our investing several hardly earned hundreds of pounds in a bunch of trek oxen； which we sent down to the bush…veld to recover。 A month or two later came a message from the man who had taken them in； to the effect that they were all dead of eating a poisonous herb called “tulip。” We often wondered if “tulip” really accounted for their disappearance from our ken。
Also we made hay； rather a new departure in that district in our time； where the cattle were left to get through the winter as best they could。 This hay…making was a profitable business； as the product was in eager demand at a high price。 I remember selling the result of about a month of my own work for 250 pounds； and never in all my life have I been prouder of anything than I was of earning that money； literally with my hands and by the sweat of my brow。
This was the process — one that would make my English steward and labourers stare。 Indeed； when I tell the former of it； he listens politely but； I am quite sure； in his heart believes that for his benefit I have wandered into the familiar fields of fiction。 We had imported a hay…cutting machine； I believe one of the first seen in those parts。 Having selected a patch of level veld on which to operate； and harnessed； I think； three horses to the machine； I would start out in the dewy morning； at sunrise； with a Kaffir leader。 Then we menced operations。 I sat on that dreadful apparatus and managed the levers and knives； the Kaffir led the horses。 The gra