an; the country you are going to is very different from this.
Here, go where you will, you are sure in a short time to come upon some
farmhouse, where you may get directions as to your way. There, once
lost, it is upon yourself alone you must depend to recover the track.
The beasts of prey are formidable opponents, and a lion or an elephant
wounded, but not killed, could rend you into pieces in a moment;
therefore you must be prudent as well as brave, obedient as well as
enterprising. You have already shown that you have plenty of presence
of mind, as well as of courage, and in nine cases out of ten the former
quality is even the more necessary in a country such as that you are now
going to. Courage will not avail you when a wounded leopard is charging
down upon you, and your rifle is already discharged, but presence of
mind may point out some means of escape from the danger. And now, if
you have finished breakfast, you had better ride over with me to
Newcastle--I have a very large number of goods to buy. Mr Harvey, who
went on the first thing, will meet me there and show me the kind of
goods most likely to take with the natives; it will be well that you
should not only know the price of each article, but that you should see
everything packed, so as to know the contents of each bale by its shape
and markings--a matter which may save you much trouble when you begin to
trade."

The shopping did not take up so long a time as Mr Humphreys had
anticipated; the large storekeepers all kept precisely the kind of goods
required, as they were in the habit of selling to the Boers for barter
with the natives.

In the afternoon the waggon was sent away, and an hour before daybreak
next morning Dick, having bade farewell to his mother, started with Mr
Humphreys.

Tom and Mr Jackson arrived there a few minutes later, and the work of
loading the waggons at once commenced, and was concluded by nine
o'clock; then they joined the waggons of Mr Harvey, which were already
waiting outside the town.

Their fathers rode with them to the ford across the river, and then
after a hearty farewell returned to their farms, while the caravan of
five waggons crossed into the Transvaal.

Each waggon was drawn by sixteen oxen, with a native driver and leader
to each. There were three Swazis who had accompanied Mr Harvey on
previous expeditions, all good hunters and men who could be relied upon
in every emergency. The eldest of these natives