An Unpleasant Ride 69 



for years. I think he was a deserter from the troops 

 in Cape Colony. He had almost forgotten what 

 English he ever knew, and never properly learned 

 Dutch; the mixed jargon was awful. This genius 

 came to Pretoria to get 850 in cash to pay for a lot 

 of ivory he had bought ; but he got on his usual 

 " drunk " in Pretoria, so that he could not be trusted 

 with the money. I was asked if I would take 

 him and the money back to Rhenosterpoort, as they 

 (Evans & Churchill) did not wish to lose the ivory. 

 I little knew what I was undertaking, and after 

 much trouble in getting Watt away from the drink, 

 started with him, each of us with two riding horses. 

 A few miles beyond Wonderboom he fell off, and 

 insisted on lying on the ground, and I fairly kicked 

 him on to his horse ; we slept at Daniel Kruger's on 

 Apies River. Next morning he said he was ill and 

 told the Boers that I would kill him on the road 

 and take all the money. It was late before I got 

 him under way. I had the money sewn in a strong 

 canvas belt, slung across my shoulders, and no one 

 can imagine what agony it became to ride 50 or 

 60 miles a day with 800 in gold and 50 in silver 

 strapped as dead weight on you. If I had tied it on 

 to the saddle, the belt would soon have burst. Watt 

 was unarmed, or when drunk, might have shot me. 

 I had a heavy rifle (there were no revolvers then), 

 and this, much against the advice of old Kruger, I 

 left with him, as I could not manage the money, 

 two horses and a heavy gun ; old Kruger said good- 

 bye, but never expected to see me back alive, riding 

 unarmed to Zoutpansberg in those days. After 

 Kruger's, there were no houses on the road, until 

 we reached Waterberg, 60 miles from Pretoria. 

 We reached Pienaar's River in the afternoon, and 

 while I was watering the horses, I saw the old 

 scoundrel Watt, slyly take a bottle of brandy out of 



