start, the trek along the plateau, the crystal streams, 

 the ferns and trees, the cool pure air ; and, through 

 and over all, the quite intoxicating sense of freedom ! 

 Then came the long slow climb to Spitzkop where 

 the Berg is highest and where our descent began. 

 For there, with Africa's contrariness, the highest parts 

 banked up and buttressed by gigantic spurs are most 

 accessible from below, while the lower edges of the 

 plateau are cut off sheer like the walls of some great 

 fortress. There, near Spitzkop, we looked down upon 

 the promised land ; there, stood upon the outmost 

 edge, as a diver on his board, and paused and looked 

 and breathed before we took the plunge. 



It is well to pitch one's expectations low, and so 

 stave off disappointments. But counsels of perfection 

 are wasted on the young, and when accident combines 

 with the hopefulness of youth to lay the colours on 

 in all their gorgeousness, what chance has Wisdom ? 



" See here, young feller ! '"* said Wisdom, " don't 

 go fill yourself up with tomfool notions 'bout lions 

 and tigers waitin' behind every bush. You won't 

 see one in a twelvemonth ! Most like you won't see 

 a buck for a week ! You don't know what to do, 

 what to wear, how to walk, how to look, or what 

 to look for ; and you'll make as much noise as a 

 traction engine. This ain't open country : it's bush ; 

 they can see and hear, and you can't. An' as for big 

 game, you won't see any for a long while yet, so don't 

 go fool yourself ! " 



Excellent ! But fortune in a sportive mood or- 

 dained that the very first thing we saw as we out- 



18 



