20 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



of glade between two hills, the sides of which were 

 covered with firs a place where the black game 

 sported and crooned. There, in a rustic -looking 

 dwelling, I found a grim-looking man whose upright 

 carriage and face clean shaven save for the grey 

 moustache told that he had known military ser- 

 vice. He was well on in years, but they had not 

 weighed heavily on him. He told me he had 

 served as a sergeant in the early Kaffir wars ; that 

 he had been wounded and left for dead on the 

 field, but recovered, thanks to his good natural 

 constitution. Having been discharged with a pen- 

 sion, he had married a young wife and settled down 

 in this out-of-the-way nook. A number of children 

 were scuttling about in the brake and underwood, 

 as merry as larks. He said he was well contented 

 in the prospect of ending his days, and resting, 

 where he then was. They had a cow, poultry, and 

 a good garden ; a stream of the purest water ran 

 close to their door ; what more could they desire ? 

 he asked. 



In another of my rambles, I found a man digging 

 stone. That and woodcutting are the usual occu- 

 pations of any you may chance to come across in 



