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The portable forge and the ox…mill pleased Dick Dale most； but the
partitioned bedsteads charmed Phoebe。 She said；〃 Oh； doctor； how
can one man's head hold so many things？ If there's a man on earth
I can trust my husband with； 'tis you。 But if things go cross up
there； promise me you will come back at once and cast in your lot
with us。 We have got money and stock； and you have got headpiece；
we might do very well together。 Indeed； indeed we might。 Promise
me。 Oh； do； please； promise me！〃
〃I promise you。〃
And on this understanding； Staines and Falcon were equipped with
rifles； pickaxe； shovels； waterproofs； and full saddle…bags； and
started； with many shakings of the hand； and many tears from
Phoebe； for the diamond washings。
CHAPTER XXI。
Phoebe's tears at parting made Staines feel uncomfortable； and he
said so。
〃Pooh； pooh！〃 said Falcon； 〃crying for nothing does a woman good。〃
Christopher stared at him。
Falcon's spirits rose as they proceeded。 He was like a boy let
loose from school。 His fluency and charm of manner served；
however； to cheer a singularly dreary journey。
The travellers soon entered on a vast and forbidding region； that
wearied the eye； at their feet a dull； rusty carpet of dried grass
and wild camomile； with pale…red sand peeping through the burnt and
scanty herbage。 On the low mounds； that looked like heaps of
sifted ashes； struggled now and then into sickliness a ragged；
twisted shrub。 There were flowers too； but so sparse； that they
sparkled vainly in the colorless waste； which stretched to the
horizon。 The farmhouses were twenty miles apart； and nine out of
ten of them were new ones built by the Boers since they degenerated
into white savages： mere huts； with domed kitchens behind them。 In
the dwelling…house the whole family pigged together； with raw flesh
drying on the rafters； stinking skins in a corner； parasitical
vermin of all sorts blackening the floor； and particularly a small；
biting； and odoriferous tortoise； compared with which the insect a
London washerwoman brings into your house in her basket； is a
stroke with a featherand all this without the excuse of penury；
for many of these were shepherd kings； sheared four thousand
fleeces a year； and owned a hundred horses and horned cattle。
These Boers are compelled； by unwritten law； to receive travellers
and water their cattle； but our travellers； after one or two
experiences； ceased to trouble them； for； added to the dirt； the
men were sullen； the women moody； silent； brainless； the whole
reception churlish。 Staines detected in them an uneasy
consciousness that they had descended； in more ways than one； from
a civilized race； and the superior bearing of a European seemed to
remind them what they had been； and might have been； and were not；
so； after an attempt or two； our adventurers avoided the Boers； and
tried the Kafirs。 They found the savages socially superior； though
their moral character does not rank high。
The Kafir cabins they entered were caves； lighted only by the door；
but deliciously cool； and quite clean； the floors of puddled clay
or ants' nests； and very clean。 On entering these cool retreats；
the flies that had tormented them shirked the cool grot； and buzzed
off to the nearest farm to batten on congenial foulness。 On the
fat； round； glossy babies； not a speck of dirt； whereas the little
Boers were cakes thereof。 The Kafir would meet them at the door；
his clean black face all smiles and welcome。 The women and grown
girls would fling a spotless handkerchief over their shoulders in a
moment； and display their snowy teeth； in unaffected joy at sight
of an Englishman。
At one of these huts； one evening； they met with something St。 Paul
ranks above cleanliness even； viz。； Christianity。 A neighboring
lion had just eaten a Hottentot faute de mieux； and these good
Kafirs wanted the Europeans not to go on at night and be eaten for
dessert。 But they could not speak a word of English； and
pantomimic expression exists in theory alone。 In vain the women
held our travellers by the coat…tails； and pointed to a distant
wood。 In vain Kafir pere went on all…fours and growled sore。 But
at last a savage youth ran to the kitchenfor they never cook in
the houseand came back with a brand； and sketched； on the wall of
the hut； a lion with a mane down to the ground； and a saucer eye；
not loving。 The creature's paw rested on a hat and coat and
another fragment or two of a European。 The rest was fore…
shortened； or else eaten。
