128 
cabin to ourselves, and kept our heavy luggage in tlie 
adjoining one wliich was empty, and thus had plenty of 
room. E. went this afternoon with Mrs. Bleek to an ^^at 
home " at Government House. Coming out from England, 
Capetown seemed a miserable placej but now to us coming 
down from so far up country, and having seen no place at 
all approaching it in size, it seemed quite a grand and 
imposing town. 
Next day we found, to our disgust, that the company's 
agents had decided not to run a mail as usual on the 25th, 
and that there was no chance of the Anglian" going 
before the end of the month, and then she would call at 
Cape Coast Castle to carry some fresh beef for the troops' 
Christmas dinner. It seemed as if we were doomed to 
disappointment and delay. Dr. Bleek came to see us at 
the hotel, and brought us a budget of letters, and kindly 
insisted on our going to take up our quarters at his house 
at Mowbray, and stay with him and our cousins until we 
sailed. I ordered an assortment of Cape bulbs from an 
old gardener who collects them near Mowbray, and who 
assured me his boxes always gave satisfaction; but I 
rather doubt that fact after trying them — there are 164 
varieties, and some very beautiful flowers amongst them. 
The old fellow was extremely anxious about his married 
daughter, who was living in Natal, near Grey town. When 
he heard I had just come from Natal, he asked me several 
questions, and could hardly be persuaded that she was a 
long way from the scene of the Caffre disturbance. On 
going into Capetown on Monday morning, I was much 
distressed to find Kemp ill in bed with a feverish attack, 
and the doctor seemed to think it might develope into 
something serious. He had been so well all through the 
^^fly country,'' but I suppose the fever had affected him, 
though it did not develope itself for so long afterwards. 
This evening we were much amused at the excuse which 
