The Golden City itself was, to all outward appearances, as thriving as ever, with its busy population, its crowded and excellent shops, and its general evidences of opulence, which appeared to overbalance—­or, in any case, wish to conceal—­any existing poverty or distress.  Among many friends we met was a French lady, formerly the Marquise d’Herve, but who had married, as her second husband, Comte Jacque de Waru.  This enterprising couple were busy developing some mining claims which had been acquired on their behalf by some relatives during the war.  In spite of having been deserted at Cape Town by all the servants they had brought from Paris, this clever lady, nothing daunted, had replaced them by blacks, and one night she and her husband offered us, at the small tin-roofed house where they were residing, a sumptuous dinner which was worthy of the best traditions of Parisian hospitality.  Notwithstanding the fact of her having no maid, and that she had herself superintended most of the cooking of the dinner, our hostess was charmingly attired in the latest Paris fashion, with elaborately dressed hair, and the pleasant company she had collected, combined with an excellent cuisine, helped to make the entertainment quite one of the pleasantest we enjoyed during our stay.  Among the guests was General “Bully” Oliphant, who had just been recalled to England to take up an important appointment, much to the regret of his Johannesburg friends, with whom he had made himself exceedingly popular; and the witty conversation of this gentleman kept the whole dinner-table convulsed with laughing, to such an extent that his colleague-in-arms, our quondam Mafeking commander, General Baden-Powell, who was also of the party, was reduced to mere silent appreciation.  This impromptu feast, given under difficulties which almost amounted to siege conditions, was again an evidence of the versatility and inherent hospitality of the French nation, and the memory of that pleasant evening lingers vividly in my recollections.

The duration of our two months’ holiday was rapidly approaching its close.  My sister was recalled to England by social and other duties, and was so much better in health that we were deluded into thinking the wonderful air and bracing climate had effected a complete cure.  After a short but very interesting visit to the Natal battle-fields, whither we were escorted by General Burn-Murdoch and Captain Henry Guest, we journeyed to Cape Town, and, regretfully turning our backs on warmth and sunshine, we landed once more in England on a dreary December day.

FOOTNOTES: 

[42] Lieutenant the Hon. C.W.H.  Cavendish, 17th Lancers, was killed at Diamond Hill, June 11, 1900.

[43] Peace had been declared in the previous June.

CHAPTER XVIII

     FOURTH VOYAGE TO THE CAPE—­THE VICTORIA FALLS AND SIX WEEKS
     NORTH OF THE ZAMBESI[44]