20 BOTANICAL, INFORMATION. 



beasts of prey, and the howling they made was quite terrific. 

 On the 1st of June, we arrived at Macalisberg, so named 

 from its being the residence of the chief, Macali. The River 

 Macali runs close by. Hartebeerts, lions and rhinoceros were 

 seen in great numbers ; also elands and hippopotamus. The 

 fat of the latter animal is excellent eating. Punyer is a good 

 shot and has killed many beasts j but if the carcasses are 

 left for ever so short a time, either the natives or the wild 

 animals are sure to destroy the skin, and render it unfit for 

 preservation ; and it is sometimes difficult to keep off the 

 lions and hyaenas. On one occasion we shot a fine female 

 hippopotamus, and to lighten it, we opened and endeavoured 

 to skin the carcass in the river, but we found it a most dif- 

 ficult job to get it from thence to the waggons ; for the lions, 

 attracted by the smell, kept near and pursued us for several 

 hours. An alligator was also shot and skinned, and a 

 buffalo ; but the inevitable consequence of firing so many 

 guns was to scare away the game from our neighbour- 

 hood. 



On the 20th of July, an old Boer, who had accompanied 

 us, was killed by a rhinoceros, and this circumstance, com- 

 bined with the increasing scarcity of animals, has induced 

 me to determine on quitting this place and going to a salt 

 pan, distant about two days' journey. I shall take our two 

 remaining horses and the cows which are in milk, that I may 

 have a supply of food in case of meeting with any young 

 animals. We have no salt left, so that a fresh stock will be 

 acceptable. On the 27th of July, I took one waggon, with 

 Punyer and all the people who could be spared, and pro- 

 ceeded towards the salt pan, which is situated in the centre 

 of a small hill, and at least 500 feet deep. On the way we were 

 much distressed for want of water. Giraffes abounded in 

 this neighbourhood, and the Hottentot who attends the cows 

 killed a fine large male, which gave us a long job in skinning 

 him. The country is covered with species of Acacia and 

 Dodoruea and Euclea undulata, a plant I had not seen since 

 leaving Uitenhage. There are also several kinds of birds, 



