346 
THE NEW AFRICA 
Once again Van Zyl ventured on a similar hunt with equal 
success, and pursued the same tactics to get away with the ivory, 
with a variation that completely threw dust in the eyes of 
the irritated natives, who again sent a party to take him and 
his ivory at all risks. 
This time Van Zyl sent two of his three wagons off at once 
to take the route to Walfish Bay, and proceeded quietly with 
the third, lightly laden with the small and inferior tusks, until 
he encountered the regiment sent to take him. He asserted 
that one of his other wagons had damaged a wheel, not far 
away, and that this was being mended by the drivers of both the 
other wagons, who understood the job, and would come on 
shortly as soon as the necessary repairs were completed; and the 
natives, never supposing that he intended to forfeit the load of 
ivory with him, again believed his story, and quietly awaited the 
coming of the other wagons before betraying their intentions. 
By similar tactics, Van Zyl again got his four days start 
for the two decamping wagons laden with the pick of the 
ivory, and then quietly rode off, ostensibly to see what caused 
the delay, leaving the natives possessors of the inferior tusks, 
and, playing the old trick, succeeded in reaching Walfish Bay 
safely with his loads, finally returning to the lake. 
Previous to his return, Moremi was made king, and, much 
incensed at Van Zyl’s behaviour, sent for him to come to the 
Kodthla, to answer for his misconduct before the council. He 
also informed Van Zyl that he would no longer permit him to 
levy taxes on the natives, and that if he desired to remain 
in the country he must come and live at the lake with the 
people, and not remain out in the sand-belts, where he exer¬ 
cised his own sweet will over the inhabitants. 
Van Zyl, not realising that things looked serious, and from 
long custom feeling secure in his position, refused to even give 
an answer to the royal messages, and turned a deaf ear to the 
repeated demands of the king that he should come to defend 
his character, until Moremi, as he himself told me, rode over 
with some of his men to visit him. Before he, Moremi, had 
