although rain falls but seldom in the desert, there are occasional
thunderstorms of extraordinary violence, and I have seen wide stretches
of the Kalahari near the dry bed of the extinct Molopo River (long
since choked, and part of the desert) converted into a broad deep lake,
after a cloudburst lasting but an hour or so, which drowned hundreds of
head of cattle.

The incident in "Dick Sydney," of the fracas in the bar where the
Germans were toasting to "The Day," was not written after war was
declared, but one night in Luderitzbucht full three years ago, after
hearing that toast drunk publicly in the manner described, and after
witnessing a very similar ending to it! And that particular story was
refused by the then editor of The State, as being too anti-German! Well
times have indeed changed!

And lest a prospective "Dick Sydney" should think that the picture of
that individual picking up a thousand carats of diamonds in an hour or
so is far-fetched, let me assure him that the first discoverers of the
Pomona fields, south of Luderitzbucht, did literally fill their pockets
with the precious stones in that space of time: and that other fields
as rich may well await discovery will be denied by few who know the
country.

"Ex Africa semper aliquid novo" never was saying truer! and Damaraland,
under the British flag, and with scope given to individual enterprise,
may well provide still another striking example of that old adage.

FREDERICK C. CORNELL.

Cape Town, 1915.

A RIP VAN WINKLE OF THE KALAHARI

INTRODUCTORY

The manner of my meeting with him was strange in the extreme, and a
fitting prelude to the wild and fantastic story he told me.

I had been trading and elephant shooting in Portuguese territory in
Southern Angola; and hearing from my boys that ivory was plentiful in
German territory, farther south, I had crossed the Kunene River into
Amboland; and here, sure enough, I found elephants and ivory galore. So
good, indeed, was both sport and trade in this country of the Ovampos
that by the time I reached Etosha Pau my "trade" goods had vanished,
and my wagon was heavily laden with fine tusks. So far had I penetrated
into German territory that I decided to make my way south-west towards
Walfisch Bay instead of returning to Portuguese territory. But I knew I
must rest my cattle well before attempting it, for it would mean an
arduous trek; I had no guide, and there were no roads; for at the tim