Still unsatisfied, Jacob Meyer, who was a most intrepid person, determined to investigate the place himself, a task of no little difficulty and danger, since proper ladders were wanting, nor, had they existed, was there anything to stand them on.  Therefore it came to this:  a seat must be rigged on to the end of the old copper chain, and be lowered into the pit after the fashion of the bucket.  But, as Benita pointed out, although they might let him down, it was possible that they would not be able to draw him up again, in which case his plight must prove unfortunate.  So, when the seat had been prepared, an experiment was made with a stone weighing approximately as much as a man.  This Benita and her father let down easily enough, but, as they anticipated, when it came to winding it up again, their strength was barely sufficient to the task.  Three people could do it well, but with two the thing was risky.  Now Meyer asked—­or, rather, commanded—­the Molimo to order some of his men to help him, but this the old chief refused point blank to do.

First, he made a number of excuses.  They were all employed in drilling, and in watching for the Matabele; they were afraid to venture here, and so forth.  At last Meyer grew furious; his eyes flashed, he ground his teeth, and began to threaten.

“White man,” said the Molimo, when he had done, “it cannot be.  I have fulfilled my bargain with you.  Search for the gold; find it and take it away if you can.  But this place is holy.  None of my tribe, save he who holds the office of Molimo for the time, may set a foot therein.  Kill me if you will—­I care not; but so it is, and if you kill me, afterwards they will kill you.”

Now Meyer, seeing that nothing was to be gained by violence, changed his tone, and asked if he himself would help them.

“I am old, my strength is small,” he replied; “yet I will put my hand to the chain and do my best.  But, if I were you, I would not descend that pit.”

“Still, I will descend it, and to-morrow,” said Meyer.

XII

THE BEGINNING OF THE SEARCH

Accordingly, on the next day the great experiment was made.  The chain and ancient winding gear had been tested and proved to be amply sufficient to the strain.  Therefore, nothing remained save for Meyer to place himself in the wooden seat with an oil-lamp, and in case this should be extinguished, matches and candles, of both of which they had a large supply.

He did so boldly enough, and swung out over the mouth of the pit, while the three of them clutched the handles of the winch.  Then they began to lower, and slowly his white face disappeared into the black depth.  At every few turns his descent was stopped that he might examine the walls of the well, and when he was about fifty feet down he called to them to hold on, which they did, listening while he struck at the rock with a hammer, for here it sounded very hollow.