A LITTLE ALARMED. 
339 
been heard of them. My two urchins, mere brats of 
five and six years old, came home by themselves, 
some fifteen miles, at least. I had quite given them 
up, as they were with the three girls, and congratu¬ 
lated myself on my good fortune, which I attribute 
to the good treatment the youngsters have always 
received from me, as I have become very fond of 
them, and they have acquitted themselves admirably 
lately in retrieving ducks. 
I have had a return of my old complaint, fever 
and ague, and been quite prostrated for the last six 
days with racking headaches, pains in the back and 
limbs, loss of appetite, great nausea, profuse perspira¬ 
tions, and all the usual concomitants, but having the 
most approved remedies at hand, I am now already 
very much better, and hope to take the field again 
in a few days. 
We continue to keep up amongst us a constant 
supply of flesh meat, springbuck, buffalo, quagga, 
and leche, not forgetting to mention two fine 
cock ostriches. I pottered round with Juno and 
killed a heap of ducks and a few guinea-fowls, and 
the Kaffirs kill a fair share of pheasants with their 
knobkerries. The weather constantly threatens 
rain, and is very hot. An old bull buffalo caused me 
a little alarm to-day. I was sauntering along the 
he was a good gunsmith, and very handy at doing odd jobs, 
and they made him presents of all kinds of things, and amongst 
others the three Masara girls above mentioned. I mention 
this circumstance, as, on my return to the colony, I was accused 
by one of the local newspapers of slave dealing. 
