The Falls of the Sankuru 254

A Congo Diamond Mine 260

How the Mines Are Worked 260

Gravel Carriers at a Congo Mine 266

Congo Natives Picking out Diamonds 266

Washing out Gravel 272

Donald Doyle and Mr. Marcosson 272

The Park at Boma 278

A Street in Matadi 278

A General View of Matadi 282

AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE

AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE

CHAPTER I--SMUTS

I

Turn the searchlight on the political and economic chaos that has
followed the Great War and you find a surprising lack of real
leadership. Out of the mists that enshroud the world welter only three
commanding personalities emerge. In England Lloyd George survives amid
the storm of party clash and Irish discord. Down in Greece Venizelos,
despite defeat, remains an impressive figure of high ideals and
uncompromising patriotism. Off in South Africa Smuts gives fresh
evidence of his vision and authority.

Although he was Britain's principal prop during the years of agony and
disaster, Lloyd George is, in the last analysis, merely an eloquent and
spectacular politician with the genius of opportunism. One reason why he
holds his post is that there is no one to take his place,--another
commentary on the paucity of greatness. There is no visible heir to
Venizelos. Besides, Greece is a small country without international
touch and interest. Smuts, youngest of the trio, looms up as the most
brilliant statesman of his day and his career has just entered upon a
new phase.

He is the dominating actor in a drama that not only affects the destiny
of the whole British Empire, but has significance for every civilized
nation. The quality of striking contrast has always been his. The
one-time Boer General, who fought Roberts and Kitchener twenty years
ago, is battling with equal tenacity for the integrity of the Imperial
Union born of that war. Not in all history perhaps, is revealed a more
picturesque situation than obtains in South Africa today. You have the
whole Nationalist movement crystallized into a single compelling
episode. In a word, it is contemporary Ireland duplicated without
violence and extremism.

I met General Smuts often during the Great War. He stood out as the most
intellectually alert, and in some respects the most dis