as a waypoint for wagon travellers. There was
a blacksmith, supply shops and, of course, the
inn, later known as the Bathurst Inn. The inn
acquired its current name about 100 years later,
when soldiers from the Royal Air Force were
stationed nearby at the 43 Air School during
World War II. They decided to name their
new pub after their local in England, and the
Bathurst Inn became The Pig and Whistle Inn.
Gavin and Lucille Came now own the hotel,
The Historic Pig and Whistle Inn.
Then, while I am photographing The Pig’s
wonderful atmosphere and setting, a strange
force settles on me, gently coaxing my timid
body down to the bar, the oldest, continuously
licensed pub in South Africa. The place is
humming and, whenI getelbowsonthe
counter, I note olddrinkingstainsagain,
but gawking at mewithholloweyes,is
a human skull.
“Holy Moses,a doublewhisky,”I exclaim
through parched lips.Theprettybarmaid
replies, “Not Moses,butWidowHartley’s
skull, found in thebasementunderthedining
room, last centurysometime.Knownforher
hospitality acrosstheland,sheregularlystill
takes a tot or two.”Happynextto Widow
Hartley, and soakingupa kaleidoscopeof
settler sights and sounds,I findit a strange
privilege to be herein thishistoricplace.
I awake to thesqueakingandopeningof
heavy maroon curtains.It’smywife,who’sLEFT:“Simple,”whisperedthemirror,“this ship
broughttheDutch,andin 1820otherships brought
theEnglish.TellyourCanontoreflecton that.”
BELOW:A woodenstaircase,saidtohave come from
a ship,leadsuptoLucilleandGavinCame, the owners
ofTheHistoricPigandWhistleInn.BELOW LEFT: This
loveliestofcountryinnswasfoundedwhen Britannia
trulyruledthewaves.BELOWRIGHT:A fire from the
uniqueshapeofa cut-outsteelpotjiewarms the pub.045COUNTRY HOTELS TRAVEL