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ce or twice。 At any rate in the end； feeling that he was a dead man if he remained where he was； he tore up the bag； tied the sacking round his wrists and knees； and； thus protected against the stones and grass stumps； dragged himself out into the veld； where； by the mercy of Providence； an English patrol found him。 It turned out that his stomach had been ruptured； and that； had it not been for his long abstinence from food； he must have expired。 No treatment could possibly have been better for him； and as it was the break in the tissues found time to heal。 In the end he recovered； though that was the last service which he did in South Africa。 It was rewarded with a D。S。O。 and the rank of major in the British Army。 Lord Roberts gave him a remarkable letter of thanks and appreciation： it sets forth his admiration of Burnham’s skill； endurance and ability in difficult scouting inside the lines of the enemy。
Burnham told me that during that war on many occasions he passed through the sentries of both the British and the Boer forces without being seen。 Once he perated into a Boer camp and came to a waggon where a fat old Dutchman lay snoring。 To the trek…tow were tied sixteen beautiful black oxen； no doubt that Dutchman’s especial pride。 With his knife he cut them loose and drove them away back into the British lines。 Often； he told me； he had speculated as to what the old Boer said when he woke up and found them gone for ever。 On another occasion when he was scouting he was absolutely surrounded by the Boers and could find no cover in which to hide。 With the help of an old Kaffir blanket and a stick he made himself up as a beggar and limped away between them without even being questioned。
In all such matters he seems to possess a kind of sixth sense； evolved no doubt in the course of his long training in Indian warfare。 He was one of the pioneers in the Klondike； whither he travelled across the winter snows on a sledge drawn by dogs； which for some weeks were his sole panions。 These dogs he watched very closely； and as a result of his observations informed me that he was sure from their conduct at night that they possessed some elementary instinct of prayer。 His reasons are too long to set out； but they were very striking。
In Rhodesia he discovered a large amount of treasure buried in one of the prehistoric ruins and old forts； with the skeletons of unknown ancients。 I have a gold bead from it which he gave me； mounted as a pin； also some iron arrow…heads which he found amidst the bones； showing that these men died in an attack by enemies。
Such are a few of the incidents of Major Burnham’s career。 The reader might judge from them that he is a rough and uncultured man； but this is far from being the case。 Like old Allan Quatermain； he is an extremely polished and thoughtful person； and one with an extraordinarily wide outlook on affairs in general。 I remember； for instance； that he took a most lively interest in parish councils； their constitution and business。 This； after all the vast issues of life and death in which he had been engaged for many years； struck me as strange — though； as we know； elephants are adepts at the picking up of pins。
When I was missioner in America in 1905 I stayed with the Burnhams at their charming house in Pasadena； Los Angeles。 After I parted from them I travelled with another remarkable man； Mr。 Hays Hammond — who was once condemned to death with Jameson at Pretoria — across America in his private car； and spoke with him of Burnham。 Also I told him the strange tale of a certain odd gentleman of the name of Carmichael； now I believe long dead； who thought that he had discovered the secret of the hidden city of the Aztecs； that lies somewhere at the back of Chiapas； in which treasure to the value of three million sterling is supposed to have been concealed by Montezuma on the approach of the Spaniards。27 Thinking； from the documentary evidence； that there was something in this tale； a friend and I furnished Carmichael with a moderate sum of money to enable him to locate the place。 He set out； and after incredible hardships found the wrong city； or the wrong part of the right city； where his Indian carriers deserted him； leaving him suffering from fever to support life upon catfish； which he caught with a bent nail。 Ultimately he was rescued and brought back to civilisation。
26 This was the sacred treasure held by Montezuma as High Priest； which it took 1500 men to carry in bars of gold。 It must not be mixed up with the private royal treasure whereof I have already spoken； that was buried by Guatemoc — also to save it from the Spaniards。 — H。 R。 H。
Hays Hammond was so taken with this exciting narrative that he determined to send Burnham to look for the Aztec city； and telegraphed to him to e from San Francisco to New York to see him。 Needless to say； Burnham was quite ready for the adventure； and followed me to England to get particulars； among other business。 Whilst here a terrible thing befell him。 He had taken a little villa on the Thames； where he was living with his wife and a fine little boy； the brother of the child Nada。 One day the boy was missing。 His body was found in the Thames。 I was informed that when Burnham saw it he fell to the ground senseless as though he had been shot。
Afterwards he returned to America and started to look for the Aztec city； but was prevented from getting very far by a rebellion among the Indians。 His last letter to me was written from that district some four years ago。 I answered it； but since then have heard nothing from him。 I do not think that he is dead； as such news would probably have reached me one way or another； or Hays Hammond would have mentioned it when I had a hurried interview with him at the time of the King’s Coronation； which he attended as Special Ambassador from the United States。 I conclude； therefore； that Burnham is probably now engaged in all the Mexican fighting that has ensued upon the deposition of President Diaz； which leaves him no time for correspondence； or perhaps he is disinterring the treasure from the hidden city！ One day I hope that he will appear again and greet me in his quiet fashion as though we had parted but yesterday — I mean； of course； on this bank of the great “Divide。”
Chapter 18 RURAL ENGLAND
H。 R。 H。 returns to the country — Devotes himself to agriculture — “Farmer’s Year” — Arthur Young — Bradfield bust — Bobbin — Determines to follow Arthur Young’s example — Agreed with Daily Express for series of articles on Rural England — Visit to Cyprus and Holy Land — A Winter Pilgrimage — Rural England journeys — Heaviest labour of H。 R。 H。‘s life — Arthur Cochrane’s help — Hundreds of interviews — Practical results disappointing — Mr。 R。 W。 Hanbury — Agricultural Post — Lord Onslow — Mrs。 Asquith。
My town excitement over I returned to the country and the writing of books。 Oddly enough； I found that the thorough change of thought seemed to have rested my mind； with the result that my imagination was fresher than it had been for some years before。 Also the work itself was and has remained less irksome to me than during the years 1891 to 1895。 Still the desire haunted me to do something