As my acquaintance with the soldiers increased, I became more sporting; they found I could ride at a lighter weight than any of them--8 stone 6--on Colonel Fane’s horse. I took to tandem-driving; such conveyances were to be found in Cape Town, and finding Assistant-Surgeon William Martin, promoted from the _Sparrowhawk_ to the _Tweed_ (in place of my deceased shipmate Napper), wanting a lift, I undertook the job. The road as far as Musemberg was long, but not so bad. At Farmers Peck’s the horses stopped without consulting me, and Peck junior suggested they should each have a bottle of ale, which was administered by removing the bridles and inserting the neck of the bottle in the horse’s mouth, holding the head, nostrils up. The ale disappeared. It was evident that it was not their first performance. From Peck’s our road lay to the right; it was rough ground, bounded on the off side by rocks and steep banks; on near side by broken stone wall with bushes growing between; the sea beyond, which was nearer at high-water. Both horses inclined to run away, which I did not so much mind if I could keep in the road. It appears that my leader had been accustomed to work on the near side in a team, and bore in that direction. However there was but little traffic. Martin held the whip while I twisted the leader’s rein round my forearm, and pulled all I could. Martin, instead of sitting quiet, began to “touch the leader up.” I told him that my neck was as strong as his, and chucked the reins on to the shaft horse’s back. The leader threw up his head, turned sharp to the left, jumped fence and broken wall. I had an idea, as I lay in the road, of some huge bird passing in the air. Both horses were on their backs, when I heard a voice from the bush calling my attention to the upper wheel, the only thing that could move, spinning round as if it must catch fire. We had to ride into Simon’s Town--luckily, when it was dark--on the bare backs of the horses. [Sidenote: April 23.] Dressed ship in honour of the King’s coronation. Salute annulled in consequence of the illness of Captain of the _Helicon_. [Sidenote: April 27.] Commodore Skipsey arrived on board _Maidstone_, 46, to relieve Commodore Christian. [Sidenote: April 28.] Funeral of Commander Acland; colours lowered half-mast; a name much respected in the service. [Sidenote: May 10.] _Tweed_ inspected by Commodore Skipsey. We sailed from Simon’s Bay on May 11, and anchored off the Bell Buoy on 31st. The Buoy was a square air-tight tank; the bell, on a staff in the centre, kept ringing by the motion of the sea. Our anchorage was so near the burial-ground that we could witness the daily ceremony. The coffin was placed over the prepared grave, and when that part of the beautiful service, “Earth to earth,” was said, a bolt was drawn; the body fell into its last resting-place, and the coffin went back for its next passenger. [Sidenote: June 1.]