The Great Thirst Land: a ride through Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal and Kalahari Desert, etc

Front matter

THE GREAT THIRST LAND A Ride through Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, and Kalahari Desert. BY PARKER GILLMORE, Author of 's Afloat and Ashore," " AU Round the World," " Prairie and Forest,' " Gun, Rod, and Saddle," " Accessible Field Sports," "Adventures in the Far TVest," " Prairie Farms and Prairie Folks," "Zone Life," §r. S;c. WITH A FRONTISPIECE. Cassell Petter & Galpin: LONDON, PARIS $ NEW YORK. [all rights reserved.] (To MY DEAR OLD MOTHER / DEDICATE THIS BOOK, AS A SLIGHT RETURN FOR THE MANY ANXIOUS HOURS I HAVE CAUSED HER WHEN WANDERING IN DISTANT LANDS. PARKER GILLMORE.

Preface

. I shoot for the pot — id est, to fill the pot; when that is done I cease to take the lives of valuable, food-furnishing animals. Thus I have to record no wonderful bags of game, but simply the killing of what was absolutely necessary for the support of myself and attendants. Further, this narrative is written with the hope of amusing and instructing the general reader, as well as to impart information to the sportsman, that will enable him to find the lion and the elephant. Moreover, let no one be led away with the idea that every one has the privilege of shooting in these distant parts. So far from this being the case, it is only by special favour one can obtain permission to hunt large game in " The Great Thirst Land." And, lastly, I would say that with moderate ex penditure and half a dozen attendants I will pass through Africa from south to north, and probably not take more than a year to do it.

My method is simplicity itself, and would probably not involve the death of a human being. The modus operandi, however, will only be imparted to those desirous to assist me in the undertaking. P. Gr. 15, Claverton Street, London, S. W. A CONTENTS.

Chapter I. An Invitation To Travel

Herefordshire— The Term " Hunting " — A Visit to the West— An Invitation — My Friend Morris — Sport in the Highlands — The Battery — Buying Guns — Oar Armament — Beads and Gewgaws — Particulars of onr Personal Outfit ............ 1

Chapter II. Prom London Docks To Dartmouth

Berths booked — Scenes at Parting — Bustle at the Docks — Brusque John Bull and Polite Frenchman — Our Vessel — British and French Sailors — Good-byes at Gravesend — Down Channel — Dutch Galliots — French Luggers — Johnny Crapaud — A Fruiterer — Opposition Sailing on the Mississippi — Beauty of Dartmouth ....... 9

Chapter III. Mt Fellow-passengers

Our Cuisine — Reminiscences of Olden Days — Plum Duff — A Tarn — An Old Acquaintance — " The Plunger" — Mr. Holly — The Clergyman — A Pilau d la Chinoise — Mr. and Mrs. Crommy . . . . . . .17

Chapter IV. From Madeira To The Cape

A Charmed Island — Madeira from the Sea — Its Foreign Aspect — Old Buildings and their Inmates — New Blood Wanted — Land Sharks — Its Horses — Teneriffe — A Splendid Picture — African Memories — " Whales ! " — Experience Teaches Whales — Porpoises, Bonito, and Skip- Jacks — Amusements on Board Ship — A Death at Sea — Holly redivivus — The Plunger's Little Game — The Poundmaster's Ignorant Insolence — Table Bay . CONTENTS. VIII

Chapter V. First Impressions Of South Africa

PAGE Holly joins us — On the Look-out for a Coaster — Our Plans Altered — We Purchase a Wagon — A Visit to Rondebosch and Constantia — A Private Garden — South African Pick-me-up not to be recommended — Adieu to Cape Town — We reach Port Elizabeth — A Funny Lot of Visitors — The Poundmaster exposed — Port Elizabeth — The Florence — East London — Its Dangerous Roadstead — First Sight of Game — Arrival at Port Durban — Its Bar — A Day Lost in Sight of Land — Preparing for our Journey — Port Durban — The Upper and Middle Classes — The "Smart" Men of Durban — A Splendid Ride — The Best Drivers in the World 34

Chapter VI. Mr

PREFER, OF PREFER'S HOTEL. A Week of Laughter — Mine Host — An Oddity — His Peculiar Way of transacting Business — Prefer's Nationality — "All mine, all mine" — Pound your Cattle — Various Purchases of Live Stock — I ride on to Howick — A Fearful Storm — Summit House — Howick — Its Loveliness — No Wagon — A Chapter of Accidents — Holly dismissed — Zeiderberg's Team — Reach Howick at last — Catch a Cropper almost ...... 46

