comprising the public offices. The original idea of this
square building must have come from a model dairy. But the crowning
absurdity of the place is the office of the colonial secretary,
which stands nearly opposite. I am told that inside it is tolerably
comfortable, being the remains of an old Dutch building: outside, it
can only be compared to a dilapidated barn on a bankrupt farm,
and when it was first pointed out to me I had great difficulty,
remembering similar buildings in other colonies, in believing it was a
public office.

The native police look very smart and shiny in their white suits, and
must be objects of envy to their black brethren on account of their
"knobkerries," the knobbed sticks which they alone are permitted to
carry officially in their hands. The native loves a stick, and as he
is forbidden to carry either an assegai--which is a very formidable
weapon indeed--or even a knobkerry, only one degree less dangerous,
he consoles himself with a wand or switch in case of coming across
a snake. You never see a Kafir without something of the sort in his
hand: if he is not twirling a light stick, then he has a sort of rude
reed pipe from which he extracts sharp and tuneless sounds. As a race,
the Kafirs make the effect of possessing a fine _physique_: they walk
with an erect bearing and a light step, but in true leisurely savage
fashion. I have seen the black race in four different quarters of the
globe, and I never saw one single individual move quickly of his
own free will. We must bear in mind, however, that it is a new and
altogether revolutionary idea to a Kafir that he should do any work at
all. Work is for women--war or idleness for men; consequently, their
fixed idea is to do as little as they can; and no Kafir will work
after he has earned money enough to buy a sufficient number of wives
who will work for him. "Charlie," our groom--who is, by the way, a
very fine gentleman and speaks "Ingeliss" after a strange fashion
of his own--only condescends to work until he can purchase a wife.
Unfortunately, the damsel whom he prefers is a costly article, and her
parents demand a cow, a kettle and a native hut as the price of her
hand--or hands, rather--so Charlie grunts and groans through about
as much daily work as an English boy of twelve years old could manage
easily. He is a very amusing character, being exceedingly proud,
and will only obey his own master, whom he calls his great inkosi
or chief. He