rights.” His attempts to address the meetings were rudely-
stopped by showers* of missiles as unsavoury as those which
are even yet conspicuously familiar at similar scenes in the
old country. Eight votes, in the long run, supported this
candidate, who then abruptly left the town; so that the
place that knew him, knew him no more.
Now we are to leave this feverish region, where the throb
of labour and the nervous pulse of speculation are the signs
of restless vitality; where the precious gems dazzle the
eyes of those who in hot haste pursue the road to fortune;
and where both by day and night the heavy roar of blasting
is heard rudely crashing above the hum of countless wheels.
We are on to the home of the black man! There we will
find charm in novelty, and in absolute freedom from the
endless worship of the golden calf.
But first I must not forget that I am in search of Mr.
Selous. Where is the hunter to be found ? I must secure
my place for the journey, and in the land of the Boers will
soon discover what men and what news have come from the
teeming hunting-grounds of the H Far Interior.”
CHAPTER II.
THROUGH THE NEW PROTECTORATE.
Nearing a station—Klerksdorp—Unexpected meeting with Selous—His
opinions of my project—The humours of Lo-bengula—'The danger of
shooting “ sea-cow”—Hunters in trouble—Gold-seeking Americans—
Equipping for the veldt—Kimberley again—“ Cape Smoke ”—Coach
passengers M Starting for the veldt— Uncertainty of the future—
Lichtenherg—Absence of hard cash—Odd trading—Jacobsdaal—
Zeerust—Boer troubles—Small-pox and fumigation—A hasty departure
—Linokana in Bechuana-land—Kaffir taxes—Linokana attacked by the
Boers—Hermansberg Missionary Society—Moghose’s station—Measures
for the prevention of small-pox1—Excessive power of a landdrost or
chief magistrate—Religious zeal of the Boers—King Secheli—Dilapidated
royalty—Hunting memories—“ Camels, by Jove!”—Khama’s
Town— Shoshong or Bamangwato— Another “ Lord of Boundless
Dominions”—An awkward squad—Trade of Shoshong—Dread of
Matabeli—Giraffe hunting—War preparations—Khama’s wife—'Little
Kanyemba—A queer medicine chest—A worthless land—Irrigation
impossible—The Shashi river—Matabeli-land.
V ig o r o u s blasts from the small horn carried by the driver
of the coach told that we were nearing a station. Our
coach in every way resembled the typical yankee cee-spring
stage of the west. As a matter of fact, it was an imported
article of American manufacture. The station we arrived
at was Klerksdorp, a small but comely town, the jolting
journey to . which had occupied two and a-half days and
nights. The town, as I have remarked, is the principal
trading station north of the Vaal.
Seeing in large letters the name of Leask, I thought
that the owner must be the same who had telegraphed to
me at Cape Town. Mr. Leask’s stores formed the largest