" DISTANT hills are always green," and the best 

 gold further on. That is a law of nature human 

 nature which is quite superior to facts ; and thus 

 the world moves on. 



So from the Lydenburg Goldfields prospectors 

 'humping their swags' or driving their small 

 pack-donkeys spread afield, and transport-riders 

 with their long spans and rumbling waggons 

 followed, cutting a wider track where traders with 

 winding strings of carriers had already ventured 

 on. But the hunters had gone first. There were 

 great hunters whose names are known ; and others 

 as great who missed the accident of fame ; and 

 after them hunters who traded, and traders who 

 hunted. And so too with prospectors, diggers, 

 transport-riders and all. 



Between the goldfields and the nearest port lay 

 the Bushveld, and game enough for all to live on. 

 Thus, all were hunters of a sort, but the 

 great hunters the hunters of big game were 

 apart ; we were the smaller fry, there to admire 

 and to imitate. 



Trophies, carried back with pride 

 or by force of habit, lay scattered 



