86 KecMections of Adventures 



development, and it is sad to see the old one-time 

 flourishing homesteads deserted and ruined, and 

 the natives in possession, as they swarm into the 

 district from the north and east. 



It is a country which can and should carry a 

 large flourishing population. "Goedewensch," 

 Albasini's old Estate was bought by President 

 Kruger in 1890 to settle poor Boers on, but I have 

 not heard if they have been successful. These 

 settlements are not as a rule, as the class of people 

 put on them will not work intelligently. 



In the early days of Schoemensdal (a trading 

 village under the Zoutpansberg), there was a recog- 

 nised system, under Government permits, of supply- 

 ing native hunters with guns, ammunition, blue 

 salempore, brass wire and Venetian glass beads. 

 Each hunter, according to his recognised value, was 

 given a certain number of carriers to take his truck 

 in, and the ivory out, and the hunters got a percen- 

 tage on the ivory delivered. Some of these men 

 were good elephant shots and made lots of money. 

 Many Boer hunters went themselves, taking bearers 

 with them. It was a hard life, fraught with danger. 

 The hunters did not go in before the 15th of April 

 or May, and were supposed to be back by October, 

 before it got too hot. The guns in use were dreadful 

 things to handle, firing eight, six and even four 

 bullets to the Ib. The recoil made one's arm black 

 and blue and green. 



When Paul Kruger having made such a mess of 

 his attempt to attack the Makatees in the mountains, 

 fled with his commando, and left Schoemansdal and 

 the district deserted, the Kaffirs kept all our guns, 

 goods and ammunition etc., and there was an end of 

 our trade and hunting. One year we sent out 

 32,000 Ibs. of ivory, and on one occasion I traded in 