Chapter VII. Saulted Horses

— YOKE-OXEN — MT ATTENDANTS. Horse-sickness — Where found — Season of the Epidemic — Its Racial Effects — Symptoms — Value of Saulted Horses — Death of a Horse from this Disease — Suggested Remedies — Lung-sickness — Proposed Cures — Leading Oxen — Hints for the Proper Care of Oxen — Dental Surgeon, pro tern. — I extract the Wrong Tooth — Difficulties about my Attendants — Suspicious Cattle-dealers — Their Little Game — Caution to Travellers — How Missionaries get on — Umganey — Jim — Imp — The Interpreter's Speech — A Secret Benefactor 56

Chapter VIII. Breaks-down On The Road

Treck-tow Smashed — Treachery — For Hire — Reinforcements — On the Move at Last — Another Delay — On the Road again — A Long Three-miles Ride — Difficulties of Getting to the Game — Hints — Sunday Peace — Mine Host — A Canny Scot — Mr. Currie comes to Terms — Our New Boy — Everything going right now — The Driver's Villainy — I give him a Thrashing — Skimmel-pin Broken — The Wagon seemingly a Wreck — Vexation of Spirit — Morris starts to Buy a New Skimmel-pin — Unloading the Wagon — Boers to the Rescue — A Diplomatic Palaver — Coffee and Rum — The Boers' Family Love — More Soupje — Help Purchased — Out of Trouble CONTENTS. IX

Chapter IX. Our Boer Assistants

— AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. PAGE Pow-wow with the Boers — A Bargain struck — The Intimidation Game — The Cattle-dealer Checkmated — At a Standstill — In Karkloof Valley — A Meeting of Boers — Propitiatory Beverage — The Sort of Men they were — The Boer — More Outlay — My After-oxen, Ackerman and Brightman — Morris ill — In my hands — An Unexpected Pleasure — Jack Bennett — More Friends — Merry-making — Holly to the fore again — A Magnificent Midnight Scene — Bontebuck — Camp struck and Friends part 78

Chapter X. Mt Friend Invalided

One of the Boers' Wagons comes to Grief — We arrange for a New Wheel — A Useful Hill — Wilful William — Another Smash — Our Dogs — Mother and Chdd — Working like Slaves — No Progress — Off for Help — Hill Cattle in Africa — Friendly English — They put us to rights — Bushman's River — Accidents to our Horse and Pony — The Superintendent of the Natal Mounted Police — Morris so Bl that he must Recruit — A Sad Meal — I Part from my Friend — Holly's Sorrow — Alone — Off for a Hunt — The Natal Partridge — Quail — The Dogs in Full Cry — Filling a Pipe : the Various Processes, hurriedly, meditatively, angrily — A Shot at Bush-buck — The Game at Bay — Bring it Down — A Warning about Bush-buck 90

Chapter XI. Crossing The Drackenberg

Colenso — Curious Custom of Naming Towns — An Excellent Cuisine — A Smart v. a Handsome Man — The Men who get on — " The Rising Sun " — Fish for Dinner — Are not Sardines Fish ? — Night-marches — Umganey is " Bass's Boy " — The Lad's Willingness — Morris Rejoins me — White Savages — The Great Phairshon — William's Masterly Activity — Chocolate-making — Ready for the Ascent of the Drackenberg — The Shooting of Olephunts — " Do you Englishmans want the Transvaal ? " — Native Animus against British Rule — Van Renan's Pass — Dore's Illustrations of the Inferno — The Passage Begun — Klipping — Crawling on — Narrow Escapes — Very Cold — The Summit is Passed — Hurrah ! . . . 102

Chapter XII. En Route For The Transvaal

Rest after the Passage — " We twa hae paidl't in the Burn " — Independent of the Boers, if need be — Red-water — No Cure — How the Mystery might be Solved— An Extraordinary Finch— What a Tail !— An Expensive Toll — Bob and the Pig — Harrismith — The Barrack-masters of Old — X CONTENTS. PAGE 142 The " Roughs " of South Africa— A Law-abiding Population— Are the Boers Temperate ?— A Dutch Beauty— Baboons on our Way— The Sentinel Mount— Memories of the Past— Three Splendid Mountains- Capped by Castle, Crown, and Mitre— Our Cook— His one Great Failing — Advice to Bachelors — How to enjoy a Meal on the Sly — The Kaffir Crane — Fevers — Our Driver's Task — The Boer's Love of Wife and Children— Habits of the Boer 118

