WAR WITH THE BOERS. 189 



ed on the absence of her lover and the casualties of 

 war. 



At half past twelve the men mustered on the parade- 

 ground, and marched out of the village for AUeman's 

 Drift. Paterson politely requested me to occupy his 

 quarters as long as I remained in Colesberg, and not 

 to spare his cellar, which contained most excellent wine. 

 On the following day, while actively employed in for- 

 warding my affairs, a friend informed me that all my 

 oxen were safely lodged in the skit-kraal or pound, from 

 which I released them, after a deal of trouble and an- 

 noyance, by a small pecuniary disbursement. In the 

 evening the village was agitated by a report that a 

 skirmish had taken place between the Boers and Bas- 

 tards, in which several had fallen on both sides, and 

 that it was the intention of the Boers to pillage Coles- 

 berg. On the 15th, in company with Messrs. Gibbon 

 and Draper, two merchants of Colesbeig, I rode out to 

 visit my friends of the 91st, who were encamped at 

 AUeman's Drift, on the south side of the river. At 

 this spot the Orange E.iver and the surrounding scenery 

 are very beautiful, reminding me of Highland scenery. 

 At one bold sweep of the river the waters are hemmed 

 in by stupendous granite rooks, which cause a deep 

 and sweeping rapid. Below are long deep pools, in- 

 closed by banks adorned with drooping willows and 

 everlasting verdure. I found my friends the military 

 employed, according to the most approved system in 

 the army, luxuriating in brandy and cheroots. The 

 privates, availing themselves of the proximity of the 

 river, were enjoying the recreations of angling and 

 dragging the river wixh nets. They captured lots of 

 mullet and barbel, averaging from one to foulr pounds 

 in weight. 



