The Zoutpansberg 87 



the Spelonk 3,000 Ibs. of ivory in three days. The 

 ivory trade never recovered from Kruger's unsuccess- 

 ful attack on the hill tribes, and his ignominious 

 retreat out of the district. When war was declared, 

 these men kept everything, and the loss to the 

 whites was very great. Zoutpansberg never re- 

 covered from that disastrous war. 



During the annual petty wars in Zoutpansberg 

 district in the fifties and sixties, native children were 

 brought out and disposed of, the average value being 

 about two hundred rix dollars (15). A man owed 

 me some money for a long time, and one day a 

 wagon turned up in Pretoria with some ivory, some 

 oxen, and one kaffir boy of about 12 years, in settle- 

 ment of the debt. The boy was invoiced at 15 ; I 

 did not want him, as I had always refused to have 

 any of these captured children, but if I sent him 

 back he would suffer, so I told him that he had been 

 sent to me for as long as he wished to stay, but that 

 at any time he wanted to go he was to tell me and 

 I would give him a free pass. I had him well clothed 

 and he was " tiger " in the cart, when I drove and 

 he was very happy. That was the only instance of 

 my dealing in " black ivory " as it was termed. 



Two years ago, while on a visit to the Water- 

 berg Warm Baths, an old man sold me a basket of 

 fine oranges ; he turned out to be Jasper Aitchison, 

 whom I had known living in prosperity with Lands- 

 berg in Schoemansdal in Zoutpansberg forty years 

 before. 