Chapter XIII. Among The Boers

New Year's Day — First Signs of Game — The Spring-buck — Crossing a Spruit — Rather too much Hospitality — An Invitation to a Wedding — William Elevated — His Repertoire — The Scene of Rejoicing — William Sober but Sad — A Vain Attempt to Sleep — Morris in like Predicament — Suffering from Gnats — Reflections under the Attack — My Cattle in Pound — Released 133

Chapter XIV. Game, Game, Nothing But Game

The Dutchman of South Africa — His 'Cuteness — How he Works the Oracle — My Soreness at beiDg " Done " — We start after Game — My Gillie — A Persistent Dog — Elaborate Preparations to Discover Buck — Magnificent Sight — The Dog Spoils everything — Is Slaughtered, but by Accident — Morris again Indisposed — Pony Attacked by a Snake — The Puff-adder — About Snakes — A Splendid Chase — Bob comes to Grief and Bonte doesn't Bag his Quarry — " Murderous " Sport — The Butchers at Work — Coran — Mending and TaUoring — The Sewing Machine a Doubtful Blessing — The Birds of South Africa — Morris to be looked after

Chapter XV. Pat Mollot

— MORRIS BROKEN DOWN. Hendrick'a Splendid Shot — An Amusing Chase — Unearthing a Ratel — Search for " Vater " — A Comical but Inhospitable Old Woman — " Is it Water ye mane ? " — A Drop of the Crathur — My Talk with Pat — " A Great Day for Ireland intirely " — Mrs. Molly — Our Dissel-boom comes to Grief — Boers " Flitting " — The Head of the Procession — Ostriches not such Fools as they Look — Ostriches on the Offensive — How to Capture them — The Vaal Eiver — Making a Dissel-boom — In the Transvaal at Last — Charon — A Dear Bottle of Brandy — Getting the Cattle over the Eiver — Poonah and his Little Tricks — Morris's Dislike to him Potschefstrom — Imp absquatulates — A Queer Set of Physicians — Morris has to Eeturn Home for his Health — Farewell — Alone .... CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XVI. Friends In Need

PAGE A Lazy Driver — Reminiscences of Holly — Suspicions of Underhand Conduct — Crossing a River — At Klerksdorp — My Novel-reading Servant Bolts — Kind Friends — Half a Day's Shooting — Two Hyænas done for — A Driver is Lent to me — The Boers at Klerksdorp — The Brothers Rous — Immense Foolishness of the English — Mr. Rous on Nile Explorations — Superstitions of the Boer — A Witch called in — The Prettiest Village in South Africa — Abundance of Fruit — Well-conditioned Porkers — A Look Round — Fruit not to be had for Love or Money — A Good-looking Woman — Irritating Inhospitality — A, Present of Fruit — A Return Gift of Sweets — "Jim a Good Boy" — Jim Decamps — The other Boys assert their Innocence — Deserted by all my Attendants save one — My Lecture to Umganey — A Lady Visitor — I decline to pursue Jim . . . 170

Chapter XVII. About The Transvaal

— SOME NATIVE TRIBES. Hints to those about to Emigrate to the Transvaal — The True Source of its Wealth — The Crops that can best Grow there — Difficulty of Obtaining Labour — Natives and Boers — The Macalacas — Shots on the Road — Beltong — Tame Spring-bucks — Mrs. Leask's Pet — Tame Cranes — Their Odd Ways — Biassed Judges — My Present Driver — How he does his Work — My Personal Interest in the Cattle — Wisdom of Oxen — Wildebeest — The Prey of the Martini-Henry — Ant-hills — The Dogs on the qui vive — A Cobra di Capello — It Escapes 184

