Through the Kalahari Desert. G.A. Farini
“mine host”—Fording the Mud River—Tin-can houses—”Tin Town,” alias Kim-
| berley ................................................................................................1 |
CHAPTER II.
Laying in stock—The story of the first diamond—How the mine was discovered—Shady customers—Cheating the revenue—”Diamond cut diamond”—Welcoming the ladies—The “I.D.B.”—Bubble companies—Evils of the detective sys-
| tem—Martyrs to civilization……………………..…………………………..……..17 |
CHAPTER III.
The blasting of the blue—Down the crater—Searching the blacks—The washing-grounds—How the diamonds are un- earthed—The sorting-tables—Judging the weight of a stone—Who are the diamond thieves?—Life in Kimber- ley—Its climate and its moral atmosphere—The mining
| pioneer………………………….……………………………………………………..…30 |
Contents.
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CHAPTER IV.
A dangerous experiment—A mimic volcano in eruption—Pack- ing up—Starting for the Kalahari—A Bastard encamp- ment—A big bag of partridges—Making friends with the Boers—A good investment—A South African Crusoe—
| “Lots of trees”—A massacre of the innocents………………………………….42 |
CHAPTER V.
Something like a hot day—How it rains in South Africa—Our first antelope—At Campbell—An aged Griqua chieftainess —Mr. Bartlett’s garden—”Born Tired”—A talk with Mr. Virtue—Farmers’ troubles in South Africa—Shooting a koran—After the spring-bok—Sunday morning at Griqua Town—A Boer’s homestead—Interviewing the Commis- sioner—The ex-Chief of the Griquas—We visit the “oldest
| inhabitant “ —The country drying up…………………………….………………55 |
CHAPTER VI.
Killing two stein-bok at one shot—The “Honest Boer “ again —Reinforcements—Dining à la Bastard—Watering at Abram’s Dam—Jan is lost—Stuck fast in the sand—A terrible road—Water at last—A “creamery” at Kheis— How to harness an ox-team—Police duty in Korannaland On the verge of the Kalahari—Oxen v. mules—An ungrate-
| ful mule—Kert among his relations.....………….………………………..……..79 |
CHAPTER VII.
A Bastard’s family—A Bushman’s tent—Jan returns half dead —The story of his adventure—Botanizing in the desert— The sama, or wild water-melon—Bushman’s rice—A bonne- bouche—Collecting insects—Stuck in a sandhill—A dream of Golconda—Searching for diamonds—Shooting pheasants and wild geese—Latest Paris fashions—Nature’s dress-im- prover—A Mantalini of the desert—A primitive pumping-
| engine—A parti-coloured family………………….………………………………..99 |
Contents.
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CHAPTER VIII.
Jan gets into trouble—My best horse is drowned—Hurrah for life on the desert!—Stuck again!—Swapping mules for oxen—News from Khartoum—A “clever” trader—Riding on Ox-back—A visit from the Hill Bushmen—A sculptured cave—A native dance and concert—Hunting and eating the hyena—A day among the wild fowl—A floral “desert” —Digging for water—We organize a big hunt—Chasing an ostrich I lose my way—A supper of ostrich-meat—A
| night in the desert with Death for a bed fellow………………..…………….117 |
CHAPTER IX.
Lost on the desert—Death from starvation and fatigue—Eating a poisonous root—The agonies of death—A prey to wild beasts—I am given up for dead—A funeral procession—A runaway knock at death’s door—Milk-and-water—Cafe à la Kalahari—Delicious water—Grass and sama in plenty —Kuis—The chief “Make Haste”—An extortionate chief —Adventures of a desert trader—I enter into partnership
| with two Bastard hunters—How to cook sama…….………………………..137 |
CHAPTER X.
Lion’s spoor—Kert astonishes the natives—Making a night kraal—A novel manger—A grass- covered “desert”—Col- lecting grass-seeds—A herd of gems-bok attacked by lions —Dirk and Klas run away—In pursuit of Leo—A narrow escape—We find the lion impaled on the gems-bok’s horns —Skinning our booty—A lonely night-watch—A strange
| intruder—I am called on a mysterious errand………….……………………153 |
CHAPTER XI.
Rescuing a dying man—The sick German tells his story—Trea- cherous Hottentots—Left to die on the desert—The ever- lasting sama—A wilderness of beautiful flowers—Spring-
Contents.
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bok bewitched—Taking stock—A sea of grass—A night alarm—A visit from a party of Bechuana traders—A fan-
| tastical witch doctor………..…………………………………..………………………170 |
CHAPTER XII.
The witch-doctor’s séance—The oracle prophesies good luck— Turning the tables on the conjurer—Nonplussing the nig- ger—On the borders of the K’gung Forest—A remarkable birds’-nest—A terrible disappointment—Making the best of it—Digging for water—A deserted Balala camp—A lion springs into our camp—How the natives make leather— Native water-bearers—At Lihutitung—A present from
| Mapaar—Our first bath……………………………………….……………………..189 |
CHAPTER XIII.
An interview with the chief—A royal beggar—Marriage made easy—A visit to Mapaar’s garden—Curious beverages— Mapaar enjoys a drink of eau-de-Cologne—House-building spider— Mapaar invites us to a hunt—I offend my Black Beauty—How to make thick milk—Hunting the gems-bok
| —The disappointed photographer—Distributing the spoil……..……..207 |
CHAPTER XIV.
A family misunderstanding—I am put on my defence—Verdict “not guilty”—Out of the frying-pan into the fire—I turn weather-prophet—An awkward dilemma—A bag of teal— “Won, but not wooed”—My prophecy comes too true— Once more I am put on trial—Chopping logic with Ma- paar—All’s well that ends well—Farewell to Mapaar—In
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