This Mitchell proceeded to do, when at
length the conviction had been borne in upon him that all his efforts at
dissuasion were worse than useless; and when, two days later, they took
leave of the genial planter, Dick carried away with him a notebook
crowded from cover to cover with information that was destined to prove
of incalculable value to him and his companion, as well as a sketch map
showing the best route to follow, and certain localities that were to be
most carefully avoided if they desired to return sane and sound to
civilisation.

Arrived in Durban once more, after a most delightful jaunt, they at once
set about making their preparations in earnest, one of the first things
which Grosvenor insisted upon doing being the payment to Dick of six
months' salary in advance, from the date of their landing upon South
African soil. Practically the whole of this Dick was able to remit home
to his mother, since Grosvenor would not hear of his contributing so
much as a single penny toward the expenses of the expedition, therefore
the junior member of the partnership had no need to spend anything,
except for a few curios which he thought his mother might like to
display to her friends; but he laid in a few additional drugs, and also
added a spare instrument or two to his surgical case, to cover the
possibility of loss or accident.

Three days later they started for Johannesburg, by way of Delagoa Bay
and Pretoria, Grosvenor being very anxious to get a glimpse of life on
the Rand and to gain some knowledge of diamonds and diamond mining
before he finally bade farewell to civilisation. Since Johannesburg lay
on the direct line of their route, and the knowledge sought might
possibly prove useful in the future, Dick raised no objection to the
proposal, especially as they went armed with letters of introduction
from Mitchell to some of the most influential of the Rand magnates and
others whose advice and assistance would be exceedingly helpful. A busy
three weeks spent in the city and at Witwatersrand enriched them with
much very valuable information, both particular and general, and also
enabled them to acquire four excellent horses and an Indian coolie groom
named Ramoo Samee, who not only bore a most admirable character, but
also raised no objection when informed of the nature and scope of the
adventure upon which his employers were bound. Here, too, and also at
Pretoria, the partners endeavoured to secure the servi