Chapter XVIII. An Objectionable Host

— TRAVELLING COMPANIONS. A Rough-and-ready Entertainment — The Pests of the Stock-farmer — A Sheriff in Pursuit — A Character Fond of Brandy and Snuff — Uninviting Premises — A Sunday Dinner — Dirty Habits — My Host imperturbable — Request for more Drink — A Fair Exchange — A Mongrel — Another Useless Cur — Macguire — Bitten by a Snake — Cured — Worried by tho other Dogs — Two Travelling Boers — Description — A Cross-examination Repository of Secrets — A Chance of Marriage — My Captain's Biscuits become Inhabited — Beware of Microscopical Examinations — Bee-eater — Supposed New Species — Cow and her Calf 'against Three Hyænas — Tho Cowardly Assailants Knocked over — Aard-wolf — A Solomon — An Offer to Barter — A Strange Fence — My Companions Depart — I Arrive at Jacobsdal — Commotion among the Population — A Canny Scot — My Host and his Family — I reach Zeerust — Mr. Niccoti Winkle . . CONTENTS. PAGE 210

Chapter XIX

A BRIEF SOJOURN AMONG BOERS. Jacob's Engagement at an End — My Late Driver " Sprung " — Sale of my Oxen — I procure some Pets — Assumed Indignation at Kama — Boers Cruelty in the Hunt — Abuse of Kama's Permission — A Visit to Moiloes — Its Chief or King — Prosperity — Mr. Jansen, the Missionary — His Untiring Zeal — The British Subjects at Zeerust — Their Boer Wives — The Gothic Episcopalian Church — Associations of the Village Church — A Hunter's Wagon — Trying to Dissuade me — Jealousy of the Boers — Its Cause — An Attempt at Extortion — It Fads — Adieu to Zeerust .

Chapter XX. Pig-sticking In South Africa

More Natives under my Wing — My New Driver — His Likes and his Dislikes — Another one Wanted — " Count " or " Uncle " — A Pair of Black Oxen Purchased — The Men in Possession — Humiliating Return — Scrimmage with a Dirty Boer — Sheriff to the Eescne — Verdict in my Favour — South African Scenery — Umganey in Gorgeous Array — Immense Effect upon his Friends — Is the Man Mad, or does he mean Suicide ? — Umganey's Explanation makes Darkness Visible — Game, that's it — Pigs ! — Fetch my Spear — Attendant and Self off for the Chase — I cannot get near the Quarry — The Quarry gets near the Macalaca In fact, throws him — "Eevenge ! " I cry — Pig Eeceives One Prod and I receive One Ceup — Ingenuity of the Macalaca — Pork not so Scarce as it was an Hour ago — Chase after Jackal — Silver Jackal — The Voice of the Jackal — Queer Ant-heaps — Umganey Explains their Chimney-shaped Funnels — In a Strange Land — Another Addition to my Museum 219

Chapter XXI. Nearing The Lion Countrt

The Driver and I come to an Understanding — An Addition to the Larder — A Hospitable Englishman — A Fight between Two of my Native Attendants — Their Mode of Battle — Some more Pugnacious Boers — I shall have no Nonsense this time — The Affair satisfactory ended — The Habit of Shaking Hands — Another Hospitable Englishman — Exchange of Presents — I meet some Traders — A Hunt Proposed — Hartebeest Brought Down — A Herd of Quagga — I Shoot One — The Last Farm In a Ditch — Rescued — Mr. Froud — Mr. Fayune — The Leader of the Anti- English Party — In the Transvaal— Stewed Quagga — Curious Habit at Dinner — A Shooting Contest — My Victory — Marking off a Farm Koodoo — Nightly Preparations against Lions — The Kaminyani — Their Projected Hostilities against King Sechelle — I lose my Way — Come across a Trader — My Wagon turns up all right — A Pauw . . . CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 24si 259

Chapter XXII

" LIONS ! " Travelling Habits of the Lion— His Haunting the Vicinity of Water— Conduct by Night and by Day— A Wearisome Treck— The Lion in the Matabele Country — The Skulking Hyænas — Wounds of the Natives — Livingstone on the South African Lion — The Bakatlas and the Lion — A Lion's Revenge — Livingstone Attacked — The Lion's shaking of his Prey — The Macalaca and his Musket — Our Bay Horse — Lions Expected — Precautions against Assault or Plunder — How Children are often Lost — The Notawaney — A Frightful Incline — " Lion ! " — An Uncomfortable Night — The Scene of the Lions' Depredation — Horse Dead — Our People descend from their Trees — Collecting our Cattle — Bullock shot Dead in mistake for a Lion — Bravado — Tracing the Spoor — Come upon a Lioness — Killed on the Spot

