d we enjoyed one another's
company, that we engaged to meet again the following season. Thus, at
the end of July, 1876, we were once more hunting together in that wild
and distant region north-east of the Crocodile.

One evening--I remember it well--we were outspanned in a delightful
valley between low hills, through which a pleasant stream ran--a rare
thing in the prevailing drought. We had had a good hunt that day, and
the flesh of a fat buffalo cow filled our stew-pot. Our oxen lay
peacefully in a strong thorn kraal close at hand--for there were lions
about--and our horses were tied up to the wagon-wheels; the fires blazed
ruddily against the outer darkness. At one of these fires were gathered
our native boys, feasting and chattering, and laughing in high good
humour; at the other, Du Plessis and I sat in our wagon-chairs. We had
finished our meal, and were smoking our fragrant Rustenburg tobacco and
drinking our coffee; for the day had been hot, and our hunt a long and
exciting one, and our thirst was still unassuaged. We were talking
about gold and prospecting. The Dutchman was not over-keen about it,
but he was anxious to help me.

"There's a kloof somewhere about here, Fairmount," (that's my name), he
said, "in which I shot a white rhinoceros five years ago. I should like
you to see it; I remember some natives brought me a quill of gold which
they had collected up there. I think you would find it worth looking
at; but this country is so broken, that I can't for the life of me make
out the exact spot. We shall hit it off presently, no doubt; but just
now it's almost as hard to find as poor Tobias Steenkamp's `Verloren
Vlei.'"

"Verloren Vlei," I replied in Cape Dutch, in which we habitually spoke.
"I never heard of the place. Where's that?"

"Allemaghte! that's a very queer story," answered Du Plessis. "Tobias
Steenkamp was a cousin of mine. One day four years ago he came to our
farm and outspanned. He had had a hard trek, and lost some oxen, and
was himself smitten with fever. He stayed a week, and he was for ever
talking of a wonderful _vlei_ [Pronounced _flay_, A vlei is the Dutch
name for a shallow lake.] he had discovered somewhere in an inaccessible
mountain range in this direction, on the shores of which he had found
much gold. He showed us some fine nuggets; and, indeed, he excited my
brother Hans and myself so much, that we half promised to go back with
him and have a look at the place