The poor old Governor is so kind to-day. At dinner I asked Thomson where we could get rafters for the house. “Oh, we must cut them where we can.” “No,” says Master, “let the dimensions be immediately taken and I will send off express to Grahamstown for them.” I felt this more than anything, because I often talk to him about you, and he saw I was pleased. He is a wonderfully good-hearted man, and wants nothing but a little more nerve.
I will soon have up more soldiers. We are generally to have here about 1200 men. I only hope so many will not be assembled as to induce Government to send out a Major-General to supersede me.
King William’s Town, 26th May, 1835.
The old Master is all kindness to me. When he speaks of the new province, he always calls it “Your province.” I shall also have the command of the whole of the frontier from Algoa Bay to the Kei, or I would not stay.
8 o’clock at night, 27th May.
Had a most beautiful ride to-day, and took 17 head of cattle. Two milch cows, worthy a place in my dairy, have been placed there, and two, less valuable, have been discarded. I have named three places—one “Kempt’s Valley,” another “Barnard’s Vale” and “Ford,” a third “Hotham Hill.” I follow the bed of the Buffalo upwards to my estate. The road, which will be good, but is now a path, took us up to my estate and Murray Castle, where formerly I took 5000 head of cattle and on this occasion the present few. We crossed the river three times, all good fords but one, the stream most clear and beautiful, and each succeeding valley more calculated than the former for a village or a farm or anything. It is certainly a most beautiful country, this Province of Queen Adelaide.
King William’s Town, 7th June, 1835.
My own queridissima Muger,
I returned to Head Quarters last night after a foray of eleven days, during which I have again, thank God, rendered my country very essential service and the enemy considerable loss....
I mention all this to you to show how rejoiced I must have been on my return, after such hard labour, to receive your queridissima carta, telling me you were on the road, since the 4th June, Thursday.