These natives always displayed the most
astonishing sang-froid. One day we saw a funny scene on the occasion of
a Kaffir wedding, when the bridegroom was most correctly attired in
morning-dress and an old top-hat. Over his frock-coat he wore his
bandolier, and carried a rifle on his shoulder; the bride, swathed in a
long white veil from head to foot, walked by his side, and was followed
by two young ladies in festive array, while the procession was brought
up by more niggers, armed, like the bridegroom, to the teeth. The party
solemnly paraded the streets for fully half an hour, in no wise
disconcerted by a pretty lively shelling and the ring of the Mausers on
the corrugated iron roofs.
Quite as disagreeable as "Creechy," although less noisy, was the enemy's
1-pound Maxim. A very loud hammering, quickly repeated, and almost
simultaneously a whirring in the air, followed by four quick explosions,
and then we knew this poisonous devil was at work. The shells were
little gems in their way, and when they did not burst, which was often
the case, were tremendously in request as souvenirs. Not much larger
than an ordinary pepper-caster, when polished up and varnished they made
really charming ornaments, and the natives were quick to learn that they
commanded a good price, for after a shower had fallen there was a
helter-skelter amongst the black boys for any unexploded specimens.
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