I 9 8 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



the thickest of paste ; and prolonged the agony by 

 making the man eat the stuff with a teaspoon, while 

 we stood sternly on guard, to see that there was no 

 evasion. And then we promised a second dose in the 

 event of the first failing to effect a cure. No need to 

 say that the victim hastened to report himself quite 

 well, and that as long as he remained on the farm he 

 was never "sick" again. The fame of the terrible 

 medicine spread, and we did not hear of much more 

 illness among our men. 



This dose was mild, however, in comparison with 

 one of which I have heard, which was prepared by 

 some gentlemen of our acquaintance. They were living 

 in a tent on the Diamond Fields ; and for some time 

 had noticed a very rapid diminution of their supply of 

 brandy. Not knowing which of their native servants 

 was the culprit, they resolved to set a trap; and, 

 putting a little croton oil into the brandy-bottle, left 

 the latter in a temptingly prominent position. The 

 next morning one of the servants, a big, stout fellow, 

 was missing ; and for ten days nothing was seen or 

 heard of him. When, at the end of that time, he re- 

 appeared, he was transformed into such a poor, limp, 

 wasted living skeleton that he could hardly be recog- 

 nised. He went back to his work without a word ; 

 and never again did the brandy-bottle's attractions 

 lure him from the path of honesty. 



The best and most hard-working of all our men 

 was a sturdy Zulu, who, both in face and figure, 

 exactly resembled that life-like wooden statue one 



