All we aimed at was a two-roomed shop with a kind of outhouse for stores.

I was architect, and watched the marking out of the foundations and the first few feet of the walls.

Sikitola's people proved themselves good helpers, and most of the building was left to them, while the Dutchmen worked at the carpentry.

Bricks ran short before we got very far, and we had to set to brick-making on the bank of the Labongo, and finish off the walls with green bricks, which gave the place a queer piebald look.
I was not much of a carpenter, and there were plenty of builders without me, so I found a considerable amount of time on my hands.

At first I acted as shopkeeper in the naachtmaal, but I soon cleared out my stores to the Dutch farmers and the natives.