The Conquest of the Desert 



dunes — an unveiler of the secrets of the spoor. 

 He told us at nine o'clock in the morning what 

 we should meet at four in the afternoon of the 

 same day — namely, three policemen, a pack- 

 horse, and a Bushman robber. At four-thirty 

 p.m. we overtake and photograph the convoy. 

 His prophecy is correct. He has read the riddle 

 of the sand, and, Daniel-like, has rendered the 

 true interpretation thereof. I stand in silent 

 wonder before this seer of the sand-dunes. But 

 if only Jacob could be entered for the Mara- 

 thon race ! How he would laugh for sheer 

 joy ! For what is a run of 100 miles to him, 

 by day or night, with the suck of a tsamma 

 melon ! 



And those six dumb animals — do they not 

 also merit a page in my book of travel ? Snug 

 in my corner, sheltered from the blazing sun, 

 I used to watch them, hour after hour, toiling 

 up those terrible dunes. Jacob ran by their 

 side, with friendly words of encouragement, but 

 never once did he use his short, stinging whip. 

 For it is the Captain's order that no mule of 

 his must ever be whipped during the passage 

 of the dunes. So Jacob trotted and shouted, 

 and cracked his whip like a pistol shot ; while 

 William, perched above, swirled his long lash 



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