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had some cargo to land for the English settlers； one or two of whom had
started a trade with the natives and with parties of the emigrant Boers
who were beginning to enter the territory by the overland route。 Those
days I passed on shore； though I would not allow Hans to accompany me
lest he should desert； employing my time in picking up all the
information I could about the state of affairs； especially with
reference to the Zulus； a people with whom I was destined ere long to
make an intimate acquaintance。 Needless to say； I inquired both from
natives and from white men whether anything was known of the fate of
Marais's party； but no one seemed even to have heard of them。 One thing
I did learn； however； that my old friend； Pieter Retief； with a large
following； had crossed the Quathlamba Mountains； which we now know as
the Drakensberg； and entered the territory of Natal。 Here they proposed
to settle if they could get the leave of the Zulu king； Dingaan； a
savage potentate of whom and of whose armies everyone seemed to live in
terror。
On the third morning； to my great relief； for I was terrified lest we
should be delayed； the Seven Stars sailed with a favouring wind。 Three
days later we entered the harbour of Delagoa； a sheet of water many
miles long and broad。 Notwithstanding its shallow entrance； it is the
best natural port in Southeastern Africa； but now； alas！ lost to the
English。
Six hours later we anchored opposite a sandbank on which stood a
dilapidated fort and a dirty settlement known as Lorenzo Marquez； where
the Portuguese kept a few soldiers； most of them coloured。 I pass over
my troubles with the Customs； if such they could be called。 Suffice it
to say that ultimately I succeeded in landing my goods； on which the
duty chargeable was apparently enormous。 This I did by distributing
twenty…five English sovereigns among various officials； beginning with
the acting…governor and ending with a drunken black sweep who sat in a
kind of sentry box on the quay。
Early next morning the Seven Stars sailed again； because of some quarrel
with the officials； who threatened to seize herI forget why。 Her
destination was the East African ports and； I think； Madagascar； where a
profitable trade was to be done in carrying cattle and slaves。 Captain
Richardson said he might be back at Lorenzo Marquez in two or three
months' time； or he might not。 As a matter of fact the latter
supposition proved correct； for the Seven Stars was lost on a sandbank
somewhere up the coast； her crew only escaping to Mombasa after enduring
great hardships。
Well； she had served my turn； for I heard afterwards that no other ship
put into the Bay for a whole year from the date she left it。 So if I
had not caught her at Port Elizabeth I could not have come at all；
except； of course； overland。 This at best must have taken many months；
and was moreover a journey that no man could enter on alone。
Now I get back to my story again。
There was no inn at Lorenzo Marquez。 Through the kindness of one of his
native or half…breed wives； who could talk a little Dutch； I managed；
however； to get a lodging in a tumble…down house belonging to a
dissolute person who called himself Don Jose Ximenes； but who was really
himself a half…breed。 Here good fortune befriended me。 Don Jose； when
sober； was a trader with the natives； and a year before had acquired
from them two good buck wagons。 Probably they were stolen from some
wandering Boers or found derelict after their murder or death by fever。
These wagons he was only too glad to sell for a song。 I think I gave
him twenty pounds English for the two； and thirty more for twelve oxen
that he had bought at the same time as the wagons。 They were fine
beasts of the Afrikander breed； that after a long rest had grown quite
fat and strong。
Of course twelve oxen were not enough to draw two wagons； or even one。
Therefore； hearing that there were natives on the mainland who possessed
plenty of cattle； I at once gave out that I was ready to buy； and pay
well in blankets； cloth； beads and so forth。 The result was that within
two days I had forty or fifty to choose from； small animals of the Zulu
character and； I should add； unbroken。 Still they were sturdy and used
to that veld and its diseases。 Here it was that my twelve trained
beasts came in。 By putting six of them to each wagon； two as fore… and
two as after…oxen； and two in the middle； Hans and I were able to get
the other ten necessary to make up a team of sixteen under some sort of
control。
Heavens！ how we worked during the week or so which went by before it was
possible for me to leave Lorenzo Marquez。 What with mending up and
loading the wagons； buying and breaking in the wild oxen； purchasing
provisions； hiring native servantsof whom I was lucky enough to secure
eight who belonged to one of the Zulu tribes and desired to get back to
their own country； whence they had wandered with some Boers； I do not
think that we slept more than two or three hours out of the twenty…four。
But； it may be asked； what was my aim； whither went I； what inquiries
had I made？ To answer the last question first； I had made every
possible inquiry； but with little or no result。 Marie's letter had said
that they were encamped on the bank of the Crocodile River； about fifty
miles from Delagoa Bay。 I asked everyone I met among the
Portuguesewho； after all； were not manyif they had heard of such an
encampment of emigrant Boers。 But these Portuguese appeared to have
heard nothing； except my host； Don Jose； who had a vague recollection of
somethinghe could not remember what。
The fact was at this time the few people who lived at Lorenzo Marquez
were too sodden with liquor and other vices to take any interest in
outside news that did not immediately concern them。 Moreover； the
natives whom they flogged and oppressed if they were their servants； or
fought with if they were not； told them little； and almost nothing that
was true； for between the two races there was an hereditary hate
stretching back for generations。 So from the Portuguese I gained no
information。
Then I turned to the Kaffirs； especially to those from whom I had bought
the cattle。 _They_ had heard that some Boers reached the banks of the
Crocodile moons agohow many they could not tell。 But that country；
they said； was under the rule of a chief who was hostile to them； and
killed any of their people who ventured thither。 Therefore they knew
nothing for certain。 Still； one of them stated that a woman whom he had
bought as a slave； and who had passed through the district in question a
few weeks before； told him that someone had told her that these Boers
were all dead of sickness。 She added that she had seen their wagon caps
from a distance； so； if they were dead； 〃their wagons were still alive。〃
I asked to see this woman； but the native refused to produce her。 After
a great deal of talk； however； he offered to sell her to me； saying that
he was tired of her。 So I bargained with the man and finally agreed for
her purchase for three pounds of copper wire and eight yards of blue
cloth。 Next morning she was produced； an extremely ugly person with a
large； flat nose； who came from somewhere in the interior of Africa；
having； I gathered； been taken captive by Arabs and sold from hand to
hand。 Her name； as near as I can pronounce it； was Jeel。
I had great difficulty in establishing communication with her； but
ultimately found that one of my newly hired Kaffirs could understand
something of her language。 Even then it was hard to make her talk； for
she had never seen a white man； and thought I had bought her for some
dreadful purpose or other。 However； when she found that she was kindly
treated； she opened her lips and told me the same story that her late
master had repeated； neither more nor less。 Finally I asked her whether
she could guide me to the place where she had seen the 〃live wagons。〃
She answered： 〃Oh； yes；〃 as she had travelled many roads and never
forgot any of them。
This； of course； was all I wanted from the woman； who； I may add；
ultimately gave me a good deal of trouble。 The poor creature seemed
never to have experienced kindness； and her gratitude for the little I
showed her was so intense that it became a nuisance。 She followed me
about everywhere； trying to do me service in her savage way； and even
attempted to seize my food and chew it before I put it into my own
mouthto save me the trouble； I suppose。 Ultimately I married her；
somewhat against her will； I fear； to one of the hired Kaffirs； who made
her a very good husband； although when he was dismissed from my service
she wanted to leave him and follow me。
At length； under the guidance of this woman； Jeel； we made a start。
There were but fifty miles to go； a distance that on a fair road any
good horse