PUNISHING A MUTINEER.

39

me my jacket, but why don't you give me my firelock?" "Give him that also," said I. On getting it he began loading, and looking at me in a most significant manner. When he came to put the cap on the nipple, either from the numbing pain of the flogging, or from the violence with which Herridge had pulled off his pouch, he could not find a cap. I offered him one-it was only a pistol cap (but I did not think of that at the time); when he looked at me, threw down his firelock, and said, "No, I won't shoot you.' Seeing this sign in my favour, I began to explain to the men that no one had a greater horror, of flogging than I had, and that I never would have had it done had it not been to punish a cowardly villain who had attempted to shoot me from behind. If If any of them had a complaint to make, let them come to me, face to face, and explain, and they never would find me unwilling to listen, or to redress any just grievance. Waine was then placed on a guncarriage alongside of Happy Jack, and we once more started on our march. From that day my orders were obeyed, and matters assumed a more orderly aspect.

On fording Sunday River, which runs through the Ada bush, the whole column nearly came to grief. All due precautions had, however, been taken as though passing through an enemy's country, lining both sides of the ford-an advanced-guard and a rear-guard. But notwithstanding orders, some of the men had strolled down the banks of the river in order to find a favourable spot to bathe. While thus proceeding, some marauding Fingoes were espied; a cry arose that the Kaffirs were coming, a stampede ensued, and my men bolted like rabbits into the bush. The Hottentot drivers cut the traces of their oxen, disappearing with their cattle, and I was left alone with the waggons in the middle of the river, with five or six men whom I had managed to keep together - my anxiety barely sufficing to retain my laughter at the ridiculous disappearance of the whole party.

The Fingoes, however, were as much frightened as my men had been, and ran away in the opposite direction; so when my fellows had been sufficiently scratched and blown by making their way through the prickly underwood, unmolested by all except their own fears

(and the thorns), they soon retraced their footsteps, and could be seen in twos and threes peeping from the outskirts of the jungle to know whether the coast had become clear. On getting them together again, I made a speech, and so enlarged upon their ridiculously discreditable behaviour, that they swore, one and all, that they would never so commit themselves again. To put their courage to the test, I determined to encamp that night where this occurred-in the middle of the bush. This was rather hazardous; but I counted upon the danger of Fingo marauders to keep them together, and in my own bold attitude to keep the latter off.

My position was a strange one; and as I lay that night upon a gun-carriage, having for companions Waine moaning over the pains in his back, and Happy Jack muttering threats of courts - martial, I thought, if Providence did. not intervene, the thread of my existence would possibly snap somehow.

The night passed off calmly enough, and the next morning saw us safely on the other side of the bush; and that evening we encamped

at a farm belonging to Mr Bruckyer, a Dutch settler from Haarlem-which town, by the way, was the home of my forefathers in King William III.'s reign; therefore, being somewhat akin through ancestral associations, we soon became good friends. This gentleman not only furnished my corps with an abundance of farm produce-accepting only our thanks in return —but also took charge of seven men who were incapable, from illness and sore feet, of continuing with the column. These men were

afterwards sent on in a waggon to Fort Beaufort, some hundred and twenty miles off, to rejoin the corps. Mr Bruckyer again refused all remuneration.

CHAPTER V.

THE DUTCH AND ENGLISH SETTLERS

FIRST TRIAL OF THE MINIE AT THE CAPE-I PART WITH HAPPY JACK-MARCH INTO GRAHAM'S TOWN-THE OFFICERS OF THE CORPS-COLONEL CLOËTE-SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SERVICE-THE COMMISSARIAT ORDERED TO FORT BEAUFORT-ARRIVE AT HEADQUARTERS.

As a rule, I found the settlers - English and Dutch-a fine, generous-hearted set of people; and many of them who read these lines may, I hope, think with pleasure of the happy times we passed together.

It was a great relief to get rid of my sick men, as I had no medical man with the corps; and the only medicines or pharmaceutical knowledge I possessed were gleaned from a small medicine-chest I had purchased at Port Elizabeth. It was one of the ceaseless threats of Happy Jack that I had had a man flogged without a medical man being present, and