332 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



pened, by chance, that we met an emigrant who resided on 

 that side of the river, just as we had crossed it, with whom I 

 made several hunting excursions some years before, towards 

 the Wittebergen, and who entertained us with marks of great 

 kindness. We heard here the first intelligence of the early 

 appearance of the horse sickness in the country, which 

 proved a great obstacle in the way of our proceeding. As 

 the great object of the expedition was to collect the young 

 of the different kinds of antelopes, especially alive, we could 

 do nothing without the aid of good horses ; but seeing the 

 approach of the distemper, it would have been useless to 

 purchase these animals before the time of that disease was 

 over, as it is considered that the greater part of the horses 

 are swept off during its prevalence. As it was very uncer- 

 tain if we could procure horses farther in the interior, we had 

 to be content to wait in this part of the country till all 

 danger was over. 



As the emigrants had constituted a law, that no stranger 

 should pass through that territory they occupy, without 

 having their permission ; we were warned already by some, 

 not to proceed without the precaution of obtaining a pass- 

 port from the Field-cornet of the frontier division. Being 

 detained through the appearance of the horse-sickness, and 

 finding sufficient employment in collecting natural curiosities, 

 we did not hasten to make application to that functionary 

 for our passports. The curiosity of that venerable gentle- 

 man, however, to see us, was very great, and did not allow 

 him to wait for an application. He paid on the following 

 Sunday a visit to our host, close to whom we had pitched 

 our tent. 'As they were seemingly in fear of their sur- 

 rounding barbarous neighbours, they prohibited the impor- 

 tation and selling of gunpowder and fire-arms to those native 

 tribes, and had confiscated and sold the waggon and cargo 

 of a trader, whom they had proved to smuggle such articles 

 to them. As it is not allowed by the Colonial Government 

 to carry gunpowder and arms over the boundaries, without 

 permission, and having one to that effect, we thought it the 



