In Johannesburg Long Walk Original Manuscript (Image #46)

two of the Regent's oxen to the local trader who was unaware that, in this particular case, we had no authority to sell the cattle, and who paid us a good price. We travelled by train up to Queenstown and, as we had no travelling documents, we tried to obtain them in that town. Fortunately we met Chief Mpondombini, the father of Sonto, and the man who brought up Sabata before he went to live with Reverend Harris. Chief Mpondombini was a retired interpreter from the Native Affairs Department and knew the chief magistrate well. He took us to that official and the latter, after listening to the Chief, made out the travelling documents and affixed the official stamp. As he was handing them over to us, he seemed to remember something and put the documents on his desk. He then explained to the Chief that, as a matter of courtesy, he would inform the chief magistrate of Mthatha, in whose jurisdiction we fell, of what he proposed to do. He then phoned and, unfortunately for us, exactly at that moment, the Regent was in the office of the Mthatha chief magistrate and our secret was exposed. We appologized to the Chief and thereafter consulted the local white attorney. His mother was planning to visit Johannesburg in a fortnights time and he arranged for her to leave with us the following day, charging us fifteen pounds for the trouble. We started the journey early in the morning, the old lady sat next to the driver. Justice and I sat in the back seat with Justice immediately behind her. As usual he was curious, excited and talkative. I was also excited because I was on my way to Johannesburg where many of my childhood friends now worked, earned money, and from where they returned to buy a lease of land, cattle, and build their homes, and plough,