had I been ever so
anxious to sell, it would most probably have proved impossible to find a
purchaser at that moment, with the natives in armed revolt against the
whites.

But there were other matters of an even more pressing character than
those just enumerated demanding my attention, and the first of these was
the interment of the body of my unfortunate friend, Nell's father.
Therefore, summoning Piet, I bade him seek a shovel; and when he had
found one I set him to work to dig a grave at a certain spot about a
quarter of a mile from the house, which I knew to be greatly favoured by
Nell on account of the beautiful view obtainable from it: and there Piet
and I reverently laid the dead man to rest, afterward piling a number of
large stones round the grave, and placing a rough wooden cross at its
head to mark the spot. Then, recovering our horses, we returned to
Bella Vista, and, thoroughly worn out by the fatigue and horror of the
past day, I sought rest in the outspanned wagon.

Next morning, with a grief so bitter that even now I cannot look back
upon it unmoved, I chose another site for a grave and laid my beloved
dead to rest side by side, marking the spot as I had marked the grave of
Nell's father; leaving the remains of the savages to be dealt with by
the vultures, hyenas, and jackals. And when I had done all that was
possible the wagon was inspanned, and with a heavy heart I wended my
way, accompanied by my little following, to Somerset East, where I
arrived late in the afternoon of the following day without having
encountered anything of an untoward character on my way. There was but
one farm between Bella Vista and Somerset East, situate about halfway
between the latter and the Great Fish River, and when in the course of
my journey the house came in sight, I jumped on Prince's back and
galloped forward, with the view of ascertaining what, if anything, had
happened there. But upon my arrival I found the farm silent and
deserted, with not so much as a dog about the place. The house,
however, was undamaged, all the doors and windows were fastened, and
upon looking through the latter I perceived that the rooms were empty of
furniture; I therefore concluded--which afterwards proved to be the
case--that the owner had obtained timely warning of the rising, had
hurriedly packed all his belongings into wagons, and, driving his stock
before him, had hastily retired to Somerset East.

The town of Somerset East wa