" *. 



was the cause of their weakness. After the first rains 

 they would begin to die, and the right thing to do 

 now was to press on as fast as possible and deliver the / ( 

 loads. Barberton was booming and short of supplies'/' 

 and the rates were the highest ever paid ; but I had 

 done better still, having bought my own goods, and 

 the certain profit looked a fortune to me. Even if 

 all the cattle became unfit for use or died, the loads 

 would pay for everything and the right course there- 

 fore was to press on ; for delay would mean losing 

 both cattle and loads all I had in the world and 

 starting again penniless with the years of hard work 

 thrown away. 



So the last hard struggle began. And it was work 

 and puzzle day and night, without peace or rest ; 

 trying to nurse the cattle in their daily failing strength, 

 and yet to push them for all they could do ; watching 

 the sky cloud over every afternoon, promising rain 

 that never came, and not knowing whether to call it 

 promise or threat ; for although rain would bring grass 

 and water to save the cattle, it also meant death to the 

 fly-bitten. 



We crossed the Komati with three spans forty- 

 four oxen to a waggon, for the drift was deep in two 

 places and the weakened cattle could not keep their 

 feet. It was a hard day, and by nightfall it was easy 

 to pick out the oxen who would not last out a week. 

 That night Zole lay down and did not get up again- 

 Zoic the little fat schoolboy, always out of breath, 

 always good-tempered and quiet, as tame as a pet 

 dog. 

 4*5 



