PARTING FROM UMGANEY. 440 



no other fuel can be found than the dried droppings of 

 cattle. It is fortunate that lions do not abound where 

 the means of firing is so scarce. If they did, they 

 would certainly have it nearly all their own way. 



Bidding my kind friends at Klerksdorp adieu, in 

 thirty-six hours I reached Bloomhoff, for I had sold my 

 wagon and cattle to Mr. Leask. But before I jump 

 over that distance, let me say a word about my parting 

 with Umganey. When I paid him, Mr. Leask ex- 

 plained to him that I was going back to my own home, 

 and offered him employment, at four pounds a month, to 

 take charge of his cattle, and what do you think the 

 fellow said? " I have never had but one bass, and while 

 I live I will serve no other." For the day or two 

 before I started he hovered round me even when in 

 my bedroom he would steal in and fill my pipes, or 

 curl himself up in one of the carosses, and although 

 apparently asleep, I could note the big black eyes 

 watching me. At length the hour for getting in the 

 post-cart came. My baggage I had seen safely stowed 

 away, and in another moment I would have taken my 

 seat, when the poor fellow threw himself on the ground 

 and placed my foot on his head, then rising, rushed off 

 up the hill-side. Dear faithful Umganey, that was the 

 last I saw of him. One darling idea he seemed to 

 entertain was that I would go back with him to the 

 Umphelosi, and live among his people. He promised 

 me if I did so, that I should be a great chief. How 

 could the poor half-starved wanderer whom I had 

 picked up at Umganey promise so much ? Yet Kama 

 told me that he was a chief's son. Whether so or not, 

 he had as noble a heart as ever beat in human breast. 



The second day from Klerksdorp we reached Bloom- 

 D D 