Chapter XXIII. On Gordon Cumming's Ground

English Park -like Scenery — My Companion does the Shooting — We meet a Boer Family — A Picnic on the Limpopo — The Gentle Art — Our Captures —The BeUe of the Party— A Walk by the River-side— A Shriek— The Lion wounded to the Death — How the Lion was disturbed — Boer Women have no Fear of WUd Beasts — The Drinking-place of the Animals — The Mapaney Bush — The Boomslang Tree — Gordon Cumming's Driver — A Memorable Tree — The Limpopo River — The Animals that are found here — How I lost a Dog — A Fine Night — My Pony Restless — I replenish the Fires — A Tell and a Shot — The Dog brained — The Panther's Prey — A Good Shot — Bringing down Hartebeest — The Basuto Pony Sick — The Symptoms of his Disease — On the Spoor of the Giraffe — Honey-bird — Curious Superstition — Bagging my Second Pauw — The Black Bullock Dead — Swindled — Poor Pony Worse — His Intense Sufferings — Death puts an End to his Agony — The Secretary Bird — A Fight between One and a Snake — Origin of their Name — A Peculiar Insect — A Gathering of Boers — Welcomed — ReUgious Service — Impressive Scene

Chapter XXIV. Among The Doppers

Their Dress and Habits — Slavery — Opposed to the Missionaries — Their probable Errand — Hated by the Blacks — Conservative — Bad Farmers in a splendid Land — The Patriarch — A Morning Visit — Our Conversation — Suspicions of my Object in Travelling — Why not be a Dopper ? — Offer to provide a Frow for me — The Bible — Primitive Notions about the Sun — Cornered — A High-priced Horse — Crocodile-shooting — An Elephant-hunt — My Noble Steed — The poor Brute's Wounds and Sores — CONTENTS. PAGE 275 Wakes up at the Sound of War — The Chase begun — We come upon the Enemy — Charge — I bring down one Cow — And help a Hunter to bring down another Cow — Cruelty of killing Cow-elephants — Baked Ele phant's Foot — I leave the Doppers — Can Man quit the Civilised World ? — A Fit of the Blues — On the March again

Chapter XXV. Kama, King Of The Bechuanas

Sand, Sand, Sand ! — A Howling Waste — My poor Cattle suffer — A Wretched Family of Bushmen — Novel Mode of obtaining Water — Fearful Condition of the Bush-people — Their Skill and Courage in Hunting — Wild Dogs — Magnificent Animals — How they Hunt — Attack the Lion sometimes — One of my Cattle Missing — Insolence of my Driver — A Bandy-legged Eunner — Fruitless Chase — My Driver returns — A Salt-pan — Curious Effect by Moonlight — The Kerne, or Wild Water-melon — Scavenger Beetle — Tlie Macalaca kills something at last — The Capital of Bamanwatto in the Distance — We reach Soshong — The Inhabitants — Welcomed — My poor Cattle — Stuck in a dry Eiver-bed — Soshong — The Kloof Community — Huts — Compassed — A Favourite Post of Observation — The " Ladies " — Eiding — Oxen — Their Load — The Missionaries' Houses — The European Community — Defence of the Spring — The High-roads of Commerce — The Merchants — Suburb of Soshong — Population — King Kama — Sketch of his Career — Bechuana Law of Succession — A Eomance ......... 288

Chapter XXVI. With The Missionaries At Soshong

A Standing Invitation — A Delightful Evening — A Life of True Religion — Mr. Mackenzie — Mr. Hepburn — Invited to Outspan at Mr. Mackenzie's — My Host's Little Girl — Introduced to King Kama — His Personal Appearance and Manners — Permits me to Hunt— Sunday in Soshong — Worship — An Impressive Day — The Life of a Missionary — How the Bechuanas meet with Accident — An Amusing Experience on Mr. Hepburn's part — Inquiring for Water, he finds a Lion and Lioness (asleep) — -Hunters boxed up in a Kraal— On the Look-out for the Imprisoning Lion — Putting an End to his Existence — Sneers of Stay-at-home Sportsmen — A Vindication of Gordon Cumming — Among the Traders at Soshong — Charlie , a Character — An Unknown arrives — Personal Appearance of the Mysterious Individual — Charlie tells a Story in his best Style— But is interrupted by a regular " Bom-bom " The " Bom-bom "-Ejaculator's Nose is pulled — The Outrage stopped — Explanation of the Strange Conduct — Charlie abstracts Roast Ducks — Found in the " Bom-bom " — Charlie abruptly disappears CONTENTS. XV PAGE 316

