LUBENGULo's WEAKNESS 283 



actuated myself and companions before we started 

 for a country in which to enjoy field sports which 

 a man did not require to be heir to an estate, his 

 mother's darling, or a successful speculator in stocks 

 and shares to participate in. No, no, the land I was 

 bound to penetrate was one where the best man 

 led the way, where the rifle took the place of the 

 bird gun, and the milksop, as well as the robust, 

 often died. 



A few years ago Bamanwato was the tdtima 

 thule of civilisation in South Africa. Here I found 

 myself, after a tedious and trying journey along the 

 edge of the Kalihari Desert. 



Poker and vingt-et-un helped to put in an other- 

 wise desultory fortnight, while the waggon was 

 being re-fitted and fresh oxen obtained. Specie was 

 scarce among the traders of this "jumping-off stone 

 of the world," and if they had not gold, they had its 

 equivalent in blood-feathers, and ivory, either of 

 which was as good as coin the moment their posses- 

 sors reached Algoa Bay or Capetown. 



I cannot give names, for possibly both my most 

 redoubtable foes in card contests are still alive. 

 For several days the fickle goddess, Luck, appeared 

 to have no partiality, so that a settling would not 

 have made a difference of fifty dollars either way. 



But Fred D , the trader, direct from the 



Diamond fields, arrived at Shoshong, and among his 

 articles of vertu he had what was believed to be 



