THE SINGLE SPUK. 253 



tremendously shrill whistles. He looked like a demon 

 forbidding the advance of his imps. The effect was 

 magical; the half-wild cattle stopped, and I jumped off my 

 frightened horse to ask the old Kaffir how it all was. He 

 said that the bulls did not know much about white men 

 and horses, and perhaps thought that I was some wild 

 animal come to destroy their young. I must own I looked 

 rather a rough customer, and my clothes were not in the 

 best condition but still this was too bad. I have, 

 however, seen in our most public thoroughfares, men 

 who might easily be mistaken by an unfashionable herd of 

 cattle for " wild animals come to destroy their calves." I 

 mention dropping the "spur," which may require ex- 

 planation. One only of these weapons is used in the 

 colony and this single spur is buckled on the left heel, 

 as, in dismounting and mounting so frequently as is 

 here necessary, the right spur becomes inconvenient, and 

 may scratch the horse's back in throwing the leg over. 

 The reason given is, that it is inconvenient, and also that 

 if one side of the horse is made to go, most probably the 

 other will go also. 



While staying at this kraal, I was visited by a Kaffir 

 who had all the features of a European; he told me 

 that his mother was as his forefinger, and then, pointing 

 to his little finger, said that mother was a white woman, 

 that she came out of the sea, and had been the wife of a 

 chief. I was much interested in all this, as the white 

 woman of whom he spoke, was without doubt one of 

 those unfortunates who were saved from the wrecks of 

 the Grosvenor and another ship, who had seen all their 