Chapter XXVII

I LEAVE SOSHONG. The Cattle at Soshong— Lake Bullock— Galloway-like Ox— Kaffir Ox— Mashoona Ox — How many of the Cattle lose their Tails — Kama's Horses— Queer Sheep — How they Fight — Five Strange Children — My Mare Ruby — Powl — My Goat becomes Food for a Hyæna — My Monkey returns to his Mates — My Mashoona and Macalaca People leave me — A Word for the Macalaeas — My Departure from Soshong — Dilly-dallying of the Blacks — Kama's Cattle Kraals — Mapaney Tree — Bad Luck — Stuck in a River-bed — One of my Dogs Bolts — Birds charmed by a Snake — End of the Enchantment — Seruley Vley — I fall in with a German — We dine together — Bullocks Stampede — The German loses a Saulted Horse — A Rest — A Glimpse at a Leopard — Greet and I part .

Chapter XXVIII. Surrounded Bt Disaffected Servants

Treachery of my Attendants — I am a Fat Cow — Never lose your Temper to a Kaffir — A Charming Spot — How an Irishman made a Fortune in the Kalahari — Difficulty of Hunting in the Lands of Kama and Sechelle — Beware of Fraudulent Devices to take you to good Hunting-ground — Visited by Bush-people — Improvidence in the Matter of Drinking-water — When to Value Water — Our aqua pura ! — An Improvised Fdter — Plenty of Snakes — Local Belief about Female Snakes .... 329

Chapter XXIX. Adventure With

A LEOPARD. Washing, Mending, &c. — An Expected Eow — Outspanned in a Nasty Place — The Attendants crowd to my Fire — Ordered to Light their own Fires — Eebellious Spirits — The Scoundrels leave me en masse — A Tedious Night — A Visit to my Cattle — Splendid Sunrises — Massaras Tracking — In Presence of Game — Zebra wounded — A Charge — Cruel Work — Out for a Eun — A Leopard Hit — Attacked by the Dogs — Macguire comes to Grief — The Beast bites the Dust — Buffaloes and Leopards — Varieties of the African Leopard— Arguments in Support of my Theory — Meruley-tree — A Black Mamba . . . . . . . . . . 336

Chapter XXX. Hunting After Big Game

Mashoona Rice — Elephants — A Holiday Upset — Ruby willing — Hints about Treatment of Horses — Charge of Buffaloes — Fate of the Bush-people — Danger of Buffaloes — A Tusker brought to Grief — A Pugnacious Elephant — Seemingly he won't Die — Killed at Last — The Guide's Success — He Shoots a Rhinoceros — Charged by the Brute — A Heavy Kick and CONTENTS. PAGE Shot — Bullock used as a Charger — Experiments to ride him — Another Shot at Buffaloes — A Match for the Lion — Running down an Eland — How it is Done — Damoiselle Cranes — Massara Bushmen — Our Line of March— Man with Three Wives— The Youngest Wife— Her Speed— Her Favourite Delicaoy— Her Visits— Bush-people's Appreciation of Snuff— An Excellent Vegetable— The Probable Fate of the Massaras— My Levee of Sick Natives — How I manage to prescribe for them . . 348

Chapter XXXI. Laid Up In The Great Thirst Land

A Strange Spot — A Picturesque Camp — Namaqua Partridge — A Visit from the Bush-people — Dog seized by Leopard — A Prickly Screen for Safety — Massara's Feeding-powers — Giving Ruby a Run — A Miss-shot — Koodoo — Stealing upon Giraffes — One brought low — After a Cow and her Little One — Ready for the Shot — Thrown — Gradually recover Consciousness — Used up — The Bushmen Find me — Lost — Brought back to Camp — The Guide Hunts for me — His Success ..... 361

Chapter XXXII. On The Return Journet

Hunted by a Wounded Tusker — He Misses his Mark — Never will chase Man more — Good-bye to the Massaras — Souvenirs — My Gift to the Beauty — Treck, Treck, Treck ! — Water-pits — Where has the Water gone ? — Digging for the Precious Liquid — Quenching Thirst — A Baobab-tree — Meruley Fruit — Disaffection among my Servants — My Attendants have Fled ! — Reviving the Fires — Stung by a Scorpion — My Attendants' Festivities — Disturbing the Merry-makers — Ordered to Return to my Camp — Foreloper Refuses — Coppies — Black Rhinoceros — Shot Dead — Klep Springers — My Saddle in Sad State — Little Grey Monkeys — Beautiful Koodoo 370

