g the pint of diamonds and
accompanied by a number of carriers, with directions to keep to the
valley of the Olifant River as far as the Lebomba Range, and then to
skirt the eastern slope of that range to the Komati River. Here they
were to await a message telling of the arrival of the gun.

Herbert Rhodes was not alone a first-rate boxer, but was unduly fond of
giving practical illustration of his skill. On board the barque he
quarreled with another man and gave the latter a severe thrashing. This
man nursed revengeful feelings. Having found out about the forwarding
of the gun, he managed to slip ashore early on the following morning
and give information to the authorities. The Portuguese commander at
once made preparations to send a company of soldiers for the purpose of
apprehending the gun-runners. In the meantime a man at Lourenco Marques
who was in Herbert Rhodes's confidence dispatched a swift runner ahead
to warn Rhodes of his danger. This runner arrived some considerable
time before the soldiers, so Rhodes had ample time in which to make
preparations.

The way he dealt with the difficulty was simple and ought to have been
effective. He tied a rope to the gun and a piece of twine to the rope.
Then he flung rope and gun into the river, fastened the end of the
twine to a floating fragment of wood, lit a cigarette, and sat down to
await developments. In due time the Portuguese force arrived. The
officer in charge was accompanied by an interpreter. Rhodes and his
companions were at once arrested. The former protested hotly, and
inquired in indignant terms as to the reason for such an outrage. When
informed of the charge against him he affected the greatest
astonishment, and challenged the officer to institute a search. This
was done at once, and thoroughly; needless to say, nothing of an
incriminating nature was found.

The officer now changed his tone, becoming very apologetic. He probably
knew by experience that for a blunder such as this evidently, was, he,
rather than his superior, would have to bear the brunt. But Rhodes was
implacable; the world, he said, would ring with the outrage. As soon as
the British Government learned of the disgraceful manner in which one
of its subjects had been treated, a man-of-war would be sent round from
Simon's Town to knock the Portuguese shanties about the Portuguese
ears, &c. The officer, now thoroughly frightened, became more and more
abject. However, Rhodes determined to