alls and a
corrugated iron roof. A few sheds and outhouses surrounded it, four or
five blue gums afforded a little shade from the sun and a little relief
to the grassy smoothness of the landscape. Two women met us at the door,
one the wife, the other, I think, the sister of our host. Neither was
young, but their smiling faces showed the invigorating effects of this
delicious air. 'These are anxious times,' said the older; 'we hear the
cannonading every morning at breakfast. What will come of it all?' Over
a most excellent luncheon we discussed many things with these kind
people, and spoke of how the nation was this time resolved to make an
end of the long quarrel with the Boers, so that there should be no more
uncertainty and alarm among loyal subjects of the Queen. 'We have always
known,' said the farmer, 'that it must end in war, and I cannot say I am
sorry it has come at last. But it falls heavily on us. I am the only man
for twenty miles who has not left his farm. Of course we are defenceless
here. Any day the Dutchmen may come. They wouldn't kill us, but they
would burn or plunder everything, and it's all I've got in the world.
Fifteen years have I worked at this place, and I said to myself we may
as well stay and face it out, whatever happens.' Indeed, it was an
anxious time for such a man. He had bought the ground, built the house,
reclaimed waste tracts, enriched the land with corn and cattle, sunk all
his capital in the enterprise, and backed it with the best energies of
his life. Now everything might be wrecked in an hour by a wandering Boer
patrol. And this was happening to a loyal and law-abiding British
subject more than a hundred miles within the frontiers of her Majesty's
dominions! Now I felt the bitter need for soldiers--thousands of
soldiers--so that such a man as this might be assured. With what pride
and joy could one have said: 'Work on, the fruits of your industry are
safe. Under the strong arm of the Imperial Government your home shall be
secure, and if perchance you suffer in the disputes of the Empire the
public wealth shall restore your private losses.' But when I recalled
the scanty force which alone kept the field, and stood between the enemy
and the rest of Natal, I knew the first would be an empty boast, and,
remembering what had happened on other occasions, I thought the second
might prove a barren promise.

We started on our long ride home, for the afternoon was wearing away and
picket li