Chapter XXXIII. Our Sufferings In The Great Thirst Land

Learning to Labour and to Wait — Utter Loneliness — Foreloper's Insolence — Doubts about Umganey — Looking for my Oxen — Trecking by Night — Camp attacked by Rhinoceros — Covered by a Blanket — A very cool Morning — A beautiful Spot — My Cattle unattended to — I fell the Driver and Foreloper — Foreloping in Sand — No Water to be had — Cattle maddened at the Smell of my small Private Supply — Ackerman ungovernable — He knocks me to the Ground — Umganey HI — Poor Bob Wounded — Poor Porty's Hind-legs Broken — Dire Extremities — Water ! Water ! — Saved — A Young Boer Traveller — His Misfortunes — His Saulted Horse slain by a Lion — Porty not Dead — Drinking-places — Wild Animals CONTENTS. XVII PAGE Quenching their Thirst — Elephant and Rhinoceros at the Water — Lion's Voice — Joined by Maealacas and Mashoonas — Bonty's Head cut. open by some wild Beast . 383

Chapter XXXIV. The Lion Of The Great Thirst Land

No Water — Ruby's Faintness — Her Splendid Behaviour — Meeting with a Lion — His Lordship turns tail — We come upon Water — Meet with English Traders outspanned — A Pleasant Time — Dine with one another — My Wagon and theirs — Excellent Feed — A Lion within easy reach of me — Prefer not to be snapped up — Bayed at by Curfcin's Dog — Oxen prepared against Attack — Strange Mashoona Custom — We Part — About the Baobab — The species of Lions — Black-maned — Yellow-maned — Their Characters — Maneless — The Lion of the Great Thirst Land — North and South Africa 398

Chapter XXXV

A THUNDERSTORM IN THE GREAT THIRST LAND. Ruby's first and only Disobedience — Having a Good Time — A Rare Chase — On the Road again — A Storm brewing — Lightning — A Halt — Is the Wagon safe ? — A Suggestion that clears the Wagon in the twinkhng of an Eye — The Storm subsides — The Face of Nature next Morning — I ride on to Soshong — The Silver-tree — A Migration of Reptiles — Bonty overtakes me — Near Kama's Cattle — Kraals — Ugly Natives — Can't get Information as to my Way — Suspicious People — Must I sleep out ? — Mr. Mackenzie's " Herd " 411

Chapter XXXVI

I LEAVE SOSHONG AND KAMA. My Wagon reaches Soshong — The poor Oxen glad to see me — Religious Service at Mr. Mackenzie's — Thoughts suggested by it — The Pastor — The Worshippers — My Team broken up and sold off — Among the Traders of Soshong — Geordie — An Illicit Still — Consequences of trying to set up a sly Grog Shop — A great Authority in Literature and Science — King Kama bids me Farewell — A favourite Haunt of Lions — A mighty Hunter — Mr. Finnety — Some of his Exploits — Seven Lions slain in twenty-four hours — Artfulness of Lions — Sense of Smell versus Sense of Sight — How the Lions bag their Victims — Lion not to be feared by Day — Are they Dangerous? — The Leopard's Charge. . CONTENTS.

Chapter XXXVII

A VISIT TO KING SECHELLE. TAGE A Wildebeest Hunt— Sultry Weather— My Spoorer— The Game in Sight- Blown— Bring down a Cow— The Wounded Animal Charges my Attendant — Assegaied — A clean Miss — The Wildebeest gone for good — Spoor of Giraffe and Quagga— " Kiloe " and "Petsi"— A Shot at Zebra— Suocess — A Look at my Cattle — My new Ox jumped by a Leopard — Bolts with its Assailant — I Pursue to no Purpose — Certain Fate of the poor Brute — Lost — Spend the Night " out " — Light a Fire — Stung — Attacked by Red Ants — A Miserable Night — I Find my Wagon — Crowds of Partridges and Turtle-doves— Cruelty to Bouffie— His Wretched End — The Lion-bird — Aw awe — King Sechelle's Cattle — A Magnificent Roan — Mr. Williams, the Missionary — King Sechelle — His great Grief — Defeat of his Troops — His Queen — Sechelle's Town — A hospitable Englishman 433