The picture completed； the females looked； approved； and raised a
dismal howl。
〃A lion on the road；〃 said Christopher gravely。
Then the undaunted Falcon seized the charcoal； and drew an
Englishman in a theatrical attitude； left foot well forward； firing
a gun； and a lion rolling head over heels like a buck rabbit； and
blood squirting out of a hole in his perforated carcass。
The savages saw； and exulted。 They were so off their guard as to
confound representation with fact； they danced round the white
warrior； and launched him to victory。
〃Aha！〃 said Falcon； 〃I took the shine out of their lion； didn't I？〃
〃You did： and once there was a sculptor who showed a lion his
marble group； a man trampling a lion； extracting his tongue； and so
on； but report says it DID NOT CONVINCE THE LION。〃
〃Why； no； a lion is not an ass。 But； for your comfort； there ARE
no lions in this part of the world。 They are myths。 There were
lions in Africa。 But now they are all at the Zoo。 And I wish I
was there too。〃
〃In what characterof a discontented animalwith every blessing？
They would not take you in； too common in England。 Hallo！ this is
something new。 What lots of bushes！ We should not have much
chance with a lion here。〃
〃There ARE no lions： it is not the Zoo；〃 said Falcon； but he
spurred on faster。
The country； however； did not change its feature； bushes and little
acacias prevailed； and presently dark forms began to glide across
at intervals。
The travellers held their breath； and pushed on； but at last their
horses flagged； so they thought it best to stop and light a fire
and stand upon their guard。
They did so； and Falcon sat with his rifle cocked； while Staines
boiled coffee； and they drank it； and after two hours' halt； pushed
on； and at last the bushes got more scattered； and they were on the
dreary plain again。 Falcon drew the rein； with a sigh of relief；
and they walked their horses side by side。
〃Well； what has become of the lions？〃 said Falcon jauntily。 He
turned in his saddle； and saw a large animal stealing behind them
with its belly to the very earth； and eyes hot coals； he uttered an
eldrich screech； fired both barrels； with no more aim than a baby；
and spurred away； yelling like a demon。 The animal fled another
way； in equal trepidation at those tongues of flame and loud
reports； and Christopher's horse reared and plunged； and deposited
him promptly on the sward； but he held the bridle； mounted again；
and rode after his companion。 A stern chase is a long chase； and
for that or some other reason he could never catch him again till
sunrise。 Being caught； he ignored the lioness； with cool hauteur：
he said he had ridden on to find comfortable quarters： and craved
thanks。
This was literally the only incident worth recording that the
companions met with in three hundred miles。
On the sixth day out； towards afternoon； they found by inquiring
they were near the diamond washings； and the short route was
pointed out by an exceptionally civil Boer。
But Christopher's eye had lighted upon a sort of chain of knolls；
or little round hills； devoid of vegetation； and he told Falcon he
would like to inspect these； before going farther。
〃Oh；〃 said the Boer； 〃they are not on my farm； thank goodness！ they
are on my cousin Bulteel's；〃 and he pointed to a large white house
about four miles distant； and quite off the road。 Nevertheless；
Staines insisted on going to it。 But first they made up to one of
these knolls； and examined it； it was about thirty feet high； and
not a vestige of herbage on it； the surface was composed of sand
and of lumps of gray limestone very hard； diversified with lots of
quartz； mica； and other old formations。
Staines got to the top of it with some difficulty； and examined the
surface all over。 He came down again； and said； 〃All these little
hills mark hot volcanic actionwhy； they are like boiling earth…
bubbleswhich is the very thing； under certain conditions； to turn
carbonate of lime into diamonds。 Now here is plenty of limestone
unnaturally hard； and being in a diamond country； I can fancy no
place more likely to be the matrix than these earth…bubbles。 Let
us tether the horses； and use our shovels。〃
They did so； and found one or two common crystals； and some jasper；
and a piece of chalcedony all in little bubbles； but no diamond。
Falcon said it was wasting time。
Just then the proprietor； a gigantic； pasty colonist； came up； with
his pipe； and stood calmly looking on。 Staines came down； and made
a sort of apology。 Bulteel smiled quietly； and asked what harm
they could do him； raking that rubbish。