“Quite true,” he said. “Johannes some time ago told me that at half-tide a coal vein is visible in the banks of the river just beyond kotta Djangkan. It is low tide now; let us have a look.” “I am agreeable,” the Swiss replied. “But had we not better get our guns? In a country like this it is always well to be armed.” “We have our mandauws,” the Walloon answered, “but I will take the opportunity of bringing a crowbar and pickaxe.” A few minutes later the two men with their rifles and implements were seated in a boat and quietly rowed up the river. They had hardly travelled half an hour when they began to perceive a black streak upon the fine, gray, scaly clay which composed the steep banks of the stream. The explorers rowed towards the widest part of the black streak in order to examine it more closely. La Cueille detached a couple of pieces and found that he had come upon a mine of coal. In color it was of a dull grayish black and was so fragile that it easily crumbled between the strong fingers of the Walloon. On fracture it exhibited a fine leafy structure, taking the shape of a parallelopipedon. Armed with his pickaxe he broke through the upper layers, which had been exposed for ages to wind and weather, and soon he had the satisfaction of discovering coal of quite a different quality. Not yet satisfied the Walloon mounted the bank, proceeded a couple of hundred yards inland and commenced to dig at a certain depression of the soil. The earth was loosened with pickaxe and crowbar and removed with their hands. In a couple of hours they came upon a layer of soft, gray-brown clay which caused the Walloon to cry out with joy. He broke through this layer and found it to be about eight inches deep. He examined the debris and recognized fine scales of iron ore which made him certain of the value of his discovery. Shortly afterward and under the combined exertions of the two Europeans the iron teeth of the crowbar and pickaxe produced their first large lump of true coal. “This is quite a different product from the one over there,” the Walloon exclaimed. Schlickeisen looked at it carefully, but could find no difference. “It seems exactly like the coal found near the river,” he said. “Only with this difference,” added La Cueille, “that these are jet-black—and see how resplendent on fracture. But what are these spots? They look like amber! Good heavens, they are resinous spots, the best proof that this is fat coal. What a treasure!” The Swiss smilingly looked at his excited companion, and although he little understood mining he could appreciate the rapture of the Walloon and greatly enjoyed it. “Let us break up a good stock,” the latter exclaimed, “so that I may test the quality by and by.” They proceeded with their task and soon collected a sufficient stock for the experiment proposed to be made by La Cueille. Most of the lumps were so large as to require their united strength to carry them into the djoekoeng.