Go see to them." At length all was ready, the cases of guns, ammunition, medicines, presents and food were on board the _Maria_.

So were four donkeys that I had bought in the hope that they would prove useful, either to ride or as pack beasts.

The donkey, be it remembered, and man are the only animals which are said to be immune from the poisonous effects of the bite of tsetse fly, except, of course, the wild game.

It was our last night at Durban, a very beautiful night of full moon at the end of March, for the Portugee Delgado had announced his intention of sailing on the following afternoon.

Stephen Somers and I were seated on the stoep smoking and talking things over.
"It is a strange thing," I said, "that Brother John should never have turned up.