English, " My naam Makokela ! Jim MakokeP ! Yes ! 

 My catchum lion 'live ! Makokela, me ! " 



He had heard that I wanted a driver, had waited 

 for my return, and annexed me as his future l baas ' 

 without a moment's doubt or hesitation. 



I looked him over. Big, broad-shouldered, loose- 

 limbed, and as straight as an assegai ! A neck and 

 head like a bull's ; a face like a weather-beaten rock, 

 storm-scarred and furrowed, rugged and ugly, but 

 steadfast, massive and strong ! So it looked then, 

 and so it turned out : for good and for evil Jim was 

 strong. 



I nodded and said, " You can come." 



Once more he raised his head aloft, and, simply 

 and without a trace of surprise or gratification, said : 



" Yes, you are my chief, I will work for you." In 

 his own mind it had been settled already : it had 

 never been in doubt. 



Jim when sober was a splendid worker and the 

 most willing of servants, and, drunk or sober, he was 

 always respectful in an independent, upstanding, hearty 

 kind of way. His manner was as rough and rugged 

 as his face and character ; in his most peaceful moments 

 it was to one who did not understand him almost 

 fierce and aggressive ; but this was only skin deep ; 

 for the childlike simplicity of the African native was 

 in him to the full, and rude bursts of Titanic laughter 

 came readily laughter as strong and unrestrained as 

 his bursts of passion. 



To the other boys he was what his nature and 

 training had made him not really a bully, but 

 20 1 



