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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。 〃Rake it all avay； mine
vriends；〃 said he： 〃ve shall thank you moch。〃
He then invited them languidly to his house。 They went with him；
and as he volunteered no more remarks； they questioned him； and
learned his father had been a Hollander； and so had his vrow's。
This accounted for the size and comparative cleanliness of his
place。 It was stuccoed with the lime of the country outside； and
was four times as large as the miserable farmhouses of the
degenerate Boers。 For all this； the street door opened on the
principal room； and that room was kitchen and parlor； only very
large and wholesome。 〃But； Lord；〃 as poor dear Pepys used to blurt
out〃to see how some folk understand cleanliness！〃 The floor was
made of powdered ants' nests； and smeared with fresh cow…dung every
day。 Yet these people were the cleanest Boers in the colony。
The vrow met them； with a snow…white collar and cuffs of Hamburgh
linen； and the brats had pasty faces round as pumpkins； but shone
with soap。 The vrow was also pasty…faced； but gentle； and