lies that 

 particular dam in the fate of which we are so deeply 

 interested. I cannot ride with them, much as I should 

 have liked it ; for the scenes of devastation indoors 

 claim my attention, and with my dark-skinned hand- 

 maiden and another Kaffir woman, wife of one of the 

 herds, whom I have pressed into the service, I go to 

 work ; boldly attacking first the most herculean task of 

 all, i.e., the cleaning of the bedroom out of which we 



