eved in banks, so always kept his gold in his tent. Whenever he
wished to go anywhere, no matter what the distance, he walked. He
preferred nuggets and "dust" to notes or specie; when he made a
purchase he liked to weigh out the equivalent of the price across the
counter from his chamois leather bag. He usually got drunk on Saturday
night, but not to such an extent as to lose his reason.

After his "pocket" had been worked out Dempster decided to revisit his
native country, Scotland. So he entertained his friends at a farewell
banquet, packed his swag with 220 ounces of gold carefully secured in
the middle and started on a tramp to Durban. A lot of his friends
accompanied him to the Blyde River Drift, and there gave him a parting
cheer. Even now I can see him sturdily walking up the hill after he had
crossed the river, and pausing to wave his hat to us in farewell.

Dempster arrived safely in Durban and booked his passage to England.
But the enforced idleness on the voyage preyed on his mind; the strange
surroundings irked him; he took to drink badly. One day, when in the
Bay of Biscay, he rushed on deck carrying his leather bag of gold.
After flinging this into the sea he leaped over-board. Dempster was
fished out; the gold, of course, went to the bottom.

A few months afterwards a striking and realistic picture of poor Alick
Dempster's escapade occupied the place of honor in the Police News.
Little detail was given, what there was resembled a nightmare. Just
touching the water and causing a tremendous splash was a
conventionally, designed gold-bag labeled "800." In the air, descending
from the ship's rail, in what the late Lewis Carroll would have
described as an Anglo-Saxon attitude, was a figure purporting to be
Alick himself, but it was hardly a recognizable portrait.

This work of sensational art caused great excitement in the camp. There
was only one copy, and that was in immense demand so much so that the
owner found himself suddenly famous. Prompted by a simple desire to be
obliging, he pasted the picture on the lid of a packing-case, and
printed the legend "This is Alick Dempster" beneath it in large
letters. A native was hired to carry the board up and down the creek,
beating an old tin billy to attract attention. This thoughtful
proceeding was much appreciated. One may wonder as to how it struck the
native.

CHAPTER IX

Expedition to Delagoa Bay--A rencontre at Constantinople--Morisot and the
lion