2o 4 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



It was a strange gathering. The people 

 reminded me of gnomes, so ugly were they — 

 and their personal uncleanliness I fear corre- 

 sponded with their looks. Yet I found them 

 lovable, because they were natural, ingenu- 

 ous and unspoilt. There was not a pair of 

 breeches nor a petticoat among the lot; men 

 and women were dressed either in brayed 

 skins or ancient gunny-bags. The children 

 were hardly dressed at all. 



I think it was the feeling that I was hon- 

 oured and appreciated far above my deserts 

 by those people that caused me to like them 

 so much. They looked upon me as a power- 

 ful and beneficent being of fabulous resources, 

 — just because I had treated them with com- 

 mon fairness and given away a few pounds of 

 cheap tobacco and some handfuls of dates. 



One thing was clear : my influence was in- 

 creasing; every hour fresh arrivals testified to 

 the growth of my fame. I felt almost sure I 

 could organise a successful revolution in the 

 Richtersveld, attack Kuboos and sack it, de- 

 pose Mr. Hein, and reign in his stead. How- 

 ever, I at once put the temptation behind me. 

 I had eaten the Vicar's honey and drunk his 

 coffee; therefore, I would not rob him of his 

 crown and kingdom. Besides, — who knew but 



