e. The leg gave me little trouble, but unfortunately peritonitis
set in. The agony then suffered will not soon be forgotten. There was a
particularly ignorant woman, my foreman's wife, in the house; but I had
practically no nursing, no medicine of any kind, and the diet was hardly
suited for a patient. The pain became so great that I was not able to
open my mouth, dared not move a muscle, and was reduced to a mere
skeleton. Then it occurred to my "guardians" to send once more for the
doctor. Another week went by, and when he came I had just succeeded in
passing the critical stage and was on the mend. In after years this
attack led to serious complications and a most interesting operation,
which left me, in my doctor's words, "practically without a stomach";
and without a stomach I have jogged on comfortably for nearly ten years.
How a little thing may lead to serious consequences! I had previously,
and have since, had more or less serious physical troubles, but a good
sound constitution has always pulled me through safely. Among minor
injuries may be mentioned a broken rib, a knee-cap damaged at polo, and
another slightly-fractured leg, caused again by a pony just purchased,
and being tried, falling back on me; not to mention the _sigillum
diavoli_ (don't be alarmed or shocked) which occasionally develops, and
always at the same spot.

While the round-up and turnover of the Company's cattle was proceeding,
I thought it well to keep lots of whisky on hand to show hospitality
(the only way) to whomsoever it was due. On receiving a large keg of it
I put it in my buggy and drove out of camp seven or eight miles to some
rough ground, and having, in Baden-Powell way, made myself sure no one
was in view and no one spying on my movements I placed it amongst some
rocks and brush in such a way that no ordinary wanderer could possibly
see it. From this store it was my intention to fill a bottle every other
day and so always have a stock on hand. But Kronje or De Wett was too
"slim" for me; a few days afterwards on my going there, like a thief in
the night--and indeed it was at night--I found the keg gone. Someone
must have loaded up on it, someone who had deliberately watched me, and
his joy can be easily pictured. So someone was greatly comforted, but
not a hint ever came to me as to who the culprit was.

My intercourse with M---- provided some of the closest "calls" I ever
had (a call means a position of danger); still not so cl