He laboured all day at primers of the Dutch and Kaffir languages, but in the evening after supper he would walk with me on the after-deck and discuss the future.

Like me, he knew nothing of the land he was going to, but he was insatiably curious, and he affected me with his interest.

'This place, Blaauwildebeestefontein,' he used to say, 'is among the Zoutpansberg mountains, and as far as I can see, not above ninety miles from the railroad.

It looks from the map a well-watered country, and the Agent-General in London told me it was healthy or I wouldn't have taken the job.

It seems we'll be in the heart of native reserves up there, for here's a list of chiefs--'Mpefu, Sikitola, Majinje, Magata; and there are no white men living to the east of us because of the fever.