"Sir,--We beg to inform you that we have been appointed the Trustees of the Oatlands property by a number of landholders, by whom it has been purchased; and it becomes our duty to acquaint you, by desire of those gentlemen, that, impressed with a sense of the benefits which they, in common with the inhabitants at large, have derived from your public services, they have purchased the Oatlands Estate, with a view of offering the same to you as a permanent residence during such time as you may remain in the Colony, in testimony of their respect, and of their appreciation of your services. "We have, therefore, the satisfaction of offering for your acceptance a lease of the dwelling-house and the grounds immediately adjoining it, and shall have much pleasure in communicating to the proprietors your acceptance of their offer. "We have the honour to be, Sir, "Your obedient humble servants, "Signed P.W. Lucas. "F. Carlisle." The Colonel's answer was as follows: "Graham's Town, 25th July, 1850. "Gentlemen,--I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 24th instant, in which you inform me that you have been desired by the gentlemen who purchased the Oatlands property, to acquaint me that, impressed with a sense of the benefits which they, in common with the inhabitants at large, have derived from my public services, they have purchased the Oatlands Estate, with the view of offering it to me as a permanent residence during such time as I may remain in the Colony. In reply I request you will do me the favour to convey to those gentlemen how highly I appreciate their kind intentions so handsomely expressed in your letter; and that I accept with pleasure this handsome testimony of their estimation of my services. I beg, gentlemen, you will receive my sincere thanks for the kind manner in which you have done me the honour to convey to me the sentiments and kind wishes of these gentlemen on this occasion. "I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, "Your obedient humble servant, "Signed H. Somerset. "To P.W. Lucas and F. Carlisle, Esqrs." THE END. End of Project Gutenberg's The Cape and the Kaffirs, by Harriet Ward