FIRST BREAK IN OUR PLANS. 35 



Morris and myself had settled, before starting from 

 England, that we should disembark at Cape Town, then 

 procure a small coaster, and sail direct to Walwich Bay, 

 on the west coast. On me all arrangements devolved; but 

 although every dock was hunted, advertisements inserted 

 and read, not a craft suitable to our purpose could be 

 found. True, there was a small steamer running up to 

 Port Noloth, in the desolate regions surrounding the 

 copper-mines; but there we would be no better off than 

 where we were, for many and many a weary mile through 

 the most trying sand-doons must be passed before we 

 reached where game could be expected. Again, I heard, 

 through a trustworthy source, that the missionaries* a 

 few days inland from Walwich Bay would not sell cattle to 

 persons coming there for purposes of sport, as it took the 

 ivory -trade out of their hands, drove the game farther 

 from their residences, and unsettled the black population 

 by creating in them a desire to go and do likewise. 



So thus early and most unwillingly we had to alter 

 our plans. This was the more inconvenient, as our 

 baggage was all booked to this port; so that, being 

 entered on the manifest of the ship, it would require to 

 go through the Custom House before it could be tran- 

 shipped. The officials were most obliging, and, with 

 the kind assistance of the agents of Messrs. Donald 

 Currie and Co., our first annoyance was bridged over. 

 This was not done without a lot of bother ; for I never 

 leave to another what I can do myself; thus I was on 

 the dock from the moment cargo was broached till the 

 hatches of the coasting steamship were closed. I forget 

 exactly how many packages we had over twenty, I 



* These are Swedes or Danes. None of our missionaries trade ; at least, I 

 never saw or heard an instance of it. 



D2 



