For five years Mr.and Mrs.
Perkins had lived in Johannesburg, where they both enjoyed universal respect, and their approaching departure, to settle once more in America, was deplored by all.

Considered to be the highest mining expert of the day, Mr.Perkins had seen the rise of the Rand since its infancy, and he had been shrewd enough to keep out of the late agitation and its disturbances.

Under his guidance we saw the sights of the towns: the far-famed Rand Club; the Market Square, crammed, almost for the first time since the so-called "revolution," with trek-waggons and their Boer drivers; the much-talked-of "Gold-fields" offices, barred and barricaded, which had been the headquarters of the Reform Committee; the Standard Bank, where the smuggled arms had been kept; and finally the Exchange and the street enclosed by iron chains, where the stock markets were principally carried on.

We were also shown the interior of the Stock Exchange itself, though we were warned that it was scarcely worth a visit at that time of depression.

We heard the "call of the shares," which operation only took twenty minutes, against nearly two hours during the time of the recent